eTrex Basic users

[Guest fishmagic]

My brain is locking up trying to decide what model GPS to buy. I've been to local retail stores, but nobody has been able to answer my basic questions. So, I'll try here. Can an eTrex Basic give me my position? In other words, I turn it on, and it gives me coordinates where I'm standing. And, can I hide a cache as well as find a cache with an eTrex basic? I guess this depends on the answer to the first question.

[Guest leemannn]

quote:

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Originally posted by fishmagic:

My brain is locking up trying to decide what model GPS to buy. I've been to local retail stores, but nobody has been able to answer my basic questions. So, I'll try here. Can an eTrex Basic give me my position? In other words, I turn it on, and it gives me coordinates where I'm standing. And, can I hide a cache as well as find a cache with an eTrex basic? I guess this depends on the answer to the first question.

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The answer is sort of, yes. In one of the

pages/screens is mark waypoints. This will

tell you your location using one of the

map datums selected by you. WGS84 is usually

the one used when the unit is first turned on. There maybe another screen that will do it as well just don't remember. It just does.t tell you where you're at after you turn it on there are some that do I think

hope this helps Lee

 

[This message has been edited by leemannn (edited 30 August 2001).]

[Guest fishmagic]

Originally posted by leemannn:

The answer is sort of, yes.

 

I guess what I'm failing to understand is if I can type in coordinates, and my unit can give me a bearing to those coordinates from where I'm standing then why can't the unit tell me where I'm standing. It stands to reason that it can't give me coordinates to something without knowing where I am. Yes? No?

[Guest geoark1]

Press and hold the enter button for about 3 seconds the waypoint screen will pop up and allow you to name your current position. Of course you must have bird lock before it will get the location also this is explained in the manual in very good detail. when you get ready to return to that spot just pull up the waypoint menue find that entery and press "go to" walla it works

[Guest Rubberhead]

fishmagic,

Let me try

 

Yes, the eTrex basic can tell you your current position.

 

Yes, the eTrex basic can help you find a cache.

 

Yes, the eTrex basic can help you hide a cache but it?s probably not a good idea.

 

Now for the qualifiers:

 

All GPS units have to have a view of the sky before it can coordinate your position. All 12-channel GPS units (like the yellow eTrex) will work reasonably well in moderate tree cover. If tree cover is very thick the unit may loose some accuracy or may even quit giving you a position at all.

 

Personally, I would save another $60 and get a eTrex Venturer simply because it uses a system call WAAS which allows much better accuracy than the basic eTrex. Where a basic unit might have a accuracy of 20 feet, a Venturer may get you a 6 foot accuracy. In other words the Venturer, or other WAAS unit, will narrow your search area down to about 9% of the search area of eTrex basic.

 

When hiding a cache, your coordinates should be very accurate. The yellow eTrex simply can not get that kind of accuracy. At a minimum, you should have a WAAS capable unit and preferably a unit that can average your position over time (like a Magellan or Garmin 12 series).

 

I hope this helps ? Rubberhead.

[Guest embi]

mark a waypoint. Just go to the "arrow" page on the etrex and press the down/up buttom till the location screen comes up. I use this for averaging my caches. I just remember the last two digits of the lat and long and just walk back and forth over the cache recording the numbers...the ones that come up the most I use for the caches cordinates....It has been pretty good..everytime I check my caches I go to the waypoint to recheck it!

[Guest LoCache]

The Etrex basic is ALL you NEED to Geocache. Anything more is just adding bells and whistles.

 

Geo

 

PS - While I personally prefer the Garmin, there are some KILLER prices on the Magellan GPS units on Amazon right now....they are getting ready to release a whole new line, so they are slashing prices on the old ones.

[Guest Markwell]

When you're in the navigation screen (the one that looks like a compass, choose the Up/Down selection.

 

That will change the information displaying on the bottom of the screen from current speed, Max Speed, Average Speed, Altitude, Sinrise/Sunset, etc. One of those is "Current Position" which shows your current lat/lon even though it is telling you that you're 15 miles from the cache.

[Guest Markwell]

When you're in the navigation screen (the one that looks like a compass, choose the Up/Down selection.

 

That will change the information displaying on the bottom of the screen from current speed, Max Speed, Average Speed, Altitude, Sinrise/Sunset, etc. One of those is "Current Position" which shows your current lat/lon even though it is telling you that you're 15 miles from the cache.

[Guest dubblbubbl]

Fishmagic, I agree with an earlier poster, spend the extra $60 and get the etrex Venture. Go to the Garmin website and do some product comparisons, you'll see that the Venture has several features/functions that are only offered on the $250+ models. The only drawback I could see is the 1mb ram storage, but unless you're wanting to look at map images this shouldn't be a concern. I have the Venture and am completely happy with it.

 

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[Guest fishmagic]

Thanks to all who responded to my post about the eTrex Basic, but I purchased a Mag 315 yesterday. Took it out this morning, and pretty much have it down - These things are a lot easier to use than I anticipated. I can see where I'll probably be upgrading in a year, or two, but for now this model fits the bill.