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- Oct 3, 2000
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They gave me the eTrex Legend - know its time to accessorize! Help me out, what do I need, what should I stay away from etc. I would like to get a more detailled city map for it - any sugestions? Thanks!
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My Kids Got Me a GPS for Fathers Day!
- Thread starter Charlie Fox
- Start date
A good place to really get to know your GPS and ask questions about it is the forums at Geocaching.com. That's where I did most of my research before buying my Etrex Legend.
One of the things that is a must is a carry case that protects the screen from getting scratched. The one I have cost about ten bucks and it has a clear plastic window to see the screen through. All the buttons are left exposed for easy access though and there is a belt clip on the back. It also allows the unit to float since the Etrex models will sink like a rock.
Another handy item is a dash mount or wind shield mount for the unit. The one I have holds many makes of GPS' but holds my Legend very well. It was $12 I think. There is a mount specially made for the Etrex line that you can find at Target, REI and Best Buy, etc. that is around $30 or so. It looks pretty slick but I just haven't felt the need to spend the extra cash on it.
There are power connectors for it that plug into your car dash but I just use rechargable batteries. They last long enough for me and their easily charged in just a couple hours.
There are several different mapping programs you can buy but the only software that allows you to actually load maps into your Legend is Garmin's Mapsource products. They make MetroGuide, City Select, Topo and a few others as well. The MetroGuide and City Select (which I don't own...yet) show detailed roads and highway information as well as services and such. You can search for local restaurants, lodging, gas stations and other stuff using the find feature on your GPS once the map information is loaded into the unit. The Garmin Topo software (which I have) is great for hiking, camping and such since it shows trails and elevation info. It is not all as detailed as the National Geographic maps but it works well when loaded on the unit. The Topo maps show lots of roads and highways as well but very few of them are actually labeled. Also the Topo maps are not as up to date as the detailed city streets of MetroGuide. It really depends on what you want your primary purpose to be with your GPS i.e. driving directions or outdoor use.
The other major map software like MS Streets and Trips, Natn'l Geo, etc. all allow you to create and manage waypoints, create routes and then load those waypoints and routes into and from your GPS. But you can NOT load actual map data with them. Again, only the proprietary Garmin Mapsource products allow you to get map data transferred.
One other thing, check your Etrex's software version and then go to the Garmin website and check for the latest Legend updates. Updates are very easy to upload to your unit and take only a few minutes. Many bugs are fixed in newer software versions as well as the occasional new feature. I check for updates every six months or so. The same goes for the Garmin map software. I found that the Topo version I bought was very basic but when I loaded in the latest version from the website it suddenly had a ton more features. Good luck and have fun.
One of the things that is a must is a carry case that protects the screen from getting scratched. The one I have cost about ten bucks and it has a clear plastic window to see the screen through. All the buttons are left exposed for easy access though and there is a belt clip on the back. It also allows the unit to float since the Etrex models will sink like a rock.
Another handy item is a dash mount or wind shield mount for the unit. The one I have holds many makes of GPS' but holds my Legend very well. It was $12 I think. There is a mount specially made for the Etrex line that you can find at Target, REI and Best Buy, etc. that is around $30 or so. It looks pretty slick but I just haven't felt the need to spend the extra cash on it.
There are power connectors for it that plug into your car dash but I just use rechargable batteries. They last long enough for me and their easily charged in just a couple hours.
There are several different mapping programs you can buy but the only software that allows you to actually load maps into your Legend is Garmin's Mapsource products. They make MetroGuide, City Select, Topo and a few others as well. The MetroGuide and City Select (which I don't own...yet) show detailed roads and highway information as well as services and such. You can search for local restaurants, lodging, gas stations and other stuff using the find feature on your GPS once the map information is loaded into the unit. The Garmin Topo software (which I have) is great for hiking, camping and such since it shows trails and elevation info. It is not all as detailed as the National Geographic maps but it works well when loaded on the unit. The Topo maps show lots of roads and highways as well but very few of them are actually labeled. Also the Topo maps are not as up to date as the detailed city streets of MetroGuide. It really depends on what you want your primary purpose to be with your GPS i.e. driving directions or outdoor use.
The other major map software like MS Streets and Trips, Natn'l Geo, etc. all allow you to create and manage waypoints, create routes and then load those waypoints and routes into and from your GPS. But you can NOT load actual map data with them. Again, only the proprietary Garmin Mapsource products allow you to get map data transferred.
One other thing, check your Etrex's software version and then go to the Garmin website and check for the latest Legend updates. Updates are very easy to upload to your unit and take only a few minutes. Many bugs are fixed in newer software versions as well as the occasional new feature. I check for updates every six months or so. The same goes for the Garmin map software. I found that the Topo version I bought was very basic but when I loaded in the latest version from the website it suddenly had a ton more features. Good luck and have fun.