Is my Garmin Geko 301 good enough?

[Dr. B + Family]

Hi,

I bought my Garmin Geko 301 many years ago for hiking, but it never proved very useful since it doesn't have maps on, so unless I spent ages marking waypoint (which I sometimes did) it was mostly a glorified compass.

Anyway, I started geocaching last week and it seems to be very innacurate.

Apart from taking ages to locate satellites (and not at all if I am moving), the accuracy rarely gets less than 25ft and often is 125ft.

Following the compass has me going backwards and forwards as it jumps from 100ft ahead to 100ft behind.

Unless I have a good clue, I often don't know where to search.

So, is it just too old for this, is the newer technology more accurate?

Or do I just need to get better at using it?

[+keehotee]

Hi,

I bought my Garmin Geko 301 many years ago for hiking, but it never proved very useful since it doesn't have maps on, so unless I spent ages marking waypoint (which I sometimes did) it was mostly a glorified compass.

Anyway, I started geocaching last week and it seems to be very innacurate.

Apart from taking ages to locate satellites (and not at all if I am moving), the accuracy rarely gets less than 25ft and often is 125ft.

Following the compass has me going backwards and forwards as it jumps from 100ft ahead to 100ft behind.

Unless I have a good clue, I often don't know where to search.

So, is it just too old for this, is the newer technology more accurate?

Or do I just need to get better at using it?

 

Hi

 

I started with a Geko 201....and used it successfully for a couple of years.

Until relatively recently there were no mapping GPSes available for a reasonable price, so almost everybody I know used non-mapping GPSes with no problem When I did eventually upgrade (for the first time), it was to a pda with mapping software....and a cable connection to my Geko

 

The Geko is no less accurate than any GPS available today - it just isn't as sensitive, and will struggle to get a fix where newer models will manage - under trees, for example.

 

So I'd say persevere. New cachers will often struggle with whatever they're using until they find a few and improve their eye

[Dr. B + Family]

Thanks.

I have had a bit more success with it recently.

Probably just need to learn the skill of when to trust it and when not to

[+CacheFreakTim]

It is a basic unit and was very popular for a number of years. As with everything else in technology it has become antiquated and almost any unit you buy new today will have more features and be more accurate. If you find that it not accurate enough for you (and it sounds like it is at 125 ft.) then I would move to a newer unit.

[+aviatrix22]

My first GPS was the Geko 301. I used it for about three years and loved it and thought it was very accurate. I then finally switched to the 60 CSX and love it even better...it can hold more waypoints, give more information, holds satellites everywhere, including inside my house (very strong antennae)and can autoroute me to caches which really sold me, but the Geko was fine with me for quite a while. I think it depends on how much caching you plan on doing...I went for it big time and that is when I started upgrading.

[+keehotee]

It is a basic unit and was very popular for a number of years. As with everything else in technology it has become antiquated and almost any unit you buy new today will have more features and be more accurate. If you find that it not accurate enough for you (and it sounds like it is at 125 ft.) then I would move to a newer unit.

 

A new GPS will be no more accurate than the Geko. A newer civilian GPS will only be more sensitive.....

[Dr. B + Family]

After getting a bit more experience at using it for geocaching I think it may be the sensitivity I have an issue with.

Often it will only find 3 satellites and the location is all over the place.

When it does find 5 or more, things seem much better.

[+CacheFreakTim]

It is a basic unit and was very popular for a number of years. As with everything else in technology it has become antiquated and almost any unit you buy new today will have more features and be more accurate. If you find that it not accurate enough for you (and it sounds like it is at 125 ft.) then I would move to a newer unit.

 

A new GPS will be no more accurate than the Geko. A newer civilian GPS will only be more sensitive.....

 

Not according to Garmin. This is from their own site about the 301...

GPS Accuracy: <15 Meters (49ft)

 

As compared to a newer unit like the 62...

GPS Accuracy: < 33 ft. (10 m)

[+sbell111]

I used a geko for a couple of years as a backup unit. It's tiny size made it very convenient for urban caching and 'casual' caching as a secondary activity.