Griffinlawnscapes Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Hi guys, I know you have probably had the questions asked time and time again... BUT, I am looking into a GPS (of course) and alot of it confuses the crap outta me, I know i need one that can take the coords. and since i have trouble working a calculator. it will have to be easy to use... but it also has to be affordable.. so i need some help, as we are trying to make this a fun family thing. but i don't want to dump tons of money if the kids end up griping that they are bored... I would be happy with an older model that is easy to use... thanks guys.. and please don't abbreviate stuff as i am not hip to the lingo.. Jeremy Link to comment
namiboy Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 can you provide more info, like price range, are you only going to use it for geocaching, etc... Link to comment
Griffinlawnscapes Posted September 27, 2009 Author Share Posted September 27, 2009 oh yes.. I would like it to be in the 100 dollar range, and it is strictly for geocaching. Jeremy Link to comment
+user13371 Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 $100 or less, geocaching only, easy to use http://www.mygeomate.com/ A single-purpose device for under $100. When you outgrow it you can give it to a friend to get them started on the hobby and buy something more capable... Link to comment
Griffinlawnscapes Posted September 27, 2009 Author Share Posted September 27, 2009 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT I was looking at this... any thoughts?? Jeremy Link to comment
+bittsen Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT I was looking at this... any thoughts?? Jeremy When looking for a Garmin Etrex, you should make sure it has the H next to it. It will usually have HC or HCx next to the name. If it doesn't have one of those extra letter combinations then it's not a high sensitivity unit and will be a little more difficult to cache with. Link to comment
Haitoman Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Give me a break !! See my closed thread Link to comment
JDiablo Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT I was looking at this... any thoughts?? Jeremy Hard to go wrong for $50. Link to comment
+Chi-Town Cacher Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 (edited) $100 or less, geocaching only, easy to use http://www.mygeomate.com/ A single-purpose device for under $100. When you outgrow it you can give it to a friend to get them started on the hobby and buy something more capable... I'll second Lee's suggestion for a Geomate Jr. being a viable option. If you're looking for something that's very affordable and requires no tech knowledge (I am speaking very literally when I say no tech knowledge required) it just might be what you're looking for. These things are so easy to use that I literally can have a small child say 10 years old trained on how to turn it on and how to find the nearest cache in like 5 minutes or less. The only thing I'd caution you about in regards to the Geomate Jr. is that that it's only use is for geocaching. So say for example you want a GPSr to keep track of which trails you took to get to your current position it will not do that. It does have a feature where you can mark any position you are at as "Home" and then when you are ready to return to that spot it will show you which direction it is and how far away it is. I have a PN-40 that is my primary GPSr that has all the bells and whistles I could ever want, but I also have a Geomate Jr. and as far as reception goes I have to tell you my Geomate Jr. is just as good as my PN-40. It takes a minute or two to lock onto the satallites, but once it does it a great little geocaching machine. Oh, and one of the very sweet things this little geocaching machine has going for it is that it comes with 250,000 already loaded into it so you literally put in the batteries and literally in 1 or 2 minutes (well ok say maybe 5 so you can read the small owners manual that is included) you're ready to start your first geocaching adventure! If you're sure that geocaching is the only thing you'd want a GPSr for then the Geomate Jr. may be a very good option for you. If you'd like to read more about the Geomate Jr. there is a thread that can almost always be found on the first or second page of this Technology forum. I believe the title of the thread that you'll be looking for is called Geomate Jr. owners thread or something very similar. There's a much shorter thread that you may want to read about the update kit for it, but it's the main thread that's about 6 pages long that I'm referencing. Good luck in your search for a search for a GPSr that will be exactly what you want! Edit to add: The price for the Geomate Jr. is $69.99 and can be bought either at this site's web store or REI.com. If you want the optional update kit (it's not required) then that's another $25.00. Edited September 27, 2009 by Michigan Cacheman Link to comment
Motorcycle_Mama Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 (edited) I would recommend that you look at the Garmin Venture HC or if you can swing it, the eTrex Legend HCx. You might be able to find a used one. To avoid frustration, I would not recommend getting an old model. Buy lower end newer model (such as the Garmin "H" series) and you will have much better luck. Edited September 27, 2009 by Motorcycle_Mama Link to comment
+TotemLake Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 (edited) Give me a break !! See my closed thread Are you kidding me? Give all of us a break! You had your say and it got locked for the tone of it. Pipe down. If I may suggest some timely advise for you. Stop reading these threads and you'll see less stress in your life. We go through this every year. Some program or news article comes along and we see a surge in What Should I Buy? threads. Relax, it'll quiet down until the next time it happens again. It's a phase. Edited September 27, 2009 by TotemLake Link to comment
