麦哲伦子午线常见问题

This also allows the Meridian to do such tricks as showing the
elevation along a route, and to change contour lines from meter to feet. Conventional paper topographical maps have a stated VERTICAL resolution, where each line represents a change in elevation of a certain amount. Magellan Topo, however, has a HORIZONTAL resolution of 90 meters. This means that the grid that Magellan uses has approximately 90 meters between points. If the elevation changes by 2 or 2000 feet in 90 meters, this will be known to the GPS. The disadvantage of this is that details smaller than 90 meters cannot be seen. An improved version of the Topo software was reportedly to be available around April, 2003. Instead, the interface was updated to version 4.20 and the map data remains the same. A complete review of MapSend Topo can be found at http://www.gpsinformation.net/exe/maptech/mag-topo.html 18) MapSend Topo -- Where do I find the 4.20 patch for my v3.xx Topo? The patch file for Topo was removed from the websites at the request of Magellan. Although the patch file works fine and there have been no reported issues, Magellan claims it was a beta release and not meant for public distribution. Although they currently do not offer any patch file for v3.xx customers on their website, Magellan has indicated that customers who purchase an old version of Topo can contact Magellan for replacement software. In an email reply to Skramblr about customers who purchase new software and find they got the old version – “Let them know that they can contact our Consumer Sales Dept. by calling 1-800-669-4477 ext. 5502, we can have the software upgraded to 4.20.” For new purchases, the upgrade is free. For others, there may be a nominal charge for the upgrade.

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 11 of 30 19) Combining Mapsend Products (Method 1 – Australia Mapsend Streets) The Australia MapSend Streets has separate versions for each state. Users may want to combine data from multiple states into a single directory, so they can create maps that span state lines. This procedure is from a mail posted by hedorr, Modifying MapSend to accept maps from other installations. When installing Mapsend from a CD the program is installed in its own folder. Subsequent installations are installed in separate folders. There is no option to add subsequent installations to the original. This means that each installation must be run as a separate program. This can be very inconvenient, particularly if the areas covered by the separate installations share common boundaries. Note that this only works with Mapsend reading maps from the hard drive, not CD To overcome this, follow the following procedure: 1. 1 。 Copy the map information from the new map by copying the folder called "street_xxx" from its Map folder to the prime MapSend program folder Map. 2. 2 。 Open the "map.ini" file found in the Map folder of the prime MapSend folder, find the "[ADD_MAPS_REF]" section and add a line along the lines of 0=Street_ABCmap.ini 1=Street_DEFmap.ini 2=Street_GHImap.ini 3.Save the file. 4. 4 。 Open the Datafips.txt file of the prime installation and enter lines in the form as follows, depending upon which maps are being imported (copy from the fips.txt file for each of the imported Mapsend states) 87; ABC; Firstland; 85; DEF; Secondland; 99; GHI; Otherplace 5. It is then safe to delete the original Mapsend installations. All areas are now covered when running the first installation, including search functionality. 20) Combining Mapsend Products (Method 2 –Mapsend Europe and USA) Some users may wish to combine data from multiple MapSend products, in order to create a single detailed map file with data from both programs. This procedure is from a mail posted by mgmatt2001. The following has worked for me on a 330: 1. 1 。 Start MapSend US 2. 2 。 Create a region. 3. 3 。 Save the region. This creates 2 files (with the name you gave the region) -- one in the DOC directory (xxx.rgn), and one in the EXPORTIMAGES directory (xxx.img). 4. 4 。 Exit MapSend US. 5. Copy both of the files to the similar directories under MapSend Europe. 6. 6 。 Start MapSend Europe. 7. 7 。 Load the region you created above. 8. Create a second region (up to 4 total), and upload them to the GPS. 9. 9 。 You should have detail maps of both regions resident in the GPS. Note that the "foreign" region (the US region if you have the European base map in your GPS or the European region if you have the US basemap) will ONLY show when you zoom in quite close (0.4 mi?). You will be able to see the region rectangle on the display when zoomed out too far to see the detail map.

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 12 of 30 21) What other software is available. There are many other programs available that can communicate with the Magellan Meridian. As stated before, none of them will allow detailed maps to be uploaded to the Meridian. However, other programs can provide a surprising amount of functionality. Most software will allow you to transfer tracks, waypoints, and routes between the PC and the Meridian. Many mapping programs that run in a PC, Mac, or PDA can obtain a position from the Meridian and display the current location on the computer screen. Software such a Fugawi and Ozi Explorer (and others) will allow you to use scanned maps on your PC or laptop. You can use USGS maps, or even scan in your own favorite paper map. Microsoft Streets and Delorme Street Atlas contain a detailed map of the entire US, and can do turn-by-turn routing (if you have a laptop). Delorme will even tell you (using the computer's speaker) where to turn. There are many other programs that will manage waypoints. Linda Day offers this suggestion. “While MapSend maps are the only maps you can upload to your Meridian GPS, there are many other mapping programs you can use to plan routes, record tracks, and manage waypoints. For example, you might use MapSend Topo to upload a map of Texas to your SD card. Then you could use QuakeMap ( http://www.quakemap.com ) or ExpertGPS ( www.expertgps.com ) to see an aerial photo and/or detailed and accurate topo on your PC. Zoom in to the location of your planned trip. Then a few clicks with a mouse, and you've created a route on the aerial/topo map on your screen. Now upload this route to your GPS, and you can be pretty certain that the route will be “dead on” when you actually use it on your GPS. Yes, it's true, you can upload a route from MapSend, but it might have you driving in the Pacific Ocean (if you happen to be in Hawaii). Now when you get back from your trip, download your tracks from the GPS back into your PC program of choice, and see them in color on an aerial photo. Some software even allows you to click on points of the track and document them with a description and/or a link to a photo you've uploaded to the web. Then you can send your trip file (in *.gpx format) to others, who can see where you've been – and check out your photos. Cool.” 22) Serial Communications with other software There are several things that you should know in order to get serial communications to work properly. The communications require a serial port, which is also called a COM (for communications) port. If you have a newer system (typically a laptop) without a serial port, then you can obtain a USB to Serial converter. Some places on the Internet have them for under $25.00. Some success has been reported with the Kensington model. Dial-up modems use COM ports. This means that if you have a modem, then it will have a COM port. If you have a typical desktop computer, then you may have two COM ports, and one modem with its own port. This means that of the three possible COM ports, you have to find the particular one that the GPS cable is connected to. Mapsend will try all COM ports at various speeds until it finds the right one. Be sure to write down the right port and speed for use with other software. Baud rates must match. You must set your PC and your GPS receiver to the same baud rate. No matchee, no workee. Also, if you are having problems, be sure to disable any PDA synchronization software that may be running (IE, Palm's Hotsync). When using software OTHER than Magellan Mapsend, you MAY need to set your GPS to transmit one of the various types of NMEA data (from the setup menu). Just like a person might be able to speak English, French, or Spanish, your Magellan knows how to speak Magellan-ese (NMEA off) or one of the various NMEA dialects. If you can tell your software that you are using a Magellan receiver then it probably speaks Magellan-ese. Otherwise, it probably uses NMEA. NMEA stands for National Marine Electronics Association. It defines a standard that allows marine electronics to talk to each other. If your software has an option for the Magellan Map330, that should work with the Meridian. 23) How do I actually use my Magellan GPS? This section was provided by Linda Day: Ok, you've read about firmware and maps and MapSend products, but how do you actually use this thing? You are about to take off for a hike (or paddle) and know that the GPS is a cool tool, but that's about all. What if someone else in your group asks you to explain? Do you really want to say, “Well, I turn it on this way, and then I look at the

