New GPS.....Now What?

[CiK01]

I bought a new GPS because I am planning on a western hunt someday. Its a Garmin Oregon 600. Cabela's had a good deal on them if anybody is looking. Anyway, its my first GPS. I have a simple question......now what? I have never used one before.

Thanks for any tips.

 

[H82miss]

Read the manual, familiarize yourself with the unit, take it out and about, mark some waypoints, practice navigating with it. Do all this before you go out in unfamiliar area. Trying to figure it out in the dark 2 miles from the truck is suboptimal.

 

[jtw]

In addition to what h82miss said, carry a map and compass as well. Dont rely on the gps as when it fails that can be game over.

 

[mtnrunner260]

Switch both GPS and google earth to UTM and practice marking "glassing" spots on GE and navigate to them in the dark with GPS

 

[Orion81]

Download Garmin Basecamp software. It's free to download. Connect your GPS to you're computer and open Basecamp. Basecamp allows you to switch between multiple map products such as Topo 24k, 100k, and Hunting Maps by OnXmaps. Use in conjunction with google maps to plan your scouting and hunting trips. It much easier to plot waypoints, trips, and routes in Basecamp which can then be transferred to the GPS unit.

 

[CiK01]

Switch both GPS and google earth to UTM and practice marking "glassing" spots on GE and navigate to them in the dark with GPS

Can you tell me more about this? Not sure what UTM is.

 

[CiK01]

Download Garmin Basecamp software. It's free to download. Connect your GPS to you're computer and open Basecamp. Basecamp allows you to switch between multiple map products such as Topo 24k, 100k, and Hunting Maps by OnXmaps. Use in conjunction with google maps to plan your scouting and hunting trips. It much easier to plot waypoints, trips, and routes in Basecamp which can then be transferred to the GPS unit.

I don't have any topo maps on it yet, but I am planning to buy some OnXmaps very soon. Thanks for the help.

 

[mtnrunner260]

Can you tell me more about this? Not sure what UTM is.

UTM is like Lat and Long but it is a meter grid on the earth. It just makes alot more sense to me on land then degrees and minutes.

If you were at 100500 and 200500 for example in UTM and wanted to get to 100100 and 200100 you would know to go 400 meters eat and 400 south to reach destination.

It is just changed in the settings of both.

 

[boom]

Can you tell me more about this? Not sure what UTM is.

YouTube it. There is a very good video that lays it out for the regular person.

 

[duchntr]

Not sure where you live but REI does basic and advanced land nav courses that would help you out

 

[mtmiller]

Agree with the youtube recommendation.

Search "Garmin Oregon 600 tutorial".

 

[GotDraw?]

I use a Garmin 600. I recommend learning to set up a custom home page that display the vector to your destination in Degrees, like 270 degrees rather than the useless standard NW, SW, etc.. that they GPS comes set up to display. This way you can use your compass most of the time and not waste batteries lighting up the screen.

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

Just to be sure, you have to purchase topo and trail map packs separately for the 600, correct?

I picked up one while it was on sale at Cabelas and am now just tinkering with it.

 

[SHTF]

I recommend you watching Aaron's recent Podcast with Gritty Bowman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMme-JOEyMU

Also definitely get on Youtube and get to know your garmin and how to use it. Been teaching myself alot of stuff lately and there are a bunch of really good teaching videos out there. especially on finding yourself on a map.

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

I watched the podcast and it was definitely helpful. The videos I found on YouTube were mostly yuppies changing the color of the text, so I guess I'll have to change up my search keywords.

 

[bivouaclarry]

Go geocaching. Search for geocache's in your area. Type in the coordinates and to go. If you have kids, take them. They'll love it. You'll learn more doing that than anything else. Besides, it's kinda fun!

 

[Scot E]

This is a suggestion for the end of your learning process but once you figure it all out and become proficient then just make sure you don't come reliant on it. Don't stop doing the basic safety things that you hopefully did prior to it like staying aware of the lay of the land, studying topo maps and GE, finding landmarks, etc. gps units break,batteries die, things happen so stay capable without them in case you have to.

Scot E

 

[xziang]

One thing I learned from another person a while ago is how to get to your location via the GPS and Compass. (without just keeping your eye to the GPS unit)

Find a point on your GPS that you want to get to and click someting like 'goto' in order to get a heading to it and then use that heading (degree) with your compass to give you the direction of travel you need to go.

I'm sure somoene more techinal than mayself can chime in but that has helped me before for I can then shut my GPS off if needed and occasionally turn it back on to double check my heading.

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

Yup. The Oregon 600 has a feature called "see and go" or something along those lines that does just that.

 

[BroodBuster]

I totally agree with changing to UTM. It basically turns the earth flat and grids that flat "zone" to 1000x1000 meters and then 100x100 meters and then 10x10 meters. Way easier for the brain to process that then minutes of angle and degrees and shit.

Then buy a paper map and calibrate the paper map to the GPS (all USGS maps can be different based on survey dates). This information is in the lower left of the map.

Once the two are calibrated practice putting map coordinates in the GPS and go find that spot. While on that walk waypoint easy to find landmarks such as a foot bridge or trailhead. Then once home take that waypoint from your GPS and add to your paper map.

This allows you to plan at home before a trip and then once home place actual observations on you map. This makes paper maps extremely valuable after a few years when they are marked up with trails, feeding areas, wallows etc..........

I much prefer paper maps in the field. For instance I find it nearly impossible to identify nearby peaks or plot a course with just a GPS. But I can use the GPS to pinpoint my spot on the map and then use the map to plot my course up over or around a peak.

Practice using your map with a compass. I consider it sort of triangle skill. Not that important when you can see peaks and valleys and you have fresh batteries but once the fog rolls in and the GPS craps out this skill is the one that will save your butt.

Enjoy!