Navigating with GPS (garmin etrex legend HCx)

redscotti

08/02/2012 at 15:19

Picked up one of these for a nice price second-hand never having used a gps before. Thought it would be useful to know where I am as opposed to where I think I am - which I've not always been certain of in mist.

Anyways now got into tracking and routing all of which I understand (including creating routes on PC and transferring to device).

Now call me thick but I can't work out (even after reading the manual - something I never usually do) how to navigate from waypoint to waypoint using the device alone. If anybody can give me simple, clear directions on how to do this, I'll be hugely appreciative. (Seems I've hit a blind spot here and I'm going round in circles - in more ways than one!)

happyhiker

08/02/2012 at 15:39

I have a Garmin Geko which probably pre-dates yours but it may work in a similar way. I go into the section to list the waypoints then scroll down to the waypoint I want. If I then press OK, one of the options is "Goto" it will then direct me.

http://happyhiker.co.uk

Taz

08/02/2012 at 18:22

I've only just started using mine and have managed to follow 2 routes I downloaded. It will tell you exactly which point you are at and you can zoom in or out and use the cursor arrow to pan the screen.
From a specific point as happyhiker said.

Rod MacDonald

08/02/2012 at 20:26

Download the route you have created on Memory map or whatever, go into the main menu and select the "routes" icon. Highlight the route you wish to follow and it should come up with map or navigate at the bottom of the screen, highlight navigate and it will begin.

redscotti

09/02/2012 at 16:50

Thanks for the replies tho' I did know all these points. I guess what I'm missing is what is it that I follow? On the map page on an active route in navigate mode I've got the curser arrow for panning the screen and then a little black triangle. Is that supposed to point in the direction to go? (Its doesn't point on the map in what I know is the right direction!).

Also using the compass page the pointer (if that what it is) doesn't point in the direction I know I should go.

I'm used to following the direction of travel line when following a bearing on my compass. Does this gps work like that? How?

Thanks for any explanations. I'm sure I'm being very thick, but there's something I'm just not getting.

Matt C

09/02/2012 at 18:55

Are you standing still when the cursor or pointer don't point where you want to go?

The Legend HCx doesn't include an electronic compass so it has no way of indicating a direction of travel when you're stationary. It relies on the changes detected by the gps signal when you're moving to calculate (and display) the direction to your destination. So you have to set off walking, in any direction, and it should soon sort itself out and point the correct way.

Taz

09/02/2012 at 18:58

When following your route, zoom in quite a bit and start walking following the black arrow, once you start moving its quite easy to follow the trail.
You can orientate the map either track up or north up.
The compass page I haven't really used yet.

Edited: 09/02/2012 at 18:59

redscotti

09/02/2012 at 19:48

Aah - I've been standing still! So I need to walk in the wrong direction - say off a cliff in thick mist - to know I'm wrong . Mmmm not as simple as I'd hoped! A bit like the physical waymarkers on lowland forest routes that appear 20 metres after the multi-path junction to confirm you chose the right route.

But seriously that's a great help. As I said, I've just not been getting it. I'm sure when I do, I'll wonder how I didn't..

Loaded a simple local route tonight and will give it a bash at the weekend. No cliffs en route!

Rod MacDonald

09/02/2012 at 21:23

If you want the simplest indication of your direct route then start the navigation and then go to the menu and select the highway icon, this will then show a road like feature and an indication of your general direction relative to the programmed route.