+itsme_timd Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Hi All, I'm new to the hobby and have a question about GPS accuracy. I live in GA, just north of Atlanta in Woodstock, and many of the caches here are in heavy, heavy tree cover. I have a Garmin eTrex Legend C and in the tree cover I cannot get a good read at all. I have several DNF's that I know are simply because I cannot get the GPS to stabilize! The unit will tell me to go .15 miles to the West and after 5 steps it does a 180 on me and wants me to go .15 miles East. If I upgrade to a unit like the Garmin 60CSX how much will that help? I know that the Garmin site says it will read in heavy cover but I'd like to get a few user opinions before upgrading - my Legend is only 2 weeks old! Also, I purchased City Navigator for my Legend can I transfer that to a new unit? Thanks, Tim D Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 The 60CSx will be much better under tree cover because it has the more-sensitive SIRF chip. If you have already put the City Navigator maps on your Legend C, I don't know if you have a second Unlock Code as Garmin used to offer. A call to Garmin might be in order just in case the behavior of your GPSr is not normal, and to find out about the Unlock Code if you have to replace your GPSr. Quote Link to comment
+kdgreene Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 I bought an etrex when I started and noticed the same thing! I upgraded to a 60CSX and I never get that problem anymore. I even get fixes in the house. It is definitely worth the extra money. Quote Link to comment
+itsme_timd Posted July 1, 2007 Author Share Posted July 1, 2007 Excellent, thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment
+MandM+C Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Oh You Will Be Oh so happy. I am in the den, I have 6 sats with 7m accuracy. No kidding. Yes you can get an unlock code from GARMIN. Quote Link to comment
+gpsblake Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 I'll play the devils advocate for a moment. As long as the people who placed the cache used a very accurate GPS is it going to matter. For example, if they hid the cache but used a Garmin-C in dense tree cover and you got a Garmin 76 CSx.. it won't help you find the cache any better because the person who hid the cache GPSr was off. .15 mile is quite a bit off on any condition. I'm just curious since the Legend-C hasn't been produced in a while, did you buy a used unit? Or did you mean you bought the Legend Cx???? And there is the price difference between the 60Cx and Legend C to consider. If that isn't a consideration, then go with the 60Cx or it's sibling the 76Cx, they are a more accurate unit in dense cover. I personally use a Legend Cx and never can blame inaccuracy in the unit for not finding a geocache and I live in South Carolina. It's always my old stupid self or the clever hider is why I DNF. You can get another unlock code from Garmin like others have said. Explain your situation. Quote Link to comment
+fratermus Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 I live in GA, just north of Atlanta in Woodstock, and many of the caches here are in heavy, heavy tree cover. I have a Garmin eTrex Legend C and in the tree cover I cannot get a good read at all. I am trading in my VentureCX for a 60cx for the reasons you describe. In fact, it was a recent trip to Atlanta that put me over the edge on it. I couldn't keep a signal on roads that had tree overhangs, and I lost signal walking in Atlanta between the underground and centennial park. My 60cx is due to arrive on the brown truck tomorrow. Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 The 60CSx will be much better under tree cover because it has the more-sensitive SIRF chip. If you have already put the City Navigator maps on your Legend C, I don't know if you have a second Unlock Code as Garmin used to offer. A call to Garmin might be in order just in case the behavior of your GPSr is not normal, and to find out about the Unlock Code if you have to replace your GPSr. Garmin is coming out with a new line of GPSs with the SirfStarIII chip very soon. Quote Link to comment
