Garmin Colorado 300

[davidr]

Thanks for posting that Jaws, looks like Garmin have been busy

[SirWilhelm]

There is a hardware update that you need to do with the 300. Then do a hard reset (push both soft buttons and turn it on). This wipes your personal stuff but the new upgrade to hardware is important. Now go to shortcuts, system and add the geocaching symbol/link to the shortcut screen.
And now go to GSAK or Mapsource and export your geocache file to the 300. It should load to the Garmin 300. Use the garmin\gpx file on the gps, not the garmin\gpx\now file. And download your geocaches to the unit, here.
Now you can find the geocaches when you do a goto or under geocaching. If you had downloaded them and they were showing as waypoints, go into waypoint manager and delete them.
Now go to unit and put personal choices etc back in place.
Use webupdater often, as this is a new unit and still some bugs.
Spent an hour on the phone with tech support and my computer knowledgeable friend who had spent 2 days playing with his 400t figured this pathway out.
Also the unit seems to run faster if the maps are on the sd card rather than in the 384mb of internal memory.
Now how are we mounting this on the m/c? The Zumo mount is too big, the mount for the 60csx is too big. Ideas?
Bill in SJT

[Jaws100]

Hi Bill, welcome to the forum & thank you for sharing info with us.

How about updating your profile and let us know whereabouts in the world you are.

As regards a motorcycle mount for the Colorado, found this website last week, you might want to take a look. Its a specific m/c mount for the Colorado.

Web Link: RAM Mount Aluminum Garmin Colorado Series Stainless Steel U-Bolt Motorcycle Mount, P/N: RAM-B-149-GA27U - GPS City


Cheers
John

[SirWilhelm]

Okay guys here is the latest word from Garmin. And it's bad. If you are having problems with the Co 300, do not send it in just now. They will not have replacements until late April.
I had sent mine in and was assured that they had ones in stock to send back. Today, a week later, they have zip, and don't expect units until lat April.
Make that they have them in stock before sending for a replacement.

Bill in WTx

[davidr]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the info.

Just out of interest, what kind of problems are you having with your Colorado?

David

[SirWilhelm]

The units work fine until you try to add other features or bigger files of caches or maps.

I have had too many problems with the Co300 to count, mostly due to the unit just not wanting to turn on. I think it might be related to the memory card and how the unit reads the card. I sent mine in for replacement, but will probably not be using the new replacementbut putting it up for resale.

I got a 400T and after downloading (or trying to download) City Nav, Topo 2008 local maps and Topo GB it locked down and died. Seems that the Topo 2008 saves files in a different format than the one installed, and when you try to save maps it crashes. Also if you kill the hidden map file on the unit the base maps also vanish. So the 400T also is on it's way back to Garmin(only way to fix the software just now).

The 300 does not have the computing memory of the 400t and the extra fancy stuff the 400t does lots of stuff that the 300 won't do.

Be sure that if you are trying to load software that requires an unlock code that you have already input to mapsource or the gps unit will both lock up. The program says that you can still download the software even without the unlock code, but that is not true.

Now another point, that I forgot to do. When you plug in either unit to your computer, go to one of the explorer screens and BACK UP the Garmin files to an external drive. BACKUP before loading anything.
Then if you lose a file you have backup.

The units also need to be run thru the firmware and software file updater at Garmin about weekly as new revisions are there for a reason. Both units had problems with the compass and the upgrades fixed them.

New model and lots of bugs. Glad I kept the 60CSx and loaded all the files. Does get frustrating when 40 miles in the country looking for caches and the machine says no caches but there is a waypoint nearby by the same name.
Cache on, Bill in WTx

[davidr]

Bill, sad to hear that you're having problems with the Colorado but interesting to read about what they are, sounds like Garmin released the product to the market too early (probably driven by their sales department and the stock market!)

By the sound of it, there will be a whole load of software updates coming soon (if I were you I wouldn't be so quick to sell the unit as most of the problems you've mentioned sound like they could be resolved by software updates/fixes)

I guess you're lucky that you've got a 60CSX in any case for the time being.

Just my two cents . .

David