PerrottaPack Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 I am just getting started & was frustrated that I couldnt find any caches. I went out with a friend and we both had our gps on, but mine is about 100 ft off, I was glad to find out it wasnt completely my fault not finding any, but don't know which settings I may have wrong that is causing the problem...can anyone help!??? Quote Link to comment
Alphawolf Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 You might have already checked this, but make sure your map datum is set to WGS 84. "Never take a sunset for granted. Stop what you are doing and enjoy it. You never know when it may be your last" Quote Link to comment
The Ram Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 I just got my Magellan. While testing it, I marked my spot, both on the GPS and on the ground, then walked away and tried to go back to that spot using the GPS. After several tries I finally got to within 10'. All the other times I was about 30' away. What gives? Quote Link to comment
+Logscaler and Red Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Thats about as good as it gets most of the time. I am sure you will get markwelled from someone about another thread along this line. Try searching the archives and see what you get. TTFN, logscaler. Quote Link to comment
+smillersmiller Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Different GPS receivers require holding them in different ways for optimal reception. This is a great example where Reading The Manual will save you a lot of grief. The receiver I own, the Magellan 315, is designed for best reception when held perfectly vertical (antenna pointing straight up). I've used a Garmin eTrex Yellow and eTrex Venture quite a bit - they were both designed for best reception when held perfectly flat (screen parallel to ground). In either case, I've found tilting the screen as little as 10 degrees from true vertical or true flat can make a big difference depending on the situation. Normally I hike along with the screen at whatever angle is most comfortable, but if I lose reception or am taking coordinates for a cache I've hidding or zeroing out the GPS on a cache hunt, I'll then orient the GPS for best reception. With my Mag 315, under certain circumstances, I've found I can improve reception by tilting the GPS off of perfectly up and down. I'm guessing this is true for most or all GPS receivers. Hope this helps. smillersmiller Quote Link to comment
JaegerWolf Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 20 to 30 feet is typical. I have seen it get me within a couple feet, but not all the time. Quote Link to comment
+smillersmiller Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 With my Mag 315, I can almost always get within 15 feet of one of my own auto average coordinates taken weeks ago - often times closer. Quote Link to comment
+infosponge Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Finding out about the accuracy/repeatability of your GPS unit is probably one of the biggest eye openers to new geocachers. You expect that when the thing says "it's here!" that it really is. Considering you're expecting a little underpowered handheld computer/radio to pick very weak signals from 3 or 4 different sattelites and do a lot of complicated timing and math under changing conditions...it's really a miracle that it's as accurate as it is. Those of us who were using GPS before they turned off "Selective Availability" are even more appreciative that the GPS unit doesn't show you roaming around at various speeds while you're standing still. :-) Just get used to the +/- 30-ish feet rule, and be very pleased when it's better than that. That last 30 feet is usually a big part of the challenge/fun anyway. Quote Link to comment
+1pilot Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Double posted, wont let me deleat? Quote Link to comment
+1pilot Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 quote:Originally posted by infosponge: Those of us who were using GPS before they turned off "Selective Availability" are even more appreciative that the GPS unit doesn't show you roaming around at various speeds while you're standing still. :-). I'll say!! Before SA was turned off, I couldn't find my own driveway with my GPS. It never was in the same place as I marked it. Bob G. Quote Link to comment
PerrottaPack Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 * I don't know if it's helped yet, but I didn't know that there was an update on the Magellan site, so I'm going to check it today. * I was holding it the way I'm supposed to. * I was WAY more than 30 ft. I was consistantly over100ft off...no where near the sites. Hopefully the download will have fixed that problem. We'll find out today!! Quote Link to comment
+infosponge Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 What kind of GPS unit do you have? How long was it turned on before you looked for the cache? Which cache was it? Quote Link to comment
Aladin Sane Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 You seem to have ignored Alpha Wolfs advice. I would bet that you will find that an incorrect map datum setting is the cause of your 100 foot error. Check it out. Quote Link to comment
+alexm Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 quote:Originally posted by PerrottaPack:I am just getting started & was frustrated that I couldnt find any caches. I went out with a friend and we both had our gps on, but mine is about 100 ft off, I was glad to find out it wasnt completely my fault not finding any, but don't know which settings I may have wrong that is causing the problem...can anyone help!??? I had a similar problem a long while back. Turns out I'd managed to put the unit into "2D" mode and set my elevation manually to something like 9999. As I live closer to evelation 0, my distance was off usually by a few dozens of feet. As a general rule, resetting the unit to factory defaults, clearing memory, and re-initializing will not only fix oddities like a bad almanac in memory, but also the problem with slippery fingers and "I wonder what this setting does?" problems. I'd offer more detailed help, but I don't see where you mention which magellan unit you're using. Hope this helps! ... alex Quote Link to comment
