Newbie GPS purchasing - thoughts after 1st weekend

[+jcblough]

Thought I'd put these here, I'm sure there's a zillion posts on the topic, but maybe not one of a newcomers impressions of gps equipment.

 

I initially went to purchase an etrex legend at the local wal-mart, but when I got there, I found the price to be about $40 more than the price listed on their website so I punted on the purchase, did some more research and ended up with the Magellean Explorist 200.

 

A few things I found on reading how-to guides on purchasing gpses struck me and made me comfortable getting this "less featured" unit and I think after about 12 hours of use, it is worth sharing here.

 

The two things I found over and over on how-to-buy sites - I read mainly hiking ones were these:

1) A GPS is never a substuite for a map

2) A GPS is never a substuite for a compass

 

So with those in mind, I saved a few $$ and got a unit w/o an expandable map. I found 13 caches this weekend and for caching, I think in ways, a more detailed map on the screen would be in encumbrence.

 

I do think I'd like pc link capability to just save manually entering in the coordinates, but it is a small inconvienence. I just sit down and enter in 10 at a time and then done.

 

So, my advice is if you are on a budget, get something along the lines of a garmin etrex or a magellan explorist and then spend $15.00 on a good silva compass and pocket the difference. I'm sure the nicer models have plenty of cooler bells and whistles, but this gps and my old silva boyscout compass got me through some pretty good hunts in unfamiliar territory w/o a misstep.

Edited November 27, 2006 by jcblough

[+cache_test_dummies]

Nothing at all wrong with this approach. The tools you have are the right ones as long as they continue to meet your needs. I found most of my first caches using a borrowed GPSr with limited functionality. Entered every coordinate by hand, and the only maps I had were printed on paper.

[+jcblough]

I think for the most part, if you have 14 parallel channels and WAAS, you are good. 500 Waypoints seems to be the low mark for storage, but when you sit and think about it, that's an insanely large number.

 

The only gripe I have w/ the explorist is the joystick is a pain. The menus and functions are easy enough to use once you spend some time with it.

 

I haven't "needed" it, but the backtrack feature is nice. I played with it some this weekend. It works well. I do think understand a map and compass and reading and taking bearings should be a prerequisite for geo caching, but that's the old boy scout in me.

Edited November 27, 2006 by jcblough

[+briansnat]

The two things I found over and over on how-to-buy sites - I read mainly hiking ones were these:

1) A GPS is never a substuite for a map

2) A GPS is never a substuite for a compass

 

 

Not quite correct. A GPS is a great substitute for map and compass. I use my unit, complete with topo and road mapping software in lieu of a map and compass all of the time. I get an exact position fix instantly instead of pulling out the map and compass and orienting the map and taking 5 minutes to figure out my position (always fun on windy days).

 

A more correct statement would be that a GPS is never a COMPLETE REPLACEMENT for a map and compass. You should still have a map and compass with you and know how to use them. Batteries never die on a map and compass.

 

500 Waypoints seems to be the low mark for storage, but when you sit and think about it, that's an insanely large number.

 

500 may sound like a lot, but it really isn't for geocachers. One pocket query will fill that right up. My wife's Geko only has 500 waypoints and I have to run special PQs just for her unit so I don't use up all of the waypoints. My Magellan MeriGold has over 2,500 waypoints on it at the moment. My 60CS needs to be cleaned out regularly or I use up the 1,000 limit.

Edited November 27, 2006 by briansnat

[+cache_test_dummies]

I think for the most part, if you have 14 parallel channels and WAAS

You don't really need WAAS.

[+cache_test_dummies]

A more correct statement would be that a GPS is never a COMPLETE REPLACEMENT for a map and compass. You should still have a map and compass with you and know how to use them. Batteries never die on a map and compass.

Yes, this is a better way to look at it.

[+Team_LPD]

A map and a compass are only good if you know how to use both of them.

 

Unless you know exactly where you are, having both means nothing. Sure, you may know which direction is best and a compass will keep you on that path, but if you don't have a map you could be heading in to the deepest, nastiest swamp, or to the edge of a miniature grand canyon.

 

If you are going to carry a map and compass, make sure you know how to determine your exact position.

[+Renegade Knight]

...Not quite correct. A GPS is a great substitute for map and compass. I use my unit, complete with topo and road mapping software in lieu of a map and compass all of the time. I get an exact position fix instantly instead of pulling out the map and compass and orienting the map and taking 5 minutes to figure out my position (always fun on windy days).

 

A more correct statement would be that a GPS is never a COMPLETE REPLACEMENT for a map and compass. You should still have a map and compass with you and know how to use them. Batteries never die on a map and compass....

 

Ditto on the GPS vs. Compass.

 

For the OP.

One key thing is the ability to connect to a PC. The first time you miskey a coordinate and spend an hour looking for a cache that isn't there will convince you why. If you enjoy geocahcing and like to be able to search when you have time whever you may be...You will want to fill up your GPS memorey with waypoints and have it handy.

 

My advice is to take the GPS back and get the 210. I believe that version of the Magellan Explorist has the ability to connect to a PC.

