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Vista Problems?


Guest echo2000

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Guest echo2000

Hey all you Vista users (and Garmin-users in general)!

 

Ever had problems with your GPS units? It's been brought ot my attention that they may be slightly less durable or able to maintain satelittle lock than previously purported.

 

Any feedback?

 

Thanks.

 

E2

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Guest gstrong1

& stay there. The MAP76 will get to roughly that same set of numbers, but only after it sits stationary at the spot for about 5 minutes. I'm rather impatient, so I stick with the III Plus.I really like all 3 units & don't plan on parting with any of them.But I rarely use the Vista for caching.

 

------------------

Gary "Gimpy" Strong

Rochester,NY

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Guest echo2000

Hmmm.

 

Doesn't bode well for the home team.

 

Due to the ginchy stats that are albeit biased on the garmin site, the Vista looked like just what the geocaching doctor ordered. Sold myself on the product and now I've got one. Won it on bay.

 

Do you think the so-called Updates will help? I suppose not since it's an antenna config issue, huh?

 

E2

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Guest ecbaatz

quote:
Originally posted by echo2000:

Hmmm.

 

Doesn't bode well for the home team.

 

Due to the ginchy stats that are albeit biased on the garmin site, the Vista looked like just what the geocaching doctor ordered. Sold myself on the product and now I've got one. Won it on bay.

 

Do you think the so-called Updates will help? I suppose not since it's an antenna config issue, huh?

 

E2


 

Don't give up yet. I have been pleased with mine. Yes in heavy tree cover I sometimes lose the lock but it gets it back. I have mainly used mine while atving. Have found one cache.

 

Each unit seems to behave differently. Try it out before you give up on it. Again I am happy with my purchase.

 

 

------------------

Eric Baatz (ecbaatz@yahoo.com

Remember it is not what gps we use, just that we Geocache!!

Also 1996 Suzuki King Quad, 1st reason for GPS.

Now I have another!!!!

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Guest gstrong1

Not to worry,E2. The Vista will do the job for you.There will just be some occasions where you'll need to exercise a little patience when caching under adverse conditions.Fall is coming & leaves will be dropping off the trees.The many features & compact size of the unit make it very versatile.With 24 mb. of available memory,I've got topo maps for about all of NY state loaded into mine.Really comes in handy.

 

------------------

Gary "Gimpy" Strong

Rochester,NY

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i love my vista, altho i think the antenas on the magellon units are superior to the etrex line.

do update the firmware on your vista, it does make a difference.

i have yet to have an experience where my vista hasnt performed ok , altho my click stick also went bad after 30 days of use and had to be replaced, i still think the good outweighs the bad.

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Guest echo2000

Thanks for the input.

 

Nervously awaiting it's arrival. The rationalization process has me calmed since I've now convinced myself that, out of the Garmins, this is the one I really wanted and had to snipe at Ebay after days of tortuous waiting.

 

A small concern now is the signal acquisition since I plan on tracking some caches when I vacation in Maui.

 

We shall see, I suppose.

 

E2

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I am interested in getting a Summit or Vista for the electronic compass but am a little concerned about the clickstick on the Vista. Seems it could be a bit less rugged than the buttons on the Summit. I use it only for caching so all the mapping features are't necessary (at least for now). Am I missing something. Is there something in the Vista I would really want ... more accurate, easier to use, future updates, etc?

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quote:
Originally posted by fr:

I am interested in getting a Summit or Vista for the electronic compass but am a little concerned about the clickstick on the Vista.


 

Yes, I also narrowed my choices to the Summit and Vista for the same reason - the compass (and altimeter). The only difference really is if you want mapping capability. I eventually chose the Vista so I could load topos and use the maps while tracking mountain bike trails. Even if I didn't bike, I figured if I ever had more reason for maps in the future I wouldn't have to upgrade to another unit. I decided to spend a little extra now.

 

In a nutshell, I'm very happy with the Vista. However, I've only had it for a few weeks and the talk above about the clickstick concerns me. I'm also wondering if Garmin tightened the battery compartments on newer units so that it doesn't shut off like mentioned above. When I load batteries, it is very tight and I have never had mine shut off (and I've been mountain biking on tough trails with it).

 

The first time I ever took the unit out, I was mountain biking up a tough hill and it began to pour down rain (and continued for a good 30 minutes). The unit was drenched but never blinked and performed flawlessly.

 

Sure, I believe a unit with an external antenna will perform better, it has to. But, the Vista has never really let me down in the woods. I love it so far...

 

-exConn

 

[This message has been edited by exConn (edited 09 September 2001).]

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Guest rplumley

We got our Vista back in August and took it out into the woods for the first time this past weekend on our first cache-hunt. Reception was no problem in the truck. Wedged the unit between the dash and the windshield so that we both could see it as we drove. When we got out into the woods, though, I noticed that the vista would lose signal unless I kept it in my hand. I also noticed that the compass seemed to be a little flighty. I don't really know how much of this is indicative of the unit and how much of it is indicative of pilot error.

 

As for the clickstick, I've played with the unit a lot driving around metro Atlanta and have experienced no problems with the clickstick.

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Guest Point2Point

A comment and a question about the Vista:

 

Comment - the compass is a great feature, I really like having it as part of my GPS unit and wouldn't want a GPS without one. However, the compass is very touchy around large metallic objects - which is noted in the manual. It also goes crazy around anything that may be creating magnetic fields, (electric motors, computers, etc.) which is understandable. Don't plan on using the compass while driving, reliability in the car is poor at best.

