New Cacher Looking For Cheap Starter Gps

[+critterkeeper]

I've been able to find a number of caches in more urban settings by using Google Maps, and I told myself that I would wait a month before buying a GPS, just to make sure I didn't lose interest. Well, that month is just about up, and I'm interested in a cheap starter GPS. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles, at least not yet, I just want to be able to solve a multi without having to go home or back to work in between parts to enter new coordinates, or go more than a few feet into woods without losing sight of my landmarks from the satellite view.

 

Haven't been able to find a Beginner's Guide to GPS Receivers so far, so I'm not sure I know what's available and what I should expect it to cost, which makes me especially reluctant to fork over for a brand new unit. Anyone willing to sell me a simple, cheap unit used? Preferably with a user's manual....

 

Thanks in advance; I think I've learned more about local geography in the past month than I did in the previous two years, and I'm looking forward to expanding my capabilities!

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

How often do you think you'll cache? If you think you won't go crazy manually entering waypoints (my guess would be if you do 1-2 caches/week or less this will be OK), the Lowrance IFinder GO is quite a bargain!

 

It is the cheapest GPS sold new (some e-tailers have it for $65+shipping, if you see it in a store, it usually goes for about $75 or $80), but yet it packs a lot. It has an admittedly basic "base map" of major roads and water features (however, the entry level offerings by Garmin and Magellan do not offer any maps at all), has WAAS capability for enhanced accuracy and gets great satellite reception/lock!

 

At about $100, you can get Magellan's entry-level unit, the eXplorist 100. For a little less than that, you can get the Garmin Etrex Yellow. One nice thing about the Yellow is that you'll get a lot of answers about how to use it, etc. from people on these forums, it is the most popular starter GPS out there. Some say that more caches have been found with it than any other GPS.

 

You can probably get a used version for even less of all these units on either eBay or this forum's GPS Garage Sale (note: used IFinder GO's are a little harder to find than the other two since it is a more recent and less common unit and is so inexpensive to buy new to begin with). The disadvantage of buying used is you likely won't have warranty protection (though some eBay sellers offer 2-3 year warranties for about $5-10 via Square Trade).

 

While you will not get maps (nor I believe WAAS, but I may be wrong) with these other 2 units, you will have the ability to download waypoints using standard software like GSAK or easyGPS.

 

Good luck!

Edited April 9, 2006 by hairymon

[+fireman121]

A person from the MNGCA has an Magellan Explorist 200 for sale, here is the link.

 

 

http://www.mngca.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2301

[ryankt]

Good deal too...

[+critterkeeper]

Ack. Tried to PM the seller, had to register, I did so, and it *still* won't let me PM or post. No idea what the hang-up is, and I've tried a few things. If anyone registered there could pass along my email to them, I'd appreciate it. It's my nick here plus 01, on google's mail service.

 

[ETA: nm, apparently there was a lag between being able to log on and being able to do anything else, it's working fine now.]

 

A friend mentioned that her ex has GPSrs that he might be willing to sell, too; I'll have to see what he's got and whether she's right about the selling part. ;-) If not at least I can get his first-hand input on what he likes and doesn't like about them.

 

So far I'm only caching close to home, since I have to be able to check the maps and find landmarks near them, plus Pippin likes to come along and he's got a ton of energy but after four hours he was starting to drag a little. He's only six pounds so I'll have to carry him over heavy brush, but he does like the little woodsy areas we've tried so far; on the other hand there are coyotes around here and bigger dogs than him have been attacked. I'll probably leave him home for deep-woods hiking but take him to the Forest Preserves and such. If we ever run BoB I'll be sure to take his purse-carrier along for a nap!

 

However, in the future, we're hoping to get the schedule at work straightened out to the point of resuming the rotating four-day weekend we used to have, in which case I'll be able to go on caching trips and to RGs more often. In that case, I still have my tent, sleeping bag, etc and will probably enjoy hitting the less urban caches a lot more often. If my first GPSr isn't good enough for that sort of use, I can always upgrade, but if I can get my hands on a good cheap used one in the first place, that'll be a bonus!

 

How much consulting of maps do you usually do before heading to a cache? Do you take a peek at local roads and trails? Look at the exact spot and figure out the best way there? Or do you hit the park entrance or visitor's center or such and then just head out based on the direction of the cache and get there eventually?

