Public Library Circulating GPS Units-- which one?

[netmom]

Hi, we have a grant to buy around 10 geocache-friendly GPS units that will circulate to the public. The price point I am looking at is about $150 per unit. I could get less units and spend a little bit more. We are also going to use these units to place several geocaches in our area, so need an easy way to locate where we are hiding them. (Yes, we're n00bs. )

 

Here is what I am looking for:

--accuracy

--extremely intuitive, people are not going to want to have to read a manual to use these very basic units.

--having the capability to store a few pre-programmed cache locations would be a plus, we would enter these for the patrons in advance. Anything else they wanted to use it for could be manual, I'm not going to circulate computer cables with these units.

-- I think buttons would be better than touch screens for the public, but I could be dissuaded. Public does tend to break things. :-)

 

I know the new etrex units are coming out third quarter but I have to order these within 30 days and get up and running in 60 days.

 

Garmin support suggested Vista H, or 60csx, but latter unit doesn't get good reviews on the INTUITIVE side.

Paperless would be great for a personal unit, but I don't think I need it for the public application we have in mind.

On the other hand the Geomate seems like a toy.

 

Thoughts?

 

Jean Polly

Liverpool Public Library, Liverpool, NY

[+Chrysalides]

I'd agree with the buttons vs. touch screen for durability, though I'd like to point out that touch screen units are more intuitive.

 

I would not recommend a 60csx. Despite being discontinued, it is still rather expensive and many other units offer a much better value for money.

 

If your purpose is mainly geocaching, you may want to try out the paperless Magellan eXplorist GC ($150 or less). However, I do not know about its suitability as a general purpose unit.

 

I'm surprised that Garmin did not recommend the non-paperless eTrex Venture HC (~$120). It's a color unit that's quite straightforward to use. The problem with the eTrex and GPSMap series is that you will need to at least read a sheet to figure out what button does what.

 

Since a GPS receiver is made for a number of usage scenario, you may want to customize your instructions regarding how you intend it to be used. If you don't, you'll probably end up with something as incomprehensible as Garmin's manuals

 

Garmin has some interesting low end (MSRP $200) paperless eTrex models coming out in (according to Garmin) "3rd quarter of 2011".

 

Best of luck. Wish our local libraries have this kind of budget. They have trouble staying open as it is.

 

Edit to add a few thoughts:

 

1. The Geomate is a toy

2. I highly recommend putting screen protectors on these units

3. With Garmin units (at least with eTrex and Oregon), you can customize the main menu so that only the commonly used choices are visible. Makes it much easier to use.

4. If you're considering a touchscreen model, the Dakota 10 is the least expensive.

Edited June 6, 2011 by Chrysalides

[+coggins]

Garmin support suggested Vista H, or 60csx...

Garmin has just announced the new eTrex line: http://sites.garmin.com/etrex/

 

The eTrex 10 would be a better choice over the eTrex H

[+Chrysalides]

Garmin support suggested Vista H, or 60csx...

Garmin has just announced the new eTrex line: http://sites.garmin.com/etrex/

 

The eTrex 10 would be a better choice over the eTrex H

eTrex Vista H is very different from the eTrex H.

 

The Vista H appears to be a higher end unit (with compass and barometer).

[+coggins]

Garmin support suggested Vista H, or 60csx...

Garmin has just announced the new eTrex line: http://sites.garmin.com/etrex/

 

The eTrex 10 would be a better choice over the eTrex H

eTrex Vista H is very different from the eTrex H.

 

The Vista H appears to be a higher end unit (with compass and barometer).

missed the Vista part, you should try reading this forum on an iPhone, after the last update to the forum, you can't expand the pages...

[+Chrysalides]

missed the Vista part, you should try reading this forum on an iPhone, after the last update to the forum, you can't expand the pages...

Though, I should have mentioned that your statement is still accurate (the eTrex 10 will be more suitable than the Vista H). I don't think Garmin Support provided good advice. Maybe the library can contact Garmin PR instead?

 

I'm not sure what kind of time pressure the library is under though. Sometimes, with these kind of money, it is use it now or lose it.

