My First GPS!

[WZRD75]

Hey all,

 

Very new to geocaching, but I want to get myself a nice GPS to use for caching as well as hiking and fishing.

 

Being from Maine, I'd love to support the Maine-based DeLorme, but because their Earthmate is on the new side... I'm hesitant right now. It seems really awesome though with the topo maps and satellite imagery. Anyone have any reviews of the Earthmate PN-20? Thoughts? Concerns about it?

 

I'm also considering the HCx models of the Legend and the Vista. I know the Vista offers the compass and altimeter over the Legend, but is that really worth it? Anyone have any thoughts here?

 

Thanks for your help!

[+Miragee]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

There are some people in the Forums who have, and recommend, the DeLorme. I have the Garmin Vista HCx and like it very much. The difference in price was between the Legend HCx and the Vista HCx, wasn't very much, so I got the Vista HCx.

 

I have both the Topo maps and the auto-routing City Navigator maps. If you are going to use the GPSr for auto-routing, I think Garmin has the best maps.

[WZRD75]

I won't be using it for autorouting. I'm 99.99999% sure the only time I'll use it is off the road and on the trail or searching for a cache:)

 

Any thoughts on the eTrex Venture HC, anyone?

Edited April 1, 2008 by WZRD75

[+TakeTheLongWay]

I've been using a PN-20 for a long time, mostly for hiking / backpacking and some geocaching. Its a great little unit, and has far better maps then you will get with a garmin unit. On top of that the topo maps with the Delorme are free, you'll pay extra for them from Garmin. Plus with the PN-20 you'll get a code that can be used for $100 worth of extra map downloads, USGS topos, sat-10, DOQ images, ect.

 

I may be biased but based on what you said I'd at least try the PN-20. After all if you don't like you can send it back within 30 days -no questions asked- for a full refund, minus shipping.

 

In regard to the Vista HCX or the Legend HCX...both are essentially the same unit. The only difference is the Vista has an electronic compass and an alitimiter. The electronic compass will tell you the direction of your goto even when your standing still. The alitimiter is supposed to tell your altitude based on an atmospheric pressure sensor. Though I don't think the altimiter is worth it, the electronic compass might be. I had an older monochrome Vista before I got my PN-20 and the altimiter could be wildly off based on how the weather was any particular day.

[+Team CowboyPapa]

For screenshots from a PN-20, check here:

http://forums.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?t=14045

 

Here is another thread with some pertinent, comparative information:

http://forums.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?t=13961

[+embra]

The PN-20 has been out for over a year now, and Delorme has pretty well addressed the kinds of shortcomings often seen in new models. Those who have not been pleased with the PN-20 usually have returned it because it's a little slower in responding than handhelds that aren't doing as much data processing. Those of us who kept it past the 30 day trial period tend to be right pleased with it.

 

I usually try to steer someone with significant autorouting needs toward Garmin handhelds. If you anticipate little autorouting use, the PN-20 sounds like a good fit for you.

 

Note that there is a promotion going on rebating anything in excess of $299 you pay for certain bundles. It ends sometime this month (can't remember if it was halfway through or the end of the month).

[+Jeff in Pa]

Spring Sale! March 18-April 30,

 

I am gonna have me one soon!

[+Chuy!]

I won't be using it for autorouting. I'm 99.99999% sure the only time I'll use it is off the road and on the trail or searching for a cache:)

 

Any thoughts on the eTrex Venture HC, anyone?

That's the GPS I've recommend to those not interested in mapping software. It has a color screen and the touted sensitive chipset that significantly improves satellite reception in the woods. It still has 24mb of internal memory if you ever want to download maps in your immediate region. It lacks an electronic compass, but if you move in a linear direction, the GPS compass will point your direction of travel. An altimeter is mostly a creature comfort. The color screen makes a big difference when reading the screen, especially in sunny conditions.

[WZRD75]

Does anyone have any thoughts in regard to how the receivers of the Legend HCx, Vista HCx, and the Earthmate PN-20 stack up against each other?

 

I know the H stands for High-Sensitivity, but how do the three products compare to one another?

[+benjamin921]

The PN-20 has the best maps hands down.

 

There really isn't that much difference between the sensitivity. I can hold my PN-20 in front of me in the vehicle and not lose a signal at all. Works very well in heavy tree cover as well.

 

If you are going to use this outdoors, then the PN-20 is the one for you.

 

If you get one, just learn the basics first, then you can dive in and tackle everything else

[WZRD75]

Have you had problems with how slow the PN reloads maps? That's the other question I had with it.

 

I know the maps are gorgeous, as I was at the DeLorme Map Store in Yarmouth, ME, to play with one today!

 

Thanks for the comments!

[+Team CowboyPapa]

Have you had problems with how slow the PN reloads maps? That's the other question I had with it.

 

Not any longer. I just ran a test and the slowest redraw was going from 0.25mi bar scale to 0.5mi which took about 3sec. All others were about 1sec. The most recent firmware and the embedded new options have markedly reduced the time required.

 

One of the new options is to use the Street View instead of the Topo View which is fine for city/urban geocacing where the contour lines of the topo view are not really usable. However, with the Topo View option selected, redraws are about 2 seconds for all zoom levels other than ZL 11 (0.25mi bar scale). Zoom level 11 required up to 30 seconds in some instances and less in others. OTOH, if you are in terrain where the contour lines are necessary, how far can you climb during a 30 second redraw?

[+benjamin921]

The only problem that I have is with a very large (~ 1gig) aerial map that I cut at zoom level 14 as this might take about 10 second to re-draw. I only use this while hiking so it is not a big deal at all. Using just the regular Topo7 maps, this does not happen at all.