GPSrChive Discussion Forum

I am using the Oregon 700 for one year now. For finding traditional geocaches it works fine, but finding waypoints is very annoying and I can't get used to it.

When I search a waypoint, the compass and the distance above the map points to the nearest geocache and not to the selected waypoint.

I am always using the activity profile geocaching. I have tried using another profile, f.e. hiking. But then I get a different navigating method and I would like to have a similar dashboard as in finding a cache, so showing the purple line towards the waypoint and above the map the distance and compass pointing towards the WP.

I have addressed this issue to Garmin support as a bug, but they responded that this was made on purpose to make things easy

Do you recognize this problem? And how do you deal with it?

The 'Compass and Distance above the Map' you refer to is the Geocache Dashboard, and it always operates in one of three modes:

1. Nearest Geocache

• Displays information for the geocache nearest your present location.

2. Active Geocache

• Displays information for a geocache set as the active destination.

3. Next Stage

• Displays information for additional geocache coordinates or waypoints.

The 'Geocache Dashboard' was never intended for navigating to user waypoints or POIs, and as such, is operating exactly as designed.

More info: GPSrChive > Oregon 7x0 > Operation > Dashboards

To achieve something similar to the geocache dashboard when navigating to a waypoint while viewing the Map page:

Create a new profile and enable the 'Small Data Fields' dashboard for the Map page.

Configure one data field for 'Pointer' and another for 'Distance to Destination'.

This leaves two data fields remaining that can be used to display additional information, for example: 'Waypoint at Destination' (name of destination waypoint) and 'Turn' (angle difference between current heading and bearing to destination).

Example:


More data field info at: GPSrChive > How To... > Data Fields.

Hi GPSrChive,

Thanks for your answer. I have followed your instructions for the small data fields and I will try in the field if this works easy.

But I am wondering if I am the only one who is not satisfied with this.

No, you are not the only person to make this observation, however, the Geocache Dashboard is functioning as intended and will not be modified. Your time will be much better spent finding a way to achieve the results you desire using the tools available.

This has been a bit disconcerting for literally years, but as gpsarchive has written, it's something you need to get used to. The older Garmin units did not distinguish between something called a "waypoint" and something called a "geocache" -- the only difference between those two types of constructs was their chosen icon. Basically they were interchangeable as far as their data was concerned. But once Garmin introduced the separation between locations called "waypoints" and locations called "geocaches" -- that's when the difference between the two items became apparent. The software engineers at Garmin managed to split the two, and we users have had to incorporate that difference in how we look for (and load) geocaches -- or waypoints and POIs -- into those units.