sharkman8810

I am looking for a bluetooth gps to go with a lg optimus v and an acer iconia a100 tablet. Android and ice cream sandswich operating systems. What gps do you recommend, what is the expected accuracy? I am looking for accuracy and battery life. I do currently have a garmin vista hcx that works good, and can use for the rugged stuff; but i like the phone functionality. Can the bluetooth gps give me better accuracy than the vista hcx? I would carry the bluetooth with my phone for hiking and use it with the acer for road using mapdroyd. The gps in the tablet I dont think is very good. I was looking at the etrex 30, but it isnt worth $250 to me yet, and a globalsat bt-xxx is in the $50 ish range.

I found a bunch of caches with the yellow etrex h. For the boy scouts, i'd give them a 3x5 card with coordinates of where they want to go, and set the screen on the gps that give the coordinate readings as to where they are. Also explain on how the coordinates on the gps match to a topo map. Of course they should have a regular compass along too. I can see this being a fun activity. I'm an eagle scout. I admit though i like the electronic compass, you get better readings when you arent moving.

I never have luck with rechargeables. The garmin etrex h series has good battery life. I have used anything from just energizers to the lithium ion. The lithiums really last a long time.

I have yet to find anyone who got a serial garmin gps to work on a windows vista machine. I even installed serial ports on my vista machine with an add-on card and it won't work, i have an etrex h. I am not the only one who tried you will find other posts here and none of them actually mention that they got it to work, I have several friends who are it professionals and they couldn't get it to work either. I gave up and got an etrex vista hcx.

The gpsfiledepot maps work fine by me, and the redraw is good. This is for standard topo maps. I don't use it to autoroute. If you want to see battery drain get the delorme they are horrible on batteries compared to the garming vista hcx.

Does anyone know if the garmin handheld gpsr's work with delorme's topo 8 software and maps. I liked delorme's maps, plus in comparison to garmin it seems like you get more software and functionality for the money. I use an etrex vista hcx. No i dont want a pn model gps, they chew up batteries way to fast for my all day activities.

I had a pn-20 too, and returned it, for very poor battery life and accuracy issues (lose track while walking under tree cover only), and they are slow. The pn 30 and 40 models i would consider if they are better accuracy wise. The delorome maps are good, and the software is good, but it does take a little to learn, because you have alot you can do with it. I went with a garmin vista hcx because i couldn't go up to the pn-40, and battery life is really good with the vista hcx, and that is important if you are an all day hunter like i am. The best of both worlds is delorme software with garmin gps in my opinion.

Thank you all for your replies. I decided to get the vista hcx, and it is working ok. I think i experienced the "drift" thing once, and i am suspicious of the electronic compass (E.C.). I used it once with the E.C. on, and i was off by 200+ feet (made a 3 mile loop and start and stop off). THen i went and did another hike that was 2.4 or so miles and the E.C. off and i was off by 15 ft or so. I managed to load topo maps on it tonight, and I like it. I am using radio shack nimh batteries, and they seem pretty good.

Thank you for doing this test, if found it very interesting.

I had a yellow etrex h and then i thought to get a delorme pn-20 after i saw the "value" they offered. The processor is slow, plus it chews batteries at a rapid rate, which is bad for the day hiker. The software isnt easy to use either. There is a steep learning curve. I returned it because of battery chewing and it lost reception in thick tree cover (not even in a valley), not for the software because i dont mind learning something but with the other issues, it wasn't worth the effort. I can see the 30 or 40 being good units if they got a better receiver and better on batteries, the etrex vista has both going for it.

I still dont go for micros, just not my idea of fun, i like the hiking for an ammo can idea. A little searching usually by a fallen tree, or an out of place pile of rocks is just the ticket. I use a garmin etrex h model, accuracy is pretty good under cover.

It may be the same deal with the serial connection, I'm not sure on that, but you got an accurate gps that should be easy on the batteries. And since it has the clik stick, shouldnt be hard to manually enter them if you have to. I think you did good for actually being a box store.

