I have a Newbie headache

[isolation]

Hey all,

I have looked around the various sites and this forum, and the more I read the more confused I become

I recently picked up a Magellan Explorist 710, which seems to be doing a pretty good job at the moment. I am finding my way around the unit slowly, most of the functions are quite intuitive and easy to work through.

GC terminology and etiquette are something I will pick up the more I read I'm guessing.

I'm not much of a tech head so some of the software requirements are leaving me a little confused. Sorry in advance if I'm about to ask any of the same old newbie questions

1. Can't load caches from the GC site via 'send to my GPS'.... I have registered my unit with Magellan, activated the free 30 day premium membership offer that came with the unit, loaded the 'Magellan Communicator' to my pc via the Magellan website, but when I try and load a cache to my unit, I am met with one of two pop up windows. Neither of which will allow me to progress further than the pop up. I have followed the obvious instructions on the two pop up windows but nothing happens. I accept the agreement, submit, and it just shows the same window saying, you must accept before continuing. I try and go to Magellan, or any of the other tabs for that matter, on either window, and nothing happens. The only one that works is the DeLorme tab, which is the one it pops up with. It gives me the option to download a plug in for DeLorme. The funny thing is, if I access the site using my phone, it works, I can access the Magellan tab? Firewall issue on pc? But It wouldn't work at all if that was the case wouldn't it?



2. When I search GCA for caches near me, plenty appear on the list, but when I click on them, I am directed to GC for any info or download options. This isn't a big deal really (other than issue 1 at the moment lol), but just seems strange. I'm guessing they are loaded to GC when they are initially logged?

3. Any caches I find that are accessible through GCA, seem to only send to Garmin units? Is GCA racist lol?

4. Can I 'send to my GPS' multiple caches at once, or do I have to tick them all separately?

5. I'm hoping to find my first few caches today, and was planning on just logging them on my pc, but is there a preferred phone app (I have a windows phone) that people use to log in the field?

I think I should stop there

Anyway, any help would be much appreciated

John

[mtrax]

sorry not familar with Magellan , but the way I normally fill my GPS is download a Pocket query (multiple caches) and use a program like GSAK.
But you should be able to just copy the GPX file to your GPS if it shows as a drive on your computer.

but is sounds like the plug-in isn't loaded or your GPS isn't being found?

[isolation]

Hey mtrax, thanks for your help.

Magellan communicator is supposed to be the plug in so the you can upload from the site through your PC to your GPS. I was thinking it could be that as well, but my phone doesn't have the plugin, and it will allow me to access the Magellan tab. It will then ask me to download the communicator software, even without the unit plugged into it. My PC won't access any of that ??

[Richary]

Hi elessar

Welcome aboard, and I am sure if you come along to a Sydney event sometime there will be someone who can help. I don't personally use a Magellan so can't help with the download to it.

I have a Garmin eTrex (that I rarely use now for finding at least) but when I did I used to create the file to upload to it from the GSAK software. Nowadays I have an iPhone so I am not limited to the 500 nearest caches the eTrex can store - work can easily take me out of that radius in Sydney with service calls and I have the full NSW & ACT listings in there.

As for 2) - searching GCA for caches near me will include all listings from both sites. This is because GCA holds the location and most log data from GC but due to various copyright issues can't list the cache itself - but it makes it a good place to do a search. You can select caches near me by picking a nearby cache and then going show GCA on the right, or doing a query on GCA using your coordinates as the centre point and that will only return GCA caches.

3) Yes it appears GCA only supports send to Garmin. Caughtatwork or CraigRat would need to explain the reasons for it, but I suspect it might be because neither of them owns a Magellan to test it on, or maybe the Magellan code is less open and available to public developers than Garmin.

As for logging them, generally I prefer to wait until I get home and log on the PC as I can write a lot better with a real keyboard than trying to write a long message using the iPhone keypad. Depending on your phone and if you don't have fat fingers your mileage may vary. Some people consider it polite to log (or at least post a note) if you make a First To Find so others don't race out. So a quick note typed on the phone to say cache found, full log to come is OK, then write up a long log if the cache deserves it when you get home. I could log as I go using the Geosphere app, and then revise the logs when I get home before they are published but I rarely find that many in one day that I need to log as I go to remember which was which.

