GCA cache visibility query - Oregon 650

[EuDes]

I'm not sure if this should go here, the Geocaching.com Web site forum or the Software / Hardware Solutions forum but I'll give it a whirl here as it relates to a GCA cache.

Can anyone 'see' this cache, Lost Angel # 6 (GA6598), on an Oregon device, particularly an Oregon 650? I've loaded it as the only cache in my Oregon 650 and NO caches show up. I haven't found it so that's not the issue.

When I load GC and other GCA caches, they're fine so this is a bit of a conundrum.

Any ideas would be greatly welcomed.

[caughtatwork]

I have an Oregon 450 and it shows up fine. There is a weird link in the cache description which I've edited out. No idea if that could have contributed, but please try again.

[geo_jas]

I had the same problem this afternoon with GA5181 not showing up on my etrex 30.

#6 shows up fine for me to.

[EuDes]

The plot thickens!

No change with GA6598 and I too can't 'see' GA5181 (another one I haven't found yet). GA4783 was also an issue for me with the Oregon 650 this morning.

This happened to me last year with GA4175 when the Oregon 300 was still alive and well. I've loaded GA4175 into the Oregon 650 and it's also not showing but as it's both archived and I've already found it, that might have some effect. (Note: it's not in the caches found section of the 650 after loading it either.)

Very strange indeed!

[geo_jas]

Oops. Actually mine looks like it's simply because I'd already found it. I can see it if I choose "show found". I missed it because I don't usually use the GPS when chasing movables so I don't have many marked as found and didn't check til now.

[geo_jas]

Although it looks like GA4865 doesn't show up as either found or not on the GPS but works on my Android app (locus) using the same gpx file.

[EuDes]

GA4865 was fine for me when I found it on 19 Feb last year (2003).

This is really quite intriguing. Is GCA not communicating with Oregons correctly? (Don't worry, I'm blaming Garmin, not GCA. )

[caughtatwork]

How are you sending the data? Via a GPX file of via the Send To GPS link? If you send it through GSAK does it work?

[EuDes]

Most of the time I just use a query that includes every GCA cache in Victoria that I haven't done, that I don't own and that isn't on my ignore list. Once generated, I just plonk the output file straight in the drive:/Garmin/GPX folder on the Oregon. I'll usually update the file once a week but when the moveable comps are on, I do it more frequently.

With this 'issue' however, I've even done single downloads using the 'GPX file' download function on the individual cache page or the 'Send to GPS' button.

None of these options have worked for the caches mentioned. (By that I mean the .gpx file of the cache is in the directory, it's just not showing as an available cache on the Oregon!)

And oh yeah, I'm the only 'heathen' who doesn't use GSAK.

[geo_jas]

I do the same. I just copy the gpx files from my queries onto the SD card from the GPS.

I just did an experiment. I deleted all the gpx files from the GPS and copied only the single GA4865.gpx from the cache page and it didn't show. I loaded GA5874.gpx from it's cache page as well (nearby cache that I have found as well) and that one showed up.

When I get a chance I'll have a look at the files and see of I can spot the difference and get them to work.

The same gpx files work fine when I use them with locus on Android do for me at least it's a Garmin specific problem.

[EuDes]

Got it! On one of the Oregon's frustratingly interminable excursions to a random screen, it has somehow turned off 'moveable' caches via the filter system. I found the problem when I did a search on nearby GCA caches using 'GA' as the search criteria. Only a few virtuals showed up and the penny dropped. Sure enough, change the filter to 'show all' and bingo, everything was there.

You've just gotta love the Oregon's unbelievably sensitive screen. I reckon if the screen were set to the most sensitive setting, the actual photons emanating from one's eyeballs would be enough operate the unit!

It doesn't explain why the Oregon 300 didn't show GA4175 last year but nevertheless ...

Many thanks for your help guys.

[geo_jas]

So I've figured out what my problem is. In case others have a similar issue, I'll try to explain it.

It looks like I'm up against the 5000 cache limit on the eTrex while I'm loading caches. I have 5 GC PQs with 1000 caches each but they overlap a bit so I only end up with about 3600 total. I also have 2 GCA Queries with 850 caches total.

The problem is that I usually update them all at once on a Friday night and it seems that while they're being loaded the eTrex is temporarily going over it's 5000 limit and loosing some of the caches. I've only noticed missing GCA moveable caches but there may be others.

If I load the GCA queries first and turn on the GPS it will process these caches first. Then when I load the GC PQs separately I don't loose any of the GCA caches. I may miss some GC caches but I can live with that.

The trick (which I didn't do earlier) is to restart the GPS in between to get it to process the caches in the gpx files. It only does this the first time they are loaded.

So no problems with GCA caches or gpx files (as usual) completely operator error.

And before anyone points it out, I know that using GSAK would have avoided all of these issues but I currently do all my GPS loading using my tablet so it's not an option. I may need to look into it though.

[EuDes]

Ah yes, I used to have a similar sort of problem with the Oregon 300. The trouble is that once the 2000 limit was passed, the caches it wouldn't show seemed to be random (that wasn't the problem with GA4175 though, it just wouldn't show that one. It's not an issue now of course.)

Interestingly, there was another group of GCA caches that continually froze the Oregon 300, those being the ones along the Port Fairy to Warrnambool rail trail (see GA6253 for example). Every time I tried to access the offending ones, the Oregon 300 simply died meaning that I had to pull the batteries out and restart in order to continue. For most of those caches, I had to cache by coordinates only. As long as I didn't try to access the listing itself in the Oregon 300, all was fine so navigating to the coordinates was therefore OK. The annoying thing was that it seemed to be somewhat random so for some, I was able to look at previous logs, the hints etc. Then without warning, the problem would occur and I had to go through the whole battery out, in, restart process. Oh well.

Once again, I reckon it was an issue with the Oregon 300, not a GCA one as it was one of the first things I tested when I got the Oregon 650 and all was OK for those caches.