®
OREGON
450, 450t, 550, 550t
series
owner’s manual
© 2009 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
Garmin International, Inc.
1200 East 151st Street,
Olathe, Kansas 66062, USA
Tel. (913) 397.8200 or
(800) 800.1020
Fax (913) 397.8282
Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
Liberty House
Hounsdown Business Park,
Southampton, Hampshire,
SO40 9LR UK
Tel. +44 (0) 870.8501241 (outside the UK)
0808 2380000 (within the UK)
Garmin Corporation
No. 68, Jangshu 2nd
Road,
Sijhih, Taipei County,
Taiwan
Tel. 886/2.2642.9199
Fax 886/2.2642.9099
Fax +44 (0) 870.8501251
All rights reserved. Except as expressly provided herein, no part of this manual may be reproduced,
copied, transmitted, disseminated, downloaded or stored in any storage medium, for any purpose without
the express prior written consent of Garmin. Garmin hereby grants permission to download a single copy
of this manual onto a hard drive or other electronic storage medium to be viewed and to print one copy of
this manual or of any revision hereto, provided that such electronic or printed copy of this manual must
contain the complete text of this copyright notice and provided further that any unauthorized commercial
distribution of this manual or any revision hereto is strictly prohibited.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Garmin reserves the right to change
or improve its products and to make changes in the content without obligation to notify any 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, MapSource
subsidiaries, registered in the USA and other countries. Oregon® and myGarmin™ are trademarks of
Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. These trademarks may not be used without the express permission of
Garmin.
The Geocaching 4-box logo and the Wherigo logo are registered trademarks of Groundspeak Inc., in the
United States and other countries. Used with permission.
The Wherigo application is covered by patent 6,691,032 and
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®,
and BlueChart® g2 are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its
or its subsidiaries.
Introduction
Introduction
WARNING
See the Important Safety and
Product Information guide in the
product box for product warnings
and other important information.
This manual provides instructions for
using the following products:
Oregon 450 and 450t
•
Oregon 550 and 550t
•
Tips and Shortcuts
Touch or to scroll and
•
see more choices.
Touch to return to the
•
previous screen.
Touch to return to the Main
•
menu.
Touch or on the Map
•
page to zoom in or zoom out.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual i
Manual Conventions
When you are instructed to “touch”
something, use your nger to touch
that item on the screen.
The small arrows (>) used in the
text indicate that you should touch a
series of items in order. For example,
if you see, “Touch Where To?
> Tracks,” you should touch the
Where To? button on the screen, and
touch Tracks.
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
Contact Garmin
Contact Garmin Product Support if
you have any questions while using
your Oregon. In the USA, go to
www.garmin.com/support, or contact
Garmin USA by phone at (913)
397.8200 or (800) 800.1020.
In the UK, contact Garmin (Europe)
Ltd. by phone at 0808 2380000.
In Europe, go to www.garmin.com
/support and click Contact Support
for in-country support information,
or contact Garmin (Europe) Ltd. by
phone at +44 (0) 870.8501241.
If needed, the serial number of your
Oregon is located in the battery
compartment. Remove batteries as
indicated on page 2.
ii Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Optional Accessories
For a list of available accessories and
maps, refer to the Garmin Web site at
http://buy.garmin.com.
Caring for the Oregon
Cleaning the Case
Use a cloth dampened with a mild
detergent solution, and wipe it dry.
Avoid cleaners that may damage the
plastic components.
Cleaning the Screen
Use a soft, clean, lint-free cloth. Use
water, isopropyl alcohol, or eyeglass
lens cleaner. Apply the liquid to the
cloth, and gently wipe the screen
with the cloth.
Cleaning the Camera Lens
Clean the lens only when necessary.
Use a soft lens cloth. Apply lens
cleaning uid to the cloth and gently
wipe the lens with the cloth.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction .......................... i
Tips and Shortcuts .......................i
Manual Conventions ....................i
Product Registration ....................i
Contact Garmin ..........................ii
Optional Accessories ..................ii
Caring for the Oregon .................ii
Getting Started .................... 1
Battery Information .................... 2
Turning On and Off the
Oregon .................................... 2
Adjusting the Backlight Level..... 3
Acquiring GPS Satellite
Signals .................................... 3
Locking the Screen .................... 3
Basic Navigation................. 4
Accessing Applications from the
Main menu .............................. 4
Creating Waypoints ................... 4
Navigating to a Destination........ 5
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual iii
Stop Navigating ......................... 7
Using the Map .......................... 7
Using the Compass ................... 9
Bearing and Course Pointers ...11
Managing Waypoints,
Routes, and Tracks........... 13
Modifying Waypoints ............... 13
Creating Routes....................... 14
Viewing Stored Routes ............ 14
Editing and Deleting Routes .... 14
Viewing the Active Route ......... 15
Managing Tracks ..................... 15
Additional Tools ................ 17
Elevation Plot........................... 17
Sharing Information
Wirelessly .............................. 18
Using the Camera.................... 19
Viewing Images ....................... 20
Calculating the Size of an
Area ...................................... 20
Trip Computer .......................... 21
Other Tools .............................. 21
Table of Contents
Monitoring Satellite
Reception .............................. 22
GPS Games ....................... 23
Geocaches .............................. 23
Wherigo™ ................................ 23
Customizing the Oregon .. 24
Changing the Prole ................ 24
Setting Up Proles ................... 24
Using System Setup ................ 25
Customizing the Display .......... 26
Map Setup ............................... 26
Tracks Setup ........................... 27
Customizing the Main Menu .... 28
Changing the Camera
Settings ................................. 29
Changing Marine Settings ....... 29
Changing Time Settings .......... 30
Changing Measurement
Units ...................................... 30
Position Format ....................... 31
Modifying the Compass ........... 31
Altimeter Setup ........................ 32
iv Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Pairing the Oregon .................. 33
Reset ....................................... 34
Viewing Your Oregon
Information ............................ 34
Appendix ........................... 35
Specications .......................... 35
Using Demo Mode ................... 36
Connecting Your Oregon to a
Computer .............................. 37
Installing a microSD™ Card ...... 37
Transferring Tracks, Routes, or
Waypoints ............................. 38
Loading and Deleting Files ...... 39
Optimizing Battery Life ............ 39
Restoring Factory Default
Settings ................................. 40
Attaching the Carabiner ........... 41
Calibrating the Touchscreen .... 41
Software License Agreement... 42
Index .................................. 43
Getting Started
Getting Started
Power key
Touchscreen
Mini-USB connector
(under weather cap)
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 1
Camera
lens (550
and 550t)
Battery
cover
Mounting
spine
Latch
Getting Started
Battery Information
The Oregon uses two AA batteries.