PerrottaPack Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 Let me try and answer all of these... I REALLY appreciate all of your help!! Map datum...I didn't mention that I checked that it is set correctly. I double checked my coordinates too. This happened on several caches I have a Sportrack Pro. The first caches were...Keystone Kids and Easy Stroll...I didn't find those until using someone elses gps Then we went on to Mustard & PBJ which I was also off by 100 ft. I haven't tried to check my unit since I did the download yesterday, I was going to go back to one that I knew just to check it out...Probobly won't be able to get out till sunday though ): I'm REALLY hopeful that it will all work out, this is so much fun when it works, & it gives us a great excuse to get our butts off the couch! (: Quote Link to comment
+Night Stalker Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 I have a SporTrak Pro and have never been that far off except the one time when the individual setting the cache put in bad coordinates. I narmally get within 10' of the cache I am looking for. You didn't say whether you were in heavy woods or rocky aree. This can interfere with your reception. Otherwise I've got to think you have a problem with that particular GPS unit. Lost? Keep going. You're making good time anyway!! Quote Link to comment
+Searching_ut Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 To consistantly be off by 100 feet sounds a little odd if your datum is set correctly. Are you using the waypoint as a goto? I'd first triple check the map datum and coordinate system to veryify you're not mm.ss vs mm.mmm or something along those lines one last time. Next I'd seek out a benchmark, and verify the accuracy of the receiver at that location. You didn't mention the terrain/treecover you're in. The sportrak can easily overshoot by 50 to a couple of hundred feet in canyons/tree cover, but it will generally sort itself out fairly quickly if you stop and let it average for a few minutes. If allowed to average for say 5 minutes does the accuracy improve? If you've got fairly clear skys, my experience is that the unit will take me right to the sport within just a few feet most of the time. Finally, how does it do in returning to a waypoint you've saved? Good luck Jeff Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 If this is a new unit, have you let it just sit undisturbed (turned on) with a clear view of the sky for 15 minutes or so? Particularly with WAAS, this will help get all the information in that the unit needs for future use. Alternatively, if you don't get a good signal from at least one WAAS satellite, you might find improved accuracy turning it off. Also, just to be certain we're not misunderstanding each other: when you say you confirmed the map datum was correct, I interpret you to say that it is set to WGS84--yes? (I apologize for going back to this, but since the offset would otherwise be so well accounted for this it seemed worth double-checking to be sure we're communicating clearly.) Don't get even - get odd Quote Link to comment
PerrottaPack Posted January 4, 2003 Author Share Posted January 4, 2003 Yes, Its set at WGS84. No, no clouds, trees, mountains (I wish on the mountains, but none here in Florida!) I'm checking it tonight or tommorrow and will reply after my check Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 I overlooked that you are down there on the gulf. WAAS reception should be good for you there. Don't get even - get odd Quote Link to comment
+Girls Rule! Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 You mentioned that you cache with a friend. Go to a sopt and look at both GPSs. Do they show the same coordinates? or ar they different? What does magellan say? I have the Pro and love it! Quote Link to comment
+infosponge Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 One thing to watch for with Magellans (in general) is that if you go walking full-out to the cache you'll slingshot by it every time. When you get below 100 feet, back off a bit. Stop. Take a bearing. Orient the sun indicator on the compass display, if possible. This will give the GPS time to adapt to your change in speed. I wish there was an option to turn off the speed average being factored into your position. Quote Link to comment
+GOT GPS? Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 The GPS 315 needs to be upgraded to Version 3.15, because of Accuracy problems, and mainly the Auto-Averaging issue. Also if you are not in the open, you need to turn off WAAS, if it is a newer Magellan GPS, that is not a GPS 315. It is common to have errors among the tall trees. If you are getting a 100 foot error in the open, then there is a problem. Try Resetting the GPS, by clearing all memory, then re-uploading the latest GPS firmware, into the unit. I really like my Meridian Platinum now with it's latest firmware update. Magellans can be more buggy than Garmin, but even garmins can mess up. Best bet, is to Clear all memory, then upload the latest firmware into the GPS, then do a memory Clear-All again, that also something you would do Garmin GPS units, and not just Magellan. My house was 46 feet off today, with my MeriPlat. ------------------------ My home page about GPS units and information Quote Link to comment