 

Question - on the map page, my Vista doesn't seem to show a proper 'accuracy circle'. When the unit is reading accuracy of say 20', the circle is still out at about 200' to 300'. Am I missing something here?

 

No problems with click stick yet.

 

Overall pleased with Vista and 2.20 update.

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Guest apersson850

I haven't had any other GPS, so I have nothing to compare with, but I like the small size of my Vista. I can accept that it's not as good, with its small antenna, in receiving satellites, as long as it's easy to carry.

I like all the different features it has, although I don't like the last update (2.22) and what it did to the appearance of the current trail log.

 

Anders

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I stand by my eTrex Legend. I have had it since it came out, and use MapSource Topo. I believe it to be an outstanding unit, and highly reccomend it, though it may not be ideal for Geocaching because of patch antenna. Despite much malign, I have successfully found every spot I have looked for, though with less accuracy than most. On the positive side:

It has the best LCD screen resolution I have Ever seen.

The joystick works great for entering text, much better than the up-and-down buttons on the wimpier eTrexes.

It is very small, and in fact fits in a standard military lensatic compass pouch. This comes in handy because I do in fact use it in the Army. Of course I know how to run the ruggedized (read: much larger) PLGR, but since Selective Availability is off here in CONUS, it is a great administrative and logistical asset.

I drive everywhere- and I mean all over. I just load up maps and go. If there's a traffic jam on the highway, I go cross-country instead of waiting in line. With a well-defined route, the ETA is always within ten minutes. In addition, the topo maps tell me the good way to get somewhere. I just did GC1E2A and most of the other folks just clawed their way up seven hundred vertical feet of muddy shale at an 80% grade. I went the long way and had a fine fall volksmarch-like hike. Those maps even show powerlines- grreat for when I go riding.

Don't buy a Venture- spend fifty bucks more and get the maps. Don't buy a Vista unless you really need (or want to brag about) altitude measurement. Do buy a Vista for its 24MB of map storage: that's all of NY with no reloading.

Caveat: I honestly don't know much about the other older bricks some of y'all use. The eTrex is the only one small enough to pique my interest, and since I have discovered this sport, I have never been disappointed.

Hey Garmin- where's my check? Ya know I just sold ya an extra hundred of those little (admittedly ugly) iMac-lookin' things. I'm thinking of upgrading to a Vista just so I don't have to look at (thru) the cute blue shell. ;]

How quickly does that compass update? Is it realtime as you rotate the unit, or does it need some time to reresh (like when you change course)? Also, does the little "you are here" arrow point in the direction of your course, or is it relative to north?

Happy Caching,

-NadZ in NEPA

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Guest Hawk-eye

quote:
Originally posted by apersson850:

.... although I don't like the last update (2.22) and what it did to the appearance of the current trail log.

 

Anders


 

Just curious ... what did it do .. I've downloaded but not install 2.22 ... sure would appreciate your insight ...

 

Regards

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I would hold off installing version 2.22 and wait for version 2.23. The track line has become only 1 pixle wide and is very difficult to see. Also, the moon phases are completly off (e.g. Nov 14 shows a full moon, Nov 15 a new moon). I've contacted Garmin about the latter, they agree it is a problem and will be fixed in the next release. Others have contacted them about the track line - it was a change made for BlueCharts and a fix to increase the width is also pending.

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Guest LazyLeopard

quote:
Originally posted by orum:

I would hold off installing version 2.22 and wait for version 2.23. The track line has become only 1 pixle wide and is very difficult to see.


 

Agreed. Not only is it only one pixel wide, but it's dotted 1 pixel on, the next two or three not changed. It's like picking out a trail of single salt grains on a carpet...

 

I filled in a feed-back form...

 

 

------------------

Purrs... LazyLeopard

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Guest LazyLeopard

quote:
Originally posted by Hawk-eye:

Thanks for the input on the update!


 

Just got a reply from Garmin saying that they're "reverting to the old setting in the next software release" but that they do not know when that will be.

 

And yes, the phase of the moon does do interesting things. It seems to go from new to full the conventional way, and then flip from full to the last crescent before new and work its way back to full the wrong way. Weird. ;>

 

------------------

Purrs... LazyLeopard

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Guest Prime Suspect

quote:
Originally posted by orum:

I would hold off installing version 2.22 and wait for version 2.23


 

I think I'm going to revert back to 2.21 until this is fixed. The land/water option is nice, but right now I'd rather have a track I can see. Since Garmin uses a wipe-and-replace method up OS updating (rather than a patch), I don't think it will be a problem.

 

If anyone didn't keep their old OS upgrade file, you can get 2.21 at

 

http://www.garmin.com/software/Vista_2_21.exe

 

Remember, this is Vista only.

 

 

[This message has been edited by Prime Suspect (edited 14 November 2001).]

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Guest Hawk-eye

quote:
Originally posted by Prime Suspect:

... Since Garmin uses a wipe-and-replace method up OS updating (rather than a patch), I don't think it will be a problem. ....


 

Prime ... it works fine ... it ask you if you want to switch to the older version ... if I might ask .. what was the land/water feature?

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Guest Prime Suspect

quote:
Originally posted by Hawk-eye:

Prime ... it works fine ... it ask you if you want to switch to the older version ... if I might ask .. what was the land/water feature?


 

Normally, on the map page, water shows as a dark gray. Under 2.22 you have Land mode (same as normal) and Water mode, where water is white and land is gray. This allows you to see tracks, waypoints, and the location icon much easier when on the water. This isn't just a negative image of the normal screen, it's a different shading scheme altogether.

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