Use alkaline, NiMH, or lithium
batteries. Use precharged NiMH or
lithium batteries for the best results.
Standard alkaline batteries are not
recommended for Oregon 550 units
when using the camera feature.
To install the batteries:
1. Lift the latch, and remove the
battery cover.
Battery cover
Latch
To select the battery type:
1. Touch Setup > System > Battery
Type.
2. Touch
Alkaline, Lithium, or
Rechargeable NiMH.
Long-Term Storage
Remove the batteries when you do
not plan to use the Oregon for several
months. Stored data is not lost when
batteries are removed.
Turning the Oregon On
and Off
1. To turn on the Oregon, press .
2. To turn off the Oregon, press and
hold .
Weather cap
2. Insert the batteries, observing
polarity.
3. Replace the battery cover, and
push the latch down.
2 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Getting Started
Adjusting the Backlight Level
1. While the Oregon is on, press
and quickly release .
Acquiring GPS Satellite Signals
Before the Oregon can nd your
current location and navigate a route,
you must acquire GPS signals.
1. Go outdoors to an open area,
away from tall buildings and trees.
2. Turn on the Oregon. Acquiring
satellite signals can take a few
minutes.
The bars on the Main menu
indicate satellite strength. When
the bars are green, the Oregon has
acquired satellite signals.
2. Touch or to adjust the
brightness levels.
See (page 26) to change the
backlight timeout.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 3
Locking the Screen
Lock the screen to prevent
inadvertent screen touches.
1. Press and quickly release .
2. Touch
Lock Screen.
Basic Navigation
Basic Navigation
Creating Waypoints
Waypoints are locations you record
Accessing Applications from the Main Menu
You can access all Oregon
applications from the Main menu.
Main Menu
Touch or to access
additional applications.
4 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
and store in the Oregon.
To mark your current location as
a waypoint:
1. Touch Mark Waypoint.
2. Touch
3. Touch an attribute you want to
4. Touch letters, numbers, or
5. Touch
6. Touch
Save and Edit.
change.
symbols to make the changes.
(except when
changing a symbol). Change
other attributes, if necessary.
to discard the
changes.
To edit or delete a waypoint, see
page 13.
Navigating to a Destination
You can use Where To? or choose
a point on the map to navigate to a
destination with the Oregon.
To navigate to a destination
using Where To?:
1. Touch Where To?.
2. Touch a category.
3. Touch one of the following items:
Recent Finds
•
have recently found.
Waypoints—a list of
•
waypoints (page 4).
Photos—a list of geotagged
•
pictures (page 19).
Tracks—a list of tracks
•
(page 15).
Coordinates—enter the
•
coordinates of a location.
—items you
Basic Navigation
All POI (Points of Interest)—if
•
supported by the preloaded
or optional mapping, various
Points of Interest may be
listed.
Cities—a list of the 50 closest
•
cities to your current location.
Tides—a list of the closest
•
tide stations.
4. Touch
5. Touch
6. Use the compass to navigate to
Go. A colored line indicates
your course.
> Compass.
your destination.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 5
Basic Navigation
To nd a destination by spelling
the name:
1. On the Main menu, touch Where
To? > All POI.
2. Touch
.
3. Touch characters to spell a part of
To navigate to a point on the
map:
1. Touch Map.
2. Touch a point on the map.
3. Touch the information button at
the top of the screen.
the name of your destination.
4. Touch
5. Touch the destination.
6. Touch
.
Go. A colored line indicates
Information
button
your course.
7. Touch
> Compass.
8. Use the compass to navigate to
your destination as indicated on
page 9.
4. Touch
Go > > Compass.
5. Use the compass to navigate to
your destination as indicated on
page 9.
6 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Basic Navigation
To navigate to a destination near
a waypoint or a recent nd:
1. Touch Where To?.
5. Touch a category. Items are listed
in order of distance from the
location you selected.
6. Touch a destination.
7. Touch
8. Touch
9. Use the compass to navigate to
Go. A colored line indicates
your course.
> Compass.
your destination as indicated on
page 9.
Stopping Navigation
To stop navigating, touch Where
2. Touch .
3. Select from the following options:
A Recent Find
•
A Waypoint
•
My Current Location
•
A Map Point
•
4. Touch the location you want to
search near.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 7
To? > Stop Navigation.
Using the Map
To use the map:
1. Touch Map. Your current location
is indicated by a location
marker .
2. Touch
3. Touch and drag the screen to pan
or to zoom.
the map.
Basic Navigation
Zoom range
Information
button
Zoom buttons
Location marker
Map Page
To review detailed information
about a point on the map:
1. If necessary, pan to the location
you want to review.
2. Touch the location.
3. Touch the information button at
the top of the screen for additional
information.
8 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
To show or hide data elds at
the top of the screen:
1. Touch Setup > Map > Data
Fields.
2. Select
0, 2, 4, or Custom.
To change the Map page data
elds:
1. On the Map page, touch one of
the data elds.
2. Select a data type.
Basic Navigation
To save a waypoint on the Map
page:
1. On the Map page, touch the point
you want to save.
2. Touch the information button at
the top of the screen.