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 13 of 30 little screen to see where it says I am, and then I look out the window of the car to see if we're really driving in the Pacific Ocean,” which was what one user said when she took her new GPS to Hawaii. First, you have to understand the difference between routes and tracks. Routes A route is a trip you plan, shown by “waypoints” (specific points noted by longitude and latitude) connected by a solid line. There are three basic ways to lay out a route: • Lay out your route on the GPS itself. This is so-ooo cumbersome you will probably only do it once, if ever. You basically have to create a waypoint for every point you want the route to travel thru, then you go to the route menu and add each waypoint (one at a time) into a route's list. • Lay out your route in your PC using MapSend. This is also cumbersome, since you have to create the waypoints first, and then connect the dots to create the route. And if you have to reposition the map during the process, MapSend automatically ends that route and starts a new one. Then you upload the route(s) to your GPS. You can do this by using the serial cable (which is somewhat slower) or by converting your MapSend data to Magellan format using gpsbabel and then loading it to your SD card using a card reader (which is faster, unless you count the time it takes to use gpsbabel). Gpsbabel is a conversion tool available from http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/ . • Lay out your route using other software, such as DeLorme, QuakeMap, ExpertGPS, & others. For example, in QuakeMap (available from http://www.quakemap.com ), you can draw the route and create waypoints in a single step by clicking the mouse at each point where the route makes a turn. Once again, you must upload the route to your GPS – either through the serial channel, which is generally handled by the third-party mapping software, or by converting it to Magellan format using gpsbabel and then writing it to the SD card. A route is limited to 30 waypoints. So if you have a long route, you must break it down into 30-waypoint sections, or space your waypoints far apart. (Editor's note: the Meridian's firmware has been limited to 30 waypoints until firmware 4.51 or later. Even with the updated firmware, some programs recognized the 30 waypoint limitation and may not yet be updated to allow more than 30 waypoints) Tracks A track is created or added to by the Meridian every time you turn it on. It tracks where you go by recording trackpoints at intervals. You can change the intervals at which trackpoints are recorded by Menu>Map Setup (Display Tab)>Track Mode. If you first turn on your unit in Houston then fly to Hawaii for a bunch of hiking, your track for your trip will be several thousand miles long. You can save a track to the SD card (Menu>Card Utilities>Save Track), clear the track from internal memory (from the Map Screen: Menu>Clear Track), and then record a new track. When you get home, you can download tracks from the Magellan to MapSend or to one of the other programs. Once again, there are two ways to download your tracks: • Connect your Magellan to the PC and download via the serial cable. First load the track you're interested in back into the Magellan internal memory (Menu>Card Utilities>Load Track) and then control the download from the PC software. • Download from the SD card. Here you have to use gpsbabel to convert from the Magellan format to the format required by the PC software. If you save tracks on your PC, you can upload them back to the GPS next time you want to hike or paddle or drive the same route. Tracks have a 2000 waypoint limitation before it will start writing over the oldest track points. One user's trip recipe First, I check out the area using the aerial and topo maps from QuakeMap. I tried using MapSend, but the maps aren't all that accurate, and the process is incredibly cumbersome. The only real use for MapSend IMHO is to load detail maps to the Meridian GPS, which no other software can do. Then I create a route that I think might be interesting by clicking on the map. I upload the route using the serial connection and specifying a baud rate of 57600.

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 14 of 30 When I arrive at the starting point, I clear all the tracks out of the internal memory of the Meridian (Map Screen: Menu>Clear Tracks, or from other screens, Menu>Setup>Clear Memory>Tracks), so that my route will start fresh. I also reset the trip odometer (Position screen>Menu>Reset Trip), so I'll know how far I've traveled. Then I hike or paddle or drive keeping an eye out for the next waypoint. The MeriPlat beeps when I get close to a waypoint (tap Enter to make it stop) and then it's on to the next. If I miss a waypoint, the unit moves on to the next. The whole time, of course, I'm recording a track. When I get home, I download the track into QuakeMap, which immediately zooms me in to see my trip on an aerial photo or topo map. I can annotate waypoints and print it. I can even annotate waypoints with url's to photos that I've uploaded to the web, and then send the file to someone else who can see exactly where I've gone (the map) and what it looked like (the photos). If I want to keep the track for later uploading and future trips, I can also download it to MapSend and save it. Editor's Note on Mapsend DirectRoute: This new software package will create turn-by-turn, shortest distance street routing. The process detailed above will still be useful for off-road adventures and custom street routes. 24) Fun things to do with your GPS Try geocaching! Find hidden treasure with your GPS. Using the coordinates and clues provided, find the hidden container. Once found, sign the book, leave a prize, and take a prize. It is that simple. There are t wo main geocaching sites. http://www.geocaching.com is the first, and the largest. It will likely have a cache in your area. http://www.navicache.com is newer and smaller, but has a friendly laid-back atmosphere. Being the smaller one, it needs your support (monopolies are bad things). For something different try GeoDashing! No boxes, no prizes. Just seeing who gets there first for points. Each game, which lasts a month, consists of a computer randomly generating coordinates. The sooner that you get to a “Dash point,” the more points you get. Team play is also offered. Check it out at http://geodashing.org/ MinuteWar is a strategic game where the earth is the playing field. There are four teams, and teams attempt to go to random locations similar to GeoDashing. However, going to locations allows your team to control those squares. You may find more information at http://minutewar.org/ The degree confluence project's goal is to get a picture at every point on Earth where the location is described by integer degrees. More information is at http://www.confluence.org/ A good link to many GPS games can be found at http://gpsgames.org/ Note: the GeoDashing and Minute War websites are now hosted at the GPS games site - http://gpsgames.org/ 25) What if I don't use Windows? If you don't use Microsoft Windows, you are to be congratulated for making a wise decision. MapSend has been reported to work well on a Macintosh with “Virtual PC” and a USB-serial converter. Linux users can reportedly use “VMWare” to run MapSend. And of coarse there are also non-Magellan GPS applications that can communicate with the Meridian (although they cannot upload maps). 26) WAAS - What it is, do I need it, and can I turn it off? WAAS stands for Wide Area Augmentation System. This system is still experimental. The Meridian can pick up special WAAS satellites (shown by a “W” on the satellite screen) which transmit various correction factors. There are several ground stations in the US which pick up the GP S signals and calculate these correction factors. If you can pick up a WAAS signal, are relatively close to a ground station, and are in the open (no overhead obstructions), then WAAS may improve accuracy. Sometimes WAAS has been known to decrease accuracy To turn off WAAS, with the Meridian turned off, hold down GOTO and NAV and tap the PWR button. In a couple of seconds you should see a box pop up with "00" inside of it. At this point, release GOTO and NAV. Use the direction pad to change the "00" to a "03" and then press ENTER. A few boxes should pop up. Press ENTER to turn a "YES" to a "NO" (all boxes will change simultaneously). You may need to use the three-finger salute (simultaneously GOTO, ESC, and ENTER) to get the unit to turn off. Then, when you turn it back on the WAAS satellites should not be visible in the satellite screen. Note that the boot screen will still say "WAAS."

