Garmin eTrex Legend H, eTrex Vista H Owner Manual

eTrex Legend® H and eTrex Vista® H

owner’s manual

© 2008 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

Garmin International, Inc.
1200 East 151st Street,
Olathe, Kansas 66062, USA
Tel. [phone] or
[phone]
Fax [phone]

All rights reserved. Except as expressly provided herein, no part of this manual may be
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hereto is strictly prohibited.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Garmin reserves the right to
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person or organization of such changes or improvements. Visit the Garmin Web site (www.garmin

.com) for current updates and supplemental information concerning the use and operation of this

and other Garmin products.

Garmin®, the Garmin logo, eTrex®, eTrex Legend®, eTrex Vista®, TracBack®, and MapSource®
are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries, registered in the USA and other countries.
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December 2008 Part Number 190-00780-00 Rev. B Printed in Taiwan

Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
Liberty House
Hounsdown Business Park,
Southampton, Hampshire,
SO40 9RB UK
Tel. [phone]
(outside the UK)
0808 2380000 (within the UK)
Fax [phone]

Garmin Corporation
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Introduction

Introduction

Thank you for choosing the
Garmin® eTrex Legend® H or
eTrex Vista® H. These units
use the proven performance of
Garmin high-sensitivity GPS
and full-featured mapping to
create an unsurpassed portable
GPS receiver. The eTrex models
operate identically except that
the Vista H has an electronic
compass and a barometric
altimeter and the Legend H does
not. Take a moment to compare
the contents of this package with
the packing list on the box. If any
pieces are missing, contact your
Garmin dealer immediately.

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 1

Tips and Shortcuts

To return to the Main Menu

•
from any page, press the

MENU key twice.

To extend battery life, turn off

•
the GPS when not using the
eTrex for navigation. Decrease
the level of the display’s
backlight by quickly pressing
and releasing the POWER
key.

Product Registration

Help us better support you by
completing our online registration
today. Go to http://my.garmin

.com. Keep the original sales

receipt, or a photocopy, in a safe
place.

Introduction

The serial number is located
inside the battery compartment.

In Europe, go to www.garmin

.com/support and click Contact

Support for in-country support

Contact Garmin

Contact Garmin Product Support
if you have any questions while

information, or contact Garmin
(Europe) Ltd. by phone at
+44 (0) 870.8501241.

using your eTrex Legend H or
Vista H. In the USA, go to

www.garmin.com/support, or

contact Garmin USA by phone
at [phone] or (800)

800.1020.

Optional Accessories

For a complete list of available
accessories and maps for use with
the eTrex, refer to

In the UK, contact Garmin

http://buy.garmin.com.

(Europe) Ltd. by phone at
0808 2380000.

See the Important Safety and Product Information guide in the product box for

product warnings and other important information.

2 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

Introduction

Table of Contents

Introduction ......................... 1

Tips and Shortcuts ................1

Product Registration .............1

Optional Accessories ............ 2

Getting Started .................... 4

Installing Batteries and the

Lanyard ................................4

Key Functions ....................... 8

Turning on the eTrex ............9

Adjusting the Backlight ....... 10

Initializing the GPS

Receiver .............................10

Basic Operation ................ 13

Creating and Using

Waypoints ........................... 13

Using the Find Menu ..........16

Using Tracks .......................23

Main Pages ........................ 30

Satellite Page .....................31

Map Page ........................... 31

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 3

Compass Page ...................35

Altimeter Page ....................41

Trip Computer Page ........... 45

Main Menu .......................... 46

Tracks ................................. 47

Routes Page ....................... 47

Setup Menu ........................ 47

Calendar .............................56

Calculator ...........................57

Stopwatch ........................... 57

Sun and Moon .................... 57

Hunt & Fish ......................... 57

Games Menu ......................57

Appendix ........................... 58

Specications .....................58

Connecting Your eTrex to a

Computer ............................ 60

Caring for the eTrex ............61

Software License

Agreement ..........................62

Declaration of Conformity ...62

Index .................................. 63

Getting Started

Getting Started

Remove the batteries when you
do not plan to use the unit for

Installing Batteries

several months. Stored data is not
lost when batteries are removed.

and the Lanyard

The eTrex operates on two AA
batteries (not included). Use
Alkaline, NiMH, or Lithium
batteries. See page 48 for setting
the battery type.

To install the batteries:

1. Remove the battery cover by
turning the locking ring 1/4
turn counter-clockwise and
pulling the cover loose.

2. Insert the batteries, observing
the proper polarity.

Locking

pin slot

4 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

Battery

compartment

To install the lanyard:

1. Place the loop of the lanyard
through the slot at the base of
the unit.

2. Route the strap through the
loop, and pull tight.

Getting Started

USB connector

port (under

weather cap)

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 5

Getting Started

Understanding Terms

Select—move the highlighted
area on the screen up, down, left,
or right with the ROCKER to

select individual elds.

Key—when you are directed to
press a key, press and quickly
release the key.