It also provides navigation data such
as current speed, distance to the next
point on the route, and estimated
arrival time.
The electronic compass is similar
to a magnetic compass when you
are stationary or walking. If you
maintain a higher speed, such
as traveling in an automobile,
the compass uses GPS signals to
determine your direction. To turn the
electronic compass off, see page 31.
To ensure maximum accuracy, hold
the compass level when navigating.
To open the Compass page:
Touch Compass.
3. Touch to save the waypoint.
Using the Compass
The Compass page guides you to
your destination by displaying a
compass and a bearing pointer.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 9
Basic Navigation
Calibrating the Compass
Calibrate the electronic compass
outdoors. Do not stand near objects
that inuence magnetic elds, such
as cars, buildings, or overhead power
lines.
Calibrate the compass after moving
long distances, experiencing
temperature changes greater than
20°F (11°C), or changing the
batteries.
To calibrate the electronic
compass:
1. Touch Setup > Heading > Press
To Begin Compass Calibration.
OR
From the Compass page, touch
and hold the middle of the
compass.
2. Touch
Start and follow the on-
screen directions.
“Too Fast” or “Too Slow” may
appear, notifying you to adjust your
turning speed. If “Calibration Failed”
appears, touch OK, and repeat the
process.
10 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Basic Navigation
Bearing and Course Pointers
The Oregon can use either a bearing
pointer or a course pointer on the
compass. The bearing pointer
indicates the direction to your
destination, and the course pointer
indicates your relationship to a
course line leading to the destination.
To select a bearing or course pointer,
see page 31.
Direction you
are currently
traveling
Bearing to
destination
Bearing Pointer
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 11
The bearing pointer points to
your destination, regardless of the
direction you are moving. If the
bearing pointer points toward the
top of the compass, you are traveling
directly toward your destination. If
it points any other direction, turn
toward that direction until the arrow
is pointing toward the top of the
compass.
Direction you are
currently traveling
Scale
Bearing to
destination
Course deviation
indicator
Course
Pointer
Course line to
destination
The course pointer provides an
indication of drift (right or left)
Basic Navigation
according to the scale shown at the
edge of the compass ring. The scale
refers to the distance between dots
on the course deviation indicator.
The course line to your destination is
To change the Compass page
data elds:
1. On the Compass page, touch a
data eld.
2. Touch a data type.
based on your original starting point.
Move back to the “course line to
destination” to compensate for
deviation and to get back on course.
This is most useful if you are
navigating on water or there are no
major obstacles in your path. It also
helps you avoid hazards to either
side of the course, such as shoals or
submerged rocks.
12 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Managing Waypoints, Routes, and Tracks
Managing
5. Touch
Waypoints, Routes,
and Tracks
Modifying Waypoints
You can edit waypoints to change the
name, the symbol, the comment, the
location, the elevation, and the depth
of the waypoint. On the Oregon 550
or 550t, you can change the picture.
You can also use the Waypoint
Manager to relocate a waypoint to
your current location, and to delete
waypoints.
To edit a waypoint:
1. Touch Waypoint Manager.
2. Touch the waypoint.
3. Touch the attribute.
4. Touch letters, numbers, or
symbols to make the changes.
6. Touch
To reposition a waypoint to your
current location:
1. Touch Waypoint Manager.
2. Touch the waypoint you want to
3. Touch
To delete a waypoint:
1. Touch Waypoint Manager.
2. Touch the waypoint you want to
3. Touch
To delete all waypoints, touch Setup
> Reset > Delete All Waypoints >
Yes.
NOTE: On the Oregon 550 or 550t,
if you have selected a picture for a
changing a symbol). Change
other attributes, if necessary.
changes.
reposition.
delete.
(except when
to discard the
Reposition Here.
Delete Waypoint.
waypoint and then you delete the
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 13
Managing Waypoints, Routes, and Tracks
waypoint, the picture will not be
deleted.
Creating Routes
You can create and store up to 50
Viewing Stored Routes
To view a route on the map:
1. Touch Route Planner.
2. Touch the route you want to view
> View Map.
routes.
To create and navigate a new
route:
1. Touch Route Planner > <Create
Route>
> <Select First Point> to
select a starting point.
2. Touch a category.
3. Touch the rst item on the route.
4. Touch
5. Repeat until the route is
6. Touch
7. Touch
14 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Use > <Select Next
Point>.
complete.
to save the route.
> Where To? >
Routes to navigate the route.
Editing and Deleting Routes
You can edit any of your stored
routes.
To edit a route:
1. Touch Route Planner.
2. Touch the route you want to edit >
Edit Route.
3. Touch the point you want to edit
and select from the following
options:
Change—changes the point
•
to a different location.
Review
•
—shows the point on
the map.
Move Down (or Up)—
•
changes the order of the point
on the route.
Insert—adds an additional
•
point on the route. The
additional point is inserted
before the point you are
editing.
Remove
•
To reverse the order of points on
a route:
1. Touch Route Planner.
2. Touch the route you want to
reverse > Reverse Route.
To delete a route:
1. Touch Route Planner.
2. Touch the route you want to
delete > Delete Route.
—removes the point
from the route.
Managing Waypoints, Routes, and Tracks
Viewing the Active Route
1. Touch Active Route. The points
on your current route are shown.
2. Touch a point for additional
details.
Managing Tracks
A track is a recording of the path you
have traveled.
To record your tracks:
1. Touch Setup > Tracks > Track
Log.
2. Touch
If you select
For more information on Tracks
setup, see page 27.
Do Not Record; Record,
Do Not Show
On Map.
Map, a line on the Map page
indicates your track.
; or Record, Show
Record, Show On
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 15
Managing Waypoints, Routes, and Tracks
To save and view your current
track:
Touch Track Manager > Current
Track.
View Map—shows your
•
current track on the map.
Elevation Plot—shows the
•
elevation plot (page 17) for
your current track.
Save Track—saves your
•
current route.
