Geocaching GPS

[+rangercarol]

We have been using an Iphone5 with the Groundspeak app for about one year. It works fine although it is not always as accurate as one would like. I am thinking about a new Garmin 64ST but I would like to be assured that it can do everything the Iphone can do only better. Any recommendations?

 

Rangercarol

[+Mineral2]

No GPS (except maybe the Garmin Montana) can do everything the iPhone can.

 

GPS receivers are inherently offline tools. To load data onto them, you must connect them to another device, usually a full fledged computer, but there are ways to connect to your tablet or even phone to transfer data over. The point is, unlike your phone, which can be used to discover and find caches on the fly, you have to plan ahead with a GPS to load geocaches and maps for the area you are going to be in. It also means that when you're done for the day, you have to manually log all of your finds on the website. The GPS does store field notes which can be imported, but it's still a manual process unlike the app which logs your finds in real time.

 

Will a Garmin 64st be more accurate than your iPhone 5? That's hard to say. The GPS chips in modern smartphones are as good as the ones in consumer GPS receivers. Plus you get the added benefit of location triangulation from cell towers and wifi. So I don't know that your location on a map will be any more accurate using a Garmin. All GPS receivers, standalone or smartphone, have some degree of error, and you're combining the current reading with the error associated with the posted coordinates from the Cache Owner's device. So, don't be disappointed if you buy a garmin and it doesn't put you right on top of a cache. You'll always get close enough and have to put down your device to make the final search.

 

So... what are the benefits of buying a Garmin?

 

1. Durability. You can drop it in a stream or a rock and it won't break.

2. Battery life. When your batteries go dead, just pop in a new pair.

3. Offline. When you go out of cell service, your device still works. Granted, you can download maps and data to your iphone for offline use, but combined with 1 & 2, a GPS has its advantage if you cache in the forest away from civilization. If you cache in town or from roads, then there's not really an advantage. But a GPS is fun to play with.

Edited December 16, 2015 by mineral2

[+luvvinbird]

We have been using an Iphone5 with the Groundspeak app for about one year. It works fine although it is not always as accurate as one would like. I am thinking about a new Garmin 64ST but I would like to be assured that it can do everything the Iphone can do only better. Any recommendations?

 

Rangercarol

Well, clearly, there's one thing your iphone will do that the 64st won't, and that is logging your find while in the field. However, my trusty eTrex 30 is my GPS receiver of choice as I can always see the screen even in the brightest sunshine. I trust it's accuracy, too, although locating urban caches with either device appears similar. The 64 is waterproof to a point and much more rugged with better battery life than your iphone. I would certainly go with the 64 if out in the bush under a heavy canopy. Otherwise, personal choice.

[+msrubble]

We have been using an Iphone5 with the Groundspeak app for about one year. It works fine although it is not always as accurate as one would like. I am thinking about a new Garmin 64ST but I would like to be assured that it can do everything the Iphone can do only better.

 

Which app? Free or paid?

 

The main thing that the Garmin GPSMAP 64st will not do that the iPhone does is connect to the Web. And the corollary of that is that the 64st can't grab live information about nearby geocaches on the fly. You have to plan ahead. But you already have a phone and app you could use as a backup if you found yourself in an area that might have geocaches you hadn't downloaded information on in advance.

 

It comes with hundreds of thousands of caches preloaded, but the information will certainly be out of date.

 

Also, if you have the paid app, the Garmin will not log trackables in the field.

 

This Garmin model is not a touchscreen. It doesn't have a built-in camera.

 

The dedicated GPS is more rugged (designed for the outdoors), should give you better battery life, and doesn't chew up your mobile data plan. It takes a very common battery size.

 

If touchscreen is important, you could look at the Garmin Montana (expensive) or Oregon lines. Some have a built-in camera. Some take satellite imagery, but at an extra cost.

[+geodarts]

We have been using an Iphone5 with the Groundspeak app for about one year. It works fine although it is not always as accurate as one would like. I am thinking about a new Garmin 64ST but I would like to be assured that it can do everything the Iphone can do only better. Any recommendations?