Field—the location on a page
where data or an option can be
shown or entered.

On-screen button—use the

ROCKER key to select a button,

and press it in to enter.

a list, press up or down on the

ROCKER, or press the In and
Out Zoom keys to scroll rapidly.

Default—the factory setting

saved in the unit’s memory. You
can change the settings, and
revert to the factory settings when
you select Restore Defaults.

Manual Conventions

In this manual, when you are
instructed to select an item, small
arrows (>) appear in the text.
They indicate that you should
highlight a series of items on
the screen using the ROCKER,

Scroll bar—when viewing a list
of items too long to appear on
the screen, a scroll bar appears
next to the list. To scroll through

6 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

and press in to enter after each
item. For example, if you see
“select Service > Show Info,”
you should highlight Service,

and press the ROCKER. Then
highlight Show Info, and press
the ROCKER again.

Highlighted

eld

Field

On-screen buttons

Getting Started

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 7

Getting Started

MENU/FIND

IN/OUT

Zoom

ROCKER

QUIT/PAGE

POWER

Key Functions

IN/OUT Zoom keys

From the Map page, press to
zoom the map in or out.

From any other page, press to
scroll up or down a list or move a

MENU/FIND key

Press and release to view the
Options Menu for the current
page.

Press and hold to display the Find
Menu.

highlighted slider.

8 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

Getting Started

ROCKER key

Rock up, down, right, or left to:

move through lists

•

highlight elds, on-screen

•
buttons, or icons

move the map panning arrow.

•

Press in and release to enter
highlighted options and data or

QUIT/PAGE key

Press to cycle through the main
pages.

Press and hold to turn the
electronic compass on or off
(Vista H only).

POWER key

Press and hold to turn on or off.

conrm on-screen messages.

Press and release for contrast,

Press in and hold at any time to
mark your current location as a

backlighting, or to view time,
date, and battery capacity.

waypoint.

Turning on the eTrex

To turn the eTrex on and off:

Press and hold POWER.

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 9

Getting Started

Adjusting the Backlight

To adjust the backlight level:

1. Press and quickly release the

POWER key.

2. Press up on the ROCKER to
increase the brightness and
down to decrease.

3. Press the ROCKER or QUIT
to close.

Initializing the GPS Receiver

The rst time you turn on your

eTrex, the GPS receiver must
collect satellite data and establish
its current location. To receive

To initialize your eTrex:

Hold the unit in front of you

facing the sky.

While the GPS receiver is
searching for the satellite
signals, “Acquiring Satellites” is
displayed until enough signals are

acquired to x its location.

The number
of each
overhead
satellite is
shown.

The strength
of each
satellite
signal is
shown.

satellite signals, you must be
outdoors and have a clear view of
the sky.

10 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

If the unit cannot establish a

satellite x, a list of options

Getting Started

appears. Highlight the appropriate
option, and press the ROCKER.

The Status Bar and Date
and Time

The Status Bar and Date/Time
Window appear below the
backlight adjustment slider when
you press and release POWER.

power icon is shown when
the unit is powered externally.

Satellite signal status is shown
when searching for or acquiring
satellites , a 2D x
is attained and a 3D x is
attained.

The Electronic Compass
(Vista H only) appears when
activated.

Power to the unit is provided by
batteries or from an auxiliary
source. Power status is shown on
the Main Menu and the Status
Bar. The battery power icon
shows the remaining power as the
battery is depleted. The external

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 11

Getting Started

Using the Mapping
Databases

Many of the eTrex features
require detailed mapping data
to be fully operational, so you
need to transfer maps before
using the unit. With optional

Use the USB interface cable,
provided with the unit, to transfer
optional MapSource data from
a computer to the eTrex. See the
Garmin Web site www.garmin

.com for compatible MapSource

products.

detailed MapSource® mapping
data, you can view listings of
nearby restaurants, lodging,
shopping centers, attractions and
entertainment, and addresses. The
amount of data transferable is 24
MB.

12 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

Basic Operation

Basic Operation

This section explains some of the
more common operations you
can perform with your eTrex,
including creating and using
waypoints, using the Find Menu,
and how to create and use tracks
and routes.

Creating and Using Waypoints

Waypoints are locations or
landmarks you record and
store in your GPS. You can add
waypoints to routes and even
create a Go To directly to the
selected waypoint.

You can create waypoints
using three methods. Press the

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 13

ROCKER while at a location,

create a waypoint on the Map
page, or enter coordinates for a
waypoint manually.

Marking Your Current
Location

Press in and hold the ROCKER
to mark your current location
creating a new waypoint. You
must have a valid position (2D

or 3D) x to mark your current

location.

Basic Operation

Waypoint

symbol

2. To accept the waypoint with
the default information, select

OK.

Waypoint

name

OR
To change any information,

select the appropriate eld,

and press the ROCKER to
open the on-screen keypad.

After entering and conrming

your changes, select OK.

