TheBigRedBeard Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Hi guys. I'm having a (probably user related) problem with my GPS unit. I went out to find an easy cache. I was unable to find it. When I got home, I put the coordinates into google earth and found that google earth showed the coordinates to be approximately 50 meters off straight east from where my unit was taking me. I have my unit set to NAD 83 map datum. I'm using a Garmin etrex venture. Suggestions? Red Quote Link to comment
TheBigRedBeard Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Ummm, errr... nevermind. I just realized I entered the coordinates into my unit incorrectly. Quote Link to comment
+redwoodkestrel Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 (edited) Also, you'll want to have your coordinates in WGS 84 datum, since that's what the geocaching.com site uses. NAD83 is almost identical, but better safe than sorry! Edited July 24, 2013 by redwoodkestrel Quote Link to comment
+Cardinal Red Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 (edited) Hi guys. I'm having a (probably user related) problem with my GPS unit. I went out to find an easy cache. I was unable to find it. When I got home, I put the coordinates into google earth and found that google earth showed the coordinates to be approximately 50 meters off straight east from where my unit was taking me. I have my unit set to NAD 83 map datum. I'm using a Garmin etrex venture. Suggestions? Red Why does everyone assume Google earth is infallible? You have been away from GPS usage for 7 years? You have a 3/3 micro on your Found list. Not to shabby. What GPS did you use to find that one? Technically, the Geocaching standard Datum is WGS-84, but there is virtually no difference between the two. That is not the problem. Are you using the hddmm.mmm Format? How did the coordinates get entered into the GPS. Via download cable or manually. You looked at the coords on the GPS, and they match the coords listed on the cache page? Go look for a size Regular, low Difficulty cache and see if you are directed to the right spot. Edited July 24, 2013 by Cardinal Red Quote Link to comment
TheBigRedBeard Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Why does everyone assume Google earth is infallible? You have been away from GPS usage for 7 years? You have a 3/3 micro on your Found list. Not to shabby. What GPS did you use to find that one? Technically, the Geocaching standard Datum is WGS-84, but there is virtually no difference between the two. That is not the problem. Are you using the hddmm.mmm Format? How did the coordinates get entered into the GPS. Via download cable or manually. You looked at the coords on the GPS, and they match the coords listed on the cache page? Go look for a size Regular, low Difficulty cache and see if you are directed to the right spot. I used a Garmin GPSMap78 that I had access to through my college program when we were taking a GPS course. I did a bit of caching then but didn't keep going with it. I have an 8 year old son now and we're starting back up. I borrowed the etrex from a buddy to see if it's something that my son is interested in before I buy my own. And to answer your first question, it's not so much that I felt the Google Earth is infallible, I just knew something wasn't right with where I was searching. It didn't match up with the description so I checked both Google and the Geocaching map program as a trouble shooting aide. They both showed the same area. I was sure I was way off. Turns out, it was a user input problem. Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going to find this one tomorrow! Quote Link to comment
Dwychwder Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Newcomer here, and I just got the Garmin GPSMAP 62s. Still not sure how to use it. So I understand your user-error problems. Good luck. Quote Link to comment
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