How Usible Is A Old Garmin Gps 45?

[+KirkwoodCacheCrew]

I'm just starting out and I have an old Garmin GPS 45. Is it good enough to work these caches effectively or is it just outdated now? Will the newer units perform any better?

[+Capitalpete]

Is it good enough to work these caches effectively or is it just outdated now? Will the newer units perform any better?

 

......As a doorstop, these units will work just fine...............LOL, I hope you did not go out and buy one of these, and that is was just given to you. You could probably relate this unit to a toploading VCR being compared to a DVD player, both work but which one is better. You can cache with it, but you will have to put up the lack of features, accuracy and increased gravitational forces inherent in this unit.

 

Todays units are easier to use, pick up more satellites so they are more accurate, have more usuable features, and are easier on batteries. Hence, they are lighter and not as useful as doorstops as the older units.

 

Seeing as you can pay more for a good dinner for two, or an evening out at the bar with your buddies as you can pay for a good mapping GPS unit, I would not recommend buying one of these ancient clunkers. If money is an issue, go to the GPS garage sale portion of this forum as I am certain that SOMEONE will be getting a new GPS for Christmas and will part with their eTrex, Venture, Legend or GPS 12 for a reasonable price.

 

Either way, welcome to Geocaching, enjoy and get out there!

[+Renegade Knight]

If it's one of those two decimal units DDD MM.MM instead of DDD MM.MMM it will still work fine. Not quite as accurate when you round off your coordinates to plug them in but good enough. Since you should get 1m accuracy for input in UTM mode you can use that means to find caches.

[+Prime Suspect]

I'm just starting out and I have an old Garmin GPS 45. Is it good enough to work these caches effectively or is it just outdated now? Will the newer units perform any better?

This unit should be able to display positions out to 3 decimals. It can be used for geocaching. But the unit is simply not going to perform as well as a modern GPS. Consumer grade GPSs today are all 12 channel parallel receivers (some even have more than 12). But the GPS 45 is an 8 channel serial receiver. That means it can't track as many satellite signals, and it can only process one signal at a time. Because of this, it won't track your position as well when you are moving. And being able to process fewer signals means you may have difficulties under tree cover.

 

But remember that the GPS just needs to get you to the area (which the 45 should usually be able to do). Rarely does the GPS direct you right to the cache. Once you get close, you generally have to stop following your GPS, and start using your eyes and brains.

[+KirkwoodCacheCrew]

Thanks for all the replies. I used it today to find my first. I've had this unit since it was new so I've got my money's worth out of it already.

 

This does bring up a second question then, What garmin unit is recommended. It must have an external antenna as my vehicle has a metalized windshield.

[+W7WT]

I still have my old Garmin GPS 45. Loved it. Had to enter all waypoints manually when going on a trip. Did it even to Alaska and back. In the summer of 2001 found out about Geocaching. There was a cache only about a mile north of me. Grabbed the 45 jumped on my 250 scooter and headed up the road until it indicated the cache was abeam of me. Hadn't gone ten feet into the forest when I lost signal. Bought a MAP 330 that night and found the cache the next day. Now I have a Garmin 76S which works great. If you have a clear shot to the satellites the 45 might do it. Here in the PNW they tend to hide the caches deep in the woods. Good luck. Dick, W7WT

[+Capitalpete]

must have an external antenna as my vehicle has a metalized windshield

 

I would suggest either the 76 series or a GPSV both of which have external antenna capabilites.

 

The nice thing about buying another Garmin is that you already understand the menus and how to use the unit. I find people can easily transition to a newer garmin unit with no problems.

[Kerry.]

It is outdated but still certainly good enough. Like all GPS receivers it will/might/could have issues under trees but don't all rapped up in this thinking that because a receiver has more channels it's more accurate, more satellites don't necessarily mean better accuracy.

 

Same precision display capability as any other recreational out there today and really the pure accuracy difference between this unit and 12 channel units can be a bit academic.

 

Cheers, Kerry.