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 15 of 30 27) What are all of these secret menus? Magellan built a bunch of secret menus into the GPS. These are supposedly for testing and to try out new functionality. There are two ways to access the hidden menus: If your Meridian is turned off, hold down GOTO and NAV and tap the PWR button. In a couple of seconds you should see a box pop up with "00" inside of it. At this point, release GOTO and NAV. Use the direction pad to change the "00" to the number of the menu that you want, and then press ENTER. If your Meridian is already powered on, press the MENU button. Then press and release LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT, and LEFT again. The secret menu box will pop up. In some cases your Meridian may become "stuck" and need the "three finger salute." Hold down GOTO, ESC, and ENTER. This will immediately shut the Meridian down. NOTE: Do NOT use any of these secret menus unless told to do so elsewhere in this document. Some of these may erase the memory of your unit or do other nasty things, which will cause your unit to not work. They are included simply to make this FAQ a complete reference. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do NOT use the following table unless you know exactly what you are doing. Thanks to ClayJar, luis_scsc, Daniel de Wildt & Ed Maurer for information in the following table. Secret Menus ## Description 描述 Exit Keys 00 Firmware Version Display ESC 01 SAT List (?) MENU 03 WAAS Status ESC ESC (-Turn WAAS on/off : press enter ->3 data fields display on/off (toggle) 09 Sensor Degauss (for factory use!) ESC 10 Unit Off? 14 14 Temperature Sensor Calibration? ESC 19 19 Delete User Sensor Calibration (for factory use!) ESC 20 20 SAT Data? MENU 21 Sensor Degauss ESC (Starts additional compass calibration! see Plat. Suppl. Manual p 7-10!) 22 Clear Sensor Calibration ESC WARNING 24 Clear Barometer History ESC WARNING 30 Clear Memory (select) ESC 31 Clear XO Parameters ESC ESC WARNING 32 Clear All Memory ESC ESC WARNING 38 Language Select ESC 39 39 Set Custom Language? ESC 71 Create Waypoints for Testing ESC 82 Compensation Offset ESC 86 Basemap Upload (via SD Card)** ESC (1. - copy basemap file to SD Card, 2. - rename basemap file to BASEMAP.IMG!) 87 87 SD Card test (Same as Test Card menu item) ESC 88 Firmware Upload (via SD Card)** ESC (1. – copy firmware file to SD Card, 2. - rename firmware file to FIRMWARE.HEX!) 90 XO OFFSET/AD READING (?) ESC WARNING 92 Map Select (change Map Menu) ESC 93 Convert Basemap Name (?) ESC WARNING 95 Reset Serial Flash (erase all map data) ESC WARNING 98 Map Upload –(Base or Detail, via serial cable) ESC 99 Software Upload Mode (via serial cable) FORCE OFF

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 16 of 30 28) Secret Key Combinations Below is a list of secret key combinations. NOTE: Do NOT use any of these key combinations unless told to do so elsewhere in this document. Some of these may erase the memory of your unit or do other nasty things which will cause your unit to not work. They are included simply to make this FAQ a complete reference. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do NOT use the following table unless you know exactly what you are doing. Secret Key Combinations KEYS TO PRESS EFFECT EXIT KEYS GOTO ESC ENTER FORCE OFF GOTO ESC PWR SOFT UPLOAD MODE ACTIVE FORCE OFF NAV GOTO ESC PWR ??LCD OFF - KEYBOARD OFF ??? FORCE OFF NAV ESC PWR BURN IN TEST ESC NAV GOTO PWR HIDDEN MENU PWR / FORCE OFF NAV IN PWR DISPLAY TEST FORCE OFF NAV OUT PWR SERIAL PORT TEST FORCE OFF ENTER MENU PWR CLEAR ALL MEMORY ESC WARNING 29) Upgrading the "Lawyer" screen The Meridian contains a screen that basically states that it is not the fault of Magellan if using this GPS causes you to get killed. There is a way to modify the firmware of the Meridian so that, instead of the Lawyer screen, it will display your name, phone number, e-mail, and whatever else you want it to say. The program is called MyMeridian and available from the files section and http://www.navicache.com/freeware/ ERROR FIX: Current version 05b does not work with v4.xx firmware. A fix has been identified. Open the file MyMeridian.ini. Find the entry “English=All data” and add the word 'is' to the end. The updated line should read: English=All data is To use this software, you must have a copy of the firmware for your unit (can be download from Magellan's Website). The tool modifies the text message in the firmware and then you must upload the modified firmware to your unit. If you are squeamish about modifying the firmware, then this modification may not be for you. 30) Upgrading the "Copyright" screen Some versions of Mapsend have a “Woodall's” copyright screen that appears during power on. To change the copyright screen, go to the Mapsend program directory, navigate to the 'MAP' subdirectory and look for the Export.cfg file. Open it in Notepad and look for the lines: [COPYRIGHT] 1=Woodall's © 2=All rights 3=reserved. To keep these old lines but not show them place a semicolon before the number, and add the new lines. For example: [COPYRIGHT] ;1=Woodall's © ;2=All rights ;3=reserved. 1=My Name 2=My Address. 3=Nowhere, NY 12345 4=1-123-555-1212 Remember, the lines with the semi-colon don't count and don't show up anywhere. Bonus: the lines will print in numerical order (for whatever that's worth).

