Frustrated with GPSr

[dbkb4au]

I've had a Garmin map 60CS for 3 1/2 years, haven't gone geocaching in 2 1/2 years. Had some success back when I used to go, but quit after multiple failures. Decided to start back geocaching this morning, but same old problems continue to plague me. After all the failures the kids don't want to go with me anymore (can't blame 'em, actually).

 

SO,...I'm asking--BEGGING--for help!!!

 

I pull up to what everyone else says in their logs is an easy cache (1/1), and my GPSr says we're within 95...53...29 feet! We stop in a parking spot and sit still for a moment, and the crazy thing suddenly says we're 125 feet...257 feet away! I get out and walk in the direction of the compass, but then it changes. I have it set on 4 data fields: dist to destination, heading, accuracy of gps and dist off course (on the compass page). I calibrated the compass, but that didn't help either.

 

How DO the rest of geocachers get all the caches? What data fields are best and why does the GPSr change even while I'm sitting still (and yes, it was cloudy today, but it used to do the same thing on clear days, too)? What DO I do when I get within X feet of the cache?

 

How do I zero in on it without getting within 30 ft only to see it turn on me and tell me I'm 250+ ft away instead?

 

Thanks for ANY help!!!

 

dbkb4au

[+TrailGators]

I've had a Garmin map 60CS for 3 1/2 years, haven't gone geocaching in 2 1/2 years. Had some success back when I used to go, but quit after multiple failures. Decided to start back geocaching this morning, but same old problems continue to plague me. After all the failures the kids don't want to go with me anymore (can't blame 'em, actually).

 

SO,...I'm asking--BEGGING--for help!!!

 

I pull up to what everyone else says in their logs is an easy cache (1/1), and my GPSr says we're within 95...53...29 feet! We stop in a parking spot and sit still for a moment, and the crazy thing suddenly says we're 125 feet...257 feet away! I get out and walk in the direction of the compass, but then it changes. I have it set on 4 data fields: dist to destination, heading, accuracy of gps and dist off course (on the compass page). I calibrated the compass, but that didn't help either.

 

How DO the rest of geocachers get all the caches? What data fields are best and why does the GPSr change even while I'm sitting still (and yes, it was cloudy today, but it used to do the same thing on clear days, too)? What DO I do when I get within X feet of the cache?

 

How do I zero in on it without getting within 30 ft only to see it turn on me and tell me I'm 250+ ft away instead?

 

Thanks for ANY help!!!

 

dbkb4au

It is possible that your electronic compass is acting up. They often act up in areas with high signal bounce (like concrete jungles). Press and hold the "Page" button to turn it on and off.

[+Lt.Ranger.Bob]

Have you updated the software for your unit?

 

I have found that sometimes when I am in the field and I am having a problem getting my unit to zero in it helps to re-calibrate the compass again. Sometimes I don't even go by the arrow because it points in the wrong direction. I go by the distance going down on the unit as I walk and let that lead me to the cache.

 

Do you have fresh batteries, that might make a difference.

 

Are you looking for 1/1's in the woods or in the city? Maybe you should look for ammo cans in the woods until you start to get the knack of locating caches. Trying to find some 1/1's in the city can be very hard sometimes just because of the size of the cache.

 

My unit will usually put me within about 7-10 feet of the cache but caches may be as much as 40 feet off so don't limit your search to just ground zero from your unit. Look for likely spot as you start to get close to ground zero.

 

Try to find someone in your area that you can go caching with that may be able to help you out.

 

It may be that your unit has a problem and needs to be repaired.

[+Miragee]

Are you navigating to the cache by "Follow Road"? If so, once you get close, you need to do another "Go To" to the cache using "Off Road." If you do not get the "Prompt" between either "Follow Road" or "Off Road" you need to change that in the Main Menu under Setup/Routing (I think).

 

The only data fields I have on the map page are Accuracy and the Arrow. On the Compass page, I have Distance to Next, Accuracy, and the name of the cache.

 

I agree that you also might need to update the firmware for that GPS unit.

[+TrailGators]

Also low batteries will make GPSs do funny stuff..

[+Cardinal Red]

I'm sure any number of us could help you understand / find the problem if we were there, but we're not. You are having trouble finding an unknown location. Change the problem. MARK a known location, perhaps in a local Park or your back yard. Walk away and ask the GPS to navigate you back to it. Since you already know where you are supposed to be going, you will know instantly if it is right or wrong. Experiment. Learn your unit.

[scottly66]

My new Venture HC does the same thing when in goto mode, however if I select Map mode it shows my location, the Cache location with a strait line from me to it. I just follow the line to the cache. I practiced doing it that way several times to just waypoints I had marked, seems to work good, for me anyway.

[Mag Magician]

I use maps and walk to where the cache location is marked on the GPSr. The Magician's Apprentice uses goto. I am always first at the cache, while she is 100 feet away, trying desperately to get a pinpoint. Sad, but true.

[+Ducky]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is a local mentor, one that could go with you for a few caches and preferably one with the same unit or similar as yours.

[+Scare Force One]

GPS'rs, especially chaper models will not get you on top of the cache. Thy will get you within about 20 or 30 feet and then you will have tgo use your "geosense" to find it. As you do more you will develop your geosense. Just keep at it and soon you will be finsing them like a pro.

[+Cardinal Red]

GPS'rs, especially chaper models will not get you on top of the cache. Thy will get you within about 20 or 30 feet and then you will have tgo use your "geosense" to find it. As you do more you will develop your geosense. Just keep at it and soon you will be finsing them like a pro.

