Can Software Help Poor Etrex Legend Performance?

[+dbly1850]

I got a Garnin Etrex Legend for fathers day. Took it out and was off on every cache. and Yes I knew about turning off the "Road on" feature, had WAAS on, and all other the right settings.. I would be standing on the cache and the unit is telling me I had 180 plus feet to go and th accuracy was showing 10 feet?

 

I have not gotten any of the maps. Just using the basic unit, with built in apps.. Will loading the Mapsource

software help in getting better results? It's more money for the extra mapping software and I am think it would be better spent on a better featured GPS.. unless that is, it will help in getting closer to caches. I know it will never be within 30 feet.. But 180 plus feet.. That's a lot of extra work and area to cover..

[+Cornix]

Check your map datum. It should be WGS84.

 

Cornix

[+dbly1850]

Check your map datum. It should be WGS84.

 

Cornix

 

Yep, that's what it says.. I am so confused, when I read about others, with the same unit

able to get close and find things..

[+Train_Man]

Check your map datum. It should be WGS84.

 

Cornix

 

Yep, that's what it says.. I am so confused, when I read about others, with the same unit

able to get close and find things..

 

I used to have an etrex legend and it was nothing like my new 60CSx but it should be a LOT closer than 180+ feet. Mine was very usable for caching (30-45 feet under trees, 10-15 in the open). Its possible you got a defective unit with a loose antenna or something but that seems unlikely. The mapsource will NOT help accuracy. Although it might help you find a parking/trail head, it will NOT AT ALL increase your overall accuracy. If you're really interested in caching I'd recommend a Vista C or perhaps a Vista Cx instead of the legend.

[+Miragee]

That GPSr should be getting you much closer than 180 feet, so if the settings are correct, there must be something wrong with it, unless the tree cover was really thick.

 

If you can exchange the Legend, I would also recommend the Legend C or Vista C (both now discontinued since the 'x' units are out), or the Legend Cx or Vista Cx.

 

Those units are capable of auto-routing you, so later, if you are able to spend the money for the City Select software, you can use that very-helpful feature.