Accuracy going south

[+OlderNDirt49]

Hey all. Hoping you can help or provide some advice to keep my interest in geocaching alive.

 

I started 3 years ago with a Nuvi 500 (ok, stop giggling and hear me through). Originally, it worked well and approaching the geocache would accurately count down the distance, even to 0 feet in some cases. Towards the end of last year, my dnf's started adding up and the frustration of standing at ground zero and seeing nothing resembling a hiding spot for 20-30 feet in all directions. Then I find myself standing along a gravel road with the 500 saying to go 25' to the west and there is nothing there....no bushes, trees, fence, just a barren ditch and pasture. Looking east on the other side of the road (maybe 20' away), there at least is a fence and telephone poles with some weeds around the base. So I give it a look and sure enought, there it is. I am guessing at least 50' from where the 500 said I should look.

 

Dnf's keep piling up and I now pay closer attention to the accuracy. No luck on a couple 20'-30' bridges on gravel roads, in a grove of trees, or along a hedge row. I manage a couple finds where you can pretty much spot the cache before getting out of the car. Then I find myself along a chain link fence with a barren ditch on one side and a paved parking lot (no light poles) on the other, and sure enough, the unit points me 20+' to the middle of the ditch (I know it is not there cause the co says the cache is at eye level). My interest is fading and fun is draining away after another disappointment. I don't mind having to admit to a dnf now and then, but there has to be some confidence before heading out on a 60-80 mile round trip just to hunt one cache.

 

Sorry for going so far in depth to explain my problem, so will get to the question(s). Can/should the accuracy of the Nuvi 500 (or any unit for that matter) degrade over time? I've searched unsuccessfully to see if there is any kind of calibration for accuracy. Am I correct that there is none? And finally, is it time to spend some bucks for a high quality unit if I am going to take this hobby seriously?

 

Thanks for "listening" to my bit of a rant. All input appreciated.

[snowfleurys]

Could be a run of bad luck on satellite configurations.

 

Have you tested by going to some of the caches you did 3 years ago?

 

Are these older caches which would have been located with an older (less accurate) GPSr?

[+OlderNDirt49]

Could be a run of bad luck on satellite configurations.

 

Have you tested by going to some of the caches you did 3 years ago?

 

Are these older caches which would have been located with an older (less accurate) GPSr?

 

I did check a couple last year when first thinking I may have a problem and they zeroed in quite well, and yes, they were older caches. But thanks for the suggestion. I will go out and try a few more and a newer placement. Since I am rural, most I had problems with have not been hunted (or not logged as dnf). One has been found a couple times and comments indicate it was a "quick find", which I generally take with a grain of salt. Interesting thought though that my "problem hunts" have the same co. Will have to do more research on that. Thanks.