danoshimano Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 I'll play the devils advocate for a moment. As long as the people who placed the cache used a very accurate GPS is it going to matter. For example, if they hid the cache but used a Garmin-C in dense tree cover and you got a Garmin 76 CSx.. it won't help you find the cache any better because the person who hid the cache GPSr was off. Yes, having an accurate reading while seeking will help in most cases even if the cache placer was inaccurate. If the cache has inaccurate coordinates and the seeker has an innaccurate reading, it is most likely the two errors will add together and put you way off. If you can accurately find the posted coordinates, you are at least in the area that the cache placer thought they were in. I'd also trust that most cache placers would take the time to average the reading. Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 I'll play the devils advocate for a moment. As long as the people who placed the cache used a very accurate GPS is it going to matter. For example, if they hid the cache but used a Garmin-C in dense tree cover and you got a Garmin 76 CSx.. it won't help you find the cache any better because the person who hid the cache GPSr was off. Yes, having an accurate reading while seeking will help in most cases even if the cache placer was inaccurate. If the cache has inaccurate coordinates and the seeker has an innaccurate reading, it is most likely the two errors will add together and put you way off. If you can accurately find the posted coordinates, you are at least in the area that the cache placer thought they were in. I'd also trust that most cache placers would take the time to average the reading. I think most cache placers learn to let their GPSs settle and then take an average. The first few finders will also typically indicate in their logs if the coords were off. When you are in heavy tree cover, your GPS may not even work. So what good is that? Quote Link to comment
+Roland_oso Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 (edited) I have a Legend C and have no problems in tree cover. It may take just a little longer to lock in the nt 60 and 70 series models. I have over 1000 finds with a couple dozen finds in the tall Ga. pines. Do you have WASS enabled? Do you have the latest firmware loaded into the unit? I would check those 2 things first and then give the Legend another chance before kicking it to the curb. Edited July 1, 2007 by Roland_oso Quote Link to comment
geoprincesss Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 If you're going to upgrade, check out Garmin's new HC series with a more sensitive chip. May not need to spend megabucks for the 60/76 series to get rid of the tree cover problems. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?cID=...pareProduct=309 Quote Link to comment
+itsme_timd Posted July 1, 2007 Author Share Posted July 1, 2007 Excellent info everyone, thanks again. To address some of the Q's... - I do have the latest firmware installed on the unit. - WAAS is enabled on the unit. How do you verify if a unit is defective / readings are off? I noticed the comment about it being off .15 being high. I thought so too, it's not like I'm even getting within 50 - 60 feet of the posted coordinates. I'll take a look at those HC models as well. Tim Quote Link to comment
+Duxx Posted July 1, 2007 Share Posted July 1, 2007 Excellent info everyone, thanks again. To address some of the Q's... - I do have the latest firmware installed on the unit. - WAAS is enabled on the unit. How do you verify if a unit is defective / readings are off? I noticed the comment about it being off .15 being high. I thought so too, it's not like I'm even getting within 50 - 60 feet of the posted coordinates. I'll take a look at those HC models as well. Tim I am having the same problem with my Etrex Legend C!!! So an upgrade is in order. Anyone know the difference between the new Etrex HC models and the 60CSX as far as chip type? All the Garmin website says is that both have a High Sensitivity receiver? Does the HC have the SirfStarIII chip that someone mentioned? Duxx Quote Link to comment
+imajeep Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Hi All,If I upgrade to a unit like the Garmin 60CSX how much will that help? I know that the Garmin site says it will read in heavy cover but I'd like to get a few user opinions before upgrading - my Legend is only 2 weeks old! I've used a 60 CSx on Kennesaw Mountain (and a bunch of heavy forests in Illinois), and it works like a champ. I average a half-dozen satellites locked under the heaviest cover. Since I upgraded from my Vista, I've had no problems under trees. Quote Link to comment
+Roland_oso Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 Excellent info everyone, thanks again. To address some of the Q's... - I do have the latest firmware installed on the unit. - WAAS is enabled on the unit. How do you verify if a unit is defective / readings are off? I noticed the comment about it being off .15 being high. I thought so too, it's not like I'm even getting within 50 - 60 feet of the posted coordinates. I'll take a look at those HC models as well. Tim The only other things to check would be the datum setting, set it to WGS84 datum and check that the Position Format is set to hddd°.mm.mmm' Quote Link to comment
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