GeckoGeek

There's only two problems with the 201 (not 210). The first is that the AAA batteries don't last as long as AA used on most other units. The second is that the original gekos were too easy to turn on accidentally and drained the batteries. I understand the new one have a little ridge to prevent that. I hope you ordered the cable at a good price. It it was more then $15, it wasn't a good price. I will say that Garmin wants too much for it. In all other ways, its a very nice unit. The small screen size isn't as big a problem as you'd think. Entering waypoints isn't that hard, but it is tedious as you have to scroll through a list for each letter for the name.

road_rascal, I've looked at the sheets. Yes, they are adjusted, but they are landmarks which raises the distant possibility that you are not finding the original structure. If you want to run a "sanity check" look around at nearby stations and see if the "scorebox" shows the tower/water tank you're talking about. Run the math and see if those measurements support the idea that the datasheets are wrong. Both of these had to be transcribed from paper to computer and there are no official observations since then. I would not rule out data entry error. If that was the case, then the the scorebox should shed some light on this. I understand the scorebox is measured values, not calculated ones. The first step in determining if the structures you've observed are indeed the original marks is to find out when those structures were erected and see if it's consistent with the monumented date.

You get that far then you can use USAPhotoMap. It's free. No routing information, just the ability to plot the points on a topo map or a photo. It can also talk to your GPS to show your tracks.

In the end, it doesn't matter. You have to look at the total package, not just the antenna. I think the only generality that anyone would agree with is that most external antennas will run circles around the built-in antenna.

.... Mopar? Mopar is a guy, I .... think ..... you ........ Never mind, sorry I asked! I miss the old day when things were simpler ...

I'm a Garmin guy so I don't know your model, but if you're looking for topo maps to put on the GPS itself, then you'll have to go to Magellen. Nothing else will load on the unit. Before going out to buy anything, give USAPhotoMap a test drive. You can't argue about the price!

The "D" on the sats page means that the unit has the differential data for that satellite. DIFF means that it's actually using the data to show your location. In other words, "DIFF" means that WAAS is fully "active". While WAAS may be on, if it shows "Accuracy" then WAAS hasn't got enough data to be effective in the results.

You sure the GPS didn't decide to go joy riding? When a GPS is first turned on, it goes though a process of acquiring the different satellites and downloading the detailed almanac data for each one. As it's doing so, it's "guess" of where it is may wander around as settles in. This is quite normal.

Suppose someone buys a unit and discovered a serious quirk or defect that only shows itself at times. They take it back for an exchange. Sure it goes though diagnostics, but will the diagnostic catch it? How many of you have had problems with a computerized device that doesn't work properly but passes it's tests? Maybe your car that acts up but the car's computer doesn't store any service codes? Sure, maybe the unit you got was someone who simply returned it for something else, but maybe it's one that someone has already had a problem with that happened to behave for the factory tech? The other thing to consider is if someone has a bunch of referbs. Sure a popular unit will have a fair number that came back for nothing to do with it's quality, but then so would a bad run or a "dog" model. You can't inspect quality into a product. Either it has it or is doesn't. A lemon may work today, but it may fall apart tomorrow. Personally, my luck with referb electronics hasn't been too good. I think I'd take a store return over a referb. You pay your money and you take your chances. If you do buy referb, use the heck out of it before that short warranty is up.

Can you give a PID of the one you're looking at? In general, the coordinates listed on the top of the page in CG.com should match the ones on the original datasheet on the line that starts with "* NAD 83". I don't think anyone has reported a parsing error between the original sheets and what CG posts, but it could happen. Also keep in mind that telephone posts do move over a long enough period of time. The road could have been realigned or all the poles could have been replaced. Perhaps the utilities went underground and there are no telephone poles - just light poles. Last, have you checked what your GPS's EPE display was at? When first turned on mine can be a few hundred feet until it has a chance to fully lock in over a course of several minutes. People have reported stranger things happening to their units. Best theory is that somehow the almanac got corrupted.

Can you point out some of the marks you are talking about? If these are ones where the position is adjusted, and you've found them and the error is well outside of the normal GPS error, I'd be very surprised. Having the height adjusted doesn't count. If the position is scaled, then what you say is exactly right -use the GPS to get you in the area, but use the description to get you to the spot. One of the rules of the universe is "spit happens". It's possible that there was a data entry error between the datasheets and entering them into the computer. If there has been no recovery since the sheets have been computerized, then you may be the first to discover it. But the other statement hasn't been addressed. Can anyone show any official that's interested in the handheld GPS coordinates of triangulation stations? True benchmarks (scaled), yes, but not adjusted ones.

Bullspit. The common consumer GPS doesn't display enough numbers to get much more accurate then 6 feet. The NGS datasheet for an adjusted mark has two more digits then the GPS giving 100 times the "granularity". (Be sure you're looking at the original NGS datasheet, not GC's version.) I don't know why anyone wants the GPS readings for an adjusted benchmark. Perhaps it's a "reality check" to make sure the readings you're tuning in in isn't whacked out. The NGS sure isn't asking for them. They've got the mark down to inches or less. Scaled coordinates is a completely different story. It's someone's guess based on looking at a map. Survey-grade GPS units ($3000+) could be a different story. They use a second frequency to help figure things out.

Uh, oh! You know what happens to celebrity couples....

I have to take back some of what I said - It does seem that the icons that signify "new" do work. Just something about the placement makes me skip over it. I don't know how much control over the forum software they have. If it could be made bold only if new, that might help.

Test

OK, at risk of hijacking the thread, since you guys are talking about different models, what's the best metal detector I can get for under $100? I'm not going to fork out $500 for a whites. I'm mostly interested in finding benchmarks that are buried, but I might try general "treasure" hunting.

Whoa! And it's good for high power use too. But how high is the self discharge? Any memory effect?

Since the topic has been pinned, it's dang near invisible to me by becoming as much of a fixture on the page as the logos. It's placement and lack of "new" logo makes it easy to miss.

OK, your turn. How is the serial port connected to the mother board? Is it though a ribbon cable that could have be connected backwards or off by one pin? That will mess you up. You an also try the trick of using a paperclip to short pins 2 and 3 and see if in Hyperterm what you type shows in the screen. Then remove the paperclip and see if the screen no longer echos the keyboard.

Ok, one problem at a time: You're got receive, now when you say MapSource nor EasyGPS "can see the connection" are they not able to open COM1 or are they unable to find the GPS? There's a difference. If they can't open COM1, then something else is hogging it. A com port can only be used by one program at a time. Also these two programs may need the Garmin set to the Garmin interface. Lastly, what you've tested so far is receive. You haven't sent. A bad -12V power supply can kill all the serial ports but leave the computer otherwise functional. Something to think about. Also blown ports are not unheard of. Not common, but not impossible. Something you might try is fireup Hyperterminal and short pins 2 and 3 together. Anything you type should show on the screen. Remove the short and anything you type shouldn't show on the screen.

Are the set for the same Map Datum? Have they both been on long enough to get a full satellite lock and download the full almanac? Try checking the EPE (Estimated Position Error) on the two units and see if they are in the same range.

Under "Options" | "List Options" see if "when sorted by waypoint" is checked. That should do what you want.

A cut and paste shows that the odd symbols are nothing more then the letters "L" and "J". Somehow the web browser connects them together forming something odd.

My motto is that it's easier to teach machines then to teach people. I'm with Bons on this one. Fix the gallery page, don't hassle the users just because the page don't work right.

Metal will block the signal. Normal glass won't. But glass with a metal tint usually does. So the young lady wasn't completely wrong. It doesn't work in some cars. What she should have said is that she couldn't guarantee that it would work in your car.