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Gps Unit Advice


mdm40mdm

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Hi,

I am just gettting started in Geocaching and would like to know if the Garmin 72 or Magellan Explorist 200 would be a good GPS to get started with? Which one would you recommend of the two or do you recommend a different one. My goal is to keep it simple as I want to take my 7 and 8 year old grandsons with me to teach them GPS "treasure hunting." Thanks!

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I just started geocaching a few days ago - I got the magellan explorist 200 for my birthday. Basically, you type in the coordinates of the cache, and look at the compass feature to determine which direction and how far away it is. I wouldn't say it's exactly full-featured (black + white display, roads are not very detailed, doesn't hook up to the PC), but it is one of the most inexpensive models out there, and with geocaching it seems all you need to do is find the spot you're looking for, so these nicer features are just luxuries. The device got me within 15 feet of both of the caches I have found, so I'd recommend it.

 

Hi,

I am just gettting started in Geocaching and would like to know if the Garmin 72 or Magellan Explorist 200 would be a good GPS to get started with? Which one would you recommend of the two or do you recommend a different one. My goal is to keep it simple as I want to take my 7 and 8 year old grandsons with me to teach them GPS "treasure hunting." Thanks!

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Hello! I'm also new to this, did some research on various Electronics Retailers sites. Bought the Explorist 210 today. Like it because standard batteries are employed (no recharge needed if taken on hikes and you can pack batteries) The USB connection for downloading from the online site worked great, and...am now planning and already downloading first "target caches." I realize I, too am new..but..so-far, preparation for various trips has gone flawlessly and the software/PC connection absoulutely perfectly. Ask for the online price if you go to Circuit City, or you'll pay the shelf price. I hope this is of some help!

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I'd say no on the eXplorist 200. You can't hook it up to a PC. The 210 would be a better choice, or if you're on a budget, the Garmin Legend.

 

A Garmin 72 will do the job, but there are better units for the money from both Garmin and Magellan. Also consider a Lowrance iFinder H20. Probably the best deal of all.

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I just bought the explorist 200 from walmart.. they are the only option here in town & i did not want to wait for a GPS...

It works great but I wish I would have driven the hour or 2 to circuit city, it gets old typing in the info, would be nice to have USB...

but other than that, works great.. been within 5-10 ft of all caches so far

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Every time this topic pops up, I usually follow a few posts behind Briansnat, and usually add something similar to this: For the Legend, you'll spend $200 (and it is the most common gps I see out there, and a good one). If you step up above that to the Vista, you get the electronic compass, which I value. If you drop down to the yellow etrex, you'll miss the maps. If you're thinking that one unit might be more accurate........ I don't really think so, though I've seen some hold the satellites better inside the car. I have to keep my Vista close to a window. You can find caches with any gps, but you definitely want to be able to download. I learned on an old Garmin12 with no download.

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I just bought the explorist 200 from walmart.. they are the only option here in town & i did not want to wait for a GPS...

It works great but I wish I would have driven the hour or 2 to circuit city, it gets old typing in the info, would be nice to have USB...

but other than that, works great.. been within 5-10 ft of all caches so far

 

You might want to consider online shopping sometime. :):D:D

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Dale,

Does the Garmin 72 have the capability to connect to a computer?

Mike

 

No matter what unit you get, get one with capabilities to connect to PC to transfer data. Either USB or SERIAL.... IF you don't, you will learn to hate GPS unit in a very short time with having to enter all data manually....

 

Dale

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I started with the Garmin Vista with the Serial computer cable and the ability to load maps.

 

It was a great GPSr, but I soon realized how helpful the auto-routing feature was, and how nice the speed of the USB cable would be. I upgraded to the Vista C.

 

Now that the 'x' units are out, you can get a new Legend C on eBay for less than $200.00. Shop around a bit and see what is available in your price range. If you can spend a bit more now, you will be happy with your choice longer.

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Every time this topic pops up, I usually follow a few posts behind Briansnat, and usually add something similar to this: For the Legend, you'll spend $200 (and it is the most common gps I see out there, and a good one)

 

Maybe in Canada. The Legend sells for around $120 USD if you shop around.

 

Does the Garmin 72 have the capability to connect to a computer?

 

It does.

Edited by briansnat
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Dale,

Does the Garmin 72 have the capability to connect to a computer?

Mike

 

No matter what unit you get, get one with capabilities to connect to PC to transfer data. Either USB or SERIAL.... IF you don't, you will learn to hate GPS unit in a very short time with having to enter all data manually....

 

Dale

 

Best answet to that is maybe to go to GARMIN site and look up its user manual and see what it has for features... I am not a Garmin user so I can't say...

 

http://www.garmin.com/

 

Dale

Edited by Dale_Lynn
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I'm very new, dont even have my first cache yet :laughing:

First had to buy a GPSr and then found out I needed to updgrade my operating system because Magellan eXplorist requires M2000 or better to run the software, so I'm still working on it.

 

Anyway, I just bought a 400. Few reasons was best unit in black and white, could not justify $$$ for color for the 500. Plus it was bundled in a Wilderness pack, and the deal was too good to pass over for me.

 

My second choice would have been the 210. Its pretty much the same capabilities, but AA batt vs LithIon and the memory is all on board the 210 vs SD card on the 400. That said, it holds 22MB compared to like 6MB on board for the rest.

 

Can't remember the cost difference, but if you could swing the 210, I would take it over the 200 and 300.

 

Consider if you wanted to pay the shelf price for the 200. Is the 210 inside $30 because Magellan is giving a rebate till July. I used my rebate to justify upgrading, maybe you could too. 400-600 have a $50 rebate, 300 and down $30.

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I am new to caching but am on my second GPS :blink: . I was given a magellan 200 as a gift and after hand logging abuout 20 caches I said NO MORE :P ! REI has a great sale on the 210 it comes as a bundle with some software, the USB cables, a clip on case and a car charger all for about $186 (then there is the $30 rebate :ph34r: ) The 210 is much more user friendly and has got me with in 5-10 feet of my finds. Good Luck and Happy caching :P !!

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I am new to caching but am on my second GPS :blink: . I was given a magellan 200 as a gift and after hand logging abuout 20 caches I said NO MORE :P ! REI has a great sale on the 210 it comes as a bundle with some software, the USB cables, a clip on case and a car charger all for about $186 (then there is the $30 rebate :ph34r: ) The 210 is much more user friendly and has got me with in 5-10 feet of my finds. Good Luck and Happy caching :P !!

 

You have learned a valuable lesson. Fortunately it did not cost you money out of your own pocket. Try and tell others, it just doesn't work. Seems as though people have to learn the hard way. Go figure. :P:P:P

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My Garmin Legend does the trick just fine. I've been geocaching for a year and half of it was with my dad and his GPS, so I've come to know the Legend and the 60C. His is great for road directions and has a few luxury features, but I have found many caches on my own with my GPS. I have noticed that because his GPS has an external antenna, that it works better with heavy cloud coverage, but thats only a minor flaw. Geocaching is best in the sun anyway.

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I can comment here.

I own both a Garmin GPSMap60C and a Magellan Explorist 210 and I just returned an Etrex Legend.

My own personal position is simple, I will NEVER buy another Garmin product.

I still use my Garmin and will do that until the next time it breaks and then into the garbage it goes. It is about 15 months old and the cost of owning the unit is nearing $1000.00CDN dollars. Garmin doesn't care, the next time some simple piece of the unit breaks I will not be paying $200.00 dollars to get it fixed.

 

So now if you really want to throw away money, buy a Garmin. If you want a reliable device that works very well get a Magellan Explorist 210. It works just as well as my $1000.00 Garmin and I can buy another one for the cost of fixing the simplest thing on the Garmin. The Magellan interface is a lot different than the Garmin interface but for hundreds of repair bill dollars I will get used to it. The Explorist 210 is a better deal than the Legend. After dealing with the Garmin repair department I returned my Etrex Legend and selected a Magellan 210.

