GPS on a budget - what is the cheapest GPS for geocaching

[+splashandfluke]

Hi we've been geocaching from memory of the multimap birds eye view back home, and just upgraded to using an OS map - having fun and wondered what is the cheapest and most basic GPS - that will confirm that we are in the right spot, any advice much appreciated thanks B

 

I did see this mini gps

Edited June 28, 2011 by splashandfluke

[+splashandfluke]

is this the most basic cheapest GPS you can buy ?

 

Hi we've been geocaching from memory of the multimap birds eye view back home, and just upgraded to using an OS map - having fun and wondered what is the cheapest and most basic GPS - that will confirm that we are in the right spot, any advice much appreciated thanks

[+insx]

The etrex is perfectly adequate but it's clearly not the most basic cheapest GPS receiver you can buy. The one in your first post wins hands down.

[+splashandfluke]

The etrex is perfectly adequate but it's clearly not the most basic cheapest GPS receiver you can buy. The one in your first post wins hands down.

 

Would that one do geaocaching the first one the mini GPS ?

, I added that one in editing the original post after I replied about the etrex

[+insx]

I think it would be fun to try. It seems to have the correct features for basic geocaching, as far as I can tell you can enter coordinates and it gives you direction and distance to those coordinates. I would expect the accuracy to be poor like it was when I used a keychain GPS receiver together with my old phone. When I say poor, I mean that it would get me to within 10 metres but then jump around a lot.

[+splashandfluke]

someone told me I would need one £300- £400 for geocaching - but as Garmin Etrex H Navigation System is £55 at Go outdoors, it seems I was misinformed, phew !!!

 

Any other suggestions of good but cheap GPS - I think maybe the keychain one from reviews may be a no go

 

I think it would be fun to try. It seems to have the correct features for basic geocaching, as far as I can tell you can enter coordinates and it gives you direction and distance to those coordinates. I would expect the accuracy to be poor like it was when I used a keychain GPS receiver together with my old phone. When I say poor, I mean that it would get me to within 10 metres but then jump around a lot.

Edited June 28, 2011 by splashandfluke

[+insx]

There are so many different ways to approach geocaching. If you want to go fully paperless with just a GPS receiver, you will need one that will store a load of caches, display the notes and do mapping. For that, you probably will need to spend £300 - £400. (Alternatively, you can use a smart phone with an app for a lot less). At the other end of the scale, the basic etrex is fine for entering coordinates and navigating to them. If I wanted a proper GPS receiver, I wouldn't be looking at anything cheaper than the etrex. Personally, I use my android phone (and carry a spare battery).

Edited June 28, 2011 by insx

[+insx]

By the way, you can also upload coordinates to the etrex H via a cable (sold separately).

Edited June 28, 2011 by insx

[+Chief301]

By the way, you can also upload coordinates to the etrex H via a cable (sold separately).

 

The basic etrex h that the OP referred to will do fine but as you say, you will need to buy an additional serial port cable (assuming you have a computer that still has a serial port) to download caches to the unit. The cable is a bit pricey. You can buy one of the next cheaper units in the etrex line (i have the Legend, for example) and it will have a USB cable included.

 

You can still enter coordinates manually of course, but if you get into this at all you'll appreciatee the ability to download them from your computer.

Edited June 29, 2011 by Chief301

[+insx]

speedydelivery.co.uk appears to be selling a cable for £4.95, although I would make sure it is actually a USB to serial cable before buying. I bought such a cable for someone a couple of years back. IIRC it was about £12.

[+splashandfluke]

Thank you so much for the advice, really helpful, I think I'll go to a shop where I can see some etrex in action, so I can see what else a GPS will do, as totally new to this.

[+insx]

What type of phone do you have? It might be worth considering a geocaching app for it.

[+CacheFreakTim]

Even more inexpensive than the etrex is the Geomate Jr. It comes preloaded with 250,000 geocaches and costs around $50 on Amazon right now. Believe it or not the Geomate is actually really accurate and works out great for kids because its really durable. It is worth checking out. The basic etrex might have more features but I think the Geomate is better suited for Geocaching.

[+ecanderson]

To be of ongoing use, the Geomate Jr will require the "update kit" for US$25 as well. It lacks a couple of features that I believe make the eTrex H a better choice.

[+CacheFreakTim]

To be of ongoing use, the Geomate Jr will require the "update kit" for US$25 as well. It lacks a couple of features that I believe make the eTrex H a better choice.

 

The eTrex H also needs a USB cable (unless you want to enter the coords by hand) and it does not come with one either. In both cases your gonna spend $15-$25.

[+ecanderson]

 

The eTrex H also needs a USB cable (unless you want to enter the coords by hand) and it does not come with one either.

That was pointed out in an earlier post, Tim, along with prices and possible sources. My objective was to point out that it was true for the model you mentioned as well.

[+insx]

Judging by splashandfluke's links, he is in the UK. The Geomate Jr certainly sounds like good value, but is it available and of any use over here?

[+splashandfluke]

Thanks all, I looked at the geomate but Yes i'm in the UK and don't think they have a version for us.

My phone is an very old nokia brick type phone so don't think that will do it, did look at getting a phone that would, but looks like you have to pay monthly geo software subscription for that.

 

I don't think my dell studio laptop has a serial port, it's pretty new and has USB and HDMI connections

Edited June 30, 2011 by splashandfluke

[+ShaunEM]

Why is no one talking about used GPS. You can get one for virtually free. Other people want to go high end and paperless. You can get their hand-me-down that more than suits your needs.

