How to Use a Magellan SporTrak
By Megan Mattingly-Arthur
The Magellan SporTrak is a hand-held GPS device that provides excellent navigation whether you're on land or sea. Learning how to use the Magellan SporTrak is simple, leaving you more time to concentrate on the more exciting aspects of your journey.
Step 1
Initialize your Magellan SporTrak before using it for the first time. Use the "Up" and "Down" arrow keys to select your appropriate language, country or region, and then press "Enter." Take your GPS receiver outside where it has an unobstructed view of the sky and wait for it to acquire the necessary satellites. After the device has acquired the satellites for the first time it will automatically acquire satellites at start up.
Step 2
Mark a waypoint with your Magellan SporTrak. A waypoint is a location that you want to save in your GPS device so that you can return to it at a later time. To save a location as a waypoint, press the "Thumb Tack" button twice. Your waypoint will be saved using a receiver-created name. If you would rather save a waypoint using a custom name, press the "Thumb Tack" and "Enter" buttons, then use the arrow pad to operate the on-screen keypad and enter your custom name. Press the "Enter" button again, followed by the "Thumb Tack" button. This will save your custom-named waypoint to your Magellan SporTrak.
Step 3
Use your Magellan SporTrak to create a "Go To" route to navigate to any waypoint in your GPS receiver's memory. Press the "Go To" button and use the "Up" and "Down" arrow keys to highlight the appropriate waypoint category. Press the "Enter" button to select the waypoint category, then use the "Up" and "Down" arrow keys to scroll through the list of waypoints until the desired waypoint is highlighted. Press "Enter" to select. The Magellan SporTrak will automatically calculate a route to your selected waypoint.
Step 4
Create a multileg route using your Magellen SporTrak. Press the "Menu" button, choose the "Routes" option and press "Enter." Use the "Up" and "Down" arrows to select "Empty Route," then press "Enter." Highlight the first dotted line on the GPS receiver screen to place the first point in your route, then press "Enter." Use the "Up" and "Down" arrow keys to highlight the appropriate waypoint category and press "Enter" to select. Scroll through the presented list of waypoints until the desired waypoint is highlighted, then press the "Enter" button to select. Press "Enter" again to confirm the first leg of your route, then repeat the process to add additional legs to your route. When you are finished, press the "Menu" button and select "Save Route."
Step 5
Insert an additional waypoint into your route. While navigating the route, highlight the next available dotted line on the route screen. Use the "Up" and "Down" arrow buttons to select the "waypoint"option. Press the "Menu" button, choose the "Insert" option and press "Enter." Select a waypoint category, press "Enter" and then scroll through the list of waypoints until your desired waypoint is highlighted. Press "Enter" to save the inserted waypoint in your route.
References
Tips
- Use the Magellan SporTrak's "Backtrack" feature to reverse a route. Press the "Menu" button, select "Routes" and press "Enter." Press the "Menu" button again. Choose the "Backtrack" option, and press "Enter" to begin navigating the reverse route.
Warnings
- Do not operate the Magellan SporTrak while driving. If you need to make changes to your route, pull over to the side of the road to protect yourself and other drivers.
Writer Bio
Megan Mattingly-Arthur has been writing professionally since 1998. She has contributed to various publications, including "Teen Voices" and "Positive Teens" magazines, as well as a book, "The Young Writer's Guide to Getting Published." Mattingly-Arthur is studying travel and tourism through Penn Foster Career School.