Delorme pn30

[Team Akers]

I would like thoughts or opinions,good bad or indifferent on the delorme pn30. This will be my first gpsr as we are new to geocaching. Have been using my iphone which is ok,but i use it for work also,so kind of a pain when the batt. drains and i cant get phone calls . I really want the oregon 450 or the 62csx but that just isnt in the budget just yet,and I found the pn 30 on clearance at walmart.com for $172.46 (reg $309.95),is it worth the $$$?

[+Team_Searchgeo]

If On a budget it is a great unit. I have the pn-40 which is basically the same unit but has the electronic compass and barometric altimeter. I paid 230$ for the PN-40 because of those features but now that i have had it and used it, I really find myself not using those features that much. I never use the altimeter and only use the electronic compass every so often. Part of me wishes I would have just gotten the PN-30 and saved the 50$. The PN-30 only has a GPS compass not an electronic compass even though walmart shows the green one does. I also see the PN-40 at walmart is back to 299$ The difference between the two is the electronic compass will still point in the direction of the coordinates at 1.5 MPH and less and a GPS compass will not. Really only good when going to the cache if you need a direction but has little use once you get to GZ. It's just an added feature but not really needed.

 

The bonus also is the maps. The topo 8.0 is nice and for just 30$ a year you get unlimited color aerial images and whole host of other stuff that is really nice. You can use GSAK to load PQ's and GPX files which makes it completely paperless.

 

Downside is small screen and battery use. I am using rechargable NIMH energizers which I can get about 8 hours out of. I had the charger and then bought 2 packs of four batteries for 10$ ea. They work fine and I just carry an extra set with me and have had no problems while out caching. Actually the pn-30 will get better battery time because you do not have the electronic compass.

[Team Akers]

The reviews on walmart.com say it comes with a $40 certificate used to get free map set downloads online, would that be the $30 you are referring to,or something totally different. After geocaching with my iphone,8hrs of batt. life is like an eternity....lol

[+Team_Searchgeo]

Yea the 40$ is really just to show you what you can get if you buy the yearly map package! You can not use that to buy the map package but still 30$ a year for unlimited downloads is a great price. You will spend a 100$ if not more with a garmin and that is just a one time deal. So far I like the PN-40. It has put me right on a few caches and real close on others. It also seems very durable. I do hate the orange cover on the 40! It is hard to be stealthy with that orange. I wish it came in camo like the 30.

[+dakboy]

I do hate the orange cover on the 40! It is hard to be stealthy with that orange. I wish it came in camo like the 30.

I love the orange. I had a Magellan Meridian Gold and that thing blended in with everything out in the woods. I was constantly worried I'd lose it.

[Team Akers]

I found the pn 40 for $206 is it worth the extra $35 or so dollars? Also,do the delormes come with the cable to connect to the computer,i didnt see anywhere where it said it did.

[+Team_Searchgeo]

I found the pn 40 for $206 is it worth the extra $35 or so dollars? Also,do the delormes come with the cable to connect to the computer,i didnt see anywhere where it said it did.

Yes it does come with a cable and yea i would be all over that if you can afford it. I did mine at walmart because i had 150$ in gift certificates. Sounds like a good deal. Now the 35$ is really up to you basically some people swear by the electronic compass but so far I have found it's use limited but hey that's just me. I will say if you can afford it then it is an extra tool to use while caching.

[+Team_Searchgeo]

I do hate the orange cover on the 40! It is hard to be stealthy with that orange. I wish it came in camo like the 30.

I love the orange. I had a Magellan Meridian Gold and that thing blended in with everything out in the woods. I was constantly worried I'd lose it.

Yea I guess that's true but I did a micro in the middle of a plaza area and it just seemed to stick out.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I do hate the orange cover on the 40! It is hard to be stealthy with that orange. I wish it came in camo like the 30.

I love the orange. I had a Magellan Meridian Gold and that thing blended in with everything out in the woods. I was constantly worried I'd lose it.

Yea I guess that's true but I did a micro in the middle of a plaza area and it just seemed to stick out.

Funny part of this discussion (throwing in the price thing), is that the camo-schemes are copyrighted. You are paying more for something that (could) help you lose it.

I dunno, but it makes about as much sense as camo underwear and pajamas.

 

Personally, I love the orange, far more than even the black.

[Team Akers]

Well I orderd the pn 40. Got it for $221 shipped from manventureoutpost.com. Now the waiting game.....

