Oregon Accuracy vs. orientation

[+TimsLackies]

Even tho I've been a member for about two years, I am really new to all of this (I had planned to go hunt my first couple of caches tomorrow, but with Hanna coming, it sounds like I'd have to do it by canoe ). I have just gotten a 400t and am learning, little by little. The fact that the ceramic antenna is on the top and back of the unit made me wonder if some of the accuracy variations seen in tracks that have been reported are due to how folks 'wear' the unit. I like the lanyard myself, but that places the unit with the antenna down. So I went outside and made some unscientific comparisons with the unit 'right-side-up' , horizontal and standing on it's head. I found that with the unit in the first two orientations, the EPE were about the same, but with the unit inverted, as it would be when hanging from a lanyard, the satellite signal strengths were, on average, reduced by about one line on the graph, and the EPE was 5 to 20% larger. Maybe this is all old news to you all, but, I it sounds like when I'm just hiking along and want to (more accurately) record a track, it would be better to use the carabiner clip. When I'm geocaching, and am holding it in my hand, then I would get the better accuracy anyway, so no difference there. Does that sound right?

[sanramonhunter]

That's been my experience so far with my reception. I get the best with the attenae facing the sky and the unit raised above my head. I'm sure I look totally crazy while doing this.

[+g-o-cashers]

Based on the feedback I got from Garmin tech support they claimed all orientations other than bottom-up and side-up would provide equally good reception.

 

GO$Rs