Yes, i take my etrex h for its trip computer, and so i know how far i go.

If you get your yellow etrex h to work with windows vista, please let me know, i havent managed to get it work at all.

I am considering getting the garmin legend hcx to map unmarked state gameland trails and see them on topo maps. I understand there are places to get the free topo maps online, then can i just overlay my tracks on them? Also what software would i use? Does the legend hcx and the software work good on windows vista? I tried the pn-20 but it lost signal to much for me, plus the unit was horrendous on batteries. I also use the unit for geocaching and hunting. Opinions and suggestion welcome. Thank you.

I use an etrex h, it is a good receiver that works good under tree cover, and easy on batteries. I havent gotten it to work with serial connection to usb with a vista computer, so using it on up-to date pc is challenging. If all you want is something that will give you good coordinates it is fine. I do geocaching and hiking and it does work good, just not pc friendly.

I don't think so. When you first turn it on you get the satellites page, and i havent read or seen anywhere on how to do that kind of customization.

look for the etrex with the "h" designation. You can get the newer version of what you got for $84 at walmart.

I use a yellow etrex h, it is $82 at walmart, but i'd maybe step up to a model that can connect with usb, as the serial stuff doesnt work well with windows vista. I had a pn-20 and it worked as advertised, but i returned it because of very poor battery life, and it lost signal more than a garmin h did, otherwise it is a good unit imo.

I wasn't happy with a pn-20, it would lose lock where my etrex h kept signal, it also chewed up the batteries in the process. I am happy with the etrex h accuracy. I am not saying it is the best,but it does get me close, and with some experience you can do pretty good, plus battery life is good. Are all garmin "h" models the same accuracy. So for greater accuracy i would have to go up to a garmin 60csx model?

Also watch operating system, make sure your operating system works well with the driver and the software you are using. I have yet to get this to work with vista.

Don't bother with a cable, because hooking it up, and getting it to work is difficult, plus by the time you get the cable(s) and pay for shipping, you can get the venture hc. Besides you get very little benefit from it. other than loading coordinates up and down, routes and tracks etc. it isnt paperless caching you hear about, i still keep track with paper. The cable is a garmin to serial port, and is difficult to work on newer pc's and operating systems. It would require ordering to get the cable. If you think you may want to hook into a computer i'd go for the venture hc. I hoped this helped.

I returned a delorme pn-20 the good about the unit is the software and maps. My problems with it are poor battery life, if you do deep woods hiking or all day hunting, your batteries only got 10-12 hours in reality. Also i lost reception with it, while moving in deep tree cover and valleys, and that will make backtracking where you went really tough. Ok for geocaching and parks, not good enough for deep woods, hunting, or serious backpacking in my opinion. I think the garmin "h" recievers are better than the delorme. I was gonna "upgrade" my etrex h to a pn-20 but didnt feel confident enough in the unit, for the ALL day in the woods trips.

I use a etrex h model. they are $83 at walmart, good receiver with good battery life and simple to use. Dont get if you do want to actually hook into a computer because it is challenging to get working. I'd definitely make sure you get an "h" model.

I am of the opinion that the cat is out of the bag, and going to get alot worse. Bass Pro, and i am sure other stores is selling geocaching in a way. They sell the gps, and do seminars on how to geocache. The good with the bad, is if done right, they can help with access and there ability to promote it to landmanagers as eco friendly. A favorite government term is public-private partnership i.e. gov't or taxpayers don't have the cash for a pet project so lets get a special interest group to help pay for it, and i am sure bass pro gets hit up for this type stuff all the time. They can say, do you let people geocache, we give our money to places that allow this. I am waiting for things like the bass pro geo-challenge, or the cabella's geocache challenge. I bought a gps for hunting in unfamiliar forest, and hiking, then discovered geocaching. It is fun and i do it for mostly hiking caches, i am not into the C and D much, but will go to a good municipal park, especially if i have my daughter along. As i am occassional and do it whenever, i don't hide caches, or touch trackables, as i find the "paperwork" confusing. I hope i didn't ramble to badly. sharkman