Edited April 11, 2006 by critterkeeper

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

How much consulting of maps do you usually do before heading to a cache? Do you take a peek at local roads and trails? Look at the exact spot and figure out the best way there? Or do you hit the park entrance or visitor's center or such and then just head out based on the direction of the cache and get there eventually?

 

I usually look at the MapQuest map that is in the cache description at street level. However, sometimes (at least for driving to the cache) you can be fooled by it. One urban micro looked like it was right off a given street; that street was part of a condo complex and the micro was actually "just over the fence" in the far back of a very large shopping center parking lot. From the spot I was initially at you had to drive around about 1/2 mile of side roads to be at it. In another similar example, combining the hint and the map (and what my GPSr read), it appeared to magnetically be behind a highway exit sign. My wife insisted that no cache would be this unsafe to hunt, especially one that is rated "1" for both difficulty and terrain and indeed it wasn't there. Well, right over the fence next to this sign was the back of another large shopping center, again, you first get off the exit and drive about 1/2 to get to the point.

 

Good luck!

Edited April 15, 2006 by hairymon

[+aka Monkey]

Buying a GPS is a lot like buying a computer. The key is figuring out what you want do with it first, and then getting one that has those features. If you don't take this step, you'll end up losing money because you'll be upgrading your GPS within a short period of time.

 

A few features to keep in mind:

 

* WAAS - Newer GPS have something called WAAS which gives you greater accuracy. Since you've been finding caches using just MapSouce, I doubt this feature will be important to you. Most of themt ime you'll end up within 20 feet or so of a cache anyway, even with WAAS.

 

* Color screen - A nice feature, but it isn't key if your GPS doesn't support mapping. Which brings us to the next feature...

 

* Mapping - This is probably the most important one. A mapping GPS has the capability of giving you directions, finding addresses, etc. It's what brings a GPS from the level of being a fun gadget to really being an everyday-use kind of tool. Keep in mind that if your GPS supports mapping you'll need to factor in the cost of map software and memory cards, although you don't need them right away.

 

Being that it's like buying a computer, my advice would be to buy the best GPS you can afford. It may seem like overkill, but as long as you're sure you'll want a GPS, you'll use every feature you buy, I can pretty much guarantee it. I started with a yellow eTrex back in 2000, and since then I've had a Geko, two Rinos, a Legend, a 60C, and as of next Tuesday, a 60CSX.

[+yoroddo]

I have to agree with aka Monkey. Get the one that has the most features you can afford. That being said, I have a Garmin eTrex Venture for sale. User's Manual and data cable included. $100 + S/H. You can PM me if you are interested.

 

A map feature is really great if you will be caching in areas you aren't familiar with. But if you are basically staying in your own "stomping grounds" maps may be a feature you don't feel you need to pay for.

[+SwampYankee]

I have a Yellow Etrex here, still in box with manuals.... It is the WAAS model.... Wife was going to use it with her horse, but not enough hands so it didn't get used. $75.00

[+Renegade Knight]

Any GPS sold today will work for Geocaching.

 

Two warnings.

Cobra is a crappy brand and hard to work with. Don't go there.

Whatever you get should be able to connect to the computer so you can download waypoints into the GPS directy.

 

This will rule out the Gecko 101, Some (not all) of the explorists and others.

[Bama Cache]

Well I got a Explorist 100 and I think it is a great starter unit (I just started as well). It's not to fancy and I tested it out on a few already found caches in my town and in some cases it got me within 3 or 4 ft. The only problem with this one is manually putting in the coordinates. Other than that, I love it.

[+Fuzzywhip]

I have been using an eXplorist 100 for about 2 months and love the unit. It is a good starter unit as it does what it should, get good satellite reception and good accuracy.

 

As for the manual extry of waypoints, no biggie! Unless you are planning a cache blitz, manually entering a few coords takes only a few minutes.

 

Here in Canada, the eXplorist has been on sale several times at $99 while the Yellow sells for $127 to $149.

 

I have been very happy with my eXplorist.

[+Lighteye]

Here's a near new Meridian Gold with all accessories, memory card, car kit, PC cable, and routing software:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=129568