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 17 of 30 Save the file and start up Topo or S&D, mark your regions, save to disk and move to the memory card and start up your Magellan Meridian and you should see the new screen just before the "Lawyer" screen. Unlike the “Lawyer” screen modification, this one is simple and does not involve manipulating the firmware. It is 100% safe. Note: You cannot have blank lines or lines filled with spaces. I've had as many as 8 lines. More than that just won't show up on the Magellan's Screen. With 8 lines you should be able to place some advertising for Pepsi or Coca- Cola, except for the darn "Database Copyright Notices" heading. Thanks to Fred Merchant for that information. Notes offered by Greg Davis: - maximum 17 characters (including spaces) on each line - maximum 8 lines total - will show in numerical order - cannot have blank lines or lines filled with spaces (be careful that the editor does not add any additional trailing blank characters). - can save original file, or just comment out using semi-colons and they will not be read: - after modifying the cfg file EACH TIME, you MUST completely restart MapSend before compilation, or it will use the default text. - be sure the cfg file is NOT still open in the text editor so it is saved and can be read. 31) Emergency Firmware Restoration Thanks to "Randy Tippetts" Below are the recovery instructions for a dead MAP330 or Meridian. They are written for the MAP330 but they work just as well for the Meridians. 1. 1 。 If your MAP330/Meridian is in a "locked up" state (stuck on), power it down by holding down MARK/GOTO and the ESC keys and press ENTER. This will power down the unit. 2. 2 。 Power it up in "Software upload mode" by holding down MARK/GOTO and the ESC keys and press POWER. Unit should power up with a "software upload mode active" message. 3. 3 。 Run magup.exe, select NO at the dialog box. Click on "Expert" and checkmark "On" for the "Expert Upload" setting ( Be sure set the "Unit Type". Use Meridian GPS for the green/yellow or Meridian for the others. With the latest MagUp there is also a Meridian Marine and Meridian Color option ) and click "OK" 4. 4 。 Select the firmware file by clicking on "File" then "Select Code File". The firmware file should have a name like MGPS402.HEX or MGOLD406.HEX. 5. Click on "Upload" and click "OK". Checkmark "Program Code Only". Check "Upload File". You may be able to recover your unit back without sending it in. Make sure you put fresh batteries in before trying the above. If the above fails, try inserting step 1b between steps 1 and 2 as follows: 1b. Erase the base map by Press NAV and GOTO simultaneously while switching on the Meridian. A small rectangle appears, put in the number 95 (using the cursor keys) and press ENTER. Select Yes and press ENTER. This will delete the basemap! The unit will also switch off automatically. 32) Base Map Replacement (Gold/Marine/Platinum/Color) There are currently two methods for base map replacement. New firmware method: Copy the basemap to an SD card, renaming the file to basemap.img Insert the SD card into the GPS, activate the hidden menu, and enter code 86. Original Manual method: Here are the directions to replace your base map. Note that this involves ERASING you current base map. If the existing base map is not erased, then you cannot change map types (for example, from a land to a marine). The

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 18 of 30 MagUp software was designed to prevent this type of upgrading. The MagUp software is available with the latest firmware update package available from the Magellan web site. Setup of the Meridian 1. 1 。 Connect the Meridian to the PC. 2. 2 。 Switch the Meridian on to make sure that the battery life indicator is over 50%, modify the baud rate if you want to, and then switch off the Meridian. 3. 3 。 Press NAV and GOTO simultaneously while switching on the Meridian. 4. 4 。 A small rectangle appears, put in the number 95 (using the cursor keys) and press ENTER. Select Yes and press ENTER. This will delete the basemap! The unit will also switch off automatically. 5. Once again press NAV and GOTO simultaneously while switching on the Meridian. In some cases, the unit will display the following message: UNIT CURRENTLY CONTAINS NO MAPS INITIATING MAP UPLOAD. That's OK, just leave it there. If it displays the small rectangle instead, put in the number 98, and press ENTER. Select basemap upload. Setup of the PC 1. 1 。 Start magup.exe. 2. 2 。 Answer NO to the next question (Proceed with software upload?) 3. 3 。 File > Select Database File, and select the basemap file that you want to upload. 4. 4 。 Expert > Expert Upload 'On'. You may also want to choose one of the non-standard baud rates here (equal to Meridian setting). Click OK. 5. Upload > OK > choose 'Base Map Only' > Check 'Upload File' 6. 6 。 Now uploading will start. With 115200 bps, this will take approximately 30 minutes. That's it! When the upload is finished you will again have your basemap in the Magellan. Your unit may need initialization. 33) Basemap Replacement (Green & Yellow) This is the procedure that works for uploading a different basemap in a Meridian GPS (Green or Yellow) as provided by toine_stokbroekx. I've tried several ways and combinations without success until I did it this way. Thanks to Jon for providing a crucial hint. What I used: - firmware 4.03 - MAGUP 1.20 - eu_b100.img (basemap) - serial data cable step 1: clear memory Very important. Turn on the unit and clear memory by pressing MENU from any screen, select `Setup', `Clear Memory', then select `All' and `Yes'. The unit will turn off automatically. step 2: Get to upload menu 98. When your Meridian is turned off, hold down GOTO and NAV and tap the PWR button. In a couple of seconds you should see a box pop up with "00" inside of it. At this point, release GOTO and NAV. Use the direction pad to change the "00" to the number 98. Press enter. step 3: Select basemap upload. step 4: start MAGUP

