GPS setting?

[geolucas]

i have a Garmin etrex Legeng {Blue} and i just found out about geocaching not long ago and have only found one so far, Gps doesnt seem to be putting me where i need to be ? is there something in my setup that could be throughing me off thats not set right {map datum}?? what should the settings be set at, and what is WAAS? I am in the windsor area and woundering if anyone is useing this modle and if so what are your settings at? or if this modle is any good at all? kinda makes me mad when it is sending me all over the place thanks....GEOLUCAS

[+StarBrand]

Set the datum to WGS-84

 

Set the coordinate format to Decimal Minutes: DDD MM.mmm

 

Those are the default settings for the Blue Legend.

 

WAAS stands for Wide Area Augmentation System - simply put if your GPS can see a WAAS sat then you will get more accurate readings.

 

Don't make the common rookie mistake of expecting the cache to be right at Ground Zero on the GPS. Remember that the reading you are seeing could have an error of as much as 20-30 feet. PLUS remember that the hider had a similar error. The cache could be as much as 60 feet from where you zero out. MOst of the time you will find it within 10 - 20 feet. Best advice is to get close and then put the GPS away and start looking for likely hiding spots. Stay away from Micro caches until you have some experience finding things.

 

Welcome aboard!!!

Edited May 24, 2007 by StarBrand

[+CSpenceFLY]

I started out with that model and it will work fine.It will however give you fits under a thick tree canopy or in a valley. It should be set to the WGS 84 datum and you can enable the WAAS.If it is not receiveing the signal it will default back to regular.

[+StarBrand]

....It will however give you fits under a thick tree canopy or in a valley....

 

Not if you hold it correctly. With the front of the unit facing skyward is where the patch anntena works the best. True that is a bit akward when hiking along but does help the unit maintain a good sat lock.

[geolucas]

Hmmm i am in windsor noca scotia and a buddy of mine told me to put it on NAD83 would this be throughing me off ??? and should i enable the WAAS of just leave it off? and does different locations require different datums???

Edited May 24, 2007 by geolucas

[+sTeamTraen]

Hmmm i am in windsor noca scotia and a buddy of mine told me to put it on NAD83 would this be throughing me off ??? and should i enable the WAAS of just leave it off? and does different locations require different datums???

 

The only reason to use a different datum is if you are using your GPSr in conjunction with a map (or other coordinate source) which uses that datum. You might well need NAD83 if you are navigating with maps of a certain vintage. But if your geocaching data comes from geocaching.com, use WGS84. (By all means encourage your buddy to stick with NAD83 and you can compare cache found counts in a month or two. )

[+CSpenceFLY]

....It will however give you fits under a thick tree canopy or in a valley....

 

Not if you hold it correctly. With the front of the unit facing skyward is where the patch anntena works the best. True that is a bit akward when hiking along but does help the unit maintain a good sat lock.

 

Sorry to disagree but I used it enough to know it does not work well in the woods. It will hold a signal but it will not be very accurate. It is pretty obvious that you would want to point the antenna at the sky.

[+OienLabs]

Also bear in mind that the terrain can fool your GPS. That is reflections. Tall buildings or steep hills nearby can do this. The result is that you can find ground zero at several spots.

[+StarBrand]

Yes - turn WAAS on - certainly couldn't hurt anything. The worst effect is that it uses a bit more battery but not much.

 

My trustly little Blue always worked well when I learned to hold it properly. Your Mileage May Vary.

[+hukilaulau]

....It will however give you fits under a thick tree canopy or in a valley....

 

Not if you hold it correctly. With the front of the unit facing skyward is where the patch anntena works the best. True that is a bit akward when hiking along but does help the unit maintain a good sat lock.

 

Sorry to disagree but I used it enough to know it does not work well in the woods. It will hold a signal but it will not be very accurate. It is pretty obvious that you would want to point the antenna at the sky.

I agree. I got a blue legend after my magellan sportrak was stolen and the reception was so bad in the woods that I got an explorist 500 as soon as I could. When I though I had lost the explorist, I went back to the legend for two days before I got so frustrated I ordered another 500. I wouldn't even try to sell the legend.

[+briansnat]

....It will however give you fits under a thick tree canopy or in a valley....

 

Not if you hold it correctly. With the front of the unit facing skyward is where the patch anntena works the best. True that is a bit akward when hiking along but does help the unit maintain a good sat lock.

 

Sorry to disagree but I used it enough to know it does not work well in the woods. It will hold a signal but it will not be very accurate. It is pretty obvious that you would want to point the antenna at the sky.

 

I used a Legend, then a Vista under heavy tree cover for years without a problem. 5 years ago they were by far the most popular units here and a heavy tree canopy is the norm here. If they didn't work well,

I doubt they would have been so popular.

 

As far as being obvious how to hold the unit, the few people who I knew who complained about them had them hanging around their neck from the laynard, clipped to their belt or held them in their hand dangling at their side.

[geolucas]

oh know i dont really know what to think now

[+StarBrand]

oh know i dont really know what to think now

Don't worry - it is a fine unit - a lot of us found a lot of caches with that unit.

 

Set it the settings to match the site and you will be fine.

 

Go have fun - that is what it is all about.

[geolucas]

oh know i dont really know what to think now

Don't worry - it is a fine unit - a lot of us found a lot of caches with that unit.

 

Set it the settings to match the site and you will be fine.

 

Go have fun - that is what it is all about.

 

Set it the settings to match the site and you will be fine??? you mean the wgs-84??

[+StarBrand]

oh know i dont really know what to think now

Don't worry - it is a fine unit - a lot of us found a lot of caches with that unit.

 

Set it the settings to match the site and you will be fine.

 

Go have fun - that is what it is all about.

 

Set it the settings to match the site and you will be fine??? you mean the wgs-84??

yes and the format to decimal minutes.

[geolucas]

cool i will give it a try... thanks man

[TomHK]

Looking for some sort of conversion thing to change UTM: 19T E 282637 N 4661666 into something I can put into my e-Trex, like: N 42 04.620 W 071 37.660

 

I am new at this and have no one to ask.

 

Thank you, TomHK

[+msrubble]

TomHK, you can convert between UTM and WGS-84 at JeEep.com.

[cleo43]

Does it matter if I use decimal degree dd.nnnnnn ?That's what I am used to, and what I see in the .loc files downloaded. Thanks.

[+Renegade Knight]

Does it matter if I use decimal degree dd.nnnnnn ?That's what I am used to, and what I see in the .loc files downloaded. Thanks.

 

DDD.dddddd is fine. Just don't get messed up with the DDD MM.MMM that this site displays.