Newbie Looking for a good GPS?

[sefrayser]

I am new to Geocaching and I purchased the Magallan Triton 200. I must say the 200 is not user freindly at all. I couldn't make heads or tails of the thing. I took it back to get my money back. I am looking at getting the Garmin Etrex Vista HCx. Is this a good unit for a newbie? I am looking for something to make the Geacaching as easy and fun as possible. I dont want to be in the wods holding the GPS like a compass trying to make heads or tals of which way I am going.

[+Miragee]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

That is the GPS unit I have and I think it is user friendly. Each button has specific functions, so once you learn which one changes the screens, which one zooms in on the map screen, and which one zooms out, and which one gives you the Main Menu and the Menu for whichever screen you are looking at, you are all set.

 

You will probably want to get the City Navigator auto-routing maps for that GPS unit, and if you hike, you'll also find the Topo maps to be useful.

[Stephen2]

I am new to Geocaching and I purchased the Magallan Triton 200. I must say the 200 is not user freindly at all. I couldn't make heads or tails of the thing. I took it back to get my money back.

It is a good thing. Magellan has pretty much decided not to support its older lines of handheld GPSrs. Instead, they encourage you to trade in your old unit for one of their new units.

 

If they wont support your old unit, why should anyone expect them to support their new unit once it gets old?

 

I have a Lowrance and like it so far. I have heard really, really good things about Garmin too. I would say go Garmin if you have the money or Lowrance if you want to save some cache.

 

Magellan...

[phern47]

I'm surprised you had so much trouble. All the GPS units use the same language. Menus are similar. Screens are similar and they all have approximately the same options.

 

The best thing to do is just go outside, get a lock on your satellites, make your first waypoint and call it "home" via the edit command and then walk around your neighbourhood while marking waypoints as you go along.

 

Next, do the same thing, but in your vehicle.

 

You have to play with the thing to find out all of it's possibilities.

 

Take along the operator's manual when you go out.

 

Bring along a compass and compare readings. However, don't forget that not all GPS units have a magnetic compass. The compass only functions when you are moving.....and sometimes when you are moving above 2 mph.

Edited March 7, 2008 by phern47

[+TrailGators]

I am new to Geocaching and I purchased the Magallan Triton 200. I must say the 200 is not user freindly at all. I couldn't make heads or tails of the thing. I took it back to get my money back. I am looking at getting the Garmin Etrex Vista HCx. Is this a good unit for a newbie? I am looking for something to make the Geacaching as easy and fun as possible. I dont want to be in the wods holding the GPS like a compass trying to make heads or tals of which way I am going.

That's a good unit!

[moonpup]

I'll vote for the VistaHCx as well... I just bought a new gps after selling my trusty Garmin 60CSx and went for the Colorado 400t as I like to live on the bleeding edge. If I didn't buy the Colorado I would have definitely bought the VistaHCx.