Garmin Venture HC

[KF9TF]

My grandson wants a Venture HC. I see it has a "joystick" for entering coordinates.

Anyone have an opinion or first hand knowledge of this unit or it's performance>

Thanks!

[+BlueDeuce]

For a side-by-side comparison of the current Etrex models Click here (Ignore the prices): http://www.gpsnow.com/gmetrexcomp.htm

[+Highland Horde]

I've got a venture HC. Its a good unit. it holds 500 caches or waypoints.

I hardly ever use the"joystick" to enter the coords. I just plug it into my mac (used to plug it into my pc) and transfer the GPX file.

The only time I've entered the coords manually is with a multi. Its not difficult but not real quick either.

I am super happy with it. The only thing is it does not do paperless so you will need some other method to see cache descriptions and hints whether that is on another device (I have them on my blackberry) or print them out before hand.

All in all Its and excellent starter unit and the price was right for me.

[+BlueDeuce]

Learn to use the joystick when you are out in the field tracking down a multi. (Press and hold to Mark your location, then edit the coords for the next leg. - GOTO)

[+benderoos]

Its the model I have. Its a great starter GPSr. Works nicely for downloading caches to it, and after you get use to the menu system, you can hop along and find caches and your car nice and easily.

 

If you can afford a it more expensive model, or are planning on doing alot of deep bush caching, I would reccomend something with an electronic compass. With this model,it will tell you what direction something is in, and with reasonable accuracy as long as your moving. Once you stop moving (or are in deep brush, and can't move at a reasonable rate) your compass point will bounce all over and not necessarily point to the proper direction of the cache. In fact alot of the time it will freeze and point in the direction it was in when you were last moving.

 

To get around this I usually have to make a few runs toward a cache in the bush so I can pinpoint where the zero point should be.

[+rachanel]

i have a garmin venture hc, ive never downloaded a cache into it, ive just typed in the coordinates manually and it works fine and does not take forever. besides, getting into the hang to type them in manually makes it easier when multicaching...

one thing i cannot figure out with my garmin is that no roads show up anywhere, only main main highways... although i have topo maps installed...

[+Highland Horde]

i have a garmin venture hc, ive never downloaded a cache into it, ive just typed in the coordinates manually and it works fine and does not take forever. besides, getting into the hang to type them in manually makes it easier when multicaching...

one thing i cannot figure out with my garmin is that no roads show up anywhere, only main main highways... although i have topo maps installed...

off topic: you probably need to load street maps like metroguide or city navigator. The topo maps have mostly terrain and elevations

[+briansnat]

i have a garmin venture hc, ive never downloaded a cache into it, ive just typed in the coordinates manually and it works fine and does not take forever. besides, getting into the hang to type them in manually makes it easier when multicaching...

one thing i cannot figure out with my garmin is that no roads show up anywhere, only main main highways... although i have topo maps installed...

 

Topo maps should show roads. Are you sure it's installed correctly? If so maybe you aren't set to show the maps. I don't how it works with the Venture HC, but on my 60CSX I go to the map page, hit Menu, then Setup Map, then hit Menu again, then select Show Topo US. There may be something similar in the eTrex though the exact sequence may different.