 

You will need to make sure you are familar with the unit before taking the kids out geocaching, you will have far more fun. Load up some caches automaticallly, find a few caches and get used to the GPS screens and any oddities in the interface. Make sure you can interpret the maps, the Explorist and the Legend can both load maps which will make geocaching far easier and the Explorist maps are far cheaper than the Legend maps. When you take the grandkids out geocaching let them use the GPS, they will have far more fun. The Explorist is a robust outdoor unit that can handle all kinds of conditions and kids!

Have fun.

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Wow . . . I don't know why you have had so many problems with Garmin GPSrs. In the GPS Units and Software Forum you will read thread after thread praising Garmin Customer Service and complaining about Magellan reliability and their horrible Customer Service.

 

I know of people who have sent their working Garmin GPSr units in to Garmin for minor repairs who have received brand new units at no charge in exchange, even if the unit was out of warranty.

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I, too, was a little surprised to read such a bad review of the Garmin unit. We use a pair of Garmin Rino 120's and they work pretty well if there's some sky showing above. They're also really nice radios and we use them when float tube fishing on the lake and want to talk from a distance. Easy to download maps and coords into, and although there's alot of features to learn, the basics are pretty quick to pick up. We plan to use them for a long time to come.

Our first unit was a Magellan 100, and it was no fun to poke coords into that thing, but it worked fine and is our backup unit now. :lol:

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I really cannot comment on the experiences that other people have had. I can recount my personal experiences and my position is the direct result thereof. The company I have to deal with in Canada isn't Garmin, it is the Canadian company that handles Garmin repairs. I can tell you that prior to my repair experience I had no complaints.

I sent my GPS in to the Canadian repair facility and included all the information requested but I heard nothing back. I had purchased a backup Legend so I wasn't too worried. After weeks I had still heard nothing and finally decided that I had better find out what had happened. I had to call them long distance and when they answered they asked me for my info then said "We received that."

 

???

 

They had my GPS for awhile, they entered the information into their computer system, apparently they even made an assessment which was "this simple problem cannot be fixed, the charge will be 40% of the original purchase price, c'est la vie." Notice that they didn't call me or contact me, I guess the sheep need to come to you when you are shearing them.

I have been recounting my experiences to others which is the only thing I can do.

 

Have you owned a high-end Garmin unit that has suffered some slight failure?

If you purchased a high-end Garmin unit would you expect it to last longer than 14 months?

Edited by wavector
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Have you owned a high-end Garmin unit that has suffered some slight failure?

If you purchased a high-end Garmin unit would you expect it to last longer than 14 months?

 

My 60CS is going on 2 years old. No problems, no need for repairs. My Legend and Vista had to go back though. The Vista because my wife tripped and broke her fall with the GPS. Smashed the screen. Garmin replaced it, no charge even though it was out of warranty. The rubber around the Legend came unglued. It was out of warranty. Received another unit from Garmin within 4 days, no charge.

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My 60CS is going on 2 years old. No problems, no need for repairs. My Legend and Vista had to go back though. The Vista because my wife tripped and broke her fall with the GPS. Smashed the screen. Garmin replaced it, no charge even though it was out of warranty. The rubber around the Legend came unglued. It was out of warranty. Received another unit from Garmin within 4 days, no charge.

 

Our experiences differ widely!

 

My GPSMap 60C was just over 14 months old when it broke by itself. I wasn't even in the vehicle when it happened. It broke while it was in the carmount and I was outside of the vehicle. I was taking some pics and when I got back into the truck the unit appeared to be turned off. When I went to turn it back on the screen came up, I let go of the power switch and it turned off again. I discovered it would work perfectly if I held that little power switch on the top down all the time. The unit was in excellent physical condition and the only thing that failed was that small switch. The small switch didn't even fail, it just needed to be held down.

