Is this GPS ok ?

[ZenForest]

Just learned about Geocaching. I have this old GPS I received as a gift. Its for marine use, but I figured I could use the basic features to get started finding my 1st few GeoCaches.

 

I have never used the thing but still have the manual. Think it is a 1996/97 model !! Any reason I cant make due w/ this ??

 

Never used a GPS before.....

Edited August 27, 2011 by ZenForest

[+ecanderson]

Just learned about Geocaching. I have this old GPS I received as a gift. Its for marine use, but I figured I could use the basic features to get started finding my 1st few GeoCaches.

 

I have never used the thing but still have the manual. Think it is a 1996/97 model !! Any reason I cant make due w/ this ??

 

Never used a GPS before.....

Wow! That's some dinosaur you have there!

 

It handles the WGS84 datum and produced coordinates in dd mm.mmm format, so in theory, it'll work. However, the 'accuracy' of these older units isn't as good as the new ones. You won't always get as close to a cache with that unit as you will something more recent. It certainly won't allow 'automated' loading of caches, so you'll be poking in coordinates by hand. But yes, it'll work. Once you have a few under your belt and have perhaps had a chance to cache with someone with a more recent unit, you'll be prowling the stores for something better!

[+Cardinal Red]

Just learned about Geocaching. I have this old GPS I received as a gift. Its for marine use, but I figured I could use the basic features to get started finding my 1st few GeoCaches.

 

I have never used the thing but still have the manual. Think it is a 1996/97 model !! Any reason I cant make due w/ this ??

 

Never used a GPS before.....

Just looked through the manual. It seems to have all the basic features necessary to find Geocaches. The number one question I would have about a unit that old is receiver sensitivity. Under heavy tree cover I would expect reception to be somewhat spotty. Try it out first on a few local urban caches under a fairly open sky. If you become a serious Geocacher, it won't be long before you are ready to upgrade.

[jholly]

It works fine. Under heavy tree cover it sort of suck, and the compass does not work unless your moving. So at a slow walk or standing still you match the numbers, or walk around to triangulate. Other than that it works just fine and is about as accurate as the newer models. Of course it is a bit of a battery pig.

[+splashy]

Do you have a matching cable to connect to the computer?

You can use Easygps to get the caches in the gps, nothing wrong with the gps by the way.

[+ecanderson]

Do you have a matching cable to connect to the computer?

You can use Easygps to get the caches in the gps, nothing wrong with the gps by the way.

No driver to do it right off the cache pages though, right? So with EasyGPS, he'll also be needing a premium membership to pull down PQs. I think....

[ZenForest]

thanks for the feedback......!

yes its a dinosaur alright. in fact i think it was produced the 1st day the internet came out......so no cables/computer hook ups that I can see. its in great shape however, (never taken out of box till today).

 

Has a "highway/compass steering guidance" feature that looks like it might get me to my 1st few caches.

 

And yes......your right.....at some point, I would love to grab a more modern GPS.......but for now......will see how this works. Just got batteries for it, and Hurricane Irene is almost on top of us.......so plenty of time to learn how to use it !!

 

Always nice to put a gift to use, even if its 15 years later !!

 

EDIT: LOL.....after reading page 1.....I now understand that being stuck inside a building in a hurricane is not the ideal way to begin using a GPS. Guess I will just read the manual till it gets sunny again

Edited August 27, 2011 by ZenForest