Did I get a useless GPS?

[cmaille]

Hi folks! New here...actually, haven't even been out hunting yet, but my son and I are going to start going just as soon as my GPS unit arrives..we've already been salivating over the local caches!!

 

Now, my title...I went the Ebay route, and seeing in this economy, and my dwindling budget with my wife in night college, I had to get what I could afford. I was able to get an old Magellan 2000 GPS unit (came with a used set of 2way radios as well) for $36 including shipping. I was excited of course, then I got to looking around..and seeing what others are using and such, i'm thinking I may have just bought a $36 paperwieght as far as this new hobby goes.

 

I really want/hope/will upgrade eventually, but for right now, it's just not in the budget. Will this ancient GPS unit suffice until the opportunity comes along to get a better one? I've never used one before, and luckily it comes with a manual...but I see folks talking about downloading maps and stuff. Will mine need to do that, or is it total 'OLD School' and basicaly beat the coordinates out of the satellite and give me a string of numbers that I'll have to ....well...you get the picture.

 

Simply...will this unit work for now, or should I put it back on ebay and start saving for a different GPS unit?

 

Thanks folks. I'm going to go look through all the local caches again and giggle like kid for a bit!

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Should work, but start saving anyway!

 

EDIT: Does it come with a guarantee that it turns on and works in general?

Edited November 6, 2009 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+Chrysalides]

It's probably this one : http://www.finest1.com/magellan/gps2000.html

 

There won't be any map support, and it may take a while to "warm up" and lock on to the satellites. Performance under tree cover may be bad. But since you already paid for it, give it a try to see how well it works, before spending more money.

[+jeffbouldin]

Don't listen to any nay-sayers, download the manual, and learn to use what you have. Have fun with your kid.

 

Here is the link to the manual.

 

http://www.magellangps.com/assets/manuals/gps_2000_en.pdf

 

If you guys really love the hobby (and you probably will) then save up for a newer unit.

Edited November 6, 2009 by jeffbouldin

[+ScottKaren]

We started geocaching in July and we have a car GPS that many would not cinsider suited for geocaching. Yet we still find caches anyway. AND have a blast doing it. The downloading to your GPS may be something that you want to do in a year from now. For now I would recommend printing out the cache info to take with you. Print it out with the last 10 logs. First because it may give you hints to find the cache and second because it will give your kids something to do while either going to the cache or while you are looking. Also please start with a regular size cache, don't start with a micro like we did.....

[GOF and Bacall]

While I don't know that particular GPS I can tell you that as long as you can put in coordinates that it will point to you can find a cache. As nice as those other bells and whistles are they are just that, bells and whistles.

 

Save your pennies though. You will eventually want those bells and probably one or two of the whistles to.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Don't listen to any nay-sayers, download the manual, and learn to use what you have. Have fun with your kid.

 

 

If you guys really love the hobby (and you probably will) then save up for a newer unit.

 

We agree wholeheartedly. We use two ancient GPSr units. They still work, and we do not mind carrying printouts on a clipboard (in fact, it allows us to make log notes on the pages).

 

Someday, we will upgrade to paperless, but as long as these work -- not until they die!

 

My earlier edit comment was reflecting my distrust of things bought secondhand from (unnamed) website.

[+ScottKaren]

You know it looks like you have what most people refer to as a handheld GPS. That is actually the recommended type of GPS for geocaching. Because you have an arrow on the GPS that tells you which way the X is. With our car GPS it is more of a hint and peck operation.

[GOF and Bacall]

For those who are interested in a paperless option that wont break the bank pick up a cheap PDA. Lots of choices out there that can be had for under $50. Sometimes well under if you catch the bids just right. You'll pay for it with the money you don't spend on ink and paper.

[+lukieshot]

Just get out there and enjoy the hunt.

Welcome to Geocaching.

[+lukieshot]

Just get out there and enjoy the hunt.

Welcome to Geocaching.