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 19 of 30 Select no when asked for software upload. In Expert menu: - Select expert mode on - Select Meridian GPS In the file menu: - Select Database file option and then the base map file to upload Select Upload Select "basemap only" Select "upload basemap" Step 5: Reinitialize 34) Base Map Backup Here are the instructions on how to back up the base map in your Gold/Marine/Platinum/Color. This has been tested with v3.08 and v4.02 firmware. Note that it is not possible to backup the base map in a Green or Yellow. Also, all commands must be in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS . Setup of the Meridian 1. 1 。 It might be easier to find the right file if you remove the SD card. 2. 2 。 Connect the Meridian to the PC. 3. 3 。 Switch the Meridian on, make sure that the battery life indicator is over 50%, and turn off the NMEA output (Menu > Setup > NMEA > Off). 4. 4 。 Set the baud rate to the desired value (any value will do, but remember that the PC should be set at the same baud rate, see below). If too many errors occur, the baud rate can be reduced, but then it takes much more time to download (with 115200 bps it takes about 15 minutes). Setup of the PC 1. 1 。 Start Hyperterminal: Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > Hyperterminal. 2. 2 。 Make a new connection (or open the saved connection from a previous session and go to step 8). 3. 3 。 Connect Using: Direct to Com1 (or Com2, whatever Com port your MAP330 is connected to). Click OK. 4. 4 。 Port settings: Bits per second: equal to Meridian setting Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow control: None 5. On the advanced button you can adjust the receive and transmit buffer (putting both buffers on Low should be fine). Click OK. 6. 6 。 Now click the Disconnect icon to stop the communication between Hyperterminal and the meridian at this point, as we first need to check some other communication settings. Some of these settings may not be relevant at all, others are very relevant. Anyway, the settings below have proven to work and so are listed here. In Hyperterminal, click the Properties icon and choose the Setting Tab. Keys act as: Windows-keys backspace key sends: CTRL+H Emulation: Autodetect Telnet terminal: ANSII Backscroll buffer lines: 500 Next, Click ASCII: Check 'Send line ends with line feeds' (this one is very relevant!)

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 20 of 30 Check 'Echo typed characters locally' Set both delays to 0 milliseconds Check 'Append line feeds to incoming line ends' Uncheck 'Force incoming data to 7-bit ASCII' Check 'Wrap lines that exceed terminal width' Click OK twice to close the two windows 7. 7 。 Now connect to the Meridian (click on the Call icon) and type the following line into the window $PMGNCMD,FIL,FIRST,*6B 8. The unit will then respond with the name of the first file. This is usually the base map. On a Meridian with v4.02 firmware and the American Marine map v1.03, the response should be: $PMGNFIL,FIRST,OK,1,BASEMAP.IMG,013124.00,09,05,102,10000,15406836*32 In the above example, the filename is “ BASEMAP.IMG ”. 9. 9 。 If you wish, you can enter in a line repeatedly to get an entire listing of the memory contents. This listing will include the contents of the SD card. The line to enter is: $PMGNCMD,FIL,NEXT*1A When you get a response of “ $PMGNCMD,END*3D ” then you have a listing of all files and there are no more to be displayed. 10. The next step is to download the base map. If the basemap is called “ BASEMAP.IMG ”, then the line to enter is: $PMGNCMD,FIL,DOWNLOAD,BASEMAP.IMG*01 If the basemap is NOT called BASEMAP.IMG, you will have to construct your own line, and compute the checksum (the checksum is the last field in the line; eg “01” in the example above. At the Magellan Meridian Yahoo Group ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Magellan_Meridian/files ), you will find “ Hex Checksum.zip ”. Download this and follow the instructions in order to get the correct line checksum. 11. Go to Transfer > Receive File, and select the 1K Xmodem protocol. After that, name the basemap file that you will be receiving (I recommend using the same suffix as Magellan uses:.img) 12. The file transfer should start now, and progress can be monitored (with a baud rate of 115200, it takes about 30 minutes), but I have found in noisy environments that a baud rate of 4800 may be required to get through without errors. That's it! When the download is finished you will have a basemap file that can be uploaded to the unit, using magup.exe. It should be noted that ANY serial terminal program that supports Xmodem can be used. 35) Build your own Trail Maps The following section was original contributed by jelf_gps and contains some minor edits. It expands on the subject matter of “How do I actually use the GPS?” with detailed procedures for turning tracks into trail maps. This post will show you how to make your own maps that can be displayed on the Meridian's screen. This technique is based on editing the GPS track file on your PC. By editing the track file you can easily build a map of your favorite trail system. Also, this technique will show you how to eliminate the straight line that the GPS often draws between two different tracks. This procedure assumes you have a memory card and a card reader and you are running firmware 3.12 or later. Step 1 - Data collection Go to where you want to begin creating your map. Display the map screen and clear the track (menu - clear track). Travel along the trail you want to include in your map. Save the track you recorded (menu - card utilities - save track). You will be asked to enter a file name. The track you just recorded will be saved on the memory card and given the file name that you enter.

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 21 of 30 Step 2 - More data collection Go to the start of another trail you want to include on your map. Display the map screen and clear the track. Travel along the trail. Save the track giving it a different file name. Step 3 - Edit the data you collected to make the map The 2 track files you created on your memory card are DOS text files. In this step you will combine those two files into one file to begin making your map. You can keep adding to this file (and thus refining your map) as you travel on and collect data on more trails. Pop the memory card out of your GPS and slip it into your card reader. Fire up your favorite ASCII text editing software. Microsoft's notepad will work fine. (I would tell you that I used WordPerfect Office 2002 as my ASCII editor to figure all this out but at least half of you would ROFL). Create 1 file that contains both of your track files. This is the start of the file that contains the map you are building. Tip #1 The first line in this file must be a valid line from one of your track files. Tip #2 Any line other than the first line can be a comment line. Since the Magellan track file complies with the NMEA standards, any line that begins with a single apostrophe is a comment line. You might want to separate each trail segment you add to this file (your 'map' file) first with a blank line and then with a line giving the name of the following trail segment. The blank line and the trail name line must begin with a single apostrophe. Find the first line of the second track you added to this file. Copy that line so it appears twice in this file, one right after the other. Now edit the first occurrence of that line by (1) changing the time of day so it is at least 4 hours later than the last line of the previous track in this file and (2) changing the lat/long to anything. (Editor's note: This is done to prevent the drawing of a line between the last trackpoint of the previous track and the first trackpoint of the next track.) Recalculate the checksum for the line you just changed. The files section of this forum has a utility that will do this. Download and unzip the file Hex Checksum.zip Run this program and follow the instructions. Edit the line you changed so the checksum is correct. (Editor's note: I've found that this procedure appears to work fine without modifying the Checksum). Save your edits and copy this new file onto your memory card and give it a name. The name must be a DOS 8.3 name. (I'm not sure if lowercase letters are allowed, maybe not.) Tip #3: Here is the record layout for the lines in a track file. This info is from the file mag-proto-2-7.zip which is posted in the files section of this forum. Example line: $PMGNTRK,4536.571,N,12320.804,W,00491,M,213631.17,A,,021102*65 The first data field in this message is the Latitude, followed by N or S. The next field is the Longitude followed by E or W. The next field is the altitude followed by "F" for feet or "M" for meters. The next field is the UTC time of the fix. The next field consists of a status letter of "A" to indicate that the data is valid, or "V" to indicate that the data is not valid. The last character field is the name of the track, for those units that support named tracks. The last field contains the UTC date of the fix. Tip #4: Doing the edits described above will cause the Meridian to NOT draw a line on the GPS screen connecting the two tracks. Step 4 - Load the map onto your GPS Pop the memory card into your GPS and fire it up. Clear current track and use the card utilities to Load Track. Load the file you created which combined the two tracks you collected. Your map is now displayed on the screen. Step 5 - Add to your map Whenever you want to add to your map, go to where you want to start recording a new trail. Clear track Travel the trail. Save the track you just created onto the memory card.