 

You are dead on on the compass. A cheap but good compass will more than do the job. Everthing else is bells and whistles. Nice but not needed.

[+jcblough]

I was unable to locate a 210 w/o ordering on the web. I had to do the "kid" thing and get one NOW. I am in the middle of a divorce and needed a way to get out of the house ASAP I am happy w/ the 200. I carry a log book in my pocket w/ coordinates and hints on it so I have a "hard copy" of the coordinates to prevent miskeying errors. I keep them both in my truck and I key in coordinates a bit at a time. I'm a bit uptight on clutter and storage being a computer programmer so if I have any waypoints that I'm not going to return to, I have to delete them - it is like in my blood So my high point on waypoints has been like 18. I think I have 4 on her right now.

 

I definiately agree that a gps can be a good map supplement, I was passing on what the articles I read had said repeatedly. I also see a gps as a good supplement to a map and compass(probably backwards from what most cachers think) I use my gps to get a bearing then drop it in my pocket until I'm close to the target.

 

I'm sure it is definitely the case, but I'd hate to think of people who can't use a map and compass w/ some proficency stomping off in the woods w/ just a gps. That's a bit unsettling. My advice to anyone would be to use your gps as an aid to polish up the more traditional orienteering skills. If you don't have those, you are a bad AA battery from a night in the woods.

[+briansnat]

I'm sure it is definitely the case, but I'd hate to think of people who can't use a map and compass w/ some proficency stomping off in the woods w/ just a gps. That's a bit unsettling.

 

Judging from all the lost hikers I've met on the trail, I'm willing to bet that 90 percent of the people out there stomp off into the woods with neither a GPS or map and compass.

 

'm a bit uptight on clutter and storage being a computer programmer so if I have any waypoints that I'm not going to return to, I have to delete them - it is like in my blood biggrin.gif So my high point on waypoints has been like 18. I think I have 4 on her right now.

 

I see you're a premium member. Just wait until you discover the power of pocket queries and can fill your GPS with every cache within 50 miles of your house.

 

P.S. You must be a programmer who hails from the old days when every bit counted. I remember that.

Nowadays the attitude is "storage is cheap" and most programmers I know pay it little heed. Fill that GPS!!!

Edited November 27, 2006 by briansnat

[Dale_Lynn]

I always key in location of my car before I leave parking area on long route so I can find my way out..... Always carry spare batteries.... Map?..Compass? have yet to "need" them on any geocaches....

 

Dale

[+jcblough]

I got the premium membership as a way to support the site, since my gps lacks the ability to pc interface, I just run the queries then jot them in my little notebook.

I'm not quite old enough to remember the days of counting bytes - I'm 32, but I'm old enough to remember my first 80 mb hard drive.

 

On the map and compass, I just assumed that most people who cache are also hikers. Of all the caches I've found so far, one provided me a good "uhh ohh" moment on getting turned around. I got it squared away w/ the compass and trail map. I guess it is whatever you are comfortable with.

 

In my days of soley map and compassing it. I'd mark where I started on the map, then come up with an "escape plan" if need be. I.E. the river is to the east and it meets the road. So if things went to heck in a handbasket, I could get home.

 

Guess it also depends on what types of caches are available in your area. Little Rock seems to have them EVERYWHERE. I bet I could hunt a year w/o leaving asphalt if I chose.

[+emb021]

I do think I'd like pc link capability to just save manually entering in the coordinates, but it is a small inconvienence. I just sit down and enter in 10 at a time and then done.

 

 

I, too, thought it was a 'small inconvienence' to entering coords in by hand. That's what I did, even tho my GPSr had a serial cable, etc.

 

But after wasting my time 2-3 times looking for a cache and finding that I somehow mistyped a coord (thankfully I always took my printout of the cache with me for clues, hints, etc), I now pretty much always download all the coords. Pretty much the only time I don't is for multis.

[+WestTxCondor]

I do think I'd like pc link capability to just save manually entering in the coordinates, but it is a small inconvienence. I just sit down and enter in 10 at a time and then done.

 

 

I, too, thought it was a 'small inconvienence' to entering coords in by hand. That's what I did, even tho my GPSr had a serial cable, etc.

 

But after wasting my time 2-3 times looking for a cache and finding that I somehow mistyped a coord (thankfully I always took my printout of the cache with me for clues, hints, etc), I now pretty much always download all the coords. Pretty much the only time I don't is for multis.

 

I have an eXplorist 210 and I like the idea of interfacing with the computer instead of punching in each cache coordinates by hand. You still need to watch the typing though when you use the Geocache software that comes with the unit. I'm saving them into the unit one at a time at the moment. I know I can put a group in and send them to the GPS, but the last time I did that something wonky happened and they didn't save. I've figured out the problem since then, so I'll be giving that a try again when I prep my GPS for Geocaching in Nebraska next month.

 

I too recently became a premium member for the pocket querries. I pulled out my old Palm m515 the other night so I can save the querries onto it using Cachemate. It'll be nice having an extra tool when I'm trying to remember the clues left on the geocaching.com site.