JDMC Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 Why don't you use USAPhotoMaps (it's free) to check your GPS. Take it outside to an easily identifiable-from-the-air location and mark a waypoint. Then attach your GPS to your computer and download that waypoint to USAPhotoMaps and see if it's where you were when you marked the waypoint... http://jdmcox.com/ Quote Link to comment
Dale_Lynn Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 And the good news is.... I went out today and found two caches with the new version 4.02 firmware in my Meridian GPS and happy to say when unit said I was "there" (within 1 foot) I was actually 8 feet from one cache and maybe 10 feet from second cache.... The bad news is I didn't get a 'alarm' at the 100 foot distance like version 3.12, will have to investigate it soon, maybe just have to "adjust" some settings.... Dale -------------------------------------------------------- I'm Diagonally Parked, In A Parallel Universe. -------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment
+embra Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 Great! As far as the alarms, they are all turned off by default. Menu/Alarms will let you activate the ones you want and set the limits you want. Don't get even - get odd Quote Link to comment
Dale_Lynn Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 Got alarms figured out!... played with unit right after I made post and now have it reconfigured to my desires. Dale -------------------------------------------------------- I'm Diagonally Parked, In A Parallel Universe. -------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment
PerrottaPack Posted January 6, 2003 Author Share Posted January 6, 2003 Ok, so I checked it today and not much luck. First let me say it a BEAUTIFUL day, not a cloud in the sky, not many trees, no mountains...with that said...my girlfriend gave me the coordinates to her house about a mile away. When it was reading 75ft it started taking me in the wrong direction. I double checked the #'s ): Here are my setttings, all of them since i'm not sure if i may be missing an important one!! Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?? nav screens = all on Coord system= (prim) lat /lon (sec) utm map datum = both WGS84 elev mode = 3D nav units = mmiles/ft/mph north reference = magnetic nmea = off baud rate= 4800 simulate = off Is one of my settings wrong??? Quote Link to comment
PerrottaPack Posted January 6, 2003 Author Share Posted January 6, 2003 PROBLEM SOVLED ?! I got through to Magellan again. We marked a point and tried to get back to it and it was telling me I was 60 ft off, then while standing still 65 ft off 70 ft off etc. Apparently the unit itself is defective and I have to ship it back to get it repaired, which is frustrating because its new and i've not been able to use it, but at least i know what is going on now. Thank all of you for your replies and help!!! Quote Link to comment
+shutle64 Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 quote:Originally posted by PerrottaPack:PROBLEM SOVLED ?! I got through to Magellan again. We marked a point and tried to get back to it and it was telling me I was 60 ft off, then while standing still 65 ft off 70 ft off etc. Apparently the unit itself is defective and I have to ship it back to get it repaired, which is frustrating because its new and i've not been able to use it, but at least i know what is going on now. Thank all of you for your replies and help!!! Hi, What your describing sounds like a bad firmware or coordinate system is not correct. Using the menu key and select about will bring up the current firmware in your unit. [This message was edited by shutle64 on January 06, 2003 at 03:51 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+shutle64 Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 quote:Coord system= (prim) lat /lon (sec) utm Is one of my settings wrong??? There is a second screen on Latitute/Longitude that will ask you to select one of the following. DEG/MIN.MM DEG/MIN.MMM <=== Most accurate DEG/MIN/SEC DEG.DDDDD The Second option is most pinpoint or accurate. Quote Link to comment
PerrottaPack Posted January 7, 2003 Author Share Posted January 7, 2003 I realized after I posted that I did not put the rest of the lat/lon info, but those were my settings. As far as firmware...does that mean the update that I did? At least when I get the gps back I will know exactly how to set it up!! Thanks again Quote Link to comment
The_Brownies Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Have had my Meridian for almost 1 year. Very accurate and It normally puts me within 6 feet of whatever I'm looking for, which is great. If I let it average, I have even gotten down to 2-3 feet of caches. Too bad you got a lemon. Quote Link to comment
BajaTaco Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 PerrottaPack, Hang in there! I'm sorry to hear that you were unfortunate enough to have troubles with a bad unit. However, I am sure that once you get your new one, you are really gonna love it! I just got my MeriPlat not too long ago. So, I have been doing some little tests with it. While recently in Baja, I marked a waypoint in our camp, and then we went on a hike. Before returning to camp, I set that waypoint as a GOTO route. As we got back to camp, it put me within 3' or so of where I had originally set the waypoint. Also, when using the trip meter, it is within a few hundredths of the trip meter on my truck (which has a digital trip meter that shows the mileage in 10ths). Not bad! Did you see my flotation test? BAJATACO.COM Vibram or BFG - getting there on rubber and seeing it all! Quote Link to comment
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