Save Portion—allows you to
•
select a portion of your current
track to save.
Clear Current Track—erases
•
your current track.
16 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
To clear your current track:
Touch Setup > Reset > Clear
Current Track > Yes.
To open a saved track:
1. Touch Where To? > Tracks.
2. Touch a saved track.
Archived or loaded tracks are listed
on the Track Manager page. You can
view the tracks on the map, view
elevation plots, or navigate the track.
Additional Tools
Additional Tools
Using the 3D View
The Oregon 450t and 550t have a 3D
view. Other Oregon models require
DEM (digital elevation model) data
that can be found in some Garmin
topographic cartography. Go to
http://buy.garmin.com for compatible
map products.
Touch to increase the angle
•
of elevation, and touch to
decrease the angle of elevation.
Touch to pan the 3D map
•
forward, and touch to pan the
3D map backward.
Touch to rotate the view to
•
the left, and touch to rotate
the view to the right.
Elevation Plot
The Oregon can record elevation
changes over distance or time, or
pressure (barometric or ambient)
changes over time. To set which
changes are recorded, see page 32.
Touch Elevation Plot to open the
•
Elevation Plot page.
To adjust the distance or time
•
3D View
Touch 3D View.
•
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 17
scale, touch or .
To display elevation data, touch
•
a point on the plot. The time, the
Additional Tools
date, and the elevation recorded
at that point are shown.
Data elds
Sharing Information Wirelessly
The Oregon can wirelessly share
waypoints, routes, tracks, and
geocaches with another wirelessenabled Garmin recreational device.
1. Place the units within 10 feet (3
meters) of each other.
2. On the Main menu of both units,
touch Share Wirelessly.
Distance or
time scale
Elevation Plot Page
Changing the Elevation Plot
Data Fields
1. Touch Elevation Plot > one of
the data elds.
2. Touch a data type at the top of
the screen.
3. Select the data type from the list
of options.
18 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
3. On the receiving unit, touch
Receive. The receiving unit
indicates when it is ready to
receive data.
4. On the sending unit, touch
5. On the sending unit, touch the
category of data to send.
6. On the sending unit, touch an
item to send > Send.
7. Both units indicate that the
transfer is complete.
8. Touch
OK on both units.
Send.
Additional Tools
Using the Camera
You can take pictures with the
Oregon 550 and 550t. The location
is saved with the picture. You
can navigate to the location like a
waypoint.
NOTE: Pictures are saved and
appear with either landscape or
portrait orientation. The orientation
6. Release the
picture.
NOTE: Quickly touch and release
to automatically focus the
camera and take a picture.
7. Touch to exit the camera.
NOTE: To view the last picture
taken, touch the photo icon at the
bottom of the screen.
to take the
is indicated by the camera button
position (vertical or horizontal).
To take a picture:
1. Touch Camera.
2. Turn the device horizontally
or vertically to change the
orientation of the picture.
3. If necessary, touch
or to disable low-light mode.
4. If necessary, touch
the zoom on the camera.
5. To manually focus the camera,
touch and hold until the white
focus frame turns green.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 19
to enable
+ or - to adjust
To sort the pictures in the Photo
Viewer page:
1. Touch Photo Viewer.
2. Touch
3. Select from the following options:
•
•
•
.
Most Recently
Near a Location
On a Specic Date
Additional Tools
To view the location of a picture:
1. Touch Photo Viewer.
2. Touch the picture.
3. Touch
To delete a picture:
1. Touch Photo Viewer.
2. Touch the picture.
3. Touch
.
.
Uploading and Downloading
Pictures
Go to www.mygarmin.com, and
1. Copy .jpg images from your
computer to the Oregon. You can
load them directly to the Garmin
drive or create a new folder on
the Garmin drive (page 39).
OR
Insert a microSD card with .jpg
images in the microSD card tray
(page 37).
2. On the Main menu, touch
Viewer.
3. Touch
through the pictures.
or to scroll
Photo
log into your myGarmin account.
Connect your Oregon 550 or 550t to
your computer using the USB cable.
Follow the on-screen directions to
upload or download pictures.
Viewing Images
Calculating the Size of an Area
1. Touch Area Calculation > Start.
2. Walk around the perimeter of the
area you want to calculate.
3. Touch
Calculate when nished.
The Oregon can display pictures
stored on the Oregon or on a
microSD™ card.
20 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Additional Tools
Trip Computer
The Trip Computer displays your
current speed, average speed,
maximum speed, trip odometer, and
other helpful statistics.
Dashboard
To change the dashboard
background:
1. Touch at the bottom of the
screen.
2. Select the appropriate option.
To display two larger data elds:
Touch to toggle between two
larger data elds and the default
view.
Other Tools
Select from the following options on
the Main menu:
Calendar—use a calendar.
•
Calculator—use a calculator.
•
Sun and Moon—view sunrise
Trip Computer
Touch a eld to change what is
shown in that eld.
To reset trip data, touch Setup >
Reset > Reset Trip Data > Yes.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 21
•
and sunset times along with the
moon phase.
Alarm Clock—set your Oregon
•
to sound an alarm. You can also
set the unit to turn on at a specic
time.
Additional Tools
Hunt and Fish—view the
•
predicted best dates and
times for hunting and shing
at your current location.
Stopwatch—use a timer,
•
mark a lap, and time laps.
Man Overboard—mark a
•
man overboard position and
start navigation. Follow the
on-screen instructions.
Waypoint Averaging
•
a waypoint location with
multiple samples to achieve
the most-accurate location
possible. Follow the onscreen instructions. For more
information, refer to Trail Tech
at www.garmin.com.
Sight N’ Go
•
toward an object to lock in
the direction and navigate
to it. Follow the on-screen
instructions.
—point the unit
Monitoring Satellite Reception
The Satellite page shows your
current location, the GPS accuracy,
your current elevation, satellite
locations, and signal strength.
To view the Satellite page:
Touch at the bottom of
the Main menu.