Mark Waypoint Page

To mark your current
location:

1. Press and hold the ROCKER
until the Mark Waypoint page
appears. A default three­digit name and symbol are
assigned to the new waypoint.

14 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

Creating Waypoints
Using the Map

To create a waypoint using
the Map page:

1. On the Map page, use the

ROCKER to move the pointer

to the map item you want to
mark.

Basic Operation

2. Press release the ROCKER
to capture the pointer location
and open the information page
for the map item.

3. Select Save. If there is no
information for that point, a
“No map information at this
point. Do you want to create a
user waypoint here?” prompt
appears. Select Yes.

Editing Waypoints

You can edit waypoints to change
the symbol, name, note, location,
and elevation.

To edit a waypoint:

1. Press and hold FIND.

2. Select Waypoints.

3. Select the waypoint you
want to edit, and press the

ROCKER.

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 15

4. Make changes by highlighting

each eld. Use the

waypoint symbol chart and
alphanumeric keypad to enter
new data.

To delete a waypoint:

From the Waypoints page,

select the waypoint you want
to delete > Delete.

NOTE: When you delete a

waypoint, you cannot recover
it from the unit.

To move a waypoint on the
Map Page:

1. Press FIND > Waypoints.

2. Select the waypoint you
want to move, and press the

ROCKER.

3. Select Map to show the
waypoint on the map.

Basic Operation

4. Press the ROCKER to place
a move marker next to the
waypoint.

5. Use the ROCKER to move the
waypoint to a new location,
and press the ROCKER.

To calculate a location bycalculate a location by
averaging:

1. Go to the location that you
want to calculate an average
for. Press and hold the

ROCKER > Avg to begin

averaging.

2. Press Save.

To project a waypoint:

1. Press FIND > Waypoints.

2. Select the waypoint you want
to project. The Waypoint
Information page opens.

3. Press MENU > Project

Waypoint to open the Project

Waypoint page.

4. Enter the distance and bearing
to the projected waypoint in

the appropriate elds, and
press QUIT when nished.

Using the Find Menu

Use the Find Menu to search

Projecting a Waypoint

Create a new waypoint by
projecting the distance and a
bearing from one location to a
new location.

for waypoints, geocaches,
cities, and exits in the eTrex
basemap. Additional icons
appear depending on the optional
MapSource data loaded to the
unit. Press and hold the FIND

16 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

Basic Operation

key to open the Find Menu.

When you access a Find group
list, it contains items near your
current location or the map
pointer.

The options menu for each
category contains search options.
Select a category.

Find By Name

Use Find By Name if you know
the name of the location you want

to nd.

To nd a location using Find

By Name:

1. Press and hold FIND to open
the Find Menu.

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 17

2. Select the icon for the type of
item you want to search for,
or search the entire database
by selecting All Points

of Interest (with optional

MapSource detailed maps).

3. Press MENU > Find By

Name.

4. Use the ROCKER to operate
the on-screen keypad and
enter the name of the location

you want to nd. When the

Find list contains a match,
highlight OK.

5. Select the location item
from the Find list and press
the ROCKER. The item’s
information page opens,
allowing you to save the item
as a waypoint, show the item
on the map, or create a route
to the item (Go To).

Basic Operation

Recent Finds

The Recent Finds page shows a
list of the last 50 items you have
searched for or gone to recently.

on-screen buttons. Different
buttons appear depending on
whether you are selecting a Find
item to navigate to, or adding
a Find item to a route list as a

To go to a recently found
item:

1. Press and hold FIND.

2. Select Recent Find.

3. Use the ROCKER to select
the item you want to go to,
and press the ROCKER.

4. Select Go To.

Using the Find Item
Information Page

When you select an item from
the Find item list and press the

ROCKER, detailed information

about the item is shown. Each
information page contains three

18 eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual

waypoint.

Find Information Page
Options Menu

To use the Options Menu:

1. With an information page open
for a Find item, press MENU
to open the Options Menu.

2. Use the ROCKER to select an
option:

Average Location—takes

•
several readings at the same
location and uses the average
value to provide more
accuracy. See page 16.

Project Waypoint—create a

•
waypoint by entering bearing
and distance from a referenced
location. See page 16.

Find Near Here—return to

•

the Find Menu to search for
map items near the item.

Change Reference—point

•
to a new location on the Map
page using the pointer.

Add To Route—include this

•
item on a new route or add it
to an existing route. See

page 27.

View Sun And Moon—view

•
Sun and Moon tables for this
item’s location. See page 57.

View Hunt And Fish—view

•
Hunt and Fish tables for this

Basic Operation

item’s location. See page 57.

Reposition Here—reposition

•
the location of the waypoint to
your current location.

To nd an item near another

item:

1. Press and hold FIND.

2. Select a category.

3. Select an item from the Find
list.

4. Press MENU > Find Nearest.
The Find Menu opens with
each category containing
items near the item selected.

5. Select a category icon, and
press the ROCKER to open a
list of items near the item.

eTrex Legend H and eTrex Vista H Owner’s Manual 19