+dasentity Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 we would like to take up geocaching, but we dont know which unit would be best for a beginner. I have a budget of £150, so any infromation or tip would be gratefully recived Thank you all in advance The White Family Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 The yellow eTrex seems to be the standard for beginners. We used ours happily until we upgraded to a Legend for the mapping. It should come well under your budget if you shop around. Quote Link to comment
+Daisy&me Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Whatever you decide to buy, my advice is to shop around. There is a big difference in prices charged. www.gpsw.co.uk is a good place to start. ---------------- Dog be with you. Quote Link to comment
+Slaters of St.Ive Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Hi there, we purchased our gps through http://globalpositioningsystems.co.uk. I found the Fortuna gps we bought, i think it was for about £90 has been really good and accurate even in very heavy tree cover. I would recomend that Jules Slaters of St.Ive Quote Link to comment
+Rocky Balboa Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Hi and welcome After using both the cheapest and most expensive garmin units, the yellow eTrex and the Silver Vista, I can honestly say that If your just using it for caching buy the cheapest, it will do the job perfectly well. Hope this helps, Dan. Its just a hunt for a lunch box, why be so serious!?! © Dan Wilson - www.Buckscaching.co.uk - Stash Notes, forums & Much more... Quote Link to comment
+Flackadder Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Yellow Etrex. Perfectly good for caching. Bob.... http://www.bobh.co.uk 'Life, it's a game with one serious bit - geocaching!' Quote Link to comment
+Bill D (wwh) Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Something to bear in mind is that you may well want a data cable to connect the GPSr to a pc in order to upload co-ordinates directly into it. This may or may not come as standard. One cheaper unit, the Geko 101, can't be connected to a pc. If you're only going to use it occasionally you might not be bothered about this facility, but if you want to enter a lot of waypoints it saves a lot of tedious key-pushing and eliminates the possibility of making mistakes when entering the co-ordinates. Bill ------------------------------- "Ah, take the Cache and let the Credit go..." The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, trans. Edward Fitzgerald Quote Link to comment
+Cave Troll and Eeyore Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Hi and welcome . Its always a bit of a risk , but you could check out ebay. Personally I,d shop around and buy from a reputable dealer. I got my first gpsr (a garmin etrex legend) a couple of weeks ago and it is easy to use for geocaching and navigating in the car. Quote Link to comment
Deego Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 My Yellow Etrex has been used loads and has yet to let me down, 64 trig points and 13 caches plus hundreds of miles of normal hiking. But like Bill D says try to get a cable it makes it a lot better Brian Deego ------------------------------------------------------------ I am not lost, I am geographically embarrassed www.briandeegan.co.uk Quote Link to comment
quimbly Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 My vote is for a Geko 201, plus a cheap cable from eBay to connect it to your PC. In the region of £7 rather than £27. Quote Link to comment
quimbly Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 That would be the cable price, rather than the Geko price, before someone gets excited... Quote Link to comment
+NattyBooshka Posted September 24, 2003 Share Posted September 24, 2003 Have to say our Geko 201 has done us proud. I especially like the fact that the screen is recessed and protected by the casing of the device. Our data cable was a home build, slashing the costs dramatically, we got the connector from a source in the US, but I believe that there is a site over here offering them now. Only one draw back of the Geko is the lack of mapping, but this have never caused us a problem with geocaching. Slight issue is it uses AAA batteries and people leaving "GPSr food" in caches always leave AA... nevermind, batteries are very cheap at the DIY superstores. Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some just grate Quote Link to comment
+minstrelcat Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 I personally think the Magellans beat the Garmins hands down for performance but I'm sure some would disagree. We have a GPS315 and a MAP330 and they are excellent. Both bought for around £100 from eBay. Lisa Quote Link to comment
The Cuthberts Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 We have an iPAQ with all sorts of cache and mapping / routing software but we love our yellow etrex for its pure simplicity. Andy and Dawn (Still working on the tagline.....) Quote Link to comment
+Pharisee Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 My Legend works for me.... with well over 300 physical caches found in under a year, I think that says it all John Age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability Quote Link to comment
+Mr & Mrs Hedgehog Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 We use two GPS's. A yellow eTrex and a Garmin GPS II+. We find the yellow etrex is better when you set off and it updates quicker but the other one is far better when you get close to the cache as it seems to be more accurate. We were a bit dissapointed with the yellow eTrex on that front. Peter and Susan There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those that understand binary and those that don't. Quote Link to comment