—rene
Satellite
locations
Elevation
Satellite
strength
Satellite Page
The green bars indicate GPS satellite
strength. White bars indicate that the
Oregon is still collecting data.
22 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
GPS Games
GPS Games
Geocaches
Geocaching is a type of treasure
hunting, in which geocachers
seek hidden treasures using GPS
coordinates posted on the Internet by
those hiding the geocache.
You can download Geocache sites
from www.garmin.com/geocache.
The Web site supports the transfer of
geocache sites to your Oregon, and,
To navigate to a geocache using
Geocaches:
1. Touch Geocaches > Find a
Geocache
2. Touch a geocache location.
3. Touch
your course.
4. Touch
5. Use the compass to navigate to
your destination as indicated on
page 9.
.
Go. A colored line indicates
> Compass.
For more information on geocaching,
visit www.garmin.com/geocache.
after registering and installing the
Garmin Communicator plug-in from
www.garmin.com/products
/communicator, you can download
geocaches directly to your Oregon.
Wherigo™
Wherigo (pronounced “where I go”)
is a toolset for creating and playing
GPS-enabled adventures in the real
world. Use your Oregon to guide
you to a physical location, where
you interact with virtual objects and
characters. For more information,
visit www.wherigo.com.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 23
Customizing the Oregon
Customizing the
Oregon
Changing the Prole
Proles are a collection of settings
that allow you to optimize your
Oregon from one type of use to
another, such as moving from
recreational use to automotive use.
When you are in a prole and change
settings such as data elds, units of
measurement, or position settings,
they are saved automatically as part
of your current prole.
Setting Up Proles
To change a prole:
1. On the Main menu, touch Prole
Change. Your current prole is
indicated on the screen.
2. Touch the prole you want to use.
24 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
To change the name of a prole:
1. Touch Setup > Proles.
2. Touch a prole >
3. Touch letters, numbers, or
symbols to make the changes.
4. Touch
To change the order of the
proles:
1. Touch Setup > Proles.
2. Touch the prole you want to
move.
3. Touch
To delete a prole:
Move Up or Move Down.
Edit Name.
.
It is not possible to delete your
current prole.
1. Touch Setup > Proles.
2. Touch a prole >
Delete.
Customizing the Oregon
To add a new prole:
Touch Setup > Proles >
<Create New Prole>. This
prole is a copy of your current
prole. The new prole becomes
your current prole.
Using System Setup
Touch Setup > System.
GPS—select Normal, WAAS
(Wide Area Augmentation System),
or Demo Mode (GPS off). For
information about WAAS, go to
www.garmin.com/aboutGPS
/waas.html.
Language—select the text language
on the Oregon. Changing the text
language does not change the
language of user-entered data or map
data, such as street names.
Battery Type—select the type of
battery you are using.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 25
Tones—turn audible tones On or
Off.
Interface—set the Oregon serial
interface:
Garmin Spanner—allows you
•
to use the Oregon USB port with
most NMEA 0183-compliant
mapping programs by creating a
virtual serial port.
Garmin Serial—Garmin
•
proprietary format used to
provide PVT protocol data.
NMEA In/Out—provides
•
standard NMEA 0183 output and
input.
Text Out—provides simple
•
ASCII text output of location and
velocity information.
RTCM —receive differential
•
corrections from a RTCM
beacon.
Customizing the Oregon
Customizing the Display
Touch Setup > Display.
Backlight Timeout—select the
amount of time you would like the
backlight to remain on after you
touch the screen.
Background—select a screen
background. Depending on your
device, you can choose from
preloaded images, load your own, or
crop and use a photo.
Battery Save—shuts off the display
after the backlight timeout period.
To capture screen shots:
1. On the Main menu, touch Setup
> Display > Screen Capture >
On.
2. Go to the screen you want to
capture.
3. Press and quickly release
.
4. Connect the Oregon to your
computer with the included USB
cable (page 37). The bitmap le
is saved in the Garmin\scrn folder
on the Oregon drive.
Map Setup
On the Main menu, touch Setup >
Map.
Orientation—select how the map
is shown on the page. North Up
shows north at the top of the page.
Track Up shows your current
direction of travel toward the top of
the page. Automotive Mode shows
an automotive perspective with
next-turn information to use while
driving.
Auto Zoom—automatically selects
the appropriate zoom level for
optimal use on your map. When Off
is selected, you must zoom in or out
manually.
26 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Customizing the Oregon
Data Fields—hide or show data
elds on the Map page.
Advanced Map Setup—set the
zoom levels, the text size, and the
detail level of the map.
Zoom Levels—select the zoom
•
level for map items.
Text Size—select the text size for
•
map items.
Detail—select the amount
•
of detail shown on the map.
Showing more detail may cause
the map to redraw more slowly.
Map Information—select the box to
enable or disable a map. This can be
helpful if several maps are loaded on
the Oregon.
Dashboard Options—select
dashboard settings and options.
Tracks Setup
A track is a recording of your path.
On the Main menu, touch Setup >
Tracks.
Track Log—turn track recording on
or off.
Record Method—select a track
recording method. Touch Distance,
Time, or Auto. If your record
method is time or distance, enter the
specic time or distance interval.
Touch Auto to record the tracks at
a variable rate to create an optimum
representation of your tracks.
Interval—select a track log
recording rate. Recording points
more frequently creates a more-
detailed track, but lls the track log
faster.
Auto Archive—select an automatic
archive method to organize your
tracks. Tracks are saved and cleared
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 27
Customizing the Oregon
automatically based on the user
setting.
Customizing the Main Menu
You can rearrange applications on
the Main menu.
Routing Setup
Touch Setup > Routing.
Guidance Method—select the
guidance method for calculating your
route
Off Road—calculates point-to-
•
point routes.
To change the order of
applications on the Main menu:
1. Touch Setup > Main Menu.
2. Touch the application you want to
move.
