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GPS help


TeamSpags

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I need to buy myself a GPS to help with my geocaching adventures.

 

I have found a second hand Garmin GPSIII Plus for sale. I would like to know if anyone uses (or has used) this model and if it is effective for use in geocaching - in both finding and hiding geocaches.

 

Thanks.

(^.^)

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I need to buy myself a GPS to help with my geocaching adventures.

 

I have found a second hand Garmin GPSIII Plus for sale. I would like to know if anyone uses (or has used) this model and if it is effective for use in geocaching - in both finding and hiding geocaches.

 

Thanks.

(^.^)

 

My best advice is - unless you got or can get this for a really good price don;t bother with it. And by a good price I mean free or near to free.

 

The unit I am sure will be fine but I think you can do better - even the yellow etrex H (new for under R1000 and second hand for 500 or less) woudl be a better bet for geocaching.

 

the GPSIII Plus can do maps - but with 1.44 MB memory you are going to be constantly chopping ans changing - and you better check it comes with a working data cable or else count on getting ripped R400 from Garmin for that cable (R200 for a non garmin product)

 

This unit is old

 

You will soon grow out of this unit and wish you had bought something better.

 

But having said all that if it really is cheap and I mean R300 (and I woudl baulk at paying that myself) or less it might be worth looking at and it will be just fine for hiding and finding caches.

 

Trev

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On Geocaching.com it has a rating of about 3.5 out of 5. This is what some people had to say: "Old, basic, but does the job"; "The GPS III Plus is a solid, serviceable, no-frills unit. It just plain works. :)"; "Ancient device with a weak receiver, out-of-date maps, and few features, but has one unique capability--the antenna detaches. While not useful for geocaching, you can put a short coaxial lead to the antenna and wedge the antenna under the pull-down shade on an airplane window. It's interesting to see your GPSr clicking away at 700 MPH!! And you can quickly identify lakes and rivers below."; "This Garmin is 12 years old and I still use it for navigation (HWY Driving) and Geocaching. Works perfectly for either situatioin. My newer Garmin E-Trex Venture is also a very good unit for both Hwy navigation and Geocaching, but I use it mostly for Geocaching"

 

There are a couple of negatives:"Not enough memory, but a nice thing"; "I have had this G P S for about ten years I do not like the senativity I have to be walking very fast in order for it to adjust to the position Im at, when using it in the car it works well."

 

Hope it helps. I agree with T7000 though, you have to either get this for a steal or look at something newer. I still don't have a gps and uses my Blackberry though...

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Smart Phone with a GPS is probably all you need for caching. You get all the benefits of the smartphone too. I have a dedicated unit, but find the user interphace on a smart phone so much easier for caching. I basically only use my dedicated GPSr when placing a cache, recording tracklogs, and in areas where gps reception is really poor.

? Look for an second hand iphone or android phone?

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It was a good GPS in it's day, but that was it. I have to agree with the others, go for a etrex as they can now be picked up for relitively cheap. If you can get one with a "H" receiver that would be a bonus as the GPSIII is going to send you all over the place under trees. But the "H" is a high sensitivy receiver and can maintain a decent acuracy under trees and in valleys. But don't always count on it. Take into consideration how much you want to spend too. Although not the best for geocaching by any means, a Nuvi 200 will get you to the places you want to go and with a bit of practice and logical thinking you could do some of the easy roadside or urban caches. I did many caches with my Nuvi 200 before I sold it for around R600 You should be able to pick one up around that price too. And it is great for Paperless caching too. And in my opinion a far better deal than the GPSIII. But look at the new nuvis too as they are getting cheaper for entry level units. Plus their auto routing helps a ton if you need to get to the cache without having any idea where to go. Provided it works right...

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