[jholly]

another thought, you can take accuracy off the list. All consumer grade GPS units have pretty much the same accuracy. I would suggest a unit with a USB interface for loading waypoints. The low end etrex uses an expensive serial cable and serial interfaces are problematic with newer computers. The low end Dakotas is probably worth considering, but they are pricey. The Garmin Venture HC might be worth considering along with the Vista H. I would not get hung up on data card slots and just about all of them will hold 500 waypoints. I can't speak about Magellan since I have never used one.

[+hukilaulau]

What a great thing to do! I hope more libraries start doing this.

I'm not going to suggest a gps since I use a 5 year old magellan Explorist 500 and I know nothing about newer units.

I do want to suggest that whatever you get, have someone learn to use it and then write your own manual for just the basic functions to get the caches you are going to place and a few that you are going to preload.

The argument in favor of an sd card is that if you run into trouble connecting to a computer with a cable, there is an easy workaround using an sd card. That's all I got!

[+Chrysalides]

The argument in favor of an sd card is that if you run into trouble connecting to a computer with a cable, there is an easy workaround using an sd card. That's all I got!

It's one more thing that could go missing though. I'm in favor of fewer removable parts. Other than the risk of it being stolen, you'll also have to worry about it getting lost accidentally. Once I found my memory card on the floor - it dropped out when I was changing batteries.

[+ecanderson]

The argument in favor of an sd card is that if you run into trouble connecting to a computer with a cable, there is an easy workaround using an sd card. That's all I got!

It's one more thing that could go missing though. I'm in favor of fewer removable parts. Other than the risk of it being stolen, you'll also have to worry about it getting lost accidentally. Once I found my memory card on the floor - it dropped out when I was changing batteries.

Amen to that. I lost a ton of Birdseye images on the uSD card in my Oregon 450 a few weeks back during a battery change. Good thing you found yours. I was 'in the field' and not so lucky.

 

It sounds as though the OP's 'customers' will be doing 'introductory' geocaching with these units. Unless they will all be punching in coordinates for each cache manually, there's also the issue of loading *.gpx data to these units. That, in turn, means 1) pre-loading everything in the area - and that will inconveniently include found caches for regular 'customers', or 2) having to load data on a common machine at the library where an application is available to users - and they'll have to learn how to use the application, or 4) assisting users in moving *.gpx to units that will accept that data directly, or 5) cutting these 'customer's loose with a USB cable that might expose key files in the units to deletion, or ... all in all, something that is going to require some management by the library staff. Even with home use, a user would need Garmin Communicator loaded even to move the *.loc files across as a non-premium member.

Edited June 6, 2011 by ecanderson

[+CacheFreakTim]

Hi, we have a grant to buy around 10 geocache-friendly GPS units that will circulate to the public. The price point I am looking at is about $150 per unit. I could get less units and spend a little bit more. We are also going to use these units to place several geocaches in our area, so need an easy way to locate where we are hiding them. (Yes, we're n00bs. )

 

Here is what I am looking for:

--accuracy

--extremely intuitive, people are not going to want to have to read a manual to use these very basic units.

--having the capability to store a few pre-programmed cache locations would be a plus, we would enter these for the patrons in advance. Anything else they wanted to use it for could be manual, I'm not going to circulate computer cables with these units.

-- I think buttons would be better than touch screens for the public, but I could be dissuaded. Public does tend to break things. :-)

 

I know the new etrex units are coming out third quarter but I have to order these within 30 days and get up and running in 60 days.

 

Garmin support suggested Vista H, or 60csx, but latter unit doesn't get good reviews on the INTUITIVE side.

Paperless would be great for a personal unit, but I don't think I need it for the public application we have in mind.

On the other hand the Geomate seems like a toy.

 

Thoughts?

 

Jean Polly

Liverpool Public Library, Liverpool, NY

 

When I hear the words "extremely intuitive" I immediately rule out many of the GPS units that are out there right now. While nerds like us can figure them out "regular people" will not want to learn how to use many older GPS units because of the learning curve.

 

Personally for that price I would recommend either waiting for the etrex 10, but if you cannot do that go for the Magellan GC or the Dakota 10. The Dakota 10 lists for much more than $150 but every once in awhile I have seen it go on sale for $150. Both of those units are simple to use and are also paperless and accurate enough to Geocache with.

[BBH]

Bass Pro has Legend HCx units on sale for $139, and the same unit with TOPO us and a case for $169.