What is a good GPS for when in Trees?

[+cbraden1885]

I am looking to buy a new GPS. I have a Garmin 60CSx however I would like a paperless one. I am getting tired of printing the sites off and carrying the paper around.

 

The 60CSx works however I have issues when in trees. It seems to bounce around a lot. First it wants me to go 30 feet one way then back another way. I am holding it flat so it settles down but that doesn’t help much. I would prefer to stay with a Garmin. Can someone recommend one that is paperless and has a good reputation for working while in Trees?

[+StarBrand]

Wow - the reality is that they just don't get much better than the 60CSx in performance. That is usually the unit that others try and compare to.

 

Actually, that unit works best in a vertical postion - not held flat.

 

Having said that - the Oregon units work well enough and I hear the new 62 models also work well in tree cover.

[+cbraden1885]

I didn’t realize it worked better vertical and not flat. Just figured you had to hold a compass flat so that was what I was doing. I will give vertical a try. Maybe using it correctly will help. I will be keeping the 60CSx however I would like a paperless one as well. I have heard about the Oregon model and wondered what the actual difference was in a 450 and a 450T besides the price.

[+StarBrand]

kind of weird design - compass works when flat - GPS works best when vertical.

 

The T model includes Garmin's Topo maps. Free topo maps can be had at gpsfiledepot.com

[+Walts Hunting]

Trees inhibit the signal. There is no way around that the longer you spend in the trees and the denser the forest the greater the EPE. Some are better than others and the 60 series helix antenna is the best one going. I have been on a couple of hikes with a local ranger and his 60 epe is always considerably better than my Oregon.

 

Often people who places caches in those types of spots give very .detailed hints.

 

The T has a 100K resolution map. The general feeling around here seems to be buy the nont and do one of the following. Copied from a post on another topic

 

Garmin 24K TOPO which is about $100 for a few states but have the higher resolution and are routable (routable being it will take you turn by turn on roads to the destination). Or at least as close as it can before going off road. For some reason it doesn't have all the trails that the US TOPO does but has a bunch.

 

gpsfiledepot.com which has free maps (some of which are 24K) but are not routable.

 

None of these are locked to the unit like the navigator is (new device means new purchase of maps) so when you get a new device you can install them on it.

 

Also all of those can be installed on a computer for viewing

[jholly]

I have heard about the Oregon model and wondered what the actual difference was in a 450 and a 450T besides the price.

The topo maps on the T model.

[+cbraden1885]

Thanks for the information. gpsfiledepot.com looks to be a nice site with a lot of information. I appreciate the help.

[knowschad]

I never have problems in the trees with my 60CSx. I LOVE that GPS!! Do you by any chance have the electronic compass turned off? I know many cachers that do, but I am a believer in keeping it on. With it on, you will still get a direction even when you're having to walk slowly. You will need to calibrate it from time to time, especially after changing batteries, but sometimes it just seems to get flakey, so I'll do the calibration dance, and it will be fine.

 

If I were you, I'd keep the 60 and get a Nuvi for paperless and autorouting to the cache area.

[+cbraden1885]

I have a car GPS that I can enter latitude and longitude which routs me close then I turn to the 60CSx. Together they seem to work. I am unaware of the "60 series helix antenna". I will have to check it out.

[+cbraden1885]

OK, how can I tell if my electronic compass is turned off? I don't think it is but as I didn’t even know to hold the GPS vertical maybe it is.

[+StarBrand]

... "60 series helix antenna". I will have to check it out.

That is the anntena on top of the unit - built in.

[knowschad]

OK, how can I tell if my electronic compass is turned off? I don't think it is but as I didn't even know to hold the GPS vertical maybe it is.

I'm not sure, but it would be a menu option somewhere. Odds are, if you haven't deliberately turned it off, that it is on, unless you picked the unit up 2nd hand.

 

You didn't say what sort of car GPS you have, but the Nuvi can be pre-loaded from a pocket query and can contain the entire cache page, hints, last 5 logs... everything you need for paperless. I think the Tom-Tom can, as well. You won't have to punch any coords in if you load it with a pocket query (requires GSAK and a macro to do it, though)

[+cbraden1885]

... "60 series helix antenna". I will have to check it out.

That is the anntena on top of the unit - built in.

[+cbraden1885]

O' I learned something new today. Thanks

[+cbraden1885]

To let you know I have been able to determine that my electronic compass is on however I have never calibrated it. I just calibrated it and will have to wait for the next time I go a caching. Thanks to everyone.

[+Pathfinder24]

I have used a range of GPS for work and play. Fonud the Garmins with the high sensitivity attenna are the best. My work also uses garmins, map60 mainly. Never had any problems with over head cover. Even work inside a metal shed.

[+briansnat]

You will not likely find something that performs better under trees that the 60CSX. The "problem" you are having is quite normal. Trees can create multipathing errors

and give you fluky readings. You'll get this with any unit.

 

While not a true paperless unit, you can get a lot of cache info onto the 60CSX using the Garmin POI loader and GSAK macros. Head over to the GSAK forums for details.

[+RobDJr]

OK, how can I tell if my electronic compass is turned off? I don't think it is but as I didn’t even know to hold the GPS vertical maybe it is.

