Nuisance whilst geocaching

Discussion related to the Garmin GPSMAP 66s/st GPSr
searchjaunt
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 8:18 am

Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by searchjaunt »

Hi,
Trying out the 66 in the field for geocaching, I encounter some nuisances. I did RTFM, but don't find any solution for this. Maybe one of you know the solution.
1. The geocaching icons are way too small, both in the list as on the map. Being an older man, my sight isn't 100% anymore, but even with glasses, these icons remain small and don't resize upon zoom in/out. In open air, the differences between the icons are minimal. Does anyone know how to fix this or how to make use of custom icons?
2. When one wants to change the item order of the menu of the Find-button, the Custom POI icon isn't available, which results in the fact that Custom POIs remains the last item on the menu.
3. When one is navigating to a geocaching and wants to see the description, one needs to navigate to it via the ribbon whereas on the 64, one just needed to use the Enter button
4. I find it rather annoying that the Power button is the only button that 'reactivates' the timed out screen whereas any button was enough on the 64
Cheers,
Eddy
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GPSrChive
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Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by GPSrChive »

searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 23, 2019 1:58 pm Hi,
Trying out the 66 in the field for geocaching, I encounter some nuisances. I did RTFM, but don't find any solution for this. Maybe one of you know the solution.
1. The geocaching icons are way too small, both in the list as on the map. Being an older man, my sight isn't 100% anymore, but even with glasses, these icons remain small and don't resize upon zoom in/out. In open air, the differences between the icons are minimal. Does anyone know how to fix this or how to make use of custom icons?
See: Uber User > Custom Symbols
searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 23, 2019 1:58 pm 2. When one wants to change the item order of the menu of the Find-button, the Custom POI icon isn't available, which results in the fact that Custom POIs remains the last item on the menu.
Send a Request to Garmin asking them to include all categories in the Find Menu sequence customization.
See: Operation > Diagnostics > Contact Garmin
searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 23, 2019 1:58 pm 3. When one is navigating to a geocaching and wants to see the description, one needs to navigate to it via the ribbon whereas on the 64, one just needed to use the Enter button
See: Common Issues > Missing Features #4.
Send a Request to Garmin asking them to include this previously available feature.
See: Operation > Diagnostics > Contact Garmin
searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 23, 2019 1:58 pm 4. I find it rather annoying that the Power button is the only button that 'reactivates' the timed out screen whereas any button was enough on the 64
Cheers,
Eddy
Not gonna get much support on this one. If any button can reactivate the darkened 'Battery Save' screen, the battery save wouldn't save much battery.... All of the remaining buttons are too easy to accidentally get pushed. This function is best as is.
searchjaunt
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 8:18 am

Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by searchjaunt »

Thanks for the extensive feedback. I'm going to try out Custom Symbols and see what this brings.
The rest will be for support.
searchjaunt
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 8:18 am

Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by searchjaunt »

The custom symbols works very fine indeed.

Reported everything to support, but you wouldn't believe what 'strange' answers one gets back.
Since I don't see any useful help from local support, I would appreciate if the item
"When one wants to change the item order of the menu of the Find-button, the Custom POI icon isn't available, which results in the fact that Custom POIs remains the last item on the menu."
ends up on the common issues list on this site and gets reported.
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GPSrChive
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Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by GPSrChive »

searchjaunt wrote: Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:29 am The custom symbols works very fine indeed.

Reported everything to support, but you wouldn't believe what 'strange' answers one gets back.
Since I don't see any useful help from local support, I would appreciate if the item
"When one wants to change the item order of the menu of the Find-button, the Custom POI icon isn't available, which results in the fact that Custom POIs remains the last item on the menu."
ends up on the common issues list on this site and gets reported.
Feature Request #13 added and reported!
searchjaunt
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Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by searchjaunt »

gpsrchive wrote: Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:26 pm Feature Request #13 added and reported!
Many thanks
searchjaunt
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Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by searchjaunt »

Some additional nuisances:
- when one looks at a cache description or logs of caches of a caches and scrolls down, go to another cache (whether or not the previous one is logged) and go to the description or logs, the display starts from the point where I stopped scrolling at the previous cache instead of displaying from the top
- when one logs a cache which I've selected from the map, logs it and the select OK or search cache nearby, I get an empty cache list. I need to use the find button
- and old time (happened on my gpsmap 60/64, oregon 450/600) issue is the display of the dates in the geocache logs. Despite my language settings and locations, the date is shown with the month first. In the GPX it is specified as
<groundspeak:date>2019-06-15T12:00:00Z</groundspeak:date>
- despite the same settings for the screen as the 64 and the same batteries, the 66 seems to consume a lot more battery
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GPSrChive
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Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by GPSrChive »

searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:41 pm Some additional nuisances:
- when one looks at a cache description or logs of caches of a caches and scrolls down, go to another cache (whether or not the previous one is logged) and go to the description or logs, the display starts from the point where I stopped scrolling at the previous cache instead of displaying from the top
A similar behavior is listed on the common issues page as Bug #3 - I don't think this is high on the priority list right now....
searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:41 pm - when one logs a cache which I've selected from the map, logs it and the select OK or search cache nearby, I get an empty cache list. I need to use the find button
When I log a cache as found and select 'Find Next Closest', the GPSr automatically selects the next closest geocache and starts routing. No list is ever displayed. If I select 'Done', I am returned to the Active Geocache page, where I simply scroll right to the Geocache List or Map as desired. What firmware are you running?

searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:41 pm - and old time (happened on my gpsmap 60/64, oregon 450/600) issue is the display of the dates in the geocache logs. Despite my language settings and locations, the date is shown with the month first. In the GPX it is specified as
<groundspeak:date>2019-06-15T12:00:00Z</groundspeak:date>
This is always going to be like that. The GPX data using one standard format, and modifies that data to display on the GPSr as the user wishes. The GPX data format never changes.
searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:41 pm - despite the same settings for the screen as the 64 and the same batteries, the 66 seems to consume a lot more battery
I suspect the power consumption will improve some with future firmware releases.
searchjaunt
Posts: 54
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Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by searchjaunt »

gpsrchive wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:40 am
searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:41 pm Some additional nuisances:
- when one looks at a cache description or logs of caches of a caches and scrolls down, go to another cache (whether or not the previous one is logged) and go to the description or logs, the display starts from the point where I stopped scrolling at the previous cache instead of displaying from the top
A similar behavior is listed on the common issues page as Bug #3 - I don't think this is high on the priority list right now....
I've seen bug #3, but I interpreted that it should retain at the current position when switching between pages, but goes back to the top.
My problem is just the opposite: it retains the position even if one navigates to a new cache, which has nothing to do with the previous one where one was scrolling. It shouldn't retain the position, but go to the top.
gpsrchive wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:40 am
searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:41 pm - when one logs a cache which I've selected from the map, logs it and the select OK or search cache nearby, I get an empty cache list. I need to use the find button
When I log a cache as found and select 'Find Next Closest', the GPSr automatically selects the next closest geocache and starts routing. No list is ever displayed.If I select 'Done', I am returned to the Active Geocache page, where I simply scroll right to the Geocache List or Map as desired. What firmware are you running?
Version 3. It happens when I select a cache from the map and log it. It doesn't seem to do after it and just shows an emty cache list, whereas there are plenty in the neighbourhood.
gpsrchive wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:40 am
searchjaunt wrote: Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:41 pm - and old time (happened on my gpsmap 60/64, oregon 450/600) issue is the display of the dates in the geocache logs. Despite my language settings and locations, the date is shown with the month first. In the GPX it is specified as
<groundspeak:date>2019-06-15T12:00:00Z</groundspeak:date>
This is always going to be like that. The GPX data using one standard format, and modifies that data to display on the GPSr as the user wishes. The GPX data format never changes.
I understand that the GPX is standard, but as said it shows the date wrongly on the device. I didn't find any setting yet which let my indicate the format of the dates to show as desired. Time zone maybe?
Tufty
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Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2019 4:30 am

Re: Nuisance whilst geocaching

Unread post by Tufty »

Hi, I am a new member of this forum and have just upgraded from a 62s to a 66st. Still deciding if it was a good idea or not. Though I am leading to a good one.

I have a couple of issues with the 66.

1. The size of the cache icons. This was solved by reading the start of this thread. Thanks for that.

2. The method that I go through to get the description, hint, etc while navigating to a geocache. On either the Map or Compass pages I press MENU twice and the highlight Geocaches and press Enter. With the 62 it was press MENU and select View Geocache. When really thinking about comparing the number of keystrokes they would just about equal out. So I might have to stop grizzling about that.

3. But my main bone of contention at this early stage is that the Geocaching Dashboard (or any Dashboard that is listed) of the Compass Page does not have the number of Geocaches Found. The 62 had this item in its Geocache - Details Dashboard. Are any other users missing this item?

4. Back when I first got my 62 I joined a forum for that and suggested to Garmin that the Next Stage option (on the 66 it is called Coordinates) should have the option of either entering coordinates or Project a waypoint from the geocache published coordinates. So, when asked in a Multi-cache, to locate either the next waypoint or the final you are given a bearing and distance you are able to calculate it exactly. Back then they said it was a good idea. For me to calculate the coordinates it took a 10-step process. But, of course, it never happened.

Thanks for listening.
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