+Chris n Maria Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 Last year I spent a lot of time looking for the ultimate GPs for caching. As a result we ended up with 4 GPS which is a lot more than 2 people need! Of the ones we have here are some thoughts: Standard Yellow Etrex - all you need for finding a cache, robust, easy to use - works well. Etrex Summit - as above but with mag compass. the mag compass became useful for the first time last week on a steep slope in the peak district. Sometimes you really dont want to walk about to get a fix! GPSV - No mag compass but Mapping/autorouting along roads - which is great to get you to the cache site. Disadvantage is that it is not really deigned for walking with in the same way as the etrexes, also mapping is limited in the ammount of maps you can load in, depending on the areas you regularly cover this may or may not be a limitation. Streetpilot III - in car navigation system that will get you to the parking with ease. Completly usless for out of car use (its huge & eats batteries). I've never used any of the magellans but people seem to sware by them (not at them ). Whatever you buy dont forget to allow for a cable and some rechargable batteries. HTH Chris If only life had an undo button.... London & UK Geocaching Resources: http://www.sheps.clara.net Quote Link to comment
+stu_and_sarah Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Chris n Maria:Etrex Summit - as above but with mag compass. I think you mean electronic compass here? It specifically isn't magnetic, and requires calibration whenever you change the batteries. I forgot to say that we use a Silva magnetic compass (14 quid-ish) in addition to the GPS. The GPS pointer is great when you're moving, but as Chris points out, sometimes you can't/don't want to move, either due to terrain or tree cover. You can use the GPS bearing + magnetic compass to head towards the cache. Stu Quote Link to comment
+Chris n Maria Posted September 25, 2003 Share Posted September 25, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Stu & Sarah:I think you mean _electronic_ compass here? Yup, thats what I meant to say If only life had an undo button.... London & UK Geocaching Resources: http://www.sheps.clara.net Quote Link to comment
+Sue and Bernie Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Like Chris n Maria, we too have worked our way through a number of GPS units as we have learned more about their features and capablilities. We have ended up owning two, the StreetPilot 3 (v. expensive but brilliant in the car) and a eTrex Vista for the open air work. A basic yellow eTrex will do - but as pointed out, you have to add the cost of the cable to connect it to a PC. You will inevitably want to do this. This will then lead you to wanting to use the high definition mapping and route generation capabilities of the PC software. I ended up buying and selling my way through the range so, in short, you are better advised to go straight for the Legend or Vista units. Oh! Note that these two units come with a PC data cable in the box. I also commend the handlebar mount for the eTrex if you like to cycle about. It makes cycling in the great unknown a real pleasure without having to constantly consult maps. Sue & Bernie Quote Link to comment
+NattyBooshka Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Adam & Lisa:I personally think the Magellans beat the Garmins hands down for performance but I'm sure some would disagree. I guess that debate will rage on forever and a day! I feel that either brand delivers all that a cacher needs and more, and once you've bought into a brand you get used to it and its interface, so the debate for me is similar to the Windows Vs Linux debate elsewhere. Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some just grate Quote Link to comment
+Brenin Tegeingl Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Just to cloudy the issue , have a look at www.gpsinformation.net to get scientific comparisons on GPSrs the sites a mine of info. Mancunian Pyrocacher I burn to cache! Quote Link to comment
+Firth of Forth Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 I have been geocaching since March without a GPS and managed to find around 20 caches, but decided I needed to buy a GPS if I was going to continue the hobby. It seemed to me that others had several GPS models as their needs had increased so I decided not to go for the basic model and bought a Garmin Vista. It was either this or the Legend, but I settled on the Vista as it has a built in compass and altimeter (which are useful for hillwalking) as well as more megabytes. The Magellans are HUGE and I can't believe how light and small the Garmin is which is a high priority is you're going walking with it. Quote Link to comment
+dasentity Posted September 27, 2003 Author Share Posted September 27, 2003 Would like to thank you all for all the info and advice, I have decided to go for a Megellan Sporttrak. But I'm just trying to find a cheap one!! Thanks again one and all Good Hunting! Quote Link to comment
+Brenin Tegeingl Posted September 27, 2003 Share Posted September 27, 2003 Have a look on ebay for one, alternatively have a look here. http://navcity.co.uk/catalog/index.php+cPath+5_15 This is just for the basic ST. Mancunian Pyrocacher I burn to cache! Quote Link to comment
+dasentity Posted October 1, 2003 Author Share Posted October 1, 2003 thanks to everyone, i am now the owner of a garmin emap from navcity for £150................. Quote Link to comment
+makerofthingsup Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 I recently bought a Magellan from E-Bay for only £80 it is fine for caching. For that kind of money you'd do quite well on E-Bay Manufacturer of the finest sense for over half an hour Quote Link to comment
+Brenin Tegeingl Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Have a look at this thread in GPS UNITS AND SOFTWARE, http://ubbx.Groundspeak.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=5726007311&f=7116058331&m=57060988 speculation on a new Garmin unit. I sent a email to garmin this morning, recieved this reply this afternoon. Hi Dave, We cannot give out any information on this product as the final specification has not yet been decided. We have not released any information onto the internet so all available information is not the official information on the unit. The only accurate information will be available from our website when the product is released. Thanks for the enquiry Regards, Paul Clarkson Customer Sale Support Associate Garmin (Europe) Ltd http://www.garmin.com http://www.garmin.com/support/ If the actual specs are close to thoose speculated on, this will be the unit to wait for. Mancunian Pyrocacher I burn to cache! 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.