After waiting for weeks and then phoning a toll number I learned that the small switch could not be repaired. :(

I was told that I would be required to pay $210.00CDN dollars.

I could get my GPS returned unrepaired for $40.

My initial cost on the unit was $570.00CDN dollars. I complained directly to Garmin and never received a reply from anyone.

 

Perhaps as a world famous geocacher you are being accorded better treatment than I. :)

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I have two friends who sent their GPSMap60CS GPSrs in for different reasons. One had a problem that apparently couldn't be repaired quickly, so they sent a brand new unit.

 

The other one still worked, but the lettering was coming off some of the buttons. That GPSr was scratched and dinged and showed all the evidence of very hard use. Garmin replaced it with a new unit. :(

 

They also replaced my Vista C when I sent it in because the rubber was coming off.

 

There was no charge for any of us. :)

 

I'm sorry the Canadian repair facility was so bad. Maybe you could send the GPSr to a friend in the U.S. and they could send it in for you. idea.gif

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I'm sorry the Canadian repair facility was so bad.

 

I am sorrier by at least $210.00. :(

 

But I am speaking with my wallet.

I returned the Legend even though I had no problems with it at all. I then went ahead and purchased the Explorist 210 and I purchased the MapSend Topo as well, the Magellan software was much less than the Metroguide software I purchased for my Garmin.

I let other local geocachers know about my personal experience and one advantage is that I can now answer questions about both units. Another local geocacher has just purchased an Explorist 400 !

For new users or beginners the claim of great customer service may be a selling point, I am not sure, what I am sure of is my personal experience and the price I paid to gain it.

 

I do know that the Explorist 210 is a much better deal than the Legend on a strictly technical basis and having had both units in my hands very recently I am more than willing to recommend the Explorist 210 over the Legend. I am using my Magellan to find geocaches so when the small switch on my Garmin Map60C fails again I can toss the unit in the junk bin and start using my Explorist 210 full time.

 

Would you pay $420.00 dollars in repair bills on a unit that was 17 months old and cost $570.00 or would you do what I intend to do and throw it away ?

 

The Explorist 210 does everything a beginner geoacher needs to do and it does it very well. The unit I purchased came with Magellan's Geocache Manager software which was free. It works with the Easy GPS program as well and it has a USB interface for faster data transfer. It is robust, it feels pleasant in the hand and everything has worked well so far. I still think the important thing for new geocachers who are planning on taking out kids is to practice with any GPS and make sure they have a good understanding of the basics. Go out beforehand and practice finding some caches using your new unit, this will make the trip with children much more fun, you will be able to answer questions and give them pointers. Kids really pick up GPS use quickly themselves and they like to be the navigators on caching trips.

 

Perhaps next year I will be a Lowrance customer but I cannot imagine that happening, then again I was a happy Garmin customer and never imagined I would be telling people to buy Magellan's, but I am.

 

I did take the time to complain directly to Garmin about my experience and never received a reply at all, that was certainly not the fault of the Canadian repair facility.

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Perhaps next year I will be a Lowrance customer but I cannot imagine that happening, then again I was a happy Garmin customer and never imagined I would be telling people to buy Magellan's, but I am.

 

If you are unhappy with Garmin's support and reliability, you certainly won't be thrilled with Magellan. Just go to the GPS Units & Software forum and search on Magellan support or Magellan customer. You'll find numerous complaints about their service, most of which are equal to or worse than you experienced with .

 

You'll also find complaints about Garmin to be rare and praise for their support to be frequent in that forum.

Edited by briansnat
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As a newbie, i am condidering a Lowrance H2O. Is there any problems I should be aware of. Is the unit itself enough for geocaching or do i need all the extra maps, memory card & cable?

 

It is a good unit. Though the basic unit will work fine for geocaching , you will be much happier with it if spent a little extra on the H20 Plus package which comes with mapping software, memory card and card reader. It makes the unit so much more useful, for not only geocaching, but hiking, biking and finding your way around.