3. Touch another application to
switch places.
To deactivate an application and
move it to the end of the list:
1. Touch Setup > Main Menu.
2. Touch the application.
3. Touch
.
NOTE: To reactivate an application,
select the application and select
another application to switch places.
28 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
On Road For Time—calculates
•
on-road routes that require
minimal time to drive.
On Road For Distance—
•
calculates on-road routes that are
shorter in distance.
Calculate Routes for—select a
transportation method to optimize
your routes for.
Lock On Road—lock the current
location marker on the nearest road,
compensating for variances in map
position accuracy (requires routable
maps).
Customizing the Oregon
Off Road Transitions—select a
transition method for routing off
roads.
Auto—automatically routes you
•
to the next point.
Manual—allows you to select
•
the next point on the route by
touching the point on the active
route page.
Distance—routes you to the next
•
point on the route when you are
within a specied distance of
your current point.
Avoidance Setup—touch the road
type you want to avoid.
3. Touch 1MP, 2MP, or 3.2MP to
change the resolution of your
pictures.
4. Touch
Save Photos To to select
the storage location.
Changing Marine Settings
Touch Setup > Marine.
Marine Colors—turn marine colors
on or off.
Spot Soundings—turn spot
soundings that indicate depth
locations on or off.
Light Sectors—turn the sector in
which a navigational light is visible
Changing the Camera Settings
1. Touch Setup > Camera
2. Touch Photo Resolution.
on or off. Selecting Auto causes
some light sectors to not be shown
when the density of light sectors in
an area is high.
Symbol Set—select the set of marine
navaid symbols.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 29
Customizing the Oregon
Marine Alarm Setup—turn marine
alarms on or off.
Anchor Drag Alarm—set an
•
alarm to sound when you drift
more than a specied distance.
Off course Alarm—set an alarm
•
to sound when you are a specied
distance off course.
Deep Water—set an alarm to
•
sound when you enter an area of
water that is too deep.
Shallow Water—set an alarm
•
to sound when you enter an area
that is too shallow.
Changing Time Settings
Touch Setup > Time.
Time Format—select a 12-hour or
24-hour format.
Time Zone—select the time zone for
your location.
30 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Daylight Saving Time—select
Yes to use Daylight Saving Time,
No to ignore it, or Automatic to
automatically turn Daylight Saving
Time on and off.
Changing Measurement Units
Touch Setup > Units.
Distance/Speed—select distance and
speed units.
Elevation (Vert. Speed)—select
elevation and vertical speed units.
Depth—select depth units in feet,
fathoms, or meters for marine use.
Temperature—select water
temperature in degrees Celsius or
degrees Fahrenheit.
Pressure—select barometric
pressure units in inches (Hg),
millibars, or hectopascals.
Customizing the Oregon
Position Format
Use the default settings unless
you are using a map or chart that
species a different position format.
To change the position format:
Touch Setup > Position Format.
North Reference—select the north
reference of the compass:
True—sets true north as the
•
heading reference.
Magnetic—automatically sets
•
the magnetic declination for your
location.
Modifying the Compass
Touch Setup > Heading.
Display—select the type of
directional heading shown on the
compass:
Directional Letters—sets
•
the Compass page reading to
directional letters (N, S, E, W).
Numeric Degrees—sets the
•
Compass page reading to degrees
(0°–359°).
Mils—sets the Compass page
•
reading to mils (0 mils–1000
mils).
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 31
Grid—sets grid north as the
•
heading reference (0°).
User—allows you to set the
•
magnetic variation value.
Go To Line/Pointer (depending on
your unit)—select Bearing to show
the Bearing Pointer, which indicates
the direction to your destination.
Touch Course to select the Course
Pointer, which indicates your
relationship to a course line leading
to the destination (page 11).
Compass—select Auto to switch
from an electronic compass to a GPS
compass when you are traveling
Customizing the Oregon
at a higher rate of speed for a set
period of time. Select Off to turn the
electronic compass off and use the
GPS compass.
Calibrate—calibrate the compass
(page 10).
Altimeter Setup
Touch Setup > Altimeter.
Auto Calibration—allow the
altimeter to self-calibrate each time
you turn the Oregon on.
Barometer Mode—select Variable
Elevation (used when moving)
or Fixed Elevation (used when
stationary, allowing the altimeter to
function as a standard barometer).
When Power On to record data only
when the Oregon is turned on. This
can be useful when you are watching
for pressure fronts.
Plot Type—select the elevation plot
type:
Elevation/Time—records
•
elevation changes over a period
of time.
Elevation/Distance—records
•
elevation changes over a
distance.
Barometric Pressure—records
•
barometric pressure over a period
of time.
Ambient Pressure—records
•
ambient pressure changes over a
period of time.
Pressure Trending—select when
the pressure data is recorded. Touch
Save Always to record pressure data
every 15 minutes, even when the
Oregon is turned off. Touch Save
32 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Customizing the Oregon
To manually calibrate the
altimeter:
1. Go to a location where you know
the elevation or the barometric
pressure.
2. Touch
3. Touch
4. Enter the elevation or barometric
Setup > Altimeter > Press
To Begin Altimeter Calibration
Yes if you know the
elevation, touch No > Yes if you
know the barometric pressure.
pressure, and then touch .
Pairing the Oregon
The Oregon can be used with an
optional Garmin heart rate monitor
to display your heart rate. It can also
be used with an optional Garmin
cadence bike sensor to display your
.
pedaling cadence. When connected
to the appropriate Garmin device, the
heart rate and bike cadence values
are listed as data-eld options on the
Map page, the Compass page, and
the trip computer.
Pairing is connecting your Oregon
with wireless sensors, such as a
heart rate monitor or a cadence
bike sensor. After you pair the rst
time, your Oregon automatically
recognizes the wireless sensors
whenever they are turned on and
within range of your Oregon.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 33
Customizing the Oregon
To pair the Oregon with a
wireless sensor:
1. Place the Oregon within 10 feet
(3 meters) of the wireless sensor
(heart rate monitor or speed/
cadence bike sensor).