Good luck with the hunt - and if you need any help just ask. There are plenty of us around Sydney, and if you go to GCA you can search for a Guru near you - someone who has volunteered to be available to help newcomers get going by showing them a few cache hinds. I know when I started the first 3 I tried for I couldn't find and gave it away until reintroduced a year or two later in Adelaide by others. Since then that's 10 years of addiction.

[caughtatwork]

3) Yes it appears GCA only supports send to Garmin. Caughtatwork or CraigRat would need to explain the reasons for it, but I suspect it might be because neither of them owns a Magellan to test it on, or maybe the Magellan code is less open and available to public developers than Garmin.

Correct, we only do Garmin because we don't have a Magellan unit to test on.

GCA allows you to download GCA (Geocaching Australia) GPX files, then connect your device. Copy the GPX file from your computer across to the device. I think there's a GPX folder, but I haven;t played with a Magellan for a while. That should work, almost as simply as the Magellan communicator.

[Calypso62]

A lot of people have struck a problem with downloading to their GPS since their computers updated to Internet Explorer 11. Is that the browser you are using? If so, go to "Tools" then select "Compatibility View Settings". Add Geocaching.com to the list of websites. Hopefully, that should fix the problem and allow you to select the Magellan tab. It fixed the problem for me and allowed me to select the Garmin tab.

[isolation]

And the winner is ... (drum roll)... Calypso62 !!!

I'm downloading like a dynamo now

Thanks for helping me out guys, even though i'm a strange Magellan user

Definitely keen to meet up at a Sydney event sometime, it would be good to meet a few caching gurus.

On another happy note, I found my first cache today .... off and running now!

I logged my find through the GC site, because that's where I was able to get the detail. Could I, or is it better to, log through the GCA site?

[Calypso62]

Welcome to the obsession elessar. I'm pleased my post solved the issue for you. You will log your find on the site where the cache is listed. The Geocaching Australia (GCA) site has listings which are only found in Australia whereas the U.S. site (Geocaching.com) has listings that cover the world, including Australia. The GCA site recognises the U.S. site but the U.S. site doesn't recognise the GCA site.

There's an event being held in Sydney tomorrow (Sunday) evening. Here is a link.. http://coord.info/GC4V8WC

I was hoping to be there but unfortunately, I will be in Newcastle on Sunday and not able to get back in time.

Also, do you have the same username for both sites?

[CraigRat]

I logged my find through the GC site, because that's where I was able to get the detail. Could I, or is it better to, log through the GCA site?

Geocaching.com caches can ONLY be logged at geocaching.com

GCA caches (Caches beginning with GA or TP) can only be logged here. We offer a much more diverse caching experience, but sadly lack the quantity of caches offered by the US site.

For statistical purposes, your GC logs will usually end up back here after about a week (typically), and will show up on your stats here. But your GCA finds will not end up in your geocaching.com stats as they do not recognise other listing sites.

[isolation]

Thanks again for the help guys

I went to the GCA site and realised pretty quickly you have to log it where you found it. So if I ever create a cache, would it be better to log it on GCA only, and make it Aussie exclusive, or GA so it's worldwide? If you logged on both sites would it double list on GCA due to the link between the two?

I tried to use the same profile name on both sites, but unfortunately it was taken, so my GA name is ''isolation''. I will try and load the same avatar.

Yeah unfortunately I'm booked up tomorrow too, tis the season to be busy I guess... look forward to future events

[Keeper of Time]

Hi elessar

For the GCA site to recognise your GC finds your caching name needs to be the same on both sites. You can change your GCA name using this link http://geocaching.com.au/my/settings/.

If you hide a cache on GCA you will be helping to give back to this site but you will have fewer finds than if you hide it on GC, you can list it on both but it is very much frowned upon and really serves no purpose.

Cheers
Keith

[isolation]

Hey Keith,

Well I guess i'll just log on the one site, I already own a Magellan, I don't want to be frowned upon anymore than I am lol

Will go and try and change my profile name now...

Thanks for your help

John

[isolation]

Ok managed to change my cacher name, but couldn't change my forum/login name to match? Can any Mods do that?

[caughtatwork]

Tada

[isolation]

Oooooo... Magic