Certainly, you're not categorizing a Garmin Map 60CS as a cheaper model? But I disagree with your post anyhow. A $1000 unit wouldn't often put you directly on top of a cache. A $50 unit occasionally will.

[+SniperChicken]

I had a similiar incident with my garmin csx. We were a 2 hour hike from the car when the batteries went dead. I stuck in a replacement set that i always carry with me. Trying to get to the next cache resulting in mass confusion as the gps was jumping around ....sometimes showing us 300-400 feet away then coming back and zooming off in another direction.The gps was basically useless.I thought maybe it just needs rebooting...did that...still screwing up...maybe the memory is full...i deleted the full track log.BIG mistake! Now i have no reference track to go by.Luckily another member of the team had a working gps. Brainstorming i realized the problem didn't start until after i swapped batteries in the unit. I popped the cover off the batteries. The batteries i originally started out with were NI-MH ,the ones i swapped in were Alkaline. I changed the setting on my unit from battery type of NI-MH to Alkaline and everything started working as it is supposed to. Seems the unit goes crazy when you swap battery types without letting it know. Maybe this is the case with yours.

[+Renegade Knight]

...I get out and walk in the direction of the compass, but then it changes....

 

When Night Stalker first upgraded to a 60CS he had a very similar issue. You would walk the way the pointer wanted you to go, then it would shift and change directions on you. Then shift again. This was not normal GPS behavior. It made finding caches frustrating. He ended up sending it in for service. That fixed it. After that life was good again.

 

Update your GPS firmwre. See if that helps. If not call Garmin Customer Service or Tech Support.

[+TrailGators]

I liked CRs suggestion after you upgrade the firmware which is very easy to do and should be done anyhow:

 

I'm sure any number of us could help you understand / find the problem if we were there, but we're not. You are having trouble finding an unknown location. Change the problem. MARK a known location, perhaps in a local Park or your back yard. Walk away and ask the GPS to navigate you back to it. Since you already know where you are supposed to be going, you will know instantly if it is right or wrong. Experiment. Learn your unit.

 

Make sure that you are away from boulders or concrete that can cause signal bounce. An open field with a clear view of the sky is ideal. If that doesn't work you could try a hard reset on the unit. If that doesn't work then you'll have to call Garmin (last resort).

[+Renegade Knight]

... why does the GPSr change even while I'm sitting still ...

 

All GPSs only know one thing. Your location. When you are moving it can compare your present location to your last location. Then it knows what direction you are going. It assumes you are pointing the GPS forwrad and based on the calculation and the assumption it can point you the right direction.

 

There is one thing working against that. Error. Every GPS has error in the calculated location. Think of the error as more or less random points within a circle roughly 4'. The size of the circle varies based on conditions. We are only worried about the error between your current calculated location and the last calculated location. That's small but not zero. What that meas is that when you are standing still the GPS think it's moving a bit in random directions because the error makes the calculated location change a bit each time. That's why when you are standing still your GPS pointer will bounce around. It can't tell which way you are facing, but it knows when way it thinks you are moving. When moving you only need to move more distance than the error and your way is pointed. That's about 2 or three steps to get the arrow pointed right.

 

When you turn on the electronic compass in your GPS. now your GPS knows which way you are facing and it can point the way even when you are standing still. (It doesn't have to calculate which way you are facing based on the natural error that happens when you are standing still). The only time it should fail to work and start bouncing is if the calculated position and the cache location are within that small error that always exists.

 

I made all that up but it sounds reasonable.

[dbkb4au]

I tried all of your suggestions that were posted yesterday, and am happy to report that my son and I found 4 caches this afternoon. I know that's a very low number compared to seasoned veterans, but that's a FIRST for me! The needle still goes "every which way" on the compass page, but we're both learning to look within the area between "Distance to" and "Accuracy of GPS." Does that sound right? Any other suggestions?

 

By the way, I updated my unit's firmware (actually Friday night, BEFORE I went out geocaching/failing to find on Saturday morning). Anyway, I've had the unit for almost 3 years, so it's out of warranty. I'd prefer to not to send it in since that probably would cost almost as much as a new unit ?!

[+GeePierceS]

I've done some testing with my etrex vista and previously my geko 201, and both are most accurate when they are sitting 'flat' with the screen facing straight up, held a bit away from your body (yes, even your head shadows the satellite signal), in a clear open space. if the GPS hasn't been used in a LONG time as you indicated, you should do a firmware update, also, put it on top of a picnic table or your car or something in a wide open space, and leave it alone for at least 1/2 hour to get a good solid lock. I got my etrex vista last month used, the previous owner hadn't turned it on in over a year, it took a LONG time to get a good lock, when I did a flash upgrade, it became much faster.

 

enabling WAAS in the setup menus will improve the accuracy of the fix, however it can slow down the update rate.

 

each time you turn on a unit with a magnetic compass (assuming that feature is enabled), hold it on the palm of your hand, face up, and go through the compass calibration procedure, which is to tell it to calibrate, then turn around slowly and smoothly twice until it says its good. once you do this, the magnetic compasses, at least on mine, seem to work just fine.

 

if you disable the magnetic compass, then it only knows what direction you're traveling when you're actually moving, so you have to hold it out flat and walk in a straight line until it gets a bearing lock. swinging it back and forth and so forth can really confuse it.

 

I use the 'navigation' compass screen for almost all my cache finds (ok, only 31 so far, but I've only been doing this for a few weeks and not real hard core about it).