2. Turn the wireless sensor on.
3. On the Main menu, touch
> Fitness > Heart Rate Monitor
or Bike Cadence Sensor.
4. Touch
5. A “Connected” message appears.
Search for new.
Setup
Reset the Device
1. Touch Setup > Reset.
2. Touch an item to reset it.
Viewing Your Oregon Information
On the Main menu, touch
Setup > About to view the Oregon
software version, the unit ID number,
the GPS software version, and legal
information.
NOTE: To prevent your Oregon
from communicating with wireless
sensors, touch Setup > Fitness
> Heart Rate Monitor (or Bike
Cadence Sensor) > Off.
34 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Appendix
Appendix
Power
Source: Two AA batteries
Specications
Physical
Size: W × H × D: 2.3 × 4.5 ×
1.4 in. (58 × 114 × 36
mm)
Weight: 5.1 oz. (146 g) without
batteries
191.4 g with batteries
Display: 3 in. diagonal (76 mm)
backlit 65K color TFT
display (240 × 400 pixels)
Case: Rugged plastic,
waterproof to IPX7
Temperature Range: From -4°F
to 158°F (from -20°C to
70°C)*
*The temperature rating of the Oregon
may exceed the usable range of some
batteries. Some batteries can rupture at
high temperatures.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 35
Battery Life: Up to 16 hours
Accuracy
GPS: < 33 ft. (10 m) 95% typical*
*Subject to accuracy degradation to 100
m 2DRMS under the U.S. DoD imposed
Selective Availability (SA) Program
when activated.
DGPS: from 10 to 16 ft. (from
Velocity: 0.328 ft./sec. (0.1
(alkaline, NiMH,
lithium, or precharged
NiMH) alkaline not
recommended for
Oregon 550 and 550t
3 to 5 m) 95% typical
(WAAS accuracy in
North America)
m/sec) steady state
Appendix
Interfaces: Garmin Proprietary
serial, USB mass
storage device, NMEA
0183
Data Storage Life: Indenite;
no memory
battery
required
Map Storage: Internal or
microSD Card
Compass: Accuracy: ± 2 degrees
(± 5 degrees in extreme
Northern and Southern
latitudes)*
Resolution: 1 degree
Altimeter: Accuracy: ± 10 ft. (± 3
m)*
Resolution: 1 ft. (.3 m)
Range: from -2,000 ft.
to 30,000 ft. (from -610
to 9144 m)
Performance
Receiver: more than 12 channel
WAAS enabled/High
sensitivity
Acquisition Times: < 1 second
(warm start)
< 33 seconds (cold
*
Subject to proper user calibration.
Using Demo Mode
Demo mode turns the GPS receiver
off for use indoors or for practice.
The unit does not track satellites in
Demo mode.
start)
< 36 seconds
(autolocate)
Update Rate: 1/second,
continuous
36 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Appendix
Notice
Do not try to navigate using Demo
mode because the GPS receiver
3. Connect the other end of the
cable to a USB port on your
computer.
is turned off. Any satellite signalstrength bars shown are only
simulations and do not represent the
strength of actual satellite signals.
To turn Demo Mode on, touch Setup
> System > GPS > Demo Mode.
Connecting Your Oregon to a Computer
You can connect the Oregon to your
computer using the supplied USB
cable.
To connect your Oregon to your
computer:
1. Lift the weather cap on the bottom
of the Oregon.
2. Insert the smaller connector on
the USB cable into the mini USB
connector.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 37
Installing a microSD
Card
The Oregon microSD card tray is
located beneath the AA batteries.
Purchase microSD cards from an
electronics supplier or purchase
preloaded MapSource® detailed map
data cards from your Garmin dealer.
Go to http://buy.garmin.com for
compatible map products.
To install or remove a microSD
card:
1. Lift the latch on the back of the
Oregon (page 2), and remove the
battery cover and the batteries.
2. Lift the metal cover.
3. Push the card into the microSD
card tray, and close the metal
cover.
Appendix
Metal
cover
MicroSD
card tray
MicroSD
card
4.
To remove the microSD card, lift
the metal cover and remove the
card from the
5. Replace the batteries and the
battery cover.
microSD card tray
.
In addition to map and data storage,
the microSD card can be used to
store les such as images, Wherigo
cartridges, geocaches, routes,
waypoints, and custom POIs.
Transferring Tracks, Routes, or Waypoints
Tracks, routes, and waypoints
(including geocache sites) can be
transferred between your Oregon and
computer maps such as MapSource,
or maps accessed on mapping Web
sites.
To transfer tracks, routes,
or waypoints to and from
MapSource:
1. Connect the Oregon to the
computer with the USB cable.
2. Turn the Oregon on.
3. Open MapSource on your
computer.
4. Click
Before transferring data to or from
a Web site directly to the Oregon,
install the Garmin Communicator
Receive From Device...
or Send To Device... on the
MapSource Transfer menu.
38 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Appendix
plug-in from www.garmin.com
/products/communicator.
Loading and Deleting Files
Notice
When deleting les, do not delete
pre-programmed map data (les
that end with “.img”). It is not
recoverable.
You can use the Oregon as a USB
mass storage device, and you can
purchase a separate microSD card
for additional external memory.
2. Connect the USB cable to the
Oregon and your computer.
3. Copy the le from your computer.
4. Paste the le into the Garmin or
the microSD card/volume.
To delete a le from the Oregon
or microSD card:
1. Open the Garmin or SD card
drive/volume.
2. Highlight the le and press the
Delete key on your computer
keyboard.
Optimizing Battery Life
Use premium batteries for optimal
performance and maximum
NOTE: The Oregon is not
compatible with Windows® 95, 98,
Me, or NT. It is also not compatible
with Mac® OS 10.3 or earlier.