[+cr4zybilly]

We started geocaching in July and we have a car GPS that many would not cinsider suited for geocaching. Yet we still find caches anyway. AND have a blast doing it.

 

I totally agree. I use my cheap vehicle GPS. It's kind of a pain, and there's a lot I can't do with it (including getting it to up date when I'm walking slowly w/o turning it on and off).

 

But I'm still out finding caches and really enjoying it.

 

For that price, I think you really can't go wrong--I'm sure you'll get $35 worth of enjoyment out of it (that's about the price of taking your family to the movies or to dinner).

 

My only recommendation is to play w/ it a lot and learn how to really use it (which may or may not be the way it was intended to be used; just figure out how finicky it is and how to work around those problems). It took me a long time to learn how to get my GPSr to update my position once I got close to Ground Zero, and even longer to figure out how to best navigate with it when walking, let alone to organize the caches.

 

Some people are crazy for all the logs and whatnot. If you don't mind carrying the paper around/printing it off/etc, go for it, but I'm way too lazy for that so I go paperless, only in the sense that I save the coordinates, the cache name, and the size in my GPSr and only look at hints & logs if I can't find the cache or if I'm in a hurry.

 

You'll be fine w/ that GPS, I think--just get out and have fun and don't worry too much about the technology once you're on the hunt.

[+Woodstramp]

Not useless, but tough to use.

 

That was my first GPS. To get a sat-lock I had to hike to a high hill with it extended to the heavens and wait 10 minutes to get a lock. Some chanting was needed on occasion. Maybe the one you have will work better, I hope.

 

My brother moved to the middle of nowhere in Wyoming and I was interested where he was exactly, so I sent it to him with instructions on how to send me the coordinates to his place once he got a good lock. Note that this place has no trees for 3 miles. He sat on the hood of his truck for 30 minutes with no lock. He got bored and left it on the hood all night. He was able to phone me with coords the next morning.

 

It did seem to work better while driving in a car though.

 

Just save up and use what you do have for now. The newer units are truly amazing by comparison. You'll see. Good luck.

Edited November 6, 2009 by Woodstramp

[+briansnat]

You probably could have done better iin the under $50 price range but it will work well enough to get you started.

[+Elderiss]

Cmaille are you in the US? If so shoot me an email in my profile. I have an older Garmin that still works great that I would be willing to part with at no cost if the one you have does not end working for you.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Cmaille are you in the US? If so shoot me an email in my profile. I have an older Garmin that still works great that I would be willing to part with at no cost if the one you have does not end working for you.

 

How can you refuse this offer?

[cmaille]

Thanks for all the info folks!!! Wow!! Glad to see that what I got isn't totally useless. It may be a pain to my 7 yr. old to wait for a 'lock', but alot of the ones I've seen locally aren't that hard to find. (I could probably walk to a few of them w/out a GPS at all with the hints in the logs! lol)

 

Elderiss, I'll definately keep you in mind if this ends up being a bad deal. (still waiting for it to arrive!!! Talk about frustration at the mail!!) But, I definately would want to give you something for it! I may end up purchasing it from you anyway for the "just in case" factor. (as in , just in case my son decides he want's to keep the one we have for *HIS*! LOL I seem to lose a lot of my toys that way......)

 

Again, thanks for all the info! Hope to meet up with some of you sometime. We're in south-central Ohio, and after we get a handle on how to find them, my son has already drawn out plans for hiding our own cache with *neat stuff* to put in it!

[+Sol seaker]

I've played the game for months with a very old garmin.

 

The major disadvantage I found was the fact it was not WAAS enabled.

 

WAAS is a system that locks onto satellites or ground becons that are not primary GPS satelites. It increases the efficiency of a GPS greatly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The particular one I had was regularly about 80 feet off. Once I learned that I made 80 foot circles around where I got ground zero, and found a number of them that way.

 

Not all old GPS's are that far off.

 

See how yours works and then go from there.

