Carrying your hand-held - hands free?

[TeamEcuador]

I am wondering if anyone has devised a way to carry your handheld GPSr (eTrex Legend Cx for me) without using your hands. What if you want to mark a route as you walk a trail, or city streets, without carrying the thing in your hand? What if you want to remain inconspicuous, i.e. not walking around holding a thing in front of you?

 

I actually put the unit in the fold of my fedora but that's not very stable. I found that the belt holder does not allow for good reception.

 

Any ideas?

 

Regards,

 

Joe Hewes

Quito, Ecuador.

[+NightPilot]

Get a reradiating antenna from PC-Mobile, put it in your hat or some such, your GPS in your pocket or wherever you want, and you're set. You do have that wire running down from your head, but it's not so obvious if you're sort of careful. You will get a good signal though.

[+briansnat]

Your right that the eTrex won't get great reception clipped to your belt. It needs to be face up to the sky for best reception. I have the neoprene case that Garmin sells and I clip it to my pack's shoulder strap (see pic).

 

[+StarBrand]

I've tried several methods and clipping to my pack like briansnat worked best but around town, I sometimes drop it into a thin little pocket on my windbreaker located on the sleeve - not too bad there either.

 

In the end - - - just carrying it around town in my hand is best.

[+rural_cdn]

I just put mine in a coat pocket in the winter, or in my backpack in the summer. I've never had reception problems at all (explorist 210).

[+Bud]

One thing that I've toyed with is carrying hands free, but still being able to see the GPSr. Several years when I skydived, we would mount our altimeter to our chest strap via an angled foam block, so that we could see it at a quick glance, it looks like this. If you could mount one like this, you would have the GPSr out in front of you at all times, and have both hands free for climbing, bushwhacking, etc.

 

I think that I should be able to attach a GPSr to it, though I wonder if it would support the weight very well. GPSr's weigh a bit more than a standard altimeter. If I find a way to attach one, I'll report back.

[+jackrock]

I use the carabiner stretch holster for my eTrex. I attach it to my belt, a pocket, backpack strap, etc. I have noticed no change in reception as long as it's on the outside of anything I'm wearing. It's supposed to work best in a horizontal position. I've done multiple tests with it horizontal and hanging on my belt and get the same reception everytime.

[+sbell111]

I've used a small case attached to my pack's shoulder strap and it worked well. Letely, however, I rarely use my pack. Luckily, my favorite jacket has a zippered pocket on the shoulder. I merely unzip it partway and clip my Geko's belt clip to the pocket. It works like a charm. I suppose that I could just toss the little thing into the pocket, but I haven't.

[+Alan2]

I've used this setup but the hiking stick gets unbalanced. The screen is always available for viewing. It does keep the sats locked in better than leaving in my breast pocket with a neck lanyard for safety, my current method.

Edited December 28, 2006 by Alan2

[+Bud]

I've used this setup but the hiking stick gets unbalanced. The screen is always available for viewing. It does keep the sats locked in better than leaving in my breast pocket with a neck lanyard for safety, my current method.

 

That looks great, and I use similar poles. How did you attach it, if you don't mind sharing?

[+JohnTee]

I've used this setup but the hiking stick gets unbalanced. The screen is always available for viewing. It does keep the sats locked in better than leaving in my breast pocket with a neck lanyard for safety, my current method.

 

That looks great, and I use similar poles. How did you attach it, if you don't mind sharing?

 

I'm guessing that he used a bicycle handlebar GPSr mount . . .

 

JohnTee

[+Alan2]

JohnTee's right. I used a RAM setup with their bicycle mount. You can easily take off the cradle and extension when not using the GPS, but the bicycle mount stay on the pole (still a little unbalanced). I could also switch the GPS with the RAM cradle and extension to the RAM suction cup on my car's windshield for driving info so I could use it "dual-purpose" then simply switch it back to the pole at the next trail head. Obviously this method wiould work with motorcycles, bicycles, etc. You only need additional mounts for each vehicle. The cradle and extension is the same.

 

Like I said though, I didn't like the weight imbalance so I stopped using it on the pole but it may be something you'd find acceptable. If you're using a RAM mount already, it's just the cost of a bicycle mount more to give it a try.

 

Edited for clarity.

Edited December 29, 2006 by Alan2

[TeamEcuador]

Thanks all for your suggestions. I'm going to do more experimenting.

 

Joe.

[CMSoliday]

joehewes,

I also have an e-trex, and have been experimenting with the bicycle mount. For $17 bucks, it’s not too scary to think of modifying it. I have one for my bike right now and the design is nice: it replaces the battery cover with one that has a simple mount. I am thinking of taking a second handle bar mount and cutting it: this would make a flat connection point that I can be bolted or zip-tied to an “L” shaped mount kind of like the one budophylus mentioned. This can then be attached to my pack strap.

[CMSoliday]

I had a double post some how. How do you delete a second post? I have edited it to this new post, but dont know how to delet it. Sorry.

Edited January 4, 2007 by CMSoliday