To load a le onto the Oregon or
microSD card:
1. Remove the battery cover and
insert a microSD card (page 37).
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 39
battery life. The best performance
is provided by lithium batteries,
precharged (ready-to-use) NiMH
batteries, and NiMH rechargeable
batteries less than one year old with
a capacity greater than 2500 mAh.
Appendix
Consider the following suggestions
to maximize battery life:
Do not adjust the backlight more
•
than is necessary (page 3). Using
a backlight level above 50% of
maximum level for a prolonged
period of time will signicantly
decrease battery life.
Select a shorter backlight timeout
•
(page 26).
Turn tones off if not needed
•
(page 25).Turn electronic
compass off if not needed
(page 31).
Turn on Battery Save (page 26).
•
If you plan on using the Oregon
•
extensively in your automobile,
consider purchasing a vehicle
power cable (http://buy.garmin
.com).
40 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
Restoring Factory Default Settings
You can restore your Oregon to the
original factory settings. Changes
you have made using Setup are
restored to the default settings.
To restore factory settings, touch
Setup > Reset > Restore Defaults
to Factory Settings > Yes.
Appendix
Attaching the Carabiner
1. Position the carabiner clip in the
slots on the mounting spine of the
Oregon.
Carabiner
Calibrating the Touchscreen
The Oregon screen does not
normally require calibration.
However, if the buttons do not seem
to be responding properly, use the
Mounting spine
Carabiner clip
2. Slide the clip up until it locks in
place.
following process.
To calibrate the touchscreen:
1. While the unit is turned off, press
and hold the Power key for
approximately 30 seconds.
2. Follow the instructions on the
screen until “Calibration is
complete” appears.
To remove the carabiner clip, lift
the bottom of the clip and slide the
carabiner clip off the mounting spine.
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 41
Appendix
Software License Agreement
BY USING THE OREGON, YOU
AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE
FOLLOWING SOFTWARE LICENSE
AGREEMENT. PLEASE READ THIS
AGREEMENT CAREFULLY.
Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries
(“Garmin”) grant you a limited license to
use the software embedded in this device
(the “Software”) in binary executable
form in the normal operation of the
product. Title, ownership rights, and
intellectual property rights in and to the
Software remain in Garmin and/or its
third-party providers.
You acknowledge that the Software is the
property of Garmin and/or its third-party
providers and is protected under the
United States of America copyright laws
and international copyright treaties. You
further acknowledge that the structure,
organization, and code of the Software,
for which source code is not provided,
are valuable trade secrets of Garmin and/
42 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
or its third-party providers and that the
Software in source code form remains a
valuable trade secret of Garmin and/or
its third-party providers. You agree not to
decompile, disassemble, modify, reverse
assemble, reverse engineer, or reduce to
human readable form the Software or
any part thereof or create any derivative
works based on the Software. You agree
not to export or re-export the Software
to any country in violation of the export
control laws of the United States of
America or the export control laws of
any other applicable country.
Index
Index
Symbols
3D view 23
A
accessories ii
active route 15
advanced map setup 27
alarms, marine 30
altimeter
calibration 33
setup 32
ambient pressure 32
area
calculation 20
automotive mode 26
auto zoom 26
avoidance setup 29
B
background
dashboard 21
screen 26
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 43
backlight 3
timeout 26
barometer mode 32
battery 2
optimal battery type
39
battery save 26
bearing 31
C
cadence sensor 33
calibration
altimeter 33
compass 10
camera 19, 29
carabiner 41
Communicator
Garmin 23
compass
calibration 10
north reference 31
course 31
D
dashboard 21
data elds
changing 8, 12,
18, 27
show or hide 8
daylight saving time 30
default settings 40
demo mode 36
directional letters 31
E
edit
routes 14
waypoints 13
elevation
xed or variable 32
elevation/distance 32
elevation/time 32
elevation plot 17
customizing 32
F
factory settings 40
tness setup 33
xed elevation 32
Index
G
Garmin serial 25
Garmin spanner 25
geocaches 23
GPS setting 25
grid north 31
guidance method 28
H
heart rate monitor 33, 34
I
images
viewing 20
interface 25
L
language 25
light sectors 29
lock on road 28
lock screen 3
M
magnetic north 31
map information 7
map setup 26
marine settings 29
44 Oregon Series Owner’s Manual
mark waypoint 4
microSD card
image viewer 20
installing 37
loading les 39
mils 31
N
navigation 5
stop 7
NMEA in/out 25
north reference, compass
31
north up 26
numeric degrees 31
O
off road 28
off road transitions 29
on road for distance 28
on road for time 28
orientation, map 26
P
Photo Viewer 19
pictures 19
plot type 32
points of interest (POI) 5
position format 31
pressure
ambient 32
barometric 32
trending 32
unit of measurement
30
proles 24
R
recent nds 5
record method, tracks 27
registering the Oregon i
routes
calculate 28
edit 14
setup 28
view 15
S
satellite signals 3
sensors 34
serial, Garmin 25
serial number ii
Index
share wirelessly 18
sight N’ go 22
spanner, Garmin 25
spot soundings 29
stop navigating 7
stopwatch 22
T
text out 25
text size, maps 27
W
WAAS 25
waypoint averaging 22
waypoints
creating 4
Wherigo 23
wireless sharing 18
Z
zoom 26
timeout, backlight 26
time zone 30
tones 25
tracks
recording 27
setup 27
track up 26
trip computer 21
true north 31
U
unlock screen 3
V
variable elevation 32
Oregon Series Owner’s Manual 45
For the latest free software updates (excluding map data) throughout the life of
your Garmin products, visit the Garmin Web site at www.garmin.com.
© 2009 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062, USA
Garmin International, Inc.
Liberty House, Hounsdown Business Park, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 9LR UK
No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road, Sijhih, Taipei County, Taiwan
November 2009 Part Number 190-01140-00 Rev. A Printed in Taiwan
Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
Garmin Corporation
www.garmin.com
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