 

If the coordinates are close and it doesn't take hours to make a lock, then you've got a fine GPS.

 

I was able to find a new Garmin (bottom of the line) for 70. on end of the season sale at a sporting goods store, so you just never know. You could probably get the same model online for around the same. I think it lists for around 120.

 

I am very very happy with my cheap Garmin. THe coordinates are often spot on with it. That's all that you really need in a GPS.

[+Elderiss]

Thanks for all the info folks!!! Wow!! Glad to see that what I got isn't totally useless. It may be a pain to my 7 yr. old to wait for a 'lock', but alot of the ones I've seen locally aren't that hard to find. (I could probably walk to a few of them w/out a GPS at all with the hints in the logs! lol)

 

Elderiss, I'll definately keep you in mind if this ends up being a bad deal. (still waiting for it to arrive!!! Talk about frustration at the mail!!) But, I definately would want to give you something for it! I may end up purchasing it from you anyway for the "just in case" factor. (as in , just in case my son decides he want's to keep the one we have for *HIS*! LOL I seem to lose a lot of my toys that way......)

 

Again, thanks for all the info! Hope to meet up with some of you sometime. We're in south-central Ohio, and after we get a handle on how to find them, my son has already drawn out plans for hiding our own cache with *neat stuff* to put in it!

 

cmaille This garmin has a few issues with it hence why I purchased a new one. It is fully functional but the button used to navigate likes to stick. I also do not have the data cable for it anymore. That is the reason why I am willing to part with it for nothing. If you decide in the near future you want it email your address and it will be in the mail.

 

Welcome to geocaching and I hope you and your son have a grand time!

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

For those who are interested in a paperless option that wont break the bank pick up a cheap PDA. Lots of choices out there that can be had for under $50. Sometimes well under if you catch the bids just right. You'll pay for it with the money you don't spend on ink and paper.

Very true, I got one for $3 at a thrift store...Just need to but a cord for it if I want to use it.

[+smstext]

like many have said as long as you can put in the co ordinates it will do. You might not like it and therefore not much spent out. If you like it after a few months then go for something newer like what i did.

[+popokiiti]

We started with a cheaper GPSr and printed out cache page and logs. That was fine for a while, then upgraded to another GPSr, but still had to print the cache page. We jotted down any pertinent comments from the logs. In the last 6 months, we went paperless. Did we have fun in the beginning? Oh, yes! Even kept the sheets for those first finds....

Just enjoy your time with your son, choose good size caches....and if there isn't much for him to trade, how about a treat for the two of you - ice cream, maybe? To keep his interest, you may want to let him do the "finding." If you go after 4 caches, let him grab 3 ahead of you....the fourth is either yours or a joint find.

Welcome to geocaching, I hope you both have lots of fun!

[+Chrysalides]

like many have said as long as you can put in the co ordinates it will do. You might not like it and therefore not much spent out. If you like it after a few months then go for something newer like what i did.

Just out of curiosity, what did you start with, and what did you upgrade to?

[+Travelinmatt76]

This is the exact GPS that I started with. I found my first few caches with it. I quickly upgraded once I started looking for caches in heavy tree cover. Still an ok gps though. Here's a couple pics of some benchmark hunting with my 2000xl

 

http://img.geocaching.com/benchmark/lg/c8b...44b886db658.jpg

 

http://img.geocaching.com/benchmark/lg/7a3...bee70881436.jpg

[binkamom]

I sure appreciate the insights you have all offered here. I joined this site and am researching geocaching so Santa can give this to my daughter and I as a gift this year. She is 10 and we both like to spend time outdoors camping or just traveling around AZ. After going through several forums I had started to get discouraged thinking that I was going to have to find a way to shell out $300-$400 just to get us started. But after reading this thread I am encouranged to hear that we can probably get out "feet wet" and see if we like geocaching without breaking Santa's Christmas budget. (I'm not sure we have been good enough for Santa to spend that much anyway ) Regards,