 

I used my iPhone 5 in challenging conditions - narrow canyons and forests - and I found its accuracy was generally as good as my Garmin 62s or Oregon 600. Sometimes it got me closer to the cache - sometimes not - but regardless of the unit, the accuracy of a consumer grade gpsr or phone is a term of art. Particularly for this game, the most accurate gpsr is only as accurate as the coordinates and subject to various factors. Even if one model or device is slightly more accurate than another, the degree that you notice it while caching may not necessarily be what you expect. Either the iPhone or gpsr will get you where you want to go, but that is generally where the search begins.

 

Whether a dedicated gpsr can do everything the phone can do - or do it better - depends on the app you use, how you cache, what you want either device to do.

 

I would not use most gpsr units to read long descriptions, look at the graphics on a cache page, do an earthcache, complete a Wherigo, take or edit photos, or give me voice routing to a cache. My phone handles all those things, and the caching app I use gives me a lot of flexibility with routing, mapping, and offline use.

 

On the other hand, the gpsr will get you to the cache, allow you to read most descriptions or hints, and record field notes that can be uploaded to a computer or your phone for logging purposes. It's screen resolution cannot approach the phone, but some find it to be more readable in the sun.

 

Don't expect the gpsr to be the same as your phone, or your phone to be the same as a gpsr. But if you find yourself wanting something other than your phone, then the gpsr may serve you well. The two can be a great combination.

 

I use my caching app to filter various searches and manage the caches I might want to find. With the app (and small connecting device) I can transfer the results to the gpsr in the field. I may choose to use the gpsr when hiking, biking, or kayaking, but still reach for the phone to read the description or look at cache page photos. I have several maps on my gpsr (the T is not necessary with many free or open source maps available), but even while hiking with the garmin, I sometimes turn to the offline maps on my phone.

 

I ended up dropping my iphone 5 into shallow water, and now have an iPhone 6 that I usually keep in a dry bag. On the other hand I once dropped a Garmin Colorado on a trail and shattered its screen (even with a screen protector), had the buttons on my 62s wear thin, and now use the 600 (which I like a lot).

 

In the end, I do 90 percent or more of my caching with the phone and have taken trips where I did not not use my gpsr at all to find caches, so another device certainly is not necessary. But there are some situations where I prefer to use a gpsr and it can be nice to have.

Edited December 16, 2015 by geodarts

[+rangercarol]

Thanks to all who took the time to share their experiences with me. Before I saw these responses, I bought an Oregon 650, on sale, and had been playing with it. I am stunned to see how crude the map is; practically useless for geocaching. I guess that Garmin's marketing strategy is to force us to buy maps.

 

rangercarol

 

After spending about 8 hours playing with our new Oregon and downloading and trying maps from both recommended sites, we decided that it just wasn't what we expected. Therefore, we are going to return it and stick with an Iphone.

 

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions.

 

rangercarol

Edited December 21, 2015 by rangercarol

[+noncentric]

Thanks to all who took the time to share their experiences with me. Before I saw these responses, I bought an Oregon 650, on sale, and had been playing with it. I am stunned to see how crude the map is; practically useless for geocaching. I guess that Garmin's marketing strategy is to force us to buy maps.

The base maps that are pre-installed on the GPSr are notoriously poor and very basic. I think this is typical of GPSr manufacturers and is not specific to Garmin.

 

Most cachers install additional maps onto their GPSr's. A couple sites that offer free maps are http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl and http://www.gpsfiledepot.com .

[+Mineral2]

There are plenty of good free maps for Garmin units. Use those instead.

 

Of course, keep in mind that for the first half decade of geocaching, most people didn't have any maps on their GPS.

[+JohnCNA]

 

Most cachers install additional maps onto their GPSr's. A couple sites that offer free maps are http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl and http://www.gpsfiledepot.com .

I highly recommend maps from both sites. Great detail, and you can't beat free.