Help With My 1st GPS Unit

[+lagerlout666]

Hi cachers, im looking to buy my 1st gps receiver and would like some help with all the mumbo jumbo tec stuff,

I use the Iphone app and have found 153 but the battery is not very good other than that its great.

I think i want 1 that does Paperless caching so i have all i need when im out also i think this means i can download to the devise without a usb cable (correct me if im wrong)

I would like 1 with a strong antena as im in scotland some signals can get weak the futher north you go.

Would like a colour screen, and good maps im unsure about loading my own maps (never done it)

Also good battery life.

2nd hand is also an option if anybody is selling.

I have a bubget of £200 but dont really want to spend that as i dont know that much about them.

Any help or info would be helpfull.

 

Thanks very much and happy caching.

[+akkatracker]

Look out for the New montana's coming out in September

[+mpilchfamily]

Signal strength isn't going to be a problem just because your so far north. The GPS sats are positioned in a way that you can get a good signal from several sats no matter where you are on the planet.

 

Most units come with a very basic map that only gives you major roadways. If you want better maps you'll have to buy them or find them for free online. Either way you'll learn how to load them. Garmin units seem to have the best options when it comes to free maps. If you can wait a month or 2 the new Garmin eTrex line will be coming out. They are well priced, color screen and have paperless caching. They will be great units for people on a budget.

 

Most hand held units will have far better battery life then your phone.

[+Hemorrhage]

The new Garmin Montana's do look very nice but I don't think they would fit within your budget at £380- £490 ($550- $700). I would suggest the Garmin GPSMAP 62. You can get the base model without maps around £210 ($300) and it would cover all the features you are looking for with excellent reception, color screen, and paperless caching. The only downside with the base model is you would have to load your own maps, but there are many free maps out there and I think you will find its actually quite easy and worth the money you will save. As far as loading caches wirelessly, you can send and receive them wirelessly to and from another unit with this one, but to the best of my knowledge there aren't any units that can load points from a computer wirelessly

[+toil&trouble]

I would strongly suggest the Garmin Oregon or Dakota series. I have an Oregon 300, comes with all the maps you needs, paperless caching works great, and since it's been out for awhile, the prices have come way down. You will need to connect the device to your computer via USB to load caches, I don't know of any GPS that can transfer files wirelessly, but its really easy. We added City Navigator, (preloaded to a micro SD card) so the Oregon will give us turn by turn directions on the road, it certainly makes getting from cache to cache much easier. We us the Oregon along with the iPhone, and the combination works great. We've found the Oregon to be more accurate and update location faster than the iPhone, and we don't have to depend on a cell signal to find caches. Good luck and enjoy.

[team tisri]

Hi cachers, im looking to buy my 1st gps receiver and would like some help with all the mumbo jumbo tec stuff,

I use the Iphone app and have found 153 but the battery is not very good other than that its great.

I think i want 1 that does Paperless caching so i have all i need when im out also i think this means i can download to the devise without a usb cable (correct me if im wrong)

I would like 1 with a strong antena as im in scotland some signals can get weak the futher north you go.

Would like a colour screen, and good maps im unsure about loading my own maps (never done it)

Also good battery life.

2nd hand is also an option if anybody is selling.

I have a bubget of £200 but dont really want to spend that as i dont know that much about them.

Any help or info would be helpfull.

 

Thanks very much and happy caching.

 

Whatever GPS you get you'll need a USB cable to transfer data to it. Paperless support means the device can display the cache information, so you don't need printouts of everything. It's nice to have but if you've got a smartphone (such as the iphone you mention) and don't mind using two devices you can get the paperless functionality that way.

 

Loading your own maps from talkytoaster's site is simple, anyone who uses them can talk you through it. Most handheld GPS units will give you a full day's caching on a set of batteries although if you use the backlight it will drain them faster.

 

The Montana will break your budget without a doubt. The 62 series might just fit, or you could look for an Oregon or Dakota. If you don't mind losing the paperless functionality you could pick up a used 60CSx within your budget. The 60CSx was pretty much the benchmark GPS unit until it was replaced by the 62 series and even then the first question seemed to be whether the 62 was a worthy successor to the 60CSx.

[+StClairC]

Yea, if you go for an older unit BE SURE that has a USB connection. I have an old Etrex Vista that I still use that only connects via Serial port, so I have to fire up my 7-year old PC any time I want to load caches onto there.