SgtCacher

I've only been involved in geo-caching for about 6 months now, but the most important lesson I have learned in that time is to use the GPSr as an estimate only-for everything! I have found my Vista to be highly inaccurate on everything from measuring distance over a known course, to altitude, to distance from a cache. I've posted here about the inaccuracies and have been told by those with much more experience than I to expect that.

Thanks for all the suggestions. The Baltimore-Annapolis Trail is a Rails to Trails, straight and flat, asphalt paved, trail. I had very good satelite reception throughout the run. It's interesting to note that most of you suspect the GPS is in error, especially since Garmin is now marketing a GPS based device to runners as a way to keep track distance, speed and pace. If I'm training for a marathon or longer distance and my measuring device is a mile or more off every ten miles I run, then it's not worth investing in. I'm new to geocaching and have had some fun with it, but the more I learn the more disappointed I become. I use my Vista for ultra trail running and back country camping as well as geocaching. So far I've been told not to be surprised if the altimeter is hundreds of feet off, the electronic compass may not be accurate and now the distance may be off by miles. So much for technology. Thanks for your help. Rich

I have a Vista and took it out on a 10 mile run last week. I had it attached to the shoulder strap of my Camelbak with a clear view of the open sky the entire time. After running 10 miles on the B&A Trail there was more than a 1 mile difference between the trail markers and the distance travelled shown on the Vista. The trail markers are placed every half mile and I assume were surveyed when the trail was built. Which is right?

Ok, my question/comment was more about practical use than theory. I use the GPS altimeter for backpacking at higher elevations. There are often camping restrictions above a certain altitude, so I like to have an idea where I'm at altitude wise. I don't doubt the calculations several of you have cited, but here's the deal in real life. I'm in Annaplois, MD, not far above sea level. Regardless of the day or weather I turn the cheap Casio watch on and get an altitude of 20-40 feet. This is correct for me, less than 1 mile from the bay. I have left it on all day today and the reading is the same. I turn my Vista on and now have a reading of -358 feet below sea level with auto calibration off. The two are sitting side by side. I've read that the GPS satelite altitude readings are not very accurate and to use the barometric altimeter. I can't explain it, but the watch seems to stay fairly accurate both at sea level and at altitude. Unfortunately, in the mountains I have no ATC to calibrate for me. So I guess what I was asking (poorly, I guess) was, is there something I'm missing here or should I just s-can the altimeter on the Vista and carry the watch? I have probably answered my own question.

I take it you have the Casio? It's calibrated in 20 ft. increments. Minor changes in pressure do affect it, but the Vista reads from -93ft. to + 150 ft. in the same location. In addition at the same pressure my Casio returns to a consistent pressure without re-calibration.

Here's Garmin's response to my question about the accuracy of the Vista barometric altimeter, and my response. Garmin: "Remember, if you turn off auto calibration you must calibrate hourly to maintain accuracy as you would with all barometric altimeters." That's interesting. My Casio Pathfinder watch has a barometric altimeter which has been accurate for close to two years based on the barometric pressure. I needed the altimeter to tell me the altitude, not for me to tell it the altitude. Thanks for the help and I'll get the word out on the altimeter.

HUH?

Try LL. Bean all leather Gore- tex Cresta with Superfeet hiking (green) insoles. You'll think you're in sneakers.

My $.02, pipe style containers always look suspicious. Every hazardous devices training class uses various pvc/metal pipe type containers as examples of suspicious devices. I'm not sure you want to foot the bill for an EOD response to your cache.

As a police officer, I sometimes feel uneasy while caching because I know what behaviors I look for when on patrol and I'm exhibiting most of them. If I was on duty I'd stop me!

OK gotcha. I thought maybe there was an easy (drag and drop) solution. I can enter the coordinates manually into the edit waypoint screen on easy gps, but then it's not really easy gps. I guess the problem is translating the topo files into something easy gps can read. I'm not familiar with the program you mentioned to do this. Thanks for the help.

Maybe I wasn't clear. I'm trying to move waypoints from TOPO to Easy gps. Once in Easy gps, I have no problem exporting to Vista.

I have been trying to export waypoints from my National Geographic National Parks TOPO program using their export wizard without success, however waypoints downloaded from geocaching.com into easy gps will export to my Vista with no problem. I have basically given up on the TOPO wizard, so now the question is how to transfer waypoints from my TOPO program into easy gps for export. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance, Rich

I've had good luck with my Vista so far. I use it mainly while backpacking in the mountains. I like the compass and barometer/altimeter features.

Why WAAS disabled?

Sorry, forgot one more. The position format. I have it set to, hddd mm.mmm. Right? Thanks

My wife was nice enough to upgrade my GPSr for Christmas from a basic Sportrak to an eTrex Vista. Now I have so many options I'm not sure what my most efficient set up should be. For instance, Altimeter: auto calibration on or off? I use my Vista for trail running and hiking in the mountains as well as caching. Also some of the more useful customizable settings on the compas page and trip computer page. I've heard keep compass turned off when caching. I'd like to hear how some of you have you GPSr's set up. Thanks, Rich

The Sport Trak is WAAS enabled also. Nice unit.

Welcome, Read "GPS Made Easy" by Lawrence Letham, Fourth Edition. I think it's the best beginers book.

I have a Magellan Sport Trak for sale. It is the yellow basic model but works great for caching. It's waterproof and rugged, has a larger screen than the basic etrex, plus a quad helix antenna. I have the users manuals with it, but no pc data cable. First $110.00 takes it. Buyer pays shipping. Drop me an e-mail.

Funny, I had just the opposite experience with a Sport Trak and Vista while hiking in Shenandoah Natl Park. Basically, on the side of a mountain under heavy tree cover, my Vista got me to with in 6 feet of my shelter whiile the Sport trak was about 50 feet off.

I've upgraded from a basic Sport Trak to an etrex Vista and I'm a happy camper (literally). I'm thinking about purchasing the National Parks East Mapsource software, but I'm unsure how they would integrate with the base map. Would this just provide me with additional detail while within the Natl. Park or would I switch somehow between the base map and the park maps?