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maurycy

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Posts posted by maurycy

    Dakota 20 GPS with bike mount

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I have Dakota 20 GPS for sale. I bought it from Cabella's and had it for few years. In the recent couple of years, I haven't been using it too much. Comes with a bicycle mount. I had screen protector since day 1. Case may show some wear but the screen is nice. There is 2GB SD card installed. Will post bike mount photos later.

    $100 shipped within continental US.

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    Dakota 20 accuracy

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    From your description it sounds like you are using the map to walk to the location not the compass. You should have it set to go to that cache and work off the compass and distance to destination.

     

    Why would that be different than using a map zoomed in all the way? I would assume that the cache icon on the map shows the same coordinates that the compass uses? I am not rejecting the option to use compass. Just asking. I have used the map all the time before with my Triton and it never failed me. With Dakota is more miss than hit.

    Dakota 20 accuracy

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I have recently upgraded my old Triton 400 to a Dakota 20 GPS. I really like the touch screen and paperless geocaching which came with this upgrade. Unfortunately, I am very disappointed with the accuracy of the Dakota 20. I have used the Triton for few years and in the map mode, when I positioned my cursor over the cache's icon, I was basically standing on the cache. There was a matter of checking an area of a small radius (less than 5 feet) around my initial location to find the cache. With Dakota, when according to the GPS I am standing exactly on the cache's icon, I am nowhere near the actual location. The last two examples took me either on the other side of the road (about 20 feet from the cache's location) or today, it was showing the cache to be about 30 feet away even though I was standing right where the cache was hidden. GPS info showed the accuracy to be 8 feet. It was all open area with no tree coverage. GPS reception was all four bars.

     

    Am I doing something wrong or I got spoiled by Triton being more accurate GPS?

    Need a recommendation for an upgrade from Triton 400 GPS

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    Just wanted to update that I have decided to go with Dakota 20. I have checked the 62s at the local REI but it was jut too big. I needed something smaller than that for my occasional biking and hiking. They also had Oregon 450 on sale but again it was a bit bulky. The Dakota 20 that has arrived yesterday is pretty much perfect size for my needs. The screen resolution could be a bit better but that's the only con. Other than that, it looks like Dakota is going to suit me well.

     

    Thanks again for all the replies and recommendations.

    FS: Magellan Triton 400 GPS

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted · Edited by maurycy

    SOLD

     

    I have finally upgraded so I am posting my Magellan Triton 400 GPS for sale. I bought it new few years back. The GPS is in excellent condition. The screen has the original plastic protector since new so once you take that off, the screen will be pristine. Case has no visible scratches and all buttons work. For a full disclosure, the only con is that one of the two rubber "stands" is missing in the back. It doesn't affect the performance but its ability not to slide when on the table :-)

     

    GPS comes with USB cable, box, CD and all paperwork that was originally included. If purchased for my asking price, I will include high speed 2GB SD card with US maps loaded onto it (I can also upload Canada and other countries upon request).

     

    This is good GPS for somebody that's starting in geocaching and does not want to spend $100+ for a new unit.

     

    Price: $55 shipped to continental US

     

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    Need a recommendation for an upgrade from Triton 400 GPS

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    Thanks again for replying. It looks like Oregon 450 is discontinued (so it is the GPSmap 632 as the new 64 series came out). I do like the buttons so I am leaning toward the 62s. Oregon 450 is nice but considering my cache find stats, I do not need to go with such a GPS. I just want to switch to paperless caching and regular USB2 connection. I read somewhere that Dakota 20 has USB 1.1 which would be a deal breaker. Not sure if that's true though as the specs are not very detailed.

    Need a recommendation for an upgrade from Triton 400 GPS

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    Currently, I have the Triton 400 GPS which suits me fine but has a few quirks. The main problems are lack of compass (you need to move to get the reading) and inability to read cache size from the Pocket Query file when loading using Vantage Point. I know that there is a workaround for that but I do not want to use third party app or do an extra step when loading caches.

     

    So I am looking for replacement and need your input. What I need in the new GPS is:

     

    1. Paperless geocaching

    2. Regular USB connection (not some proprietary cable like Triton)

    3. Compass when in stationary mode

    4. Not too big as I use the GPS on the bike as well

     

    My budget is up to $250.

     

    Any recommendations?

     

    Thanks.

    GPS with touch screen and direct sunlight?

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I am using handheld GPS on my bicycle which means that the screen is exposed to direct sunlight for a 6 or more hours. For the last 4 years, my old Triton 400 has held up just fine without any case discoloration or screen issues. But I am curious about the new touch screen GPS units. Any idea if the touch screens are affected by long direct sun exposure (screen de-lamination, etc)?

     

    Thanks

    Question about fence post caches

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    They rely on the community to post Needs Archive logs when they see a violation that slips past a Reviewer.

     

    That's why it is not working. I bet none of the geocachers that log fence post caches know that such placement violates the rules. I did not knew about it until now when I tried to place my first cache. To prove my point, there are 38 logs for the fence post cache near mine and 7 of them this year alone from geocachers that found 1000+ caches. If such veterans do not know the rules or are to lazy to report, the review process is going to fail.

    Question about fence post caches

    in How do I...?

    Posted · Edited by maurycy

    Thanks for replying. According to the reviewer, my cache violated the #2 rule you have posted.

     

    I understand that gluing container to a fence violates rules. I will remove my cache and hide it in a different location.

     

    What bothers me is that if you lie or omit valid information from your cache listing, your cache will get published. Now when I wanted to place my first cache, I have realized that a lot of caches do not follow the rules. Like I said before, there is cache less than a mile away placed in 2012 that is the same type as the one I was trying to hide. Well, this cache does violate rules but was published. About a month ago I found a cache that was secured to a branch via plastic zip tie. I guess in a year or so when the tree grows, the zip tie will alter the branch. That should also be disallowed. Still, there are tons of caches like that that gets published. So what's the point of the review process if it doesn't really check the physical location of the cache?

    Question about fence post caches

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    I just got my cache rejected by reviewer because I have stated in the note to the reviewer that the container is a pill bottle glued to the bottom of a fence post cap. This apparently violates the rules. Is this a recent change? I have found number of caches like that and there is even one hidden in 2012 near the area that I placed my cache. Of course in the case of this cache, the owner did not specified that the cache is glued to the fence cap (someone else's property).

     

    Please advise.

     

    Thanks.

    Any wireless capable handheld GPS receivers?

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    WiFi just to transfer a few small files on an occasional basis? That is absolutely overkill - and perhaps more importantly, that use case is one of the very things BT was designed to do. With a much lower power draw to boot.

    That depends on use. I transfer maps, GPX files, media, routes, etc. Some of them frequently and some of them not. My phone has 3G, wi-fi and bluetooth. With all that it is smaller and lighter than my GPS so I do not think there is any technological limitation here. And do I use all those features in my phone? Of course not but I like the wi-fi when I need to download podcasts to my phone. Takes 1/10th of the time than over 3G network. So I still think that I would benefit from having wi-fi in my GPS.

     

    Disclaimer: My replies are just my point of view. They are not here to start arguing with fellow geocachers.

    Any wireless capable handheld GPS receivers?

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    Thanks for replies. I guess I will hold onto my Triton until wi-fi enabled GPS is available. I already have Android phone but I like my rugged GPS better for bike rides.

     

    dakboy: I do not think wi-fi that's built into the GPS is an overkill. It is very similar to bluetooth. Just a different protocol. You still need additional hardware even for BT. BT needs pairing and Wi-Fi needs to join wireless network. Not much of a difference. Plus they already have SD cards with built in wi-fi. They are used to make digital cameras capable of wireless transmission. Why not to have GPS support such card. Don't tell me guys that in the digital age of Netflix capable tablets, phones with Pandora radios and BT phone to car transmissions, you still like the USB cord. :)

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