[+insx]

You don't need to pay a subscription for most apps. I use an android phone and Georg. It does work much better if you have a premium membership to GC.com so that you can download pocket queries but it isn't essential. There are lots of other android apps available and apps for most other smartphones too.

[+eusty]

The problem with using a smartphone is you realise you need a GPSr...that was my experience! Stick to your original plan and get a GPSr...find one which will do paperless caching

[+insx]

I'm in my 3rd year of caching with a smartphone (also on my 3rd smartphone). The only reason I would buy a dedicated receiver would be for (much) better battery life. Apart from that, the phone is great and considering I have a phone already, I can do paperless caching for £5 (app) + $30 per year (premium membership) rather than several hundred pounds for a high end GPSr.

[+splashandfluke]

Thanks all The Garmin Etrex H is £49.29 at Go outdoors at the mo, so think my Mum may go for that

[+coggins]

To be of ongoing use, the Geomate Jr will require the "update kit" for US$25 as well. It lacks a couple of features that I believe make the eTrex H a better choice.

 

The eTrex H also needs a USB cable (unless you want to enter the coords by hand) and it does not come with one either. In both cases your gonna spend $15-$25.

The eTrex H uses a serial cable not an USB and needs a serial cable, you wont need a USB adaptor if you have a computer with a serial port。

[+CacheFreakTim]

To be of ongoing use, the Geomate Jr will require the "update kit" for US$25 as well. It lacks a couple of features that I believe make the eTrex H a better choice.

 

The eTrex H also needs a USB cable (unless you want to enter the coords by hand) and it does not come with one either. In both cases your gonna spend $15-$25.

The eTrex H uses a serial cable not an USB and needs a serial cable, you wont need a USB adaptor if you have a computer with a serial port。

 

I haven't seen any computers sold in the last 5 years with serial ports. I wonder if any modern computer even has one anymore. I even just checked my work computer that is super old with a pentium 4 and it doesn't even have one.

[+splashandfluke]

We popped down and bought the Etrex H from go outdoors, haven't switched it on yet, so we can take it back if it's not right, just reading through the manual, and I am confused about how you enter waypoints. My Pc hasn't got a serial port, so planning to just enter them manually, but the manual seem to be giving an option for marking a point where I am as a waypoint.

 

But what I will need to do, is put in the northings and westings of the cache, so I need to check if the etrex H will do that before I switch it on, and make it unreturnable ? Anyone used an Etrex H?

[+Bear and Ragged]

Usually "Mark" your position, then edit it to what you want, Is the quick an easy way .

[+insx]

Usually "Mark" your position, then edit it to what you want, Is the quick an easy way .

 

I have used the etrex, it's not very obvious or intuitive but you can set multiple waypoints through the "mark" process as Bear and Ragged says. So there's nothing stopping you setting these before you set out.

[+ecanderson]

We popped down and bought the Etrex H from go outdoors, haven't switched it on yet, so we can take it back if it's not right, just reading through the manual, and I am confused about how you enter waypoints. My Pc hasn't got a serial port, so planning to just enter them manually, but the manual seem to be giving an option for marking a point where I am as a waypoint.

 

But what I will need to do, is put in the northings and westings of the cache, so I need to check if the etrex H will do that before I switch it on, and make it unreturnable ? Anyone used an Etrex H?

Marking a waypoint is a matter of using "Mark Waypoint". Then you navigate to that waypoint. However, I noted that you talk about 'northings' and 'westings'. We don't see that pair of expressions much - usually "northing" and "easting" -- but regardless -- your new eTrex is capable of having coordinates entered in several different formats, including UTM and the Ord Survey styles, so if you've got a cache that's not in our usual DD MM.MMM format, that's OK.

 

You'll quickly tire of entering points manually. Cables like this one http://www.rnrplace.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=34 are readily available here, and there as well no doubt. These handle both the connection to the eTrex and the serial to USB conversion issue.

[+coggins]

To be of ongoing use, the Geomate Jr will require the "update kit" for US$25 as well. It lacks a couple of features that I believe make the eTrex H a better choice.

 

The eTrex H also needs a USB cable (unless you want to enter the coords by hand) and it does not come with one either. In both cases your gonna spend $15-$25.

The eTrex H uses a serial cable not an USB and needs a serial cable, you wont need a USB adaptor if you have a computer with a serial port。

 

I haven't seen any computers sold in the last 5 years with serial ports. I wonder if any modern computer even has one anymore. I even just checked my work computer that is super old with a pentium 4 and it doesn't even have one.

My brand new Panasonic Toughbook has an RS-232 DE9 com port, so they're on current models. I guess you and I shop at different suppliers。

[+splashandfluke]

Thank you, I'll look into getting one of those cables in the UK, if Mum does get fed up entering the co-ordinates manually, as no my laptop is serial port less, unless you count the firewire port, thank you so much everyone for helping me help my Mum buy a GPS.

[+ecanderson]

My brand new Panasonic Toughbook has an RS-232 DE9 com port, so they're on current models. I guess you and I shop at different suppliers。

Your brand new Panasonic Toughbook was engineered as a potential drop-in replacement for one of the many older Toughbook models where it's critical that they still be able to manage legacy serial products. You wouldn't believe how often stuff like old serially connect bar code readers are still being used on replacement Toughbook gear. But once you stray from these ... The majority of consumer notebooks and netbooks these days have (sadly) dropped the serial port. It was always a handy "least common denominator", and even at 115.2K, would handle a lot of jobs well enough. Now the least common denominator seems to be USB.