For some time now, the Garmin Oregon 300 has been accompanying me on my hikes.
Apart from the missing 1:100,000 topo maps of Europe and a smaller internal memory, this model is largely identical to the Garmin Oregon 400t, so all the tips also apply to that device.
On the whole I am very happy with the Oregon. But there are one or two points that could be improved. See also my Garmin Oregon 300 field report.
After a long search and reading many forum posts, I’d like to share a few tips on how to “tune” the Garmin Oregon a little:
1. Improving the menu display of the Garmin Oregon 300 / 400t with a different background:
You can transfer other backgrounds to the Oregon. A white background has proven itself for outdoor activities – it noticeably improves the readability of the menus.
See also: http://beidou.ch/
2. Improving the readability of topo maps on the Garmin Oregon.
OK, I admit it – the shading of the new Garmin TOPO maps does look good and makes the maps appear very three-dimensional. But the shading also makes the maps “darker”. Since the display brightness of the device is unfortunately not the best, you should switch off “Shaded Relief” in the menu. The maps are then much brighter and no information is really “lost”. This is a quick and easy way to improve how the Topo V2 is displayed on the Oregon.
3. German translation for the Garmin Oregon 300 / 400t
Even though I’m no “navigation newbie”, I have to admit that some of the texts in the Oregon’s German menus confused me a bit.
The German translation is anything but good. Some things are misleading or even translated incorrectly.
But here too there is a good solution – simply load a new, revised language file onto the device, and working with it becomes even more fun.
>>> The revised language file can be found here
The file “German.gtt”, which you can find at the following link, is transferred to the Oregon and replaces the existing “German.gtt” there. To be on the safe side, back up or rename the original file first. You can find more information at >>> www.naviboard.de
4. Newer firmware 3.50 for the Oregon 300 / 400t
There are regular firmware updates for the Oregon which, besides fixing minor bugs, even add a whole range of new and useful features – especially the latest version.
Here is some information on firmware 3.50 for the Garmin Oregon.
This firmware version is a so-called “final” version, which means it can also be installed easily and safely via Garmin’s WebUpdater. Otherwise, the software is also available for direct download here:
http://www8.garmin.com/software/Oregon_WebUpdater__350.gcd
(After downloading, rename the file to ” gupdate.gcd ” and then copy it into the ” garmin ” folder on the Oregon. Then switch the device off and on again.)
—UPDATE 28.08.2009:
There is a new firmware 3.15 as a beta version. I have now tested it for a few days and could not find any bugs. It also updates the software for GPS reception. Based on my tests, GPS reception with this beta firmware is noticeably better and “faster”, and the quality of the recorded tracks is better than with the current final firmware version 3.10. The beta firmware can be downloaded here:
5. New type files for the Garmin Topo V2 Germany
On the Topo V2 all smaller paths look the same, even though the Topo V2 data could show a lot more!
Why Garmin does not make full use of the data remains unclear. The fact is, though, that thanks to “familiehuzzel” it is very easy to get more out of the Topo V2. All you have to do is replace one file in the map’s installation folder, and you can then distinguish different path categories in the Garmin Topo V2.
At least in the regions where I have been so far or that I know, I can say that this matches reality quite accurately.
Thanks for this great work! More information and the type file for download:
http://familiehuzzel.spacequadrat.de/GPS/Typefiles/index.html
Creating your own startup text for the Garmin Oregon:
When the Oregon “boots up”, you can set an individual text in white on the initially black background.
For example, you can store your address so that, if the device is lost, a hopefully honest finder can return it to its rightful owner. I have stored my email address and phone number myself, with a request to get in touch if the device is found.
When the Oregon is connected to the PC, you will find the file \Garmin\startup.txt in Explorer. You can edit it with a text editor – but be sure to make a backup copy first. Below the line you can enter up to 5 lines of your own text. Special characters should be avoided, and umlauts can also cause problems, so it is better not to use them.
You can also set how long this message is displayed.
So, those were a few quick tuning tips for the Oregon 400t / 300.
More tips for Garmin’s Oregon devices?
For more useful tips, just leave a comment…
