6. Oregon's Screen Brightness

Figure 24: Garmin Oregon versus nuvi Screen Brightness

The Oregon's LCD display isn't as brightly backlit as some other GPS units. When viewed indoors next to a Garmin nuvi 660, the Oregon's screen looks downright dim, as shown above in the side-by-side comparison photo.

In fairness, it should be noted that the Oregon's battery lasts 2-3 times longer than the nuvi 660's.

Figure 25: Screen Brightness in Direct Sunlight

In direct, bright sunlight, the Oregon 400t's display can be hard to see, even with the brightness turned all the way up.

7. Geocaching With The Oregon 400t

Geocaching is a GPS assisted treasure hunt where "Geocachers" seek hidden treasure, or "caches" using GPS coordinates posted on the Internet. Geocaching is growing in popularity, and a fantastic way to discover new places and enjoy the outdoors. A more extensive explanation of Geocaching, and how to get started can be found on Geocaching.com's FAQ page, but the short version is:

1. Go to www.geocaching.com
2. Register for a free basic membership
3. Search for a geocache
4. Connect the Oregon 400t to your MAC or PC using the included USB cable
5. Click Send to GPS for the geocache you want to transfer. Follow the on-screen instructions

The Oregon 400t has a dedicated Geocaching profile that places Geocaching-specific features on the main menu and adjusts several GPS settings.

Figure 26: Garmin Communicator Plugin Download

You can download Geocaching.com cache files manually and transfer them to the Oregon, but a far easier solution is to download and install Garmin's Communicator Plugin. The plugin is free, works on the PC or MAC, and is compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari.

Figure 27: Begin the Installer Program

Accept the License Agreement and click Next to begin installing Garmin's Communicator Plugin.

Figure 28: Installation Complete

The installer completes in minute or two. Click Done to close the installer.

Figure 29: Letting Windows Detect the Oregon 400t

Connect the Oregon 400t to your MAC or PC using the included USB cable. If you're a PC user, wait until Windows finishes detecting and installing the USB drivers for the Oregon.

Figure 30: Communicator Plugin Test Page

After the installer completes, the Communicator Test Page appears and verifies that the plugin installed correctly.

Figure 31: Geocaching.com Listings

Head over to Geocaching.com and register for a free account if you don't already have one. Then search for Geocaches, place a check mark next to the cache(s) you want to transfer to the Oregon. Then click on the Send to GPS icon, shown above in figure 28.

Figure 32: Allow Access to the Plugin

Depending on your operating system and browser, you may be prompted to allow the Garmin Communicator Plugin to access your browser. Click Yes to continue.

Figure 33: Send to GPS

Click Write in the Communicator window to transfer the selected cache(s) to the Oregon 400t.

Figure 34: Transfer Successful

The Communicator Plugin displays a confirmation message that the Geocache .gpx file was successfully transferred to the Oregon.

Figure 35: Changing Profiles

A profile is a collection of settings that quickly configures the Oregon for a specific purpose, and arranges icons on the menu in order of usefulness for the task at hand.

The Oregon 400t comes with the following profiles pre-configured:

• Recreational
• Geocaching
• Automotive
• Marine
• Fitness

Before heading out on a Geocache, you'll want to put the Oregon into Geocaching mode by tapping on Main Menu -> Profiles -> Geocaching.

Figure 36: Geocaching Profile

Activating the Geocaching profile configures settings such as data fields, units of measurements, position settings and more.

Note: It's also possible to create your own custom profiles by tapping on Main Menu > Setup > Profiles > Create New Profile.