Garmin Gps V Help!

[Ric&Lindee]

Thinking I wanted a second unit to geocache, I bought a Garmin GPS V yesterday from an individual. I guess I didn't do enough research because this doesn't look like a good geocaching unit to have. Any one out there use one of these for this purpose? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

ric

[+Timpat]

Sure, they are great for geocaching. A co-worker uses his V and loves it. It has 19MB for mapping which he has lots of Topo and some city Selelct loaded for areas he plans to travel thru. It's actually pretty nice as it can lay on the dash and the antenna swivels. I think you'll do well using your V!

[+Olar]

Thinking I wanted a second unit to geocache, I bought a Garmin GPS V yesterday from an individual. I guess I didn't do enough research because this doesn't look like a good geocaching unit to have. Any one out there use one of these for this purpose? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

ric

I used one for a couple of years and thought it was just fine. Of course this was before the colour units and just after a non-mapping Maggy 315 so I didn't have much to compare it to at the time.

A plus for geocaching is the swivel external antenna. You can hold it almost anyway you want and still have the antenna straight up. Being able to change the display from landscape to portrait is handy also. Accuracy is as good as most and all the bells and whistles are there.

On the downside it's heavier due to having 4 batteries which do not last as long as 2 batteries in my 76C.

 

Cheers, Olar

[Ric&Lindee]

Sure, they are great for geocaching. A co-worker uses his V and loves it. It has 19MB for mapping which he has lots of Topo and some city Selelct loaded for areas he plans to travel thru. It's actually pretty nice as it can lay on the dash and the antenna swivels. I think you'll do well using your V!

 

Think he might agree to answer some of my dumb questions?

[peter]

Think he might agree to answer some of my dumb questions?

Ask them here and I'm sure you'll get enough answers. It's not clear why you're having reservations about the V as a geocaching tool. Its main limitations are limited memory for storing enough maps for long trips and a PC interface that's slower than USB - neither is usually a problem for geocaching.

[+BlueDeuce]

Mine works just fine for geocaching. Are you having specific issues with it?

[+Renegade Knight]

I use one. Two years ago they were the best on the market. To this day I have not found a reason to upgrade. I keep hoping they come out with the GPS VI.

 

What's you're question?

[nathantw]

I use one. Two years ago they were the best on the market. To this day I have not found a reason to upgrade. I keep hoping they come out with the GPS VI.

 

What's you're question?

 

If mine wasn't stolen I wouldn't have upgraded and I probably would have been happy. The GPS V has features that the new gps units lack. The only one that comes close to the features is the 60/75 series, but then you find out all the shortcomings. There are a few features I'd that are on the GPS V that I wish were on the 60CSx. I wish Garmin would come out with a GPS VI, but their other products would definitely lose business since it was a GPS of all trades.

[+Wienerdog]

The GPS V is an excellent unit for Geocaching… and just about anything else you want to do and it can do things the newer 60 series can’t do. The B&W display and slower screen redraws are the only real drawback when compared to the new models. A GPS VI would be a real killer unit.

[+The Leprechauns]

I bought a GPS V the day I discovered this site in 2002, and found 1400-something caches with it before it took a swim in a Maryland creek, ruining the antenna. I was extremely happy with it, and equally unhappy finding my next 200 caches with my backup Magellan SporTrak Color. I resolved this by purchasing a 60CSx and I am once again happy.

 

This is a great GPS for geocaching. Ideal for someone who doesn't have the cash for one of the current top of the line models, but wants autorouting and detailed maps. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

[+doggity]

I started using GPS for logging long-distance motorcycling, running different stats off a low-end Street Pilot and a V at the same time. Back then, the V was top of the line for some of the autorouting and tracking features. When I wasn't on two wheels, I was hiking the White Mountains back in NH, but I wasn't an early adopter of GPSrs in the woods. Too many silly stories of silly hikers with a false sense of security. Eventually, however, I heard of this geocaching thing and the stars aligned. The V was light enough and versatile enough to make the transition nicely between the two worlds.

 

I still use it for both applications and, while I'll admit to some gearhead qualities, I haven't yet been able to justify an upgrade (though the newest receivers are pretty nice). It does everything I need it to do really.

 

A question to the gallery:

 

I've heard there is a way to override the initial boilerplate screens that you have to ENTER through each time you power up the unit. Anyone know how to do this?

 

doggity

[kb9nvh]

I just upgraded to the 60csx from the gpsV. I gotta tell ya, the minor features it lacks are way more than made up for by the better features. If moneys not the issue then I would suggest making the move. I'm glad I did.

 

Major reasons to switch:

Autorecalulation is a viable option now (before on the V I kept it turned off due to is slow recalc speed)

 

I can load complete mapsets for my trips to florida and Oklahoma (no way on the V and so auto routing was screwed up due to the lack of maps between loaded areas)

 

Color allows you to really see the difference between the route and the roads and the highways and the minor roads.

 

Two batteries instead of four and lasts longer

 

Reception..well, I can get lock inside my house with no windows!!!

 

USB map loading. Even without the extra memory, now you can switch maps at will and not take an hour to do it.

 

Memory card gives the ability to store different map sections and take them with you. (Or just get a 2 gig card in a few months and load the whole mapset).

 

Just my 2 cents....

 

 

I started using GPS for logging long-distance motorcycling, running different stats off a low-end Street Pilot and a V at the same time. Back then, the V was top of the line for some of the autorouting and tracking features. When I wasn't on two wheels, I was hiking the White Mountains back in NH, but I wasn't an early adopter of GPSrs in the woods. Too many silly stories of silly hikers with a false sense of security. Eventually, however, I heard of this geocaching thing and the stars aligned. The V was light enough and versatile enough to make the transition nicely between the two worlds.

 

I still use it for both applications and, while I'll admit to some gearhead qualities, I haven't yet been able to justify an upgrade (though the newest receivers are pretty nice). It does everything I need it to do really.

 

A question to the gallery:

 

I've heard there is a way to override the initial boilerplate screens that you have to ENTER through each time you power up the unit. Anyone know how to do this?

 

doggity

[+orionshunter]

Thinking I wanted a second unit to geocache, I bought a Garmin GPS V yesterday from an individual. I guess I didn't do enough research because this doesn't look like a good geocaching unit to have. Any one out there use one of these for this purpose? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

ric

 

I use it for driving and geocaching and I love it. I agree that it has more features (except for color) that a lot of the newer models lack for the price range.

 

Once you learn to use it, you'll love it.

 

I hope too that the GPS VI will come out. Keep the same features, increase its speed and add expandible memory and you have an even better unit.

 

Orionshunter