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 22 of 30 Repeat step 3 to add this new trail segment onto your map. Have fun with this and be sure to let the rest of us know if you figure out any improvements/enhancements to this technique. 36) Change the Meridian icons. Do you wish you had geocaching icons? Maybe you don't have a use for wineries and would like to make a symbol for your favorite brew pub? There is a utility to change the icons stored in the Meridian. In the files section of the Meridian group is a utility called Meridicon. This utility will display and allow you to edit the icons in the Meridian firmware files. Note that you must use the tool with the appropriate CSV file for your firmware version. Your firmware version doesn't have a CSV file? The author has also provided a tool that allows you to search a new firmware file and locate the correct addresses for the icons. This tool is called iconfinder. More detail can be found by downloading these programs from the files section of the Magellan Meridian user's group. 37) How do I measure the distance between two points? This method was offered by Wyatt: 1. 1 。 On the map screen hit menu and scroll down to vertical profile. Hit enter. 2. 2 。 Scroll down to "path check" and hit enter. This will take you back to the map screen. 3. 3 。 Move to where you want it to start measuring and hit the goto button once (for less than 2 seconds). 4. 4 。 When you move the cursor you can see the distance to where you just hit the goto button. 38) Can I use rechargeable batteries? Not only will Meridians operate from rechargeable batteries, but it is highly recommended. Rechargeable batteries (Nimh or NiCad) will save lots of money, as you'll not burn thru boxes of disposable alkalines. Look for charge ratings in the 1800 mah or higher for best results. One side effect will be a very short 'low battery warning'. The time between the unit signaling the alarm for low battery and the unit shutting itself down will be very short. So when that alarm goes off, you have less time to replace the batteries than you will with alkalines. This is due to rechargeable batteries maintaining a relative constant charge until depleted. Another is the charge meter will never show a full charge. This is due to the lower operating voltage of rechargeables (1.25v vs. 1.5v). Jacek M. Holeczek offered up these links for some tests and opinions on rechargeables: http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/BATTS/BATTS.HTM http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACC1.HTM http://www.steves-digicams.com/nimh_batteries.html http://www.steves-digicams.com/digi_accessories.html 39) What is the 'Simulate' function for? The simulate feature is used for demonstration purposes and to help in checking software communication. When activated, your GPS acts as if it is receiving satellite signals and moving. When connected to software, you can verify the GPS functionality with the software without having to get an actual satellite lock. This is very helpful when inside buildings. There is a process to create your own routes for the simulator. Jelf_gps provided these instructions: This post will show you how to use the simulate feature together with your own route. Here are some simple steps you can perform to experiment with this feature: Step 1 Create a waypoint at the location cursor or hourglass. Create a few other nearby waypoints for use in your route. Tip - To quickly create these waypoints use the arrow keys to steer the crosshair somewhere and then hold GOTO

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 23 of 30 down. Tip - do not name these waypoints SIM001, SIM002, etc Step 2 Use these newly created waypoints to build a route. This must be done as route #20. Menu>Routes>up-arrow will get you to route #20. First delete any route currently in route #20. Begin your route with the waypoint you took at the present cursor or hourglass location. Add your other waypoints to the route and then save the route. Step 3 Start the simulation. Menu-Setup-Simulate-Auto Your waypoints and route should appear on the screen. After a short pause the cursor should start moving along your route. Step 4 (Credit for this step goes to jvavrus2000) Start the simulation. Menu-Setup-Simulate-Auto Once in simulate do the following: Menu->Setup->Initialize->Enter Coord Enter the coordinates you wrote down for the first waypoint in your route. Use ENTER to go through all the other fields (altitude, time, date). The unit will now be in simulate mode at the location you specified for initialization and moving toward your first waypoint. 40) Setting up a User Grid The meridian has several pre-programmed coordinate systems. It also has the option to specify a 'User Grid'. This allows you to setup the GPS coordinates to match maps built on different coordinate systems. The user manual is severely lacking in a description on how to use this feature. Assistance on State Plane Coordinate systems can be found here: http://gpsinformation.net/state-plane-mag.html . Additional grids here: http://gpsinformation.net/main/usr-grd1.htm 41) Use Mapsend WW Basemap with BlueNav Charts Sportfishingshop offers this solution: Many international users, especially those that want to use the BlueNav marine charts, are facing the problem of the internal basemap not having any, or very little, information for their country of use. This is the case for Greece, and as far as I know some European northern countries. One possible walk around is to purchase the WWBaseMap CD and upload a detailed chart to an extra SD memory card. If you put aside the cost of purchasing the SD chart, this solution is satisfactory only if you don't plan to use any marine charts. The BlueNav charts require a dedicated SD card that comes along with the BlueNav CD kit. So in order to use the marine charts, you have to remove the SD card with the detailed WWBaseMap chart of your country. If you remove the SD card with the detailed WWBaseMap chart, using the marine charts is a nightmare. For example at zoom levels over 3-5 miles whole islands are missing from the screen, only to appear suddenly when the zoom level is less than 2-3 miles! What a great way to navigate, thinking that nothing lies ahead only to discover that a whole island was actually in the way! I have found a solution that allows me to use the WWBaseMap detailed chart as my unit's internal base map. In this way when using the marine charts information is displayed correctly, with islands appearing at higher zoom levels where they should be. The required steps (not necessarily carved in stone since this was my first attempt and it seemed to work) 1. 1 。 Use WWBaseMap CD and prepare a chart area of your choice. Choose to upload the chart to your local hard disk and not to the GPS. 2. 2 。 Using windows explorer rename this chart to something meaningful for you, leaving the .img ending unchanged of course.

