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Deciding on my first unit, need help deciding.


Guest GammaX

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Guest GammaX

I just saw the little segment on techtv's Internet Tonight about Geocaching today, and the whole concept sounds really neat! I've decided I want to get into it and need help on deciding which GPS unit I should buy. I've also got a few questions.

 

-Is WAAS support useful?

 

-Onboard compass or seperate one?

 

-Map support or no map support?

 

-Some people are saying that the internal annenas like on the eTrex have trouble locking on signals under tree cover, true? false? or not an issue?

 

-*winces* Garmin or Magellan? (or other?)

 

Right now I'm looking to spend no more than $200 on a unit (the cheaper the better, but I do want cool features). The unit would be used primarily for geocaching, but occasionally for driving.

 

Any advice, suggestions, or answers you might have for me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time and I hope I can begin geocaching soon!

 

-GammaX

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Guest c_oflynn

I have the Magellan 315, and its great! I can get satalite locks pretty well. Remember that in some areas WAAS isn't avalible, so be careful! Hmm, this is really a hard question. Of course I'm going to say how great the Magellan 315 is, but then someone with an eTrex will come along saying how great it is icon_wink.gif Hopefully we can avoid a Magellan / Garmin flame war icon_biggrin.gif

 

Colin

 

PS: Magellan

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Guest c_oflynn

I have the Magellan 315, and its great! I can get satalite locks pretty well. Remember that in some areas WAAS isn't avalible, so be careful! Hmm, this is really a hard question. Of course I'm going to say how great the Magellan 315 is, but then someone with an eTrex will come along saying how great it is icon_wink.gif Hopefully we can avoid a Magellan / Garmin flame war icon_biggrin.gif

 

Colin

 

PS: Magellan

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quote:
Originally posted by GammaX:

I just saw the little segment on techtv's Internet Tonight about Geocaching today, and the whole concept sounds really neat! I've decided I want to get into it and need help on deciding which GPS unit I should buy. I've also got a few questions.

 

-Is WAAS support useful?

It is really nice but I have found that it is difficult to maintain a WAAS differential lock when in the woods hunting for a cache.

-Onboard compass or seperate one?

I am against onboard compasses. I do not want all my navigation aid tied to gether. If one fail you alway have the other if they are seperate units. I like compasses that do not take batteries.

-Map support or no map support?

Give your financial constrants you are going to have a tought time getting a mapping unit for under $200. You could get an eMap for about $200 and then later save up the money you would need to get memory and MapSource CDs later when you can affort it. If you are primarily Geocaching with it then I don't think you will miss the maps. There not much help finding the cache. They are helpful finding the park the cache is in. icon_smile.gif

-Some people are saying that the internal annenas like on the eTrex have trouble locking on signals under tree cover, true? false? or not an issue?

This is true the eTrex and eMap and I think the 12 series of Garmin GPS units use patch antennas. These are not nearly as good as the helix or quadrililar antenna that the II+ and II+ and GPSMAP 76 have. One thing also to keep in mind that the eTrex unit do not allow for an exteranal antenna.

-*winces* Garmin or Magellan? (or other?)

I am a big fan of Garmin. I have owned a II, II+, III+, eTrex(basic) and GPSMAP 76 All have preformed well for me.

Right now I'm looking to spend no more than $200 on a unit (the cheaper the better, but I do want cool features). The unit would be used primarily for geocaching, but occasionally for driving.

 

Any advice, suggestions, or answers you might have for me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time and I hope I can begin geocaching soon!

 

-GammaX


I would suggest looking at the II+ you should easly be ablt to find one for under $200 and I think it would serve you nicely for both geocaching and some driving.

 

mcb

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quote:
Originally posted by GammaX:

I just saw the little segment on techtv's Internet Tonight about Geocaching today, and the whole concept sounds really neat! I've decided I want to get into it and need help on deciding which GPS unit I should buy. I've also got a few questions.

 

-Is WAAS support useful?

It is really nice but I have found that it is difficult to maintain a WAAS differential lock when in the woods hunting for a cache.

-Onboard compass or seperate one?

I am against onboard compasses. I do not want all my navigation aid tied to gether. If one fail you alway have the other if they are seperate units. I like compasses that do not take batteries.

-Map support or no map support?

Give your financial constrants you are going to have a tought time getting a mapping unit for under $200. You could get an eMap for about $200 and then later save up the money you would need to get memory and MapSource CDs later when you can affort it. If you are primarily Geocaching with it then I don't think you will miss the maps. There not much help finding the cache. They are helpful finding the park the cache is in. icon_smile.gif

-Some people are saying that the internal annenas like on the eTrex have trouble locking on signals under tree cover, true? false? or not an issue?

This is true the eTrex and eMap and I think the 12 series of Garmin GPS units use patch antennas. These are not nearly as good as the helix or quadrililar antenna that the II+ and II+ and GPSMAP 76 have. One thing also to keep in mind that the eTrex unit do not allow for an exteranal antenna.

-*winces* Garmin or Magellan? (or other?)

I am a big fan of Garmin. I have owned a II, II+, III+, eTrex(basic) and GPSMAP 76 All have preformed well for me.

Right now I'm looking to spend no more than $200 on a unit (the cheaper the better, but I do want cool features). The unit would be used primarily for geocaching, but occasionally for driving.

 

Any advice, suggestions, or answers you might have for me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your time and I hope I can begin geocaching soon!

 

-GammaX


I would suggest looking at the II+ you should easly be ablt to find one for under $200 and I think it would serve you nicely for both geocaching and some driving.

 

mcb

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Guest nverlost

se the software is easier to use, the computer interface is easier to set up. They seem to be more ahead of the game when it comes to inovation and product design.

 

Right now I'm looking to spend no more than $200 on a unit (the cheaper the better, but I do want cool

features). The unit would be used primarily for geocaching, but occasionally for driving.

 

If you wanted one for driving, the III+ or 76MAP would be my two choices. Both work really well for caching too. Light, good battery life, and easy to use.

 

If you don't want maps, the new eTrex Venture is a good, easy to use unit with the latest operating software Garmin is using for about $170. OR a version of the MAP76 called the GPS 76 sells for around $220, but doesn't support maps.

 

Which ever you unit you decide on, I'm sure that you will love the game....enjoy!

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Guest Quinnow

Right now advancedgps.com has the IIIPlus on sale with free shipping for 265.99

 

I also have the map76 and the IIIPlus. The IIIPlus blows the map76 out of the water as far as reception under heavy tree cover goes.

I wouldn't even think about waas until you can keep a good signal with the sats. The IIIPlus will not faulter compared to other units for Geocaching.

 

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

Quinn Stone

Rochester, NY.14616

www.Navicache.com

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Guest JonBoy470

One nice thing about the Magellan GPS315 is that it auto-averages your position if you're not moving. My understanding is that the Garmin units do not do this. Auto-averaging makes it rather more convenient to hide caches, since you can easily get an accurate position fix just by standing on the cache and letting the 315 refine its position fix for you.

 

Other than that, the Garmin claims longer battery life than the Magellan, and seems to have a cuter, more intuitive interface, although my ability to comment on Garmin's interface is hampered by the fact that I don't own one. The Magellan also is more feature rich than the eTrex.

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

 

-Jon

Magellan GPS315

 

[This message has been edited by JonBoy470 (edited 28 June 2001).]

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Guest GammaX

Can anybody else verify if it is true that Garmin units do not average?

 

And no matter if they do or don't, what kind of performance difference is there between units that have this feature and units that don't.

 

Thanks.

 

-GammaX

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Guest gstrong1

The Garmin III Plus will average position, but not automatically.Pull up the menu & select average position.It will count up for as long as you want to wait & when you hit enter again, it will take the average over the time period you selected.As far as waas goes,I'd be pretty surprised if you could pull in the waas satellite on a cache hunt in the woods.And even if you did,what are the odds that the person who placed the cache & posted the co-ordnates, had a lock on the waas sat.When under adverse conditions, I don't think that too many of us expect the gps to bring us to within 5-10 ft. of the cache.waas or no waas.Hence the trusty compass.

 

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

Gary "Gimpy" Strong

Rochester,NY

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Guest Quinnow

Actually the above post person is wrong...the Map76 is a great unit and can very easily be used with the external antena to do caching. the antenna is about 1/3 the size of a computer mouse and I carry it either in hand or clipped to my collar. The map 76 was designed for water use, but is by far a great land unit when matched up with the Garmin Antenna. The IIIPlus is another great unit with the antenna that comes with it, but it also will take an external antenna if you so wish to add one.

The stock antenna for the map76 does suck for wooded area's, so if you decide to go with the map76 you'd best buy the external antenna as well. I found that without the ext and in clear sky view I am able to pull up 4-5 half to 3/4 bar sats...but then when I add the ext antenna, I get 7-9 full bar sats in the same spot. Your choice...but dont think that the ext antenna is bulky...it is very far fom that and is very easy to carry and use.

 

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

Quinn Stone

Rochester, NY.14616

www.Navicache.com

 

[This message has been edited by Quinnow (edited 29 June 2001).]

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Guest EraSeek

I have a Garmin 12. I compared reception with an Etrex and the 12 is much better. The 12 runs about $149 and is not a new model but is a great workhorse with all you really need. No waas but it will do averaging. I've dropped it off the to of my car at 40mph and it still lives! Not a scratch. The batteries last forever unlike some of these units. Mine has no maps, not sure I want maps anyway. From what I hear the IIIplus has the best reception of all but I think the 12 is not far behind. WAAS will be useful when they have more birds up but that will be a while. I'm hungery for a Garmin 76 but have no real good excuse to get one. If you want an inexpensive unit that does a great job this is it. If you move up later to something newer, this will always be a great backup or second unit for the wife or kids.

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Guest lhocking

that you can borrow ? but lacking that remember that the unit price may be just the beginning. Next thing you know a case seems like a good idea, and a PC cable so that you can interface to some of the waypoint software or firmware upgrades, etc., etc. I just sold a buddy my Magellan 315 so that I could move up to a 330X. I got the unit for geocaching, hunting and fishing, but when I found out that I could download MapBlast directions to the unit, the car navigation options seemed too good to pass up. The 330X is a package with cables, car mount and street software ? consider a package deal like that and save over buying the unit and then getting gouged for the add-on goodies. Hope that helps.

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