Oregon 450 sale at REI

[46er]

Just read elsewhere that the REI Oregon 450 is now on backorder. If you want one of these and haven't ordered it yet, time is running out.

It was on backorder when I ordered. They cleared that in about a day; I'm sitting by the window waiting for FedEx guy

Well, forget the FedEx guy. Apparently REI uses the el cheapo delivery method and has the USPS do the final delivery. I may never see this thing

Showed up in todays mail, delivered to door. I think it would have been quicker if REI just put it in the mail. Very nice unit, big improvement over my old one.

 

[Teegate]

Just read elsewhere that the REI Oregon 450 is now on backorder. If you want one of these and haven't ordered it yet, time is running out.

I have not had time to use it yet. Hopefully, on the weekend. I have the FRM maps in now. Works well.

Guy

 

[46er]

Boyd, just loaded the Acadia map. Here is what happens; I unzipped and loaded the KMZ file to the custom map folder on the 450, disabled the base map, enabled acadia. When I try to display the map there is a blank screen with the north pointer moved to the upper left hand corner of the display and another pointer dead center. I have zoomed in as close as 50' and out to 20 miles. At 50' there is a squiggly line that shows up and disappears higher than 50'. The center pointer does rotate as the unit is turned and moves off the display as I pan the display. The KMZ file does display in Google Earth.

I'm going to try and load a topo of Acadia thru Mapsource and see what the result is.

 

[Boyd]

When I try to display the map there is a blank screen with the north pointer moved to the upper left hand corner of the display and another pointer dead center.

I think you need to set the unit for north-up mode to use custom maps. Not 100% sure though, since I always use North up. For hiking, I think you will also want to do this. When moving at slow speeds, the unit can have a hard time figuring out your direction of travel, so the map will spin around a lot if you use the track-up setting.

 

[46er]

I'm doing something wrong. I loaded acadia using basecamp and it worked ok. Wanted to change the area I had selected and did it again. This time I got the same result as I had with the acadia KMZ file. I deleted the KMZ file and tried again, same result. I have not been able to find how I delete a file I loaded with basecamp as I want to go back to scratch and start fresh. I'm thinking reloading without deleting may be causing the problem. of not seeing the newly loaded maps.

 

[Boyd]

Sorry, you lost me...

Any traditional garmin (vector) maps that you load with basecamp or mapsource should appear in a file named gmapsupp.img. To remove them, just delete the file. To use multiple map files, rename it something descriptive, like acadia.img.

There are about 360 downloads of my Acadia custom map (.kmz file) and nobody else has reported any problems. I can't quite figure out what you might be doing wrong, but there must be something. Have you maximum map detail and north up orientation? What user profile have you chosen? This is one of the Oregon's most powerful features. It lets you set all the menu's just the way you want them and memorize the settings. For starters, I think you should choose the recreational profile, then change these other settings as needed. After you find the setup you like, save them to a new profile.

 

[46er]

Figured it out. The maps basemap loads and the map that comes loaded on the unit are different 'perspectives', for lack of a better word. I enabled both and zoomed into acadia. when I got within a certain distance, the acadia map I loaded showed up and the base from garmin disappeared. The basemap and the KMZ have probably been there all the time, but so small I could not see them, although the base from garmin was fine. Hope this makes sense, because after reading it I'm not so sure it does

 

[Boyd]

Are you perhaps confusing "basemap" with "basecamp"?... because you have me confused!

The Oregon 450 should have come with a really low resolution basemap. My Oregon 400t doesn't have this, since it came with Garmin's 100k topo pre-loaded. Your basemap probably covers the whole world and has shaded terrain.

When you talk about the "acadia map", do you mean the .kmz file I posted at GPSFileDepot or something else?

Regardless, it sounds like you've got it working, so all is well.

 

[Boyd]

For you new Oregon 450 owners: Garmin just released a software update today: http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4523

Lots of nice upgrades here, although most of them were already available in a beta version.