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 24 of 30 3. 3 。 Use the standard Magellan software (MagUp) for uploading firmware fixes. Select Expert Upload (press no to the default question to upload firmware), select Meridian as your GPS unit and the port the GPS is connected to. Press save. 4. 4 。 Choose Expert Upload and select Upload firmware and basemap. For basemap select the chart you have previously prepared with the WWBaseMap CD. 5. First, the program uploads the firmware. When this is done the GPS shuts down. Turn it on again and you should receive a message that the unit contains no internal base map, and it will automatically switch to basemap upload mode. From the Magellan application proceed to upload the basemap 6. 6 。 When the Magellan application finishes uploading the map two things could happen: a) Either the GPS will recognize the new map and it will immediately start loading and display the new map, or b) or it would stay dead and continue to display the message Uploading basemap. If this happens,then from the Magellan MagUp application choose upload base map (just base map not firmware and basemap) from expert mode and repeat the process. 7. 7 。 The second time around should be sufficient and the GPS should work correctly. If the problem persists then repeat once more. If nothing then use the secret menus (found on the files section) to erase the internal basemap and start all over again from step 4. The result of all this is that the WWBaseMap becomes the internal basemap in the unit, and the BlueNav map runs from the BlueNav SD card. 42) Troubleshooting -- My GPS is shutting down every few minutes This problem occurred last year and Magellan sent this reply to bradleymsuter: If your GPS is equipped with WAAS capability and appears to be cycling or shutting down every few minutes, we have found a logical explanation for this occurrence. At the time, there was intermittent testing being done on the EGNOS satellite. EGNOS is the European equivalent of the US WAAS error correction messages and our receivers are capable of receiving and using this satellite signal as it would the US WAAS satellites. On the east coast (or even inland to about the Mississippi river, including in Canada) it is possible for the unit to "see" the EGNOS satellite. If the EGNOS satellite is the one being received and used for WAAS calculations, and this testing is underway, it can cause the units to cycle or power down every 3 minutes and 40 seconds. If you have multiple units in operation at the same time in the same area, you would actually see them all exhibit this behavior at the same time. We are currently working on a new version of software that can detect and ignore the EGNOS satellite signals when the tests are under way. There is nothing wrong with your unit or the current software in your unit. Once we have the new software available and tested we will post it on our website where you may download it and reprogram your unit. Please check our website often over the next week for the updated software. The version you will be looking for will be version higher than the following (the version here will be the last released version known to exhibit this problem): Meridian, Meridian Gold, Meridian Marine, and Meridian Platinum - version 4.04 Meridian Color - version 4.02 SporTrak (basic) - version 1.10 SporTrak Map and SporTrak Pro - version 4.04 Map330 and Map330M - version 4.00 FX324 Color - version 1.16 If you require any assistance in upgrading the software once released, please contact our technical support once you have downloaded the software and are at your computer ready to reprogram the unit and they will get the upgrade started for you. Please contact them at telephone number 800-707-9971. Best regards. Brian Oliver Service Support Supervisor

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 25 of 30 43) Troubleshooting -- MyMeridian reports “Bad Data” The MyMeridian program is used to personalize the layer screen. When attempting to use it with v4.06 users are greeted with a “Bad Data” message. There is a work around for this. Open the MyMmeridian.ini file, find the line that reads 'English=All data' and replace it with 'English=All data is'. The program should now work normally. Other fixes offered by reitgruppe: The following needs to be corrected in the MyMeridian.ini file to display the Suomi and Español language versions for the latest 5.12 SuomiTitle=VAROITUS! Suomi=Laitteen SuomiAgree=HYVÄKSYN, EspanolTitle=¡ATENCIÓN! Espanol=Los datos se EspanolAgree=PULSE ENTER PARA ACEPTAR 44) Troubleshooting -- Can't calibrate the thermometer or barometer Victor Wood offered this reply: I couldn't calibrate my thermo or Barometer. Tech support sent me the following advice. Switch the unit off. Press NAV and press and hold PWR (activating hidden menu). In the box that is presented enter 22, confirm reset of data & switch off device. Press Menu whilst pressing pwr to clear the memory, confirm at question. Switch off then on again, and go through the initialization sequence. Now try recalibrating. Worked for me on 2nd attempt. 45) Troubleshooting -- The goto line doesn't move with my position The original goto line of the Meridian presented a line from a fixed position (where you activated it) to the destination. This is useful in marine navigation, as it shows the desired course. Starting with firmware 4.XX, there is now an option to have the goto line constantly update, so it always redraws the line from your current position to the destination. To select the style of goto line – at the Map screen choose Map setup, right arrow (to activate the Display tab), then arrow down and place a check mark next to the line(s) you would like displayed. The Pos-Dest Line option draws a line from your current position to your destination. The Depart-Dest line option draws a line from the point you started your travel to the destination. 46) Troubleshooting -- Why am I having problems with projections? If you are using firmware older than v4.02, then this section outlines a problem that you may encounter. The Meridian has the ability to project a waypoint from within the location screen. There are two major problems with this, though. The first is that projections can only be done is your “big” unit (miles or kilometers). The second is that the projection will be inaccurate if your primary map datum is not set to WGS -84. 47) Troubleshooting – My tracks have the wrong time stamp? When you download tracks to your computer, you may notice that the time of the trackpoints seem to be off by several hours. This is actually normal, as the time stamps are all in Universal Time Clock (UTC). This is also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). 48) Troubleshooting -- Topo, Streets and SD Cards The Topo and Streets products were originally released before the Meridian was designed. This means that earlier versions of these products do not know that maps can go on a SD card writer. Magellan has posted a document that describes how to fix this.

