Zeus982 Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Interesting enough, I was watching a program on the Travel Channel about an hour ago, and number 6 on their countdown for the worlds best lost treasures was geocaching. Something I had never heard of it. I immediatly went online, found this place, and signed up. I have always been interested in hiking and "treasure hunting" and I'll be joining the Navy soon so I figured I better be able to tell what direction im facing , plus this seems like a lot of fun. I've never bought a GPS unit before, but Im hoping that I can borrow one from my college. If not, I'll just buy a relatively cheap one. Anyway, just wanted to say hey, and if you have any tips for me, that would be great! Quote Link to comment
+SBPhishy Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Hey! Welcome! Geocaching is fun as hell. You will find yourself always wanting to go find more, just because it's there. Do some research, and read these threads, and you will find a lot of info on which GPS to buy. One is pretty much as good as the next, though I am a Magellan guy myself. Anyways, have fun! Quote Link to comment
+Warriorrider Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Welcome to the club. I'm a Magellan guy too. You better get started before you head off to boot camp. You may not find to much time to go cache hunting afterwards. I was in the Navy too. Boiler Technician on the USS Hector AR7. Good luck and happy sailing. Quote Link to comment
Zeus982 Posted February 3, 2004 Author Share Posted February 3, 2004 Thanks guys. I'll have to check out the Magellan brand as well. I got plenty of time. I wont be going to OCS till after I graduate college, and Im a sophmore right now. Again, thanks for the welcome. Just found out there is a cache in the park behind my neighborhood that is along one of the trails I frequent when Im home on the weekend. lol Quote Link to comment
+Snideswipe Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 Hello and welcome to geocaching! I'm going to put a vote in for the Garmin camp. You're sure to find alot of friends and tons of fun around here. Discussions can get heated, bizarre things may be discovered... but at the end of the day, we're still pals, stubbed toes and all. Quote Link to comment
Zeus982 Posted February 3, 2004 Author Share Posted February 3, 2004 Yeah, the Garmins seem to be more within my budget. As a college student I dont have much to spend. I looked it up on walmart and those yellow etrex (i think?) ones are going for 90 dollars, which is just fine by me. Quote Link to comment
+Snideswipe Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 If you've got a little extra to put in your budget, you might think about a Garmin etrex Legend. That's what I've got... it comes with a cable so you can link up to your comp and download info, which is invaluable after a while. You won't believe how tired you get of manually entering waypoints. Plus, it's a nifty blue color that is ever so stylish! Quote Link to comment
+Mastifflover Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 (edited) I have the etrex legend and I love it. A buddy of mine has been geocaching for 2 years with the basic yellow etrex and he finds caches with it with no problem. He does have to enter waypoints manually but he does not mind. After finding a bunch of caches if you decide that entering them manually is too much of a pain, I believe that you can buy the cable later. Edited: because I went brain dead Edited February 3, 2004 by Mastifflover Quote Link to comment
+crzycrzy Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I'm voting for the legend too. Quote Link to comment
+Imajika Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Another vote for the Legend. I love mine! You can hook it up to your PC and download waypoints with ease. Also, it has base maps which come in quite handy...and you can always get Garmin software to add more to your maps. I have Mapsource roads and rec....and also Metroguide. They come in handy when I am in unