E-trex loses lock

[+Poundcakejake]

Greetings, My e-trex seems to easily lose it's lock when I am under the canopy of large trees. It then takes a minute or so to relocate our position and navigate goto. This annoys me. I am ready to upgrade and would like advice on which unit may suit me better. I coon-hunt,duck-hunt and geocach. Are the upper end etrex-type units better at maintaining lock?

[+Jacksons]

I have a legend and under a tree canopy it also looses lock,it seems best when held at a 45 degree angle,all etrex have the same antenna. I also have and older e-map which holds a lock better,and it can take an external ant.

 

Those that can,do; those that can't,teach; those that can't do or teach, manage

[Hairy Little Dwarf]

You are about to enter the inevitable "throw it away and get a real GPSr" debate which seems to always rear it's head. So I'll get in first with some useful info regarding MY experience with the Garmins

There was a quick burst of debate(?) on this topic recently in the NZ forums. I have summarised my inputs here:

I too owned an eTrex, and yes, the entire eTrex range are not too good under canopy - BUT are adequate for entry level or general hiking etc. I hit my first 15 caches using an eTrex.

But I then got a GPS12 which does have better satellite reception under trees, definitely noticable. If you are really concerned about tightening up on accuracy, consider the GPS12XL which has an external aerial capability but I cannot comment on improvements to reception.

Bottom line? If I lost my 12, I would seriously weigh up the cost advantages of going back to an eTrex. I have not used the Magellans.

 

A friend helps you move house. A REAL friend helps you move a body!

[+Renegade Knight]

The GPS V, and Magellan Sport Track Pro as well as some others allready mentioned have better antainias (never can spell that word) than the eTrex series. They get better coverage under canopy's.

 

Where I have noticed that the eTrex has an advantage over my GPS V is along rock faces and canyon walls. I don't know why, it's just something I've observed.

 

In Southern Idaho I'm about as likely to be under canopy as a canyon edge or rock face so it's a wash as to which unit to get in this country.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[+EtrexRose]

My suggestion: True, the Etrexs' generally in most cases under tree cover will get less satelites and therfor have more trouble gettin your location.

 

Magellan's Meridians and Sportraks seem to get good lock-my brother has a meridian Gold

 

The Rino 120, is a new step for Garmin with a Quad Helix antenna which makes its performance at par with the Magellans-lucky for garmin .

 

I would get a Meridian, but when Garmin finally got a unit with a similar performing antenna, I had to get my hands on it because the garmin's operating system (you know what I mean) is much easier to use compared to Magellans- the only thing I like about the Meridians is the floating-bigger screen- and feeling of ruggedness.

 

But Rinos Robustness compared to these units may also be part of your choice.

 

peace, good luck

[GRANDMASTER CACHE]

Hi,

 

You mention that you coon and duck hunt. That's important. Most "caches" are hidden in areas, and by people that use the whole array of GPSrs. It's not too "antenna-exclusive." In our experiences, the GPSV has never found a cache that the eTrex Legend didn't find just as well. So for geocaching, I think the eTrex lines are good but for that stupid click stick. That was an important reason in our deciding to upgrade - I was so afraid of "man-handling" that teeny little "nub" of a joystick. Methinks you shall also be doing a great deal of glove-wearing, and might not want the potential problems of click-sticking.

 

But all that aside, back to the hunting. There is absolutely no question that the patch antennas (as in the eTrex line) do not hold lock as well as the quad helix antennas. Because you'll be doing a lot more intensive things than just geocaching, you might want the security of a better satellite lock.

 

The most basic yellow eTrex works fine for so many cachers, so it would be nonsense to say it's "no good" for that purpose. Anything above that (which is everything ) is only a step up in features, until you start upgrading the antenna. That would probably be your foremost concern - a unit with the quad helix antenna for good lock/tracking. Of course, if you are good at marking a few waypoints, then a temporary loss of lock while you're "hiding out" should be no problem.

 

If it's possible to check out a unit with the quad-helix antenna you might want to do that before buying one. If it's really dense cover, then no GPSr is going to solve the annoying "temporary loss" of satellite problems. If that's the case, then I'd stick with the durable, rugged and affordable eTrex models without the "snap"stick. HTH!

 

Grandmaster Cache