Gps Confusion - Magellan Sportrak

[smilodectes]

I'm SUPER new to geocaching... in fact I just heard of it yesterday and borrowed my folks' GPS unit this afternoon to try it out. I've read the manual all the way through, and I'm not sure if I'm working the unit correctly...

 

1. On super overcast days, is it possible that a GPS unit just can't get a reading? I tried and tried, and got one reading at the house after probably 15 minutes, but then when I was out by where I thought the cache was, I couldn't get the thing to pick up anything at all. No trees or buildings were in the way.

 

2. Do some (or all, or mine,) GPS units allow you to enter the cache coordinates that you're looking for directly into the unit, BEFORE you've reached the cache? As a guide to where you're going? I could find ways to take a reading and then enter that into the unit as a specific waypoint, but I couldn't find anywhere to enter the coordinates in on my own, without actually getting a reading.

 

3. When you're out searching for a cache, do you typically keep your GPS unit on the entire time? And if so, does it automatically adjust your coordinates based on where you're walking to, or do you have to stop and take a reading every so often? And if you have to stop to take a reading, on a normal day with no obstructions, how long should a GPS unit take to get a clear read?

 

4. How many feet or meters are in a "minute" of longitude or latitude?

 

Okay, that's it for now. I went out searching for two caches today, but I either couldn't figure out how to work my unit or it was too cloudy to actually use it, so I came up unsuccessful... I can't wait to try again, though! Thanks for any tips...

[+briansnat]

1. On super overcast days, is it possible that a GPS unit just can't get a reading

 

No. Cloud cover will not prevent you from getting a sat lock.

 

2. Do some (or all, or mine,) GPS units allow you to enter the cache coordinates that you're looking for directly into the unit, BEFORE you've reached the cache? As a guide to where you're going?

 

Most do. Generally the procedure is to mark a waypoint, then edit the coordinates to match your destination. Many units also allow for a PC hookup so you can upload coordinates directly to the unit. The Sportrak you used has this capability.

 

3. When you're out searching for a cache, do you typically keep your GPS unit on the entire time? And if so, does it automatically adjust your coordinates based on where you're walking to, or do you have to stop and take a reading every so often?

 

Yes, yes and no.

 

how long should a GPS unit take to get a clear read?

 

Depends. Usually under a minute, but if you've moved a good distance since the last time you turned the unit on, it could take a lot longer. After traveling cross country its taken as many as 10 minutes for me.

 

 

4. How many feet or meters are in a "minute" of longitude or latitude?

 

It varies depending on your latitude. Look at a globe and the Longitudinal lines. They are a lot closer together at the poles than they are at the equator.

[+Night Stalker]

If you have a SporTrak is possible that you need to go into setup and select the correct state as your location. Then you need to let it run and "cook" for a while so it picks up the correct satellite information. Once it finds out where it is you should not have any more problems getting satellite lock. As far as entering in coordinates, the next time you mark your location just edit that information. That is the way all GPS's work that I am familiar with.

[+Wandering Bears]

Initializing isn't required, but it eliminates the unit taking half an hour to find the satellites.

[+terri and billy]

Maybe I can help. These are going to sound like idiot directions and please don't take offence but these are the type of directions that I need.

 

Turn on GPS. Once on and you want to put in coordinates to the cache.

 

Push open book (lower left side)

 

Select Mark

 

Use compass dail in the middle to get you to where the coordiates are. Press arrow (upper right)

 

Use compass to change numbers. When correct, press arrow.

 

After entering all info that you want.

 

Select person walking (middle bottom)

 

Select User marks (or something similar to that)

 

Select WM whatever number you just added.

 

Follow GPS to cache.

 

At least, that's how I do it!

 

Terri

[+Team Cotati]

I don't know what types of 'units' that you people are talking about. But I for sure can tell you that mine has never taken more than 2-3 minutes to get satellite lock. Never. And if I am not mistaken, after that 1/2 hour has passed and your unit has finally found those satellites............it is initialized. Rocket science? No.

Edited January 17, 2006 by Team Cotati

[+G-Squad]

Don't forget to make sure the GPS is set to WGS84 datum and the lat/lon is set to ddd mm.mmm. These are the default settings for geocaches. However, there are some caches out there that will use other settings. The cache page should let you know if thats the case.

[smilodectes]

Thanks, everyone, you've been really helpful. I went back out today, and it got a reading WAY faster, (I still can't figure out why it wasn't working before, since someone up there said that extreme clouds shouldn't affect it,) but hopefully I'll know what I'm doing next time I try to find something!

 

I'm still having a bit of trouble with this thing... I did just get a reading in my backyard, but when I went to a website that would pull up a map of that coordinate combination, it was over a mile off... at least according to the map I used, which I found at http://boulter.com/gps/. Averaging might help this, right?

 

Thanks again!

[CacheNCarryMA]

Push open book (lower left side)

 

Select Mark

Pushing and holding the button in the middle/bottom (with the little guy icon) will do the same thing as these first two steps.

[+bobbarley]

I'm still having a bit of trouble with this thing... I did just get a reading in my backyard, but when I went to a website that would pull up a map of that coordinate combination, it was over a mile off...

The setting on your GPS called "datum" allows you to match your GPS with the map. To properly place your postition on the map your GPS and map have to match Datums. Usually your GPS and the website use WGS84 but maps can have many different Datums and your GPS may be set to something else. Try to set your GPS to WGS84.

If you borrowed your GPS from you folks and it was turned off for a long time it may take longer to figure out where the sattelites are(initialize). Same as if you moved it across the country it takes awhile to do the calculations.

Take some time and just play with it. Don't expect to understand it right away. I have been using GPSs for 10years and still learn new thing all the time.