Edited by briansnat
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I'm sorry the Canadian repair facility was so bad.

 

I am sorrier by at least $210.00. :(

 

But I am speaking with my wallet.

I returned the Legend even though I had no problems with it at all. I then went ahead and purchased the Explorist 210 and I purchased the MapSend Topo as well, the Magellan software was much less than the Metroguide software I purchased for my Garmin.

I let other local geocachers know about my personal experience and one advantage is that I can now answer questions about both units. Another local geocacher has just purchased an Explorist 400 !

For new users or beginners the claim of great customer service may be a selling point, I am not sure, what I am sure of is my personal experience and the price I paid to gain it.

 

I do know that the Explorist 210 is a much better deal than the Legend on a strictly technical basis and having had both units in my hands very recently I am more than willing to recommend the Explorist 210 over the Legend. I am using my Magellan to find geocaches so when the small switch on my Garmin Map60C fails again I can toss the unit in the junk bin and start using my Explorist 210 full time.

 

Would you pay $420.00 dollars in repair bills on a unit that was 17 months old and cost $570.00 or would you do what I intend to do and throw it away ?

 

The Explorist 210 does everything a beginner geoacher needs to do and it does it very well. The unit I purchased came with Magellan's Geocache Manager software which was free. It works with the Easy GPS program as well and it has a USB interface for faster data transfer. It is robust, it feels pleasant in the hand and everything has worked well so far. I still think the important thing for new geocachers who are planning on taking out kids is to practice with any GPS and make sure they have a good understanding of the basics. Go out beforehand and practice finding some caches using your new unit, this will make the trip with children much more fun, you will be able to answer questions and give them pointers. Kids really pick up GPS use quickly themselves and they like to be the navigators on caching trips.

 

Perhaps next year I will be a Lowrance customer but I cannot imagine that happening, then again I was a happy Garmin customer and never imagined I would be telling people to buy Magellan's, but I am.

 

I did take the time to complain directly to Garmin about my experience and never received a reply at all, that was certainly not the fault of the Canadian repair facility.

 

Well for sure I wouldn't pay $420.00 to get anything that cost $570.00 new repaired, unless I depended upon it to sustain human life! However, I also have a difficult time understanding what Garmin could be doing in their repair shop that could possibly cost $420.00. You paid $570.00 retail which presumably includes some profit for the retailer. There can't be much left that justifies a $420.00 repair. Do you know what that is? Perhaps one of the people in here can post the address of the Garmin repair facility that they have used and you could send it there and get a new unit.

 

This is an amazing story to me.

 

As an aside, how much does $570.00 equal in U.S. funds?

Edited by Team Cotati
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As a newbie I purchased the Garmin etrex Legend about a week ago and am very happy with it. The PC connection is almost mandatory for geocaching as I entered the first few manually before putting the effort into finding software to quickly and easily load coordinates to the GPSr. Using Google Earth in conjunction with GSAK I am able to find caches in areas that I know I will frequent and upload in no time. My only regret is I didn't spend the extra $ for the color screen. FYI: eBay is a good place to compare units and prices.

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Just as an FYI for those of you shopping for a new unit I just picked up a new legend Cx for $238 from amazon. No tax and free shipping!! It says it comes with a 32meg card but mine came with a 64 meg card. I'm very happy with it. It seems to aquire faster that the old B&W legends and it's definitly better at holding a signal in dense cover than the old legend...

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Just as an FYI for those of you shopping for a new unit I just picked up a new legend Cx for $238 from amazon. No tax and free shipping!! It says it comes with a 32meg card but mine came with a 64 meg card. I'm very happy with it. It seems to aquire faster that the old B&W legends and it's definitly better at holding a signal in dense cover than the old legend...

 

$238, now THAT's more like it. Looks like by the time the trusty old Gold breaks, I'll be able to go Garmin at a reasonable cost, just like with the Gold. Beautiful. :D<_<:o

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