Signal Lock - How Good On The New 60c/cs

[+Team Giblert]

How good is the reception on the new 60C/60CS ? I've got a basic eTrex, and I'm looking for something that will pull in the satellites better under tree cover.

[Dnmeistr]

Can't say for heavy tree cover, using a 60c I get a 3d lock in my house where my Magellan GPS Companion wouldn't even receive a 2d lock

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

I was out yesterday with a friend who also owns a 60C, and while not under heavy tree cover, the logging roads we were on, were surrounded by heavily forested areas.

 

I would lose lock when I was carrying the GPSr in my hand, holding my hand at my side. This happened more often with the 60C, than it does with my V. However, the beauty of the V is that I can swivel the antenna so that even if I am carrying it down at my side, the antenna is not, necessarily, pointing at the ground!

 

I thought about taking my V out of my pack to see how it was doing, but decided I really didn't want to be that obsessed with the whole thing.

 

This 'losing lock' thing is still way, Way, WAY better than I'd ever had with my eTrex. With the Legend I was losing, and not getting back sat reception when I was in heavy tree cover, yesterday all I had to do was move the 60C back up around chest height and it was good to go after 5 to 15 seconds depending on how close the surrounding trees were.

 

Unlike Dnmeistr, I cannot get ANY kind of a lock in my house with any of my (current or previous) GPSr's unless I go stand in the way back where we haven't replaced any of the windows so they're still single-pane, 60's vintage drafty old things. It still takes a while from there, but I CAN get it.

 

-=-

michelle

[+Halden]

From the little I have seen of the 60 C, it hangs on to signal much better than the eTrex line and recovers much faster after having lost signal.

[+WeightMan]

After reading this thread I decided to try turning on both my 60c and eTrex Yellow. The eTrex got a lock sooner than the 60c, but when both had a lock the 60c indicated better accuracy at first. The amazing thing is that the satellites captured are different for the two machines. They are side by side on my desk. Both are horizontal. The indicated signal strength is different for some of the satellites as well. As I write this the 60c has six satellites and the yellow has five. It does change a bit from time to time. I have noticed while caching that the 60c does not lose signal as quickly as the yellow does, but I have not run them together.

[thcri]

The amazing thing is that the satellites captured are different for the two machines. They are side by side on my desk. Both are horizontal. The indicated signal strength is different for some of the satellites as well. As I write this the 60c has six satellites and the yellow has five. It does change a bit from time to time. I have noticed while caching that the 60c does not lose signal as quickly as the yellow does, but I have not run them together.

It was always my understanding that having two GPS'rs really close typicallly would goof up both of them. I beleive it has to do with reception. I noticed this once before when laying two together that we could not get an accurate altitude reading. They both were all over the place.

 

murph

[Vlad]

the etrex (patch) will work best flat while the 60c (quad) will work best upright...

[+GOT GPS?]

To comare signal lock, both GPS units must be off for the same amount of time whether it is for 5min, 50min, 24hrs, or a few days.

 

If you compare signal lock between one that was off for 15minutes with one that was off for 3 days, the latter one will be slower, but will catch up to the other gps after awhile.

 

So please try this:

Turn both off at the exact same time, and at some point in time, turn both on at the exact same time.

 

Another thing, is that if a gps been off for awhile, you need to turn it on for several minutes in one spot before moving on foot or in car.

 

I learned this using 2 indentical GPS V units with one reset and the other not reset. After sitting out for awhile the one bad unit started to match the other perfectly.

 

I am a GPS gadget freak

[+aka Monkey]

The amazing thing is that the satellites captured are different for the two machines. They are side by side on my desk. Both are horizontal. The indicated signal strength is different for some of the satellites as well.

This is due to the difference in the two types of antennas. Quad-helix antennas are better at receiving satellites on the horizon, while patch antennas are better at receiving satellites directly overhead. Also note that patch antennas work better when held horizontally, and quad antennas work better being held vertically.

 

The best thing about the 60C compared to the rest of the eTrex line is the ability to use an external antenna. I picked one up from GPSGeek for around $15, and it improves reception tremendously.

[+Team BlackZ]

Another thing, is that if a gps been off for awhile, you need to turn it on for several minutes in one spot before moving on foot or in car.

 

I learned this using 2 indentical GPS V units with one reset and the other not reset. After sitting out for awhile the one bad unit started to match the other perfectly.

 

I am a GPS gadget freak

I've never had to do this with my V. I'll get in my truck take off down the road then turn on the V. After about 30 to 45 seconds while moving, it will accuire and be dead on!

[gessner17]

Has anyone noticed that it seems like the more you use your GPS (garmins), the better it does with holding sats? I know it makes no sense electronics wise, but I'm on my 4th GPS and it seemed like that on every one. Maybe it was just updating the firmware made it seem like that.