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 26 of 30 Copying Files to an SD Card Reader Manually from MapSend 1. 1 。 Without connecting your Meridian to a PC create your regions and begin the map download process. 2. 2 。 When the map compilation part of the download process is done, MapSend will display a message that it cannot find your GPS receiver to perform the download. 3. 3 。 Stop the process here by selecting "Cancel". 4. 4 。 Using Windows Explorer, go to Program Files/Magellan/MapSend/Export and locate the file called "maps.img". 5. Copy this file to the SD card using USB card reader. Do not create any folders within the SD card where you place this file. Your Meridian will always looks at the top, or "Root", level within the card. 6. 6 。 Rename the file to "DETAIL00.img" 7. 7 。 Remove the card and place it in your Meridian. You can use your Meridian as you would normally from here. 49) Troubleshooting – SD Cards and Windows XP The root of this problem is that any SD card formatted using Windows XP will NOT work in a Meridian GPS receiver. The solution is to use your Meridian to format the card. The card can be formatted from the “Card Utilities” menu. Note that formatting will completely erase the card. This is not something that you want to do in the middle of the woods! Note that the Meridian completely ignores the “Lock” switch on the SD card itself! Update – This problem is reported to be fixed in the latest firmware updates, version 4.51 or later. 50) Troubleshooting – Map Size Limits Thanks to "jvavrus2000" With the 3.08 version of the Meridian firmware, size restrictions on the size of map files have been removed. However, the existing MapSend software does not know this, and will try to restrict the size of maps unless told otherwise. First, using Windows Explorer, navigate to the MapSend installation directory. This should be under Crogram FilesMagellan. Open the MAPSEND.INI file using your favorite text editor. Inside this file, there is a parameter called "Conv_Memory_Size" which is the maximum region size in bytes. Multiply this number by four, and you should be able to have much larger regions. If this line does not exist, then add the following line (case sensitive) under the [Device Defaults] section: Conv_Memory_Size=65536 Note that the larger the region is, the longer your computer will take to process this region. Processing a 64MB region is likely to take a very long time. You are much better off making smaller maps, and loading multiple map files on your SD card, as described in question 13. Large maps do have some side effect. The larger the map, the more likely the map is to suffer from corruption. Maps larger than 30MB are prone to corruption and very large maps can result in slow screen updates (Topo seems to be more sensitive to this than S&D). To minimize the chance of corruption during map generation, run the Mapsend software to create the maps and do not run any other programs, surf the net, check your email – nothing, nada, nil. Don't even think about touching your computer. 51) Troubleshooting – Meridian Green or Yellow Loss of Waypoints and Routes There is a Troubleshooting that affects only the base 2MB Meridian (Green or Yellow) model. If any waypoint, route, or track data is added or edited, this data will be lost if the Meridian does not have a “proper” power down (for example, having the batteries die). This means that if you add a waypoint, and then your batteries die before turning the unit off, then your waypoint will be lost. The fix is to turn your unit off and then back on after adding any waypoints or routes. This is due to the type of memory used in the 2MB model, and does not affect the Gold, Platinum, or Marine models. The latest firmware updates are supposed to have reduced this effect somewhat, but the best security for your data is to save your data to the SD card. That way, if you should lose this information you can still restore the data from the SD card.

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 27 of 30 52) Troubleshooting – Screen Spots Some users have reported that the backlight on their Meridian began to develop dark discolored spots. These spots are only visible when the backlight is turned on. Magellan has apparently fixed the problem that caused this to happen with new units, and has promised to fix the problem under warranty for existing units (even if the unit is no longer under warranty). Contact Magellan if this happens, and arrange for the problem to be fixed. 53) Troubleshooting -- My Platinum's Compass Doesn't Calibrate Sometimes you can calibrate your compass on the Meridian Platinum and it still point the wrong direction – often 180 degrees the wrong direction. Also, when you try to calibrate the compass it may be very difficult to get the bubble in the right location at the beginning of the calibration process. A quick fix when direction is off by 180 degrees is to toggle the 'Compass Orient' in the setup menu to 'GPS Course' and then back to 'Magnetic North'. These issues can also be resolved by performing the 'additional' calibration procedure as detailed in the supplemental manual for the Platinum (pages 7 – 10). You can force the GPS to initiate this process by using hidden menu 21. “To execute the steps it is important to have the printout of these pages at sight, because while doing the 9 steps of the procedure you cannot see the commands on the screen in all the necessary positions.” - edmaurer2002 54) Troubleshooting - Low Battery Warning Some users have notice an erroneous 'Low Battery' warning message during rough handling, even when the batteries are new. One cause of this problem has been reported to be the pressure sensitive contacts used for the batteries. These battery contacts are not actually soldered down to the Meridian's circuit board. Slightly bending these contacts for better pressure or soldering the contacts (for those skilled with the soldering iron). Note that a modification such as soldering will probably void any warranty. There is a file called MeriPlatBatComMod.jpg in the group's files section that details the procedure, as performed by gmcaddon. 55) Troubleshooting – My Battery Compartment Door does not fit right. The battery compartment door doesn't appear to completely seal – there is a gap between the cover and the GPS. It also seems loose. Rest assured this is the normal. If you remove the cover and look around the battery compartment you will see a rubber seal, which is what is supposed to do the job of keeping the water out (unless dust or dirt messes up the seal). So is your unit water tight? Well, maybe. In ideal circumstances, the unit provides a water-tight seal, but some users have found out the seal is not always reliable. We recommend that you do NOT rely on the unit to be water-tight – put it in a protective case/bag before you go swimming/kayaking/canoeing/tornado chasing or taking a shower with it. Check the postings and you'll find lots of references to waterproof cases. 56) Troubleshooting – The contact area on my unit is missing its cover. Actually, there is no cover. Having the contacts on the back of the unit exposed is normal. 57) Troubleshooting -- Mapsend won't read tracks/waypoints from SD card The ability to save tracks and waypoints to the SD card is a great new feature provided in the latest firmware versions. That should make it easy to download quickly from the SD card to your PC mapping software, right? Uh,

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Magellan Meridian FAQ – Version 2.0 Page 28 of 30 no. Unfortunately, the Mapsend software was written before the ability to save to the SD card was available. The Meridian stores files on the SD card in text format, while Mapsend stores its files in a binary format. There is a way to convert these files. The tool is called GPSbabel and is available from http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/ By using that tool, you can quickly copy files between the PC and SD card (using a reader) and convert them. With large 2000 point track files, it is generally quicker to use this procedure than to download them thru the serial cable. The tool is a bit tricky to figure out. You currently can't use the GUI interface, but will have to run the gpsbabel program from a DOS command prompt window. Example commands: gpsbabel -t -i magellan -o mapsend sourcefile outputfile This does track conversion from meridian (input file named sourcefile) to mapsend (output file named outputfile) format. gpsbabel -i magellan -o mapsend sourcefile outputfile This does waypoint conversion from meridian (input file named sourcefile) to mapsend (output file named outputfile) format. 58) Troubleshooting – SanDisk SD Card Incompatibility One problem has been identified with SanDisk cards. Samuelhunt2002 provided this response from Magellan: “We have recognized that certain cards with certain date codes are not compatible with our receivers. The issue seems to be with the SanDisk brand cards (date codes 0307 or higher, this number is located on the back of the card). This may be due to a recent change in SD card manufacturing technology. At this time we are trying to identify these cards and determine if we can provide a software change to correct the issue. At this time, the only thing that you can do is to use a di