Griffinlawnscapes Posted September 27, 2009 Author Share Posted September 27, 2009 (edited) http://cgi.ebay.com/Magellan-Gps-Sport-Tra...id=p3286.c0.m14 What do you think about this one... If this is not a good one then i am getting the geomate jr to start with... I just want to get started and see how i like if before i spend the money... Jeremy Edited September 27, 2009 by Griffinlawnscapes Link to comment
Griffinlawnscapes Posted September 27, 2009 Author Share Posted September 27, 2009 Oh nevermind, i will be mad if i buy it and can't figure it out.. I am gonna go with the Geomate... Thanks guys for all your help.. hope I run across some of you in north alabama while out geocaching... Jeremy Link to comment
JDiablo Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Oh nevermind, i will be mad if i buy it and can't figure it out.. I am gonna go with the Geomate... Thanks guys for all your help.. hope I run across some of you in north alabama while out geocaching... Jeremy From what I have read you are most likely making the best choice. Good luck and let us know how it went. Link to comment
Griffinlawnscapes Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 well shortly after my last post my wife surprised me with a Garmin etrex H, so guess what i did!!! went looking for 7 but couldn't find one, but i didn't know what i was looking for so i will be going back to double check... i took my wife and 2 of the kids and they loved it... thanks guys for being so helpful... Jeremy Link to comment
Haitoman Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Don't tell me to pipe down. I'm not a 19 year old smart a**, I am 51 years old and run my own engineering consultancy. Timely advi©e is what you give to a schoolboy before he borrows dad's car. "What should I buy" is a pinned topic supported by a number of charter members. This in laymans terms is a readme.txt for "What should I buy" and posters need to read this first. Anyway, point taken I'm sure it will quieten down soon. Give me a break !! See my closed thread Are you kidding me? Give all of us a break! You had your say and it got locked for the tone of it. Pipe down. If I may suggest some timely advise for you. Stop reading these threads and you'll see less stress in your life. We go through this every year. Some program or news article comes along and we see a surge in What Should I Buy? threads. Relax, it'll quiet down until the next time it happens again. It's a phase. Link to comment
+Indotguy Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Give me a break !! See my closed thread I'm all for being helpful but with all due respect to new players, there is an ENORMOUS amount of information related to GPS purchases to be had on these forum simply by scanning topics and reading. My advice? Buy, borrow or steal (not recommended!) a cheap GPS and go out and hunt some caches. Learn from experience what features you need, if and when you decide to upgrade. Attend an event or two and talk to others. Read the forums. Visit GPS brand websites and read, read, read. Link to comment
+Rockin Roddy Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Seems this issue has been resolved, a GPS has been bought. Can't we close this thread before it becomes a slugfest? Link to comment
Griffinlawnscapes Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 guys if this is worth the time to argue about then i can make myself scarce for bringing it up.what you guys might not realize is new people don't have the knowledge it take to make a good decision and the post are usually full of slang concerning this adventure.. how am i supposed to know what muggles are and so on and so forth.... so if me asking a newbie question ticks some of you off, then i have to say don't read my posts... you knew going into this post that it was newbie questions by the title.. but i am sure i can find other places to go to find what i am looking for.. I came here for fun not to be ridiculed for my newbness... Jeremy Link to comment
+Rockin Roddy Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 (edited) guys if this is worth the time to argue about then i can make myself scarce for bringing it up.what you guys might not realize is new people don't have the knowledge it take to make a good decision and the post are usually full of slang concerning this adventure.. how am i supposed to know what muggles are and so on and so forth.... so if me asking a newbie question ticks some of you off, then i have to say don't read my posts... you knew going into this post that it was newbie questions by the title.. but i am sure i can find other places to go to find what i am looking for.. I came here for fun not to be ridiculed for my newbness... Jeremy It's not your fault, my friend! However, I would like to offer a bit of advice which you can either take as intended or tell me to go jump in a lake: Take time to read threads before asking a question. I know you want your answer now, but it may have been covered before in other threads. Not saying not to ask questions, MOST of us are more than happy to lend a hand. just saying some questions could be answered without asking. Check the pinned topics at the top of each forums section. A lot of helpful ino there. Be a bit more precise with your questions. Give info that will help with giving answers. If a GPS is what you want, state how much you can spend, what you want from the unit etc. This will help get you your answer quickly and by those who are able to answer. Take the time to do your OWN research as well, when applicable! WELCOME to our addiction, my friend! Having gone after and finding all 36 we searched out last night, I can tell you, this is GREAT FUN!! Do yourself a favor though, when you're just starting out, search for the easy finds! A 1/1 traditional cache the size of a small or regular is what you should try for frst, then work your way up as you become more familiar with the hiding styles etc! GOOD LUCK and HAPPY CACHING! Edited September 28, 2009 by Rockin Roddy Link to comment
robertlipe Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Another WSIB thread turned into a hotbed of charged postsings. OP's bought a unit. I'm closing this one down. Link to comment
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