A GPS User Manual:
Working with Garmin Receivers

This is the table of contents for an operation manual I am working on for Garmin handheld receivers. This is work in progress however all chapters are present. Chapters are marked with dates which are changed to reflect revisions. It is my intent to cover all Garmin handheld receivers from the older multiplex units to the latest and greatest full featured units. The manual covers the latest Garmin units including the etrex and the emap. This manual will not cover the street pilot series since they are not handhelds, specific marine units, or dedicated aviation units (except the III pilot as an aviation example), but you may find general information to be applicable. I have included a chapter that describes the general features of these units. Since I don't own every model of Garmin receiver and since some simplification of details is necessary in a manual with this much scope there could be discrepancies in this presentation. Please let me know of anything you find. The information in this manual is based on Garmin documentation, my own experiences, and data collected from the gps newsgroup sci.geo.satellite-nav. This newsgroup is a great source of information.

This manual is designed to complement the Garmin supplied user manual but is intended to be complete enough that it could substitute for that manual if you don't have one. You should also download the Garmin manuals from their website.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   • Preface
   • Getting Started
   • What you can do with a gps
2. Theory
   • How does it work?
   • How does it get a fix?
3. Working with the user interface
   • Working with the Keypad
   • The System and Display Setup
4. Working with the Garmin Screens
   • The Opening Screens
   • The Status Screen
   • The Position Screen
   • The Map Screen
   • Other Screens
5. Working with coordinates and units
   • Datums
   • Grids
   • Other units
6. Working with waypoints
   • Capturing your position as a Waypoint
   • Planning Ahead Waypoint Entry
   • Updating Waypoint Data
   • Viewing Waypoint Data
   • Deleting Waypoints
   • Distance to Waypoints
   • Proximity Alarms
   • Tips and Tricks
7. Working with tracklogs
   • Capabilities of a tracklog
   • Setting up the tracklog
   • Using a tracklog
   • Uploading/downloading a tracklog
8. Working with routes
   • Introduction
   • Creating a route
   • Using a route
   • Editing a route
   • Unusual uses for routes
9. Working with autoroutes
   • Getting the Right Map
   • Performing an Autoroute
   • Using an Autoroute
   • Setup Preferences
   • Using a Manual Route and an Autoroute together
10. Navigating with your Garmin
    • Navigation Basics
    • Compass Screen
    • Highway Screen
    • Other Screens
    • Tips and Tricks
11. Working with the Simulation Mode, gps off, or Use inside
    • Training purposes
    • Waypoint and route maintenance
    • Using your Garmin as a calculator
    • Navigation?
    • Other uses
12. Working with databases (maps, cities, jeppesen)
    • City databases
    • Base Maps
    • Loadable Maps and POI
    • Jeppesen
    • Navaids
13. Working with MapSource
    • Introduction
    • Installation
    • Overview
    • Working with Maps
    • Working with Tracklogs, Waypoints, and Routes
    • Working with Real Time Display
    • Other Features
14. Undocumented features
15. Working with the computer interface
    • Introduction
    • Hardware connection
    • NMEA mode
    • Garmin mode
    • DGPS mode
    • Text mode
16. Miscellaneous functions
    • Celestial Data Sun and Lunar data
    • Special III family features battery, trip planning, alarm clock
    • Special 12 family features Surveying, raw data
    • Special etrex features Compass, barometer.
    • WAAS feature
17. Accessories
    • Cables
    • External Power
    • Dataport
    • Antennas
    • Cases/brackets
    • Memory Cartridge
18. Technical Details
    • Features and Specifications
    • Why 12 Channel
    • Resolving Problems
19. Other Garmin receivers
    • Mobile
      • Street Pilot
      • Color Street Pilot
      • Street Pilot III
    • Other handhelds
      • GMap 175 marine
      • GMap 195 aviation
      • G-92 aviation
    • Marine Units
      • Map 162
      • Map 168 Sounder
    • Aviation Units
      • G-295 aviation and land
    • TracPak No display
    • Navtalk Land and Aviation units
20. Appendix
    • Menu Index
    • Differential GPS

You may also find my other articles about gps receivers from this index.
Dale DePriest

This document and all the pages referenced by this document that are also written by me are copyrighted. All rights reserved. Some drawings were captured in g7to, some were drawn by me, and some were supplied by vendors.

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