Changes made from version 3.40 to 3.80:
Added ability to move waypoints using the map
Added ability to set user declination direction
Added Automatic Shaded Relief option
Added brightness adjustments for BirdsEye imagery
Added display color to track gpx files
Added Geocache filtering. Select Setup > Geocaches to add custom filters
Added import indicator for gpx files
Added multicaching support
Added periodic track archiving
Added track review page improvements
Improved keyboard responsiveness
Improved WAAS performance
Fix hang searching for POI
Fixed elevation profiles to always use the most detailed DEM data loaded
Fixed future plot with tracks that have no elevations in them
Fixed issue with calculator % function
Fixed issue with map POI's showing twice for a single point
Fixed issue with Oblique Mercator User grid
Fixed issue with stuck route button.
Fixed occasional shutdowns
Fixed shutdown on About Page
Fixed spot sounding display on certain maps
Updated map review of tracks and routes. The distance shown is now the distance along the route or track.

To update your unit, just download and run WebUpdater: http://www8.garmin.com/products/webupdater/howtoinstall.jsp

 

[46er]

Are you perhaps confusing "basemap" with "basecamp"?... because you have me confused!

The Oregon 450 should have come with a really low resolution basemap. My Oregon 400t doesn't have this, since it came with Garmin's 100k topo pre-loaded. Your basemap probably covers the whole world and has shaded terrain.

When you talk about the "acadia map", do you mean the .kmz file I posted at GPSFileDepot or something else?

Regardless, it sounds like you've got it working, so all is well.

Sorry about that, and yes, I am confused The acadia map is the one I loaded with baseCAMP. I will try yours tonight, I think it will work just fine. I was not aware you could have 2 maps enabled at the same time, I doubt I woould have resolved anything without doing that. The squiggly lines I mentioned disappeared when I turned tracks off. Not sure all is well, but its doing what I expected Thanks.

 

[Boyd]

Yes, you can use multiple maps. But maps have a draw priority, and the ones which are drawn last cover up the others. This has been exploited by some mapmakers who have used transparent backgrounds, such that their features can be overlaid on another map.

And with the .kmz maps, if you enable a traditional garmin vector map at the same time, roads and points of interest will be overlaid on the .kmz image. This would probably look bad on a scan of a USGS quad, like the Acadia map, but it's a good way to add roads and labels to aerial imagery like some of the other files I've posted. Also works well with BirdsEye.

Enjoy the new GPS! Part of the fun is learning all the things it can do (although it may be bewildering at first!).

 

[46er]

Acadia KMZ works just fine I also loaded a white background for it, much easier to read for me.

 

[Teegate]

I purchased the BirdsEye maps and have added a few to my unit. I also placed a few jpg images in it so I can look the area's over that way. I will tell you how it works after I test it out.

Guy

 

[Boyd]

Excellent! Hope it enhances your travels.

One thing which wasn't immediately obvious to me was the choice of BirdsEye resolution when you download. It defaults to "high", but that is not the best quality. You have to manually select "highest" from the dropdown menu. Makes a big difference in both detail and file size. If you want to get the whole pines with BirdsEye you will need a 16GB card. It took me a few weeks (and lots of patience) of downloading several files a day to get everything.

As I mentioned earlier, BaseCamp runs slower and slower the more BirdsEye that you load. You will reach a point where you need to start deleting some of it from BaseCamp after you have transferred it to your Oregon (or card). You will also want to back it up to a folder on your computer. Open the BirdsEye folder on the GPS or card and just drag all the .jnx files to your computer.

One other tip - it's a pain to have to leave the unit connected to your computer all the time when downloading. If you buy a memory card, first create a Garmin folder then create a BirdsEye folder inside of it. Now look inside the Garmin folder on the Oregon itself. You will see a file named GarminDevice.xml. Copy this file to the Garmin folder on the memory card.

Now you can use the card in a USB card reader connected to your computer instead of connecting the Oregon itself. The GarminDevice.xml file will make BaseCamp think the card is actually your Oregon. This allows you to use the Oregon at the same time as you are downloading BirdsEye to the card.

 

[Teegate]

Excellent! Hope it enhances your travels.

One thing which wasn't immediately obvious to me was the choice of BirdsEye resolution when you download. It defaults to "high", but that is not the best quality. You have to manually select "highest" from the dropdown menu. Makes a big difference in both detail and file size. If you want to get the whole pines with BirdsEye you will need a 16GB card. It took me a few weeks (and lots of patience) of downloading several files a day to get everything.

As I mentioned earlier, BaseCamp runs slower and slower the more BirdsEye that you load. You will reach a point where you need to start deleting some of it from BaseCamp after you have transferred it to your Oregon (or card). You will also want to back it up to a folder on your computer. Open the BirdsEye folder on the GPS or card and just drag all the .jnx files to your computer.

