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Setting up your GPS
You have just arrived at home with your GPS now what? You almost feel like a dog chasing a car – what does he do with it once he has caught it?
Batteries
The first thing is to put batteries into the unit. Open the battery compartment and insert the batteries, making sure the polarity of the batteries is correct. As a rule GPS units are rather heavy on batteries so as a rule rather use external power from a cigarette lighter adaptor. If you want to use batteries remember that most GPS units and especially Garmin products have a battery indicator and/ voltage indicator to monitor the battery level. Using the backlight will reduce the battery life considerably.
Turning on the unit
Find the power button, usually indicated by a red globe indicator or a PWR button. Once the initializing process is complete push the power button for ½ a second – you will see that the backlight comes on. By pushing the button again you will change the intensity of the backlight. By repeatedly pushing the power button the backlight will switch off.
Menu Menu
Garmin have two menus hidden behind each other and by pushing Menu twice you will enter the second menu. This is where it all happens!
Setting up the Map (if your GPS has a Basemap GPS III Plus, Emap, GPS12 Map, GPS176, GPS 182, etc.)
Push Menu once
Using the arrow pad (big button) highlight the Setup Map push enter
Detail
Orientation
AutoZoom will appear.
Detail
The GPS arrives with the detail set to normal. Change this to most to see the most detail available on the map.
Orientation
North up – means that the north point of the map will always point up. When you are driving South the position indicator will be facing in the “wrong direction” and you will be driving towards yourself. By setting this to Track up the position indicator will always show the direction you are driving and the map will rotate around the position indicator. I find this easier to use.
AutoZoom
If you switch this function on and have entered a destination, the GPS will automatically zoom in (change the scale) as you get nearer to the destination.
Setting up the main GPS settings
Press Menu and Menu again
Use the Arrowpad to highlight Setup
General
Backlight Timeout
This can be set to switch the backlight off after a preset time has elapsed or programme the GPS so that the light remains on.
Units
Select Metric this will give you kilometers and meters. For marine use this can be set to Nautical.
Time
Here you can set 12 hour or 24 hour clocks. Remember that the GPS time is accurate to one second every 10 000 years.
Time Zone
Goto Other and press enter
For South Africa change the UTC Offset to +02:00
Location Format
The GPS comes with the default of hddd°mm.mmm’ - This means that the position your GPS displays will be Degrees, Minutes and Decimals. This is OK to use if you are not using maps, but as maps indicate position in Degrees, Minutes and Seconds it now means that you have to work with a calculator to convert the readings and this is just a place for an error to occur. One minute of latitude is 1852 meters and a small error could means you are 500 meters off your position. I suggest that you convert the readings to hddd°mm’ss.s” or Degrees, Minutes and Seconds.
North Reference
Thje GPS is True – in other words the GPS North is True North. If you are working with a compass then this can be changed to Magnetic, but if you are using maps then I suggest that you leave the True default.
Once all these variables are set your GPS can give you some meaningful information. Take the GPS outside where you have a clear view of the sky and after a few minutes the GPS will initialize and show you your position.
Entering a Waypoint
To experiment with your GPS the easiest way is to enter a Waypoint (position determined by Latitude and Longitude).
The easiest way to do this is to push the Enter or Mark or MOB (man overboard) button and hold it in until the display changes.
Using your Arrow Pad highlight the number at the top of the screen. Push enter and using the Arrow Pad you can rename the Waypoint with a name of your choice. When complete push Enter.
Move done to the Latitude and Longitude and press Enter. You can now change the Latitude and Longitude. Remember that is the Southern Africa our reading will always be South and East a further important point is that the Latitude scrolls to Longitude when you press the right point of the Arrow Pad. On completion press Enter.
When complete push Done failure to do so will result in your Waypoint being lost.
To experience your GPS push GOTO or NAV, highlight Waypoint, push Enter, highlight your waypoint push Enter then highlight GOTO and press Enter.
Your GPS will now calculate the distance to the destination, the bearing you would have to travel on to reach the destination and once you are moving the GPS will calculate your speed as well as the estimated time of arrival. Once you become aufait with your GPS the 4x4 experience becomes a lot more enjoyable.
Remember that you cannot damage your GPS by changing the Setup Menus and by experimenting you will just become more proficient with your GPS. Once you think you know your way around your GPS try some geocaching. Visit their website at www.geocaching.com
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