Press and hold the page button to toggle compass on and off. You should calibrate the compass - I do that every time I turn it on. Calibration option is on the compass screen menu.

 

Having compared functions of the 60CSx against several other units, I'd say it is as good as any unit I've seen.

 

I usually use it with compass off, to save battery life, but in situations where I feel the performance is being degraded, I try with compass on. Usually leads to an improvement.

[+downrangedisco]

The new GPS MAP 62 S is even better then its predesecor the 60 csx....+ it has paperless caching feature too.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Before you buy that new GPS... Do know that you can go almost paperless with the 60CSx. There's a solution using GSAK and a brilliant macro; a search should bring it up.

 

This almost-paperless solution gives you a ton of info, pretty much everything you'd need, except log text. Look it up before you take the plunge.

[+paleolith]

I seldom had problems with reception under trees in southern California. I have lots of problems with reception under trees in Florida. If you don't like that problem, cache somewhere without trees.

 

Edward

[+all done]

You will not likely find something that performs better under trees that the 60CSX. The "problem" you are having is quite normal. Trees can create multipathing errors

and give you fluky readings. You'll get this with any unit.

 

While not a true paperless unit, you can get a lot of cache info onto the 60CSX using the Garmin POI loader and GSAK macros. Head over to the GSAK forums for details.

Good info. Have used my 60 for seems like 4 or 5 years now, bought it before into geocaching and used mostly for route finding and exploring new to me trails via ATV. Since geocaching been wanting the hints features some of the others have not to mention the bigger screens as I have seemed to hit that place where I now use cheaters to read. Love all the features and options I have on the 60CSX including all the computer based functions, mapsource etc.

[+StarBrand]

You will not likely find something that performs better under trees that the 60CSX. The "problem" you are having is quite normal. Trees can create multipathing errors

and give you fluky readings. You'll get this with any unit.

 

While not a true paperless unit, you can get a lot of cache info onto the 60CSX using the Garmin POI loader and GSAK macros. Head over to the GSAK forums for details.

Good info. Have used my 60 for seems like 4 or 5 years now, bought it before into geocaching and used mostly for route finding and exploring new to me trails via ATV. Since geocaching been wanting the hints features some of the others have not to mention the bigger screens as I have seemed to hit that place where I now use cheaters to read. Love all the features and options I have on the 60CSX including all the computer based functions, mapsource etc.

just keep in mind - you give up using the built in Geocaching features. Also some cache description get spread across multiple files.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I never have problems in the trees with my 60CSx. I LOVE that GPS!! Do you by any chance have the electronic compass turned off? I know many cachers that do, but I am a believer in keeping it on. With it on, you will still get a direction even when you're having to walk slowly. You will need to calibrate it from time to time, especially after changing batteries, but sometimes it just seems to get flakey, so I'll do the calibration dance, and it will be fine.

 

If I were you, I'd keep the 60 and get a Nuvi for paperless and autorouting to the cache area.

 

Perfect advice....the Nuvi 500 and 550 are paperless. Units with the Quad Helix ant. are great under canopy cover.

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

The Delorme PN-60w w/SPOT usually gets me closer in accuracy than the Garmin 60CSx in tree cover.

[knowschad]

I never have problems in the trees with my 60CSx. I LOVE that GPS!! Do you by any chance have the electronic compass turned off? I know many cachers that do, but I am a believer in keeping it on. With it on, you will still get a direction even when you're having to walk slowly. You will need to calibrate it from time to time, especially after changing batteries, but sometimes it just seems to get flakey, so I'll do the calibration dance, and it will be fine.

 

If I were you, I'd keep the 60 and get a Nuvi for paperless and autorouting to the cache area.

 

Perfect advice....the Nuvi 500 and 550 are paperless. Units with the Quad Helix ant. are great under canopy cover.

The 500 and 550 are paperless units, but using a GSAK macro, almost any Nuvi becomes a paperless unit. I first used it on a Nuvi 200W and now my 250W.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I never have problems in the trees with my 60CSx. I LOVE that GPS!! Do you by any chance have the electronic compass turned off? I know many cachers that do, but I am a believer in keeping it on. With it on, you will still get a direction even when you're having to walk slowly. You will need to calibrate it from time to time, especially after changing batteries, but sometimes it just seems to get flakey, so I'll do the calibration dance, and it will be fine.

 

If I were you, I'd keep the 60 and get a Nuvi for paperless and autorouting to the cache area.

 

Perfect advice....the Nuvi 500 and 550 are paperless. Units with the Quad Helix ant. are great under canopy cover.

The 500 and 550 are paperless units, but using a GSAK macro, almost any Nuvi becomes a paperless unit. I first used it on a Nuvi 200W and now my 250W.

 

I like the Nuvi macro and use it on my 780 for backup but the macro does not make the Nuvi " paperless "......you cannot upload field notes and finds to your computer. The 500 and 550 are factory designed for geocaching including uploading of field notes. My wife has always done the on-line logging and I can tell you she wouldn't want to be without the 500 again. Macro's are still good because on loooooong cache pages for earth caches and others it will have all the cache pages. Also a macro can contain almost a limitless amount of caches for long trips, etc. I always load a macro of my trips on the 500 ( 40,000 caches or so )as well as the 1000 caches it holds in the geocaching folder for logging uploads.