One other tip - it's a pain to have to leave the unit connected to your computer all the time when downloading. If you buy a memory card, first create a Garmin folder then create a BirdsEye folder inside of it. Now look inside the Garmin folder on the Oregon itself. You will see a file named GarminDevice.xml. Copy this file to the Garmin folder on the memory card.

Now you can use the card in a USB card reader connected to your computer instead of connecting the Oregon itself. The GarminDevice.xml file will make BaseCamp think the card is actually your Oregon. This allows you to use the Oregon at the same time as you are downloading BirdsEye to the card.

I don't have a card reader on my Mac so that feature I will not be able to try. I will be buying the 16 gig card because I want all of the pines on my Oregon. I used it today and was looking at it as I left the area where my maps were showing, and then there was nothing to see.

A quick comment on the aerial maps. I much prefer the 1995 aerials and want to find a way to get them on my unit. The 2006 or 2007 aerials do not show the features as well as the 1995, and today we had problems finding a road in the woods using my GPS. I saw a few web pages telling how to do it but it requires PC programs that cost money. I am looking for other ways.

Guy

 

[Boyd]

You can take the aerials directly from njpb live maps, save screenshots, and line them up in Google Earth as Garmin describes here: http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us/onthetrail/custommaps. This is free and Mac compatible.

But njpb doesn't allow you to zoom in very far. So it would be better to use the full resolution imagery. I explained how to do this for Al here, starting with post #10: http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/recreation/7446-what-good-topo-map-use-magellan-triton-gps.html

The only difference is that you need to choose NJ 1995 DOQQ's from the dropdown menu "Select Dataset to Download".

My post describes doing all this with GlobalMapper, which is one of those expensive Windows programs. So your assignment will be trying to find a Mac freeware program that can what you need. I just now looked, and I think you might be in luck. The 1995 imagery is available as JPEG files (2007 is only available as JP2 or MrSID files). So that means almost any graphics program can open them, whereas JP2 and MrSID are problematic on the Mac.

The ideal is a program that understands the georeferencing metadata. But worst case, you could just take the JPEG files and drop them into Goggle earth and align them visually, as described in the Garmin link above.

Also, have you looked at my map of New Jersey at GPSFileDepot. I have traced many of the roads in the pines on this. If you enable it at the same time as birdseye, the roads will be overlaid on the aerial image.

 

[Teegate]

You can take the aerials directly from njpb live maps, save screenshots, and line them up in Google Earth as Garmin describes here: http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/us/onthetrail/custommaps. This is free and Mac compatible.

But njpb doesn't allow you to zoom in very far. So it would be better to use the full resolution imagery. I explained how to do this for Al here, starting with post #10: http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/recreation/7446-what-good-topo-map-use-magellan-triton-gps.html

The only difference is that you need to choose NJ 1995 DOQQ's from the dropdown menu "Select Dataset to Download".

My post describes doing all this with GlobalMapper, which is one of those expensive Windows programs. So your assignment will be trying to find a Mac freeware program that can what you need. I just now looked, and I think you might be in luck. The 1995 imagery is available as JPEG files (2007 is only available as JP2 or MrSID files). So that means almost any graphics program can open them, whereas JP2 and MrSID are problematic on the Mac.

The ideal is a program that understands the georeferencing metadata. But worst case, you could just take the JPEG files and drop them into Goggle earth and align them visually, as described in the Garmin link above.

Also, have you looked at my map of New Jersey at GPSFileDepot. I have traced many of the roads in the pines on this. If you enable it at the same time as birdseye, the roads will be overlaid on the aerial image.

Boyd,

I remember looking at this site before, and as before I never can add items to the cart. I tried two different browsers with no luck.



Guy

 

[Teegate]

I just figured it out. That site is poor!

Guy

 

[Boyd]

Your tax dollars at work!

Once you figure it out, it works pretty well actually. I am just glad that the state makes this high quality imagery available for free. In this regard, our European neighbors envy us because they don't have access to such a wealth of GIS data.

As you no doubt figured out, the trick is that you need to first put a check mark next to the tiles you want on the list before clicking the button to add them to your cart.

 

[Teegate]

As you no doubt figured out, the trick is that you need to first put a check mark next to the tiles you want on the list before clicking the button to add them to your cart.

I don't see that at all. That site is a mess.

Guy