+TheBirrers Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 My husband and I have been using the geocaching app for iphone and really enjoy it! However, if you are not caching in the city where there are obvious targets it doesn't get you closer than 100 feet. It really hasn't been that big of a deal because we use the sat. map and can actually count the parking spaces or the light poles from above with the areal photo map. Recently we started doing more trails and woods caches and not being able to get within 100 feet is to say the least ANOYING! We have been looking at the Garmin Dakota 20 and saw that the reviews range from 1 start to 5. That's a big gap. We do not need this gps unit to navigate us in the car/roads as we have the garmin nuvi for that. So I see that it doesn't come with maps?! I'm confused...I saw where you can download maps, but you have to pay for them? So is this just a shell that you pay another $100 for maps for? I don't understand what I'm reading in the reviews and on garmin.com They all seem to be beating around the bush as to what is included and what you will have to pay for. We are a military family and will be moving about every 2/3 years. We do not want to pay for one part of the country only to need another part in a few years. Do you have to do this with all units? If so then it's not as big of a deal i suppose. Sorry to make this so long but any help/clarification would be helpful!! Anyone have this? Quote Link to comment
+GrammiS and Bill Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 My husband and I have been using the geocaching app for iphone and really enjoy it! However, if you are not caching in the city where there are obvious targets it doesn't get you closer than 100 feet. It really hasn't been that big of a deal because we use the sat. map and can actually count the parking spaces or the light poles from above with the areal photo map. Recently we started doing more trails and woods caches and not being able to get within 100 feet is to say the least ANOYING! We have been looking at the Garmin Dakota 20 and saw that the reviews range from 1 start to 5. That's a big gap. We do not need this gps unit to navigate us in the car/roads as we have the garmin nuvi for that. So I see that it doesn't come with maps?! I'm confused...I saw where you can download maps, but you have to pay for them? So is this just a shell that you pay another $100 for maps for? I don't understand what I'm reading in the reviews and on garmin.com They all seem to be beating around the bush as to what is included and what you will have to pay for. We are a military family and will be moving about every 2/3 years. We do not want to pay for one part of the country only to need another part in a few years. Do you have to do this with all units? If so then it's not as big of a deal i suppose. Sorry to make this so long but any help/clarification would be helpful!! Anyone have this? Quote Link to comment
snowfleurys Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 There are free topo maps (near 24k quality) available at gpsfiledepot. They do not have routing, address searching, nor 3D views, but you may not need/want these. Quote Link to comment
+GrammiS and Bill Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 My wife and I have used an eTrek H and found it OK. When one of input buttons failed while on a trip we picked up a Dakota-20 and really like it. It came with some maps, but like you we use the car mounted for road data and the -20 in a geocaching profile. It also lets you load queries containing many caches from an area or route. The only problem I have is when using my MacBook to send individual cache GPX data to the device. It indicates the file was written successfully, but when you try to bring it up on the devise it's not there. The queries load fine from the Apple. By the way, Garmin repaired the eTrek H under warrantee and we got it beck within 10 days. Quote Link to comment
+Davequal Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 My husband and I have been using the geocaching app for iphone and really enjoy it! However, if you are not caching in the city where there are obvious targets it doesn't get you closer than 100 feet. It really hasn't been that big of a deal because we use the sat. map and can actually count the parking spaces or the light poles from above with the areal photo map. Recently we started doing more trails and woods caches and not being able to get within 100 feet is to say the least ANOYING! We have been looking at the Garmin Dakota 20 and saw that the reviews range from 1 start to 5. That's a big gap. We do not need this gps unit to navigate us in the car/roads as we have the garmin nuvi for that. So I see that it doesn't come with maps?! I'm confused...I saw where you can download maps, but you have to pay for them? So is this just a shell that you pay another $100 for maps for? I don't understand what I'm reading in the reviews and on garmin.com They all seem to be beating around the bush as to what is included and what you will have to pay for. We are a military family and will be moving about every 2/3 years. We do not want to pay for one part of the country only to need another part in a few years. Do you have to do this with all units? If so then it's not as big of a deal i suppose. Sorry to make this so long but any help/clarification would be helpful!! Anyone have this? They come with free "base maps". No need to buy anything extra. Open the box pop in batteries, set it up the way yo want it. Go caching and enjoy. Quote Link to comment
+TheBirrers Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 Okay I don't know why I was making this so hard...I guess I didn't realize what base map meant. I also didn't realize there were free downloads elsewhere! Thanks! I figure we will give it a try. It had reception in the best buy store and located the cache at the walmart next door while still in the building. I know that sounds silly, but that alone almost won me over as any tree cover or even with 20 ft of a metal building and the phone poops out. Thanks for your help! I'll do a little more research tonight and probably go grab it tomorrow. At $279 + $30 for sat. maps like the iphone it sounded fairly reasonable to me. Would yall agree? Quote Link to comment
seldom_sn Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 (edited) At $279 + $30 for sat. maps like the iphone it sounded fairly reasonable to me. Would yall agree? Dakota's significantly less expensive than your quote on Amazon. Don't know what maps you are getting for $30. Again, on Amazon topos start around $60 and go up from there. Routable planimetric (no topo) maps start around $55. Edited March 19, 2012 by seldom_sn Quote Link to comment
+TheBirrers Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) The price is for best buy and it's not a topo map but a sat. map from garmin.com I haven't looked at amazon...that's a great idea Edited March 20, 2012 by TheBirrers Quote Link to comment
seldom_sn Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 The price is for best buy and it's not a topo map but a sat. map from garmin.com I haven't looked at amazon...that's a great idea Garmin sells a Birdseye imagery subscription for $30. You realize that's like putting little bits of Google Earth satellite imagery into your GPSr? Nice to have, but not really a map. Depending what time of year the photos were taken could be good or bad. Say your area of interest is heavily wooded and the photos were taken in the summer. Could be you'll see nothing but treetops. Quote Link to comment
+TheBirrers Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 Thank you all for your help! You all brought so much to the table that is so useful for a newbie like me! I really appreciate it Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.