BeDoggy

quote:Originally posted by infosponge:The buttons are ABOVE the display? Were they smoking crack when they designed that one? Actually, I'm impressed with the design. I've had a geko for a few months, and really like the way the buttons are placed. With the unit cradled in the fingers of one hand you can operate the buttons with your thumb without blocking the screen.The screen seems small but is very crisp and clear. Even at arm's length It's easy to read.

I had a 310 that did the same thing. I decided to throw it away but out of curiosity decided to crack it open and look inside it before I did. I pressed down on the chips on the circuit board, put fresh batts in it, and it fired up and worked for 6 months before I traded it in on a new unit. I wonder if the 310 model had a problem with the soldering on the circuit boards? (BTW, cracking these units open is hard to do, and there is a high risk of destroying the unit by doing so.)

I have a geko 101 That I use only for gecaching. I haven't been stumped on a cache search yet. I know it doesn't have alot of features compared to other gps units, but it didn't cost alot either. I guess the biggest beef people have with the gekos are that they are too "toylike " in appearance. As for the percieved "design flaws" in the gekos, I'm not sure if those who made those comments have even used one. The negative "buttons above the display" comments suggest that they haven't.They allow complete one-handed operation without blocking the display. As for tracking ability I've seen no practical difference between the gekos and other units. As for complaints about using "AAA" batteries, I guess they are a trade off for the size reduction.It's a tough little unit, too. I dropped mine off a bridge onto rocks below (about 12 feet) Not even the slightest of damage. Well designed and easy to use at a low price.That's good enough for me. [This message was edited by BeDoggy on May 10, 2003 at 11:46 AM.]

I noticed wierd stuff with my new geko, too. Several times now it has shown a top speed as though I were travelling at supersonic speeds. As well, the directional arrow seems to "freeze" if I change direction. It will point behind me, but as I advance the distance to the waypoint will decrease. Weird. But I guess these posts are evidence that the the more expensive units do stuff like this too. Glad I didn't spend TOO much on my GPSr.

About 12 hours with moderate use of the backlight, even the demo batteries lasted 8.

Anyways, this is getting silly. That radio waves are a form of light is beyond dispute. Unless you wish to dispute top physicists and astonomers. Even Einstein. That visible light and radio are different in many ways is also beyond dispute. You may have had to study a "400" page text book, but eminent scientists who have spent their whole lives studying the properties of physics say that radio is a form of light. A couple of you guys claim to be "fcc licenced techs" Whoop defriggindoo. Thats like saying a computer tech really understands how to design microchips, or the cable guy can design plasma televisions. I don't claim to be an expert, but trust the people who are acknowledged to be. I could send you literally DOZENS of articles by various physics depts of major universities where it is stated PLAINLY that radio is a form of light. Einstein said so, thats good enough for me. Visible light penetrates glass, but would you maintain that glass cannot reflect light? Simple observation shows that it can. Gps signals are reflected by metal. A sharply inclined and highly polished pane of glass is reflective like metal, both with visible light and varieties invisible. Tilt a plane of glass and see. Radio penetrates some solid matter, but not all, or to the same degree. Ever lost gps signals under tree cover? Beside a rock face? Are you saying that gps signals can't be reflected or refracted? That line of sight plays no part? If they follow the laws of physics they can and must. Or was Einstein full of H.S.? As for the cases of gps units they are made of plastic, not glass. Plastic is far more transparent to radio than glass. As for radio, have you never heard of people catching radio bounces from places that are very far away and definately not in the line of sight? The reason is reflection by layers in the atmosphere. Radio is susceptible to reflection and distortion by the atmosphere as visible light is, so I simply suspect that under the right conditions radio can be reflected/distorted by glass as visible light is. Of course the conditons must be different than for visible light. Is it unreasonable to expect that gps signals could be reflected by a sharply inclined pane of glass? Maybe not totally but perhaps enough to cause a disruption in a weak signal. Which was my point. I didnt say that an inclined or curved windshield was the whole or even major reason for lost gps signals, just that it may be a factor. It is even possible that some batches of glass contain higher trace amounts of metallic elements that make it more difficult for radio to penetrate or cause it to be reflected. All I did was make a suggestion and some people tried to roast me for it(I've had far worse comments from others on my private E-mail) This is horsesh*t and not worthy of my time. All I wanted to do was get involved in the discussion boards and got tackled by a bunch of elitist A-holes.(you guys who posted on the public board are amongst the most mild, believe it or not) I have too much of a life to waste too much time here splitting very thin hairs with people who want to think in small, narrow ways. You have your beliefs and not even a sledgehammer would disuade you from beliefs you have always held and cherished. You will read articles and glean from them only what YOU want to, Which I suppose is the mark of an unteachable fool. I suppose some will feel the need to dissect all this, take it out of context, and make cracks about it on the board. Thats fine. Go on and do it, I'll go on reading what Einstien had to say and leave you to be the big fish in a very small bowl.

I'm glad to hear that. I'm relatively new to geocaching. I've never personally met nasty geocachers, but I've sure heard from them by email. Like being called a retard and loser for buying a geko or being ridiculed harshly for saying that radio waves are a form of light.(which I was easily able to prove with a 2 minute search on google.) I guess my point and concern was about how some people in any hobby/sport/field of study only find fulfillment by "peeing in someone elses cornflakes" (as my sister is fond of saying) I spent most of the day geocaching and fishing and this stuff hasn't bothered me in the least. Regards... BeDoggy

Hi Zuuk. Yeah, my post was a knee jerk to a few nasty emails and comments some guys made to a couple of my posts. Fortunately all geocachers I've run into personally are nice people who are easygoing and helpful. I'm sure the vast majority of people are this way, but a very small minority are like ticks, very small but very irritating. Email me. I'm really getting into geocaching and want to hide more caches in the fraser valley. Regards... BeDoggy

Well obviously I came across as more po'd than I really am. I still have alot of fun. Thanks for the note.

Sore Loser, Poindexter.

Whatever. Obviously by "light" you mean visible light. Even top astronomers refer to radio signals as light. I have met radio astronomers who refer to radio signals as light. Now of course definitions vary. If by "light" you mean infrared to ultraviolet, then radio waves aren't light. But in the way they behave they are light. Here's a way to say it... "nothing can travel faster than light" If radio waves travel at 186,000 miles per second, they are light! They are subject to the laws of physics as light is. They can be bent by gravity, distorted through refraction, and blocked by objects which of course was my point. Of course you will laugh again. Ok. Check this out.... www.astronomynotes.com/light/s3.htm Thank YOU for the laugh....he he BeDoggy

Well, Peanuthead, I do have a very fulfilling life. What I'm trying to say is that elitists are always trying to make you feel that you are not justified in feeling that way. As for geocaching being a sport where you are in it alone, that is true. Until of course you try to discuss it on the geocaching forum. Then the elitists come into play. But it's no big deal really. I'll enjoy geocaching anyway, just like I enjoy golf, computers, playing the violin, fishing, reading and several other hobbies I do. I just shouldn't have to be putting up with being flamed by these people and put down. So I vented a bit and now It's over. I'm heading out the door to hide a new cache, find a new cache, then take my kids fishing. Looking forward to a fun day, to coming home muddy and cold and making hot chocolate for everyone, and having a nice sunday dinner. I have a very fulfilling life, you bet.

Well I hope this hobby isn't going to turn out like my others.... Golf. Just wanted to get out and enjoy some time outdoors. People "more experienced" than I get heavy about my equipment , technique, and lack of seriousness... sucked the fun right out of it. Astronomy....same kind of thing...telescope not good enough, technique, ect, ect. Computers... your system is obsolete, you don't know as much as I do...ect, ect.... Music...the violin you bought isn't good enough, you don't practice enough, technique, ect, ect.... Geocaching..... Your gps unit is inferior, the caches you hide have problems with them, you don't have as many finds as I do, ect, ect, ect......!!!!!(OH NO...it IS turning out like the others...) You know something? I have A full meaningful life. I just have hobbies to lighten things up and have more fun. I'm tired of having the "elite" in any hobby throw a wet blanket on things by trying to make me feel inferior. If this means that I'm not as good as others at geocaching, then I'm fine with that. Maybe it's time for all of us who look at geocaching as a fun hobby to tell these anal retentive elitists to lighten up or leave us the hell alone. Just venting.... Now back to the light hearted fun!

Well , I suggest you read a beginners physics book. All radio waves are light waves, just in a part of the spectrum we can't see. Radio waves are reflected just like light waves, because they are light waves. You can see through your windshield when looking strait through it, the light can be distorted and reflected at an angle. The curvature of a windshield can refract (bend) the light so that images (and radio waves) can be distorted. That's why some people report that they get gps reception through their side windows but not thier curved windshield. Just elementary physics, man.

I think the angle and shape of a windshield can be a problem. After all, gps signals are only light waves (radio waves are light waves!), and will be reflected and distorted more easily by a sharply inclined and curved windshield. I have a 94 t-bird and notice signal loss under the center of the glass compared to the sides.

I had a 310 that stopped working. I had to actually clamp the rear half of the unit in a vise and use a screwdriver and hammer to crack it apart.(tape the jaws of the vise with duct tape to prevent marring the finish) It seems like they are welded together with liquid styrene.(melts the joint together then evaporates) If you get it apart try removing the foil RF guards and pressing on the chips. I did that to mine and it worked fine for months afterward. I just got 60 bucks on a trade-in for it when I bought a new gpsr.(glued it back together with super glue)

I just got a geko 101. For the price I think it's just fine. I only use the gps for geocaching so I find no need to pay for features I won't use. Since half a dozen caches a day are max for me paying for pc connectability seems like overkill. Mapping isn't needed for me since I prefer playing with paper maps.(just something about it, like reading a real book instead of from a computer screen.) Besides, since I geocache with the kids its nice not to have to worry about them dropping and losing a four or five hundred dollar unit. I can let them carry it and just relax.(Isn't that the point of a hobby?) A ton of bells and whistles is very cool, but simplicity and low price is cool too. And this unit tracks as well as my friends etrex vista, even under trees and in areas that you would think could be a problem. Overall a nice little unit. Good value. duguays@dowco.com[/email]