[+Team_Searchgeo]

I do hate the orange cover on the 40! It is hard to be stealthy with that orange. I wish it came in camo like the 30.

I love the orange. I had a Magellan Meridian Gold and that thing blended in with everything out in the woods. I was constantly worried I'd lose it.

Yea I guess that's true but I did a micro in the middle of a plaza area and it just seemed to stick out.

Funny part of this discussion (throwing in the price thing), is that the camo-schemes are copyrighted. You are paying more for something that (could) help you lose it.

I dunno, but it makes about as much sense as camo underwear and pajamas.

 

Personally, I love the orange, far more than even the black.

True but on this one the camo and the green 30's are the same price. I guess the orange will grow on me!!

[+Team_Searchgeo]

Just remember that when putting the batteries in make sure they are in the correct way. I read on the delorme forum that this has been an issue with the pn-40's and it was making the unit inoperable. I did it once on mine with no ill effects so maybe it is not a huge issue anymore but to be on the safe side make sure you really look at the batteries before you install them.

Edited June 15, 2010 by searchgeo

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Just remember that when putting the batteries in make sure they are in the correct way. I read on the delorme forum that this has been an issue with the pn-40's and it was making the unit inoperable. I did it once on mine with no ill effects so maybe it is not a huge issue anymore but to be on the safe side make sure you really look at the batteries before you install them.

Putting them in backwards isn't the problem... turning it ON after you do that IS!

[+Team_Searchgeo]

Just remember that when putting the batteries in make sure they are in the correct way. I read on the delorme forum that this has been an issue with the pn-40's and it was making the unit inoperable. I did it once on mine with no ill effects so maybe it is not a huge issue anymore but to be on the safe side make sure you really look at the batteries before you install them.

Putting them in backwards isn't the problem... turning it ON after you do that IS!

Well yea usually after you put in the batteries you do turn it on. Thought that was a given for most people!!

[+Woodstramp]

ijakers,

 

If you have any questions about using your new PN and the Topo software that comes with it go to the Delorme forums. Lots of info and helpful folks there.

[Team Akers]

thanks for all the help guys,we are brand new to this and think it is something we will really enjoy as a family. Woodstramp,im sure ill be visiting those forums,cause i have never played with a hand held gpsr and have no idea about pocket queries and gpx files and so forth. Itried to run a pocket query the other day and kept coming up with zero results....need to play with that a little more.

[+embra]

There's also some good information in the wiki links in my signature below. If you're puzzled about something after making a good-faith effort to figure it out on your own, please feel free to float your question in the DeLorme forum--or here (there's usually more people familiar with the DeLorme units over in that forum). Some people find it pretty straight-forward, while others find starting up a bit complicated--most of the complication is associated with learning the TopoUSA software.

 

Also, keep a close eye on the DeLorme forum for a free upgrade to TopoNorthAmerica 9. If you're buying now, you should be in the window for the free upgrade when the new program comes out later this month.

[+Team_Searchgeo]

There's also some good information in the wiki links in my signature below. If you're puzzled about something after making a good-faith effort to figure it out on your own, please feel free to float your question in the DeLorme forum--or here (there's usually more people familiar with the DeLorme units over in that forum). Some people find it pretty straight-forward, while others find starting up a bit complicated--most of the complication is associated with learning the TopoUSA software.

 

Also, keep a close eye on the DeLorme forum for a free upgrade to TopoNorthAmerica 9. If you're buying now, you should be in the window for the free upgrade when the new program comes out later this month.

I was wondering about that. I have this card saying I had 60 days to send it in for a free upgrade to the next edition of topo. The maps are not super hard to load. I used some of my 40$ on some aerial color images and loaded them last night. There are several good tutorials on the delorme site. It definitely made me want to upgrade to the map library package for 30$ a year.

[+dakboy]

Also, keep a close eye on the DeLorme forum for a free upgrade to TopoNorthAmerica 9. If you're buying now, you should be in the window for the free upgrade when the new program comes out later this month.

TNA 9 is now on delorme.com. The site's a little hammered at the moment

[+Klemmer]

Another very happy Delorme PN-40 user here. I agree that if you are just geocaching then the compass and altimeter are not essential or very useful. However, for serious hiking and Benchmark hunting, I believe they are worth it. Either way, PN-XX and Topo USA is a really good deal.