Question about GPS

[+SenorMoofer]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 750 GPS that i have used to find some caches it seems rather hard to find them with this unit now being used for a car does that make it harder to find caches where as a handheld GPS would be more precise and or easier or do i just need to practice practice practice... and i was looking at a Garmin Legend HCX and a magellan trition 400 i never seem to see magellan on here are they not good better then the garmon or stick with a garmin if i choose to purchase a handheld... Any help is as always apprieciated

 

Senor Moofer

[+briansnat]

Your are correct that a unit designed for the automotive use is not great for geocaching and a hand held is a better choice.

 

The Legend HCX is a great choice. Stay away from the Triton. Just go to the GPS and Technology forum and search on Triton and you'll see thread after thread of complaints.

[+Chuy!]

Since you already have a very nice dash unit to navigate, you a basic but quality handheld should suffice. I'll suggest the Etrex Venture HC. An Etrex H may do also, but you need to have a serial connection to download waypoints en masse. The HC is a good workhorse.

 

I use a 760 at work. If you go to the satellite screen, you can navigate in the field by lining up the numbers. But, you'll need printouts with the coords so you know which way to go! Or, if you become a premium member, you can put the coords in the hint/note section of the customized POIs.

[+scoutingfamily74]

Also a 760 owner, you can do just fine with the Nuvi. Sure it is designed with automotive use in mind but that doesn't mean it can't be used for caching. A hand held would make it easier but is not a must. I'll tell you this the Nuvi with a 60Csx makes it cake to go from cache to cache.

[+briansnat]

Also a 760 owner, you can do just fine with the Nuvi. Sure it is designed with automotive use in mind but that doesn't mean it can't be used for caching.

 

Using a Nuvi for geocaching is kind of like playing tennis with a baseball bat. It can be done, but it's a lot easier with the proper tool.

 

If you are just going from guardrail cache to guardrail cache, the Nuvi will be fine. If however you are getting out of your car and looking for caches that involve a walk you will find it to be seriously flawed. Battery life is insufficient. If you're a few hours into bagging caches in the woods and your battery dies, you are out of luck.

Also it's not waterproof or as shock proof as a handheld unit. Nor is it ergonomically designed to be held in the hand. Ffinally it doesn't have the navigation (compass) screen, which a important feature for most geocachers.

 

 

moving this to the appropriate forum