Garmin's New Ceramic Antennas Used in Oregons

[Didjerrydo]

After playing with my Oregon 400t for a while now, I'm finding that it doesn't really pick up and hold signal nearly as well as my former 60 CSx with it's helix or even as well as the newer eTrex's "H" models with their patch antennas.

I'm basing this on just how much "stopped time" I'm seeing after a five mile walk, out in the open for the most part, with the units carried in my shirt pocket. With the 60 or eTrex units there's hardly ever a second of dropped signal (stopped time) showing, yet with the Oregon, I'll always get 2 or 3 minutes out of an hour and 15 minutes. This makes me wonder if the new "ceramic" antennas used in the Oregons may have been a cost cutting move that has cost the units in terms of overall sensitivity?

Edited September 3, 2008 by Didjerrydo

[Didjerrydo]

After playing with my Oregon 400t for a while now, I'm finding that it doesn't really pick up and hold signal nearly as well as my former 60 CSx with it's helix or even as well as the newer eTrex's "H" models with their patch antennas.

I'm basing this on just how much "stopped time" I'm seeing after a five mile walk, out in the open for the most part, with the units carried in my shirt pocket. With the 60 or eTrex units there's hardly ever a second of dropped signal (stopped time) showing, yet with the Oregon, I'll always get 2 or 3 minutes out of an hour and 15 minutes. This makes me wonder if the new "ceramic" antennas used in the Oregons may have been a cost cutting move that has cost the units in terms of overall sensitivity?

 

Has anyone else noticed any comparative sensitivity or "signal-holding" between the Oregon and other Garmin handhelds?

[+Map Monkey]

I would think that it would be hard (if not impossible) to "field compare" these newer Units and their antenna as they seem to have different chipsets, software etc contained in them, not just a different type of antenna systems.

 

mm

[+MacFlash]

Just because stop time is inaccurate does not mean you have lost signal. The initial etrex HCx releases were notorious for counting anything below two miles an hour as standing still. Take a look at the track points and see if they make sense. If some seem to be misssing, then you most likely do not have lock.

[+Ratsneve]

I would think that it would be hard (if not impossible) to "field compare" these newer Units and their antenna as they seem to have different chipsets, software etc contained in them, not just a different type of antenna systems.

 

mm

I actually think it would be interesting and meaningful to get a whole bunch of different GPSrs together like an Oregon, Colorado, 60CSx, PN-20, PN-40, etc. and all go to the same physical locations and set WPs. Use four corners of a house and other different terrains/locations--mountains, valleys, heavy forest, rainy days, downtown, etc. Then do GoTo's back to all those different WP to see what accuracy and repeatability you get and set new WP (keeping all the old waypoints). Finally repeat several times over several months. It would be even better if you had two or three of each to see what differences, if any, you would get with the same identical models. Very interesting, very practical, but hard to pull it all off. I wonder if Consumer Reports ever gets into the fray?

Edited September 6, 2008 by Ratsneve