External antenna necessary for Garmin 60CSx/76CSx on foot?

[+hzoi]

Now that I have gotten my feet wet and scored some caches, I am looking to upgrade my unit.

 

I currently use a Garmin Forerunner 205 for caching, which has a Sirf chip and is reasonably reliable but is not really built with geocaching in mind. It's gotten me to the right areas, but its tendency to dance about once I get close can be maddening.

 

I also have a (relatively ancient) Garmin 12 as a backup. This is the one my wife normally gets stuck carrying.

 

After looking through the various threads on the topic, I narrowed my search down to the Garmin 60CSx and the 76CSx, and I think I'm leaning toward the 60CSx at the end of the day, though I'd like to play around with both units before making a decision.

 

I have read here and there about caching with an external antenna, but most of the posts I can pull up only really cover using an external antenna in the car.

 

So, my question (finally) is this: is using an external antenna while on foot going to improve my results significantly enough to bother messing with it?

 

Subquestion to this: although I am American and intend on returning to the States in the next couple of years, I am currently living in Germany. I therefore do not benefit from WAAS (and from what I read, EGNOS is still in development, so no help there). So, is using an external antenna while on foot in Europe going to improve my results significantly enough to bother messing with it?

 

Thanks!

[+PDOP's]

So, my question (finally) is this: is using an external antenna while on foot going to improve my results significantly enough to bother messing with it?

 

I'd say no. I don't know if it would improve your situation in Europe

[32110]

I'm in UK and have a 76CSx which is technically same as the 60. I don't think you will need an external antenna for these units. They will even get a fix in a house. Only comment I would make is that they are much cheaper to buy in the States and should you get Atlantic (Europe) or Americas basemap

Edited March 27, 2007 by 32110

[+rjosprey]

Any GPSR can dance, Nav arrow moves around, when you stop. Get a declination set compass, set the declination for your area, and you can read off the bearing in degrees; now pick up the compass set it on the bearing the GPSR shows and point it at the cache!

[Hertzog]

So, my question (finally) is this: is using an external antenna while on foot going to improve my results significantly enough to bother messing with it?

Generally you don't need one, but they are relatively inexpensive and a good thing to have handy if you get into marginal tracking situations (I have one, but rarely use it). Also, some people like them when hiking because it gives you more flexibility in how you hold the unit.

[+Red90]

IMO, No.

 

I have a 60Cx and I have external antennas. With the external and internal antennas subject to the same view the improvement in reception is slight. I would guess around 10%. The big advantage is the ability to place the antenna in a location for a better sky view. When walking, it does not matter unless you relly want to wear the antenna on your head or on a pole. For geocaching, when I need better recpetion close to a cache, I hold the GPS higher to prevent signal degradation from my body.

 

Now for older Garmin type receivers, definitely YES as the improvement is significant.

[+popop]

I agree with others that it probably won't gain you much and they can be awkward to actually walk with. I use an older 60C and have an external antenna I occasionally use while traveling in my vehicle but practically never while on foot. I've used it a couple of times when I'm hiding a cache in dense tree canopy and wanted the extra signal strength for good coords but that's it.

 

The newer Garmin "x" models are reportedly much better so I think you'll be fine.

[Suscrofa]

No antenna needed. I have a 60CX and it keeps a fix even stored in my hunting jacket while going through dense pine tree (sometimes almost crawling) where visibility is about one meter in every direction, ever up

[+RugerPilot345]

No way will you need one for a 60CSx....I have one, love it, and can get 8 satellites sitting in my recliner in my den......so glad that I now know where I am in my own house, ha ha too funny!!

 

Cool!!

[+Thrak]

I have one that I used to use on my older 76CS. I couldn't keep a signal in my wife's car unless the unit was on the dash. When I got the 76CSx I no longer had any issues at all. It gets great signal sitting at my desk inside the house! I haven't used the external at all since I got the CSx. I never used it when walking even with the older model.

[+hzoi]

Awesome. Thanks for the replies.

 

When the heck are they going to get EGNOS up and running, anyway? Sure would be nice to have...