Garmin Oregon.....Thoughts/Reviews/Opinions?

[Gunpilot]

Just got done spending two days with the Oregon. On road and off.

The display is NOT as bright as some of the other GPS's out there, but it is VERY readable. I used it driving into the sun, sun at my back, in the woods etc etc.. markbvt is right, its not an issue especially if you have it plugged in.

The touch screen is AWESOME.. 300 miles into it and I have nothing but good things to say.. Wire it up, and you will be happy. Otherwise you will be buying batteries.

Markbvt, thanks for your awesome posts on the Oregon.. Without your support of the Oregon I might have gone a different route. I am over 40 and the larger display is much more usable for me.

THANKS!

[Ozz]

I have a question for Oregon users. I downloaded the "Current Track" directly using Mapsource...no problem there. Cleared the current track for a new ride and later on I saved three portions of the new current track and labeled them ROAD 01, ROAD 02 and ROAD 03. Went back to the main menu, hit where to, tracks, and I see that all 3 tracks are there ready to be prompted. I hooked up the Oregon to the puter again to download these 3 tracks directly through Mapsource, but it did not downloaded them.

I searched the memory through "my pc", Garmin (G) and they are there; so I copied the files and opened them with Mapsource. Is this the only way to download saved tracks or am I doing something wrong? I would like to download them directly through Mapsource.

[PerfectStranger]

Wanted to let everyone know that the Oregon passes the waterproof test with flying colors. I rode the slab for 3 hours on Monday in rain and thunderstorms. I ran the Oregon on batteries to keep the rubber seal on the bottom closed. It was fine the whole time and ever since. This wasn't the first time but definitely the best test yet. I have mine in the RAM cradle.

Sorry, Ozz, can't help with mapsource. Haven't opened it in 6 months.

[Ooopsie]

There is a special tab in MapSource that shows the list of downloaded tracks and then let's you select the ones to show on the map. Look at the top of the left pane.

[duanew1]

Originally Posted by Cavi

I do want to be able to plug into external power. Will a 200 work for this or do I really need a 300?

The 300 has an extra feature that will allow it to use just about any USB power adapter that the 200 does not have. It is called Spanner mode. I have a 200 and had to buy a Garmin power adapter to power my unit in the car. I got it from GPSCity for about $18 so that is not too bad. I needed to order the cradle also so I went ahead and ordered it. I will say that the screen is a good bit brighter using external power which is nice.

more info is here:

http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/Power#toc8

[duanew1]

Originally Posted by Ozz

I have a question for Oregon users. I downloaded the "Current Track" directly using Mapsource...no problem there. Cleared the current track for a new ride and later on I saved three portions of the new current track and labeled them ROAD 01, ROAD 02 and ROAD 03. Went back to the main menu, hit where to, tracks, and I see that all 3 tracks are there ready to be prompted. I hooked up the Oregon to the puter again to download these 3 tracks directly through Mapsource, but it did not downloaded them.

I searched the memory through "my pc", Garmin (G) and they are there; so I copied the files and opened them with Mapsource. Is this the only way to download saved tracks or am I doing something wrong? I would like to download them directly through Mapsource.

I had the same problem. I could not find the saved tracks in any of the software after transfer. Try this: Look for a GPX file called the same as your saved track in the Garmin\GPX directory on your Oregon. I found my big track there.

[Truckin_Thumper]

well, I can officially say I really like me Oregon!

every imaginable weather ('cept snow) and she has not had one hiccup....yet

I ran a bunch of local offroad stuff, the TAT, and misc. states and cities.

It has been a bit of a learning curve figuring all the details, but it is a top notch GPS.

I only wish someone would make a hardwire kit that is more like the 60 series.
after a week of being on nmy truck (I keep the bike on an 18 wheeler) the connection went tits up (hardwire).

Running on battery power I can see the screen with no issues...maybe a lil bit when the sun hits around 5pm.....but what GPS does not have this issue?


I would reccomend this to anyone


I did remove TOPO, it kinda sucked when added with CityNav.

[markbvt]

I just got back from a 3500 mile tour on my XR650L, which included the Trans-Labrador Highway and lots of very rough paved roads in Quebec, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia. It also included everything from serious dust to heavy rain to freezing overnight temps. My Oregon worked perfectly the whole time. The Powerlet power cable I was using eventually failed, but I had brought along the cigarette lighter adapter for my Tomtom GPS as backup (also a MiniUSB power plug) and a Powerlet-to-cigarette adapter cable; those kept the Oregon powered without issue for the rest of the trip.

I continue to be impressed with this unit.

--mark

[Tiz]

markbvt -

In another thread you mentioned that you got a second rubber 'door' for the usb. Where did you get that and what p/n did you use?

--Kevin

[markbvt]

Originally Posted by Tiz

In another thread you mentioned that you got a second rubber 'door' for the usb. Where did you get that and what p/n did you use?

I just emailed Garmin support and asked about ordering a replacement door. They told me that replacement parts are only available by sending the unit in for repair, but when I mentioned that seemed a bit wasteful for only a small rubber external part, the support tech I was emailing with "found" a spare door in the office and mailed it to me. As far as I'm concerned, he did me a huge favor and probably pulled the door off a sample Oregon he had in his office.

--mark

[SWriverstone]

I think someone alluded to this earlier...but just to confirm, can the Oregon automatically save your track log to a GPX file on the Micro-SD card? (In addition to the usual saved tracks you access in the GPS interface screens.)

This is a pretty crucial feature for me, so I just want to make sure.

I've been agonizing over the Oregon vs. the 60CSx...but like others, my concerns over the Oregon's screen visibility have largely been eliminated thanks to markbvt's posts.

Scott

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by SWriverstone

I think someone alluded to this earlier...but just to confirm, can the Oregon automatically save your track log to a GPX file on the Micro-SD card? (In addition to the usual saved tracks you access in the GPS interface screens.)

This is a pretty crucial feature for me, so I just want to make sure.

If it can save tracks to the card, I haven't found it yet... I put a 4 gigabyte card into my 550 today and I see no obvious sign that the unit recognizes it - in the camera settings it says "Record to SD Card If Present", but it does not tell me it sees it. Pretty sure it's putting photos there, but I can't see where it would allow me to send tracks to the SD card.

Not good; but maybe Garmin will add that, if it really is not there.

I've been accused of blindness on occasion...

[duanew1]

Originally Posted by Emmbeedee

If it can save tracks to the card, I haven't found it yet... I put a 4 gigabyte card into my 550 today and I see no obvious sign that the unit recognizes it - in the camera settings it says "Record to SD Card If Present", but it does not tell me it sees it. Pretty sure it's putting photos there, but I can't see where it would allow me to send tracks to the SD card.

Not good; but maybe Garmin will add that, if it really is not there.

I've been accused of blindness on occasion...

My 200, when I save tracks, saves them to the internal memory of the Oregon. I don't believe that I can choose where to save them.

The only reason that I know that my 200 connects to the SD card is that the maps show up because I have the maps on there. Connect the Oregon to the computer and see if it shows a second drive as the SD card.

[markbvt]

Originally Posted by SWriverstone

I think someone alluded to this earlier...but just to confirm, can the Oregon automatically save your track log to a GPX file on the Micro-SD card? (In addition to the usual saved tracks you access in the GPS interface screens.)

The Oregon can automatically save your track log (it'll automatically archive it when it reaches 10,000 points), but it puts it in the GPX directory in the internal memory, not on the Micro-SD card. As far as I'm concerned this is an insignificant issue because the GPX files don't take up much space, and you can easily delete them once you've copied them to your computer.

And by the way, yes, the Micro-SD card shows up as an additional drive when you connect the Oregon to your computer.

--mark

[Emmbeedee]

If you leave it in Garmin Serial (System/Interface/Garmin Serial) interface mode it always powers up in Mass Storage mode when you plug it into the computer.

But if you put it in Garmin Spanner mode, it asks you if you want Mass Storage or not and if you choose "No", it fires up the gps and is still connected, but you can see the display, and use the gps, unlike Mass Storage where all you see if the dull black Garmin screen.

You may not be able to do everything you want, like copy Geocache files to the Garmin\Gpx folder, but you can upload to Mapsource in Spanner mode.