SkyeMaloney Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Trying to get my company to get me a basic unit before we take the plunge into the GeoXT. I need something that is dirt cheap but pretty accurate. I will be recording and then locating gas valves so it needs to be pretty accurate. So, what is the cheapest unit that is worth buying? ------------------------------------------- http://www.hardcorebodybuildingontheweb.com Quote Link to comment
+leatherman Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Do you want maps? Most all modern GPS receivers are accurate. There are differences in antenna design. Patch is more accurate in vertical canyons. Quad helix is better under tree cover. POWDER!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
+Geofool Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 About the cheapest you can get is the garmin eTrex Basic. If you need some mapping capabilities move up to the Legend. Here is a link for some prices.>>GPSNow You will have to add some items to the shopping cart to reflect the actual price. GF ******************************************** Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Factor the price of a PC cable into your decision. That could bump you to the Legend, or the Venture in the Garmin world. Any dirt cheap GPS will do the job. Unless all your valves are under tree canopies. Then you have more of a problem to tackle. Quote Link to comment
SkyeMaloney Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 No, most are in the street. Buildings will be my only problem. Maps, yeah, that would be nice. All the valves are located on streets or just off the street. Thanks for the ideas, I'm going to check the link and look into those models mentioned. If I have a valve in the ground and mark it, then come back later while it's covered, on average how close can I come to standing ontop of it? ------------------------------------------- http://www.hardcorebodybuildingontheweb.com Quote Link to comment
+leatherman Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Exact locations are dependent on the Position errors(EPE) at the time the waypoint is made. Then again when you return to the location. Say your EPE is 12ft when you make the waypoint, and 25ft when you return. The exact location could be anywhere in a radius of those spots. You could be anywhere from 3ft to 30ft off. Even further off if there are obstructions for the satellite signals. POWDER!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
SkyeMaloney Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 Man, that aint going to cut it. Will the GeoXT more than likely produce better results? ------------------------------------------- http://www.hardcorebodybuildingontheweb.com Quote Link to comment
+Geofool Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I may be wrong, but I don't think the GeoXT would be any more accurate the any other GPSr. It's using the same satellites. GF ******************************************** Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Quote Link to comment
+leatherman Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 If you spend time at the locations your accuracy will likely improve. The satellites are always on the move. The signal strength at the location changes. I think with a little time at the location you could narrow it down to a confident 10ft. POWDER!!!!!! Quote Link to comment
Neo_Geo Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I dunno... saying that all of the different GPSrs give equal accuracy because they're using the same satellites sounds a lot to me like all cars have the same speed and handling characteristics because they drive on the same roads. Trimble's specs refer to accuracy in square centimeters (under certain conditions of course) whereas Garmin Legends using WAAS refers to whole meters! At least 3 of them I believe. But a GeoXT AIN'T low budget! No sir, that ain't a toy with which to let Jr. go geocaching. That's a serious business expense tax deduction there! Quote Link to comment
+Geofool Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 I didn't know such a system existed. Sure is a lot of dough though. I learned something new today. Disregard may last post. Like I said, I may be wrong and I was. GF ******************************************** Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Quote Link to comment
SkyeMaloney Posted August 20, 2003 Author Share Posted August 20, 2003 Jeah, it's supposed to be a sub-meter unit. Price, probably around $4500. Heheh, I wont be the one writing the check ------------------------------------------- http://www.hardcorebodybuildingontheweb.com Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 quote:...a sub-meter unit. Price, probably around $4500...Wanna bet this this kind of thing will widely available with a street price of under $1000 in a year or two? --- LDR. Quote Link to comment
SkyeMaloney Posted August 21, 2003 Author Share Posted August 21, 2003 I wouldent doubt it. With more and more units supporting WAAS, accuracy is getting better on basic units. I think for the intro, I'm going to test out the Sportrak Pro. Seems to get good reviews as far as accuracy. Then, bring in the GeoXT when we need pinpoint. Probably will it a price drop soon, but it's a really high-tech piece of electronics. ------------------------------------------- http://www.hardcorebodybuildingontheweb.com Quote Link to comment
dzavetsky Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 And NEITHER works well in the city around tall buildings.....the Legend and the V both die in the sa,e spots in downtown pittsburgh and STAY dead till w i d e open skys.... quote:Originally posted by leatherman: Patch is more accurate in vertical canyons. Quad helix is better under tree cover. Quote Link to comment
SkyeMaloney Posted August 21, 2003 Author Share Posted August 21, 2003 Not familiar with patch items. I'm not talking about anything with a "V" in it. The other is the Trimble GeoXT. ------------------------------------------- http://www.hardcorebodybuildingontheweb.com Quote Link to comment
Eeyore and Shadow Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 SkyeMaloney, are these valves burried? or obscured from sight in some way? if so a sub meter accuracy reciever or line tracing equipment woudl be necessary. If there is any visual indication of what you are lookgin for a comercial grade reciever will be more than acceptable. I am moving along! Quote Link to comment
SkyeMaloney Posted August 21, 2003 Author Share Posted August 21, 2003 The majority of the valves are about 3 feet below ground. There is, on top, a yellow cover, then a bellhole into the ground, and then the valve. The majority of the time, the valves (covers) are easy enough to see but we are a county that is constantly growing and some valves get buried beneath the asphalt and are never seen again. If I had a bearing on them, I could get a crew to crack the blacktop and expose the hole and repave it with a removable cover on top. That’s why accuracy is important. I cant justify cracking a 10x10 patch of blacktop So, 9/10 of the time, the valve cover will lead you to it but if there has been grading, all you can do is use a pipe horn to trace the main. The position of that valve on the stretch of main is very hard to tell. I could also use that to trail newly buried main incase of road widening and things like that. So, it will come in most handy when something is underground. ------------------------------------------- http://www.hardcorebodybuildingontheweb.com Quote Link to comment
Eeyore and Shadow Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 OK, My logic warped as it is says that you need one sub-meter reciever for locations of new placements,(for increased accuracy) and for finding any valves with no visible marking. But after placement, and for looking for known valves a hand held would suffice. I am sure you can get away with only ever needing one sub-meter accurate reciever. I am moving along! Quote Link to comment
SkyeMaloney Posted August 21, 2003 Author Share Posted August 21, 2003 That's what I am hoping. The GeoXT will mark the location of new installs and recovery of lost valves. The real question is what handheld for locating the others? Accuracy would be important because they are easy enough to see most times but even tall grass or a stolen cover can make them hard to find. I would think a WAAS could get them within a square yard seeing how we dont really have any tall buildings. The tallest thing we have is maybe a group of 3-5 story buildings and that is only down town and it's all paved. More than likely, on most valves (roadside) canopy on the same side of the road will be the biggest problem. Not overy worried about structure problems. I was thinking something along the line of the Sportrak Map or Pro. The Pro can hold maps, cant it? ------------------------------------------- http://www.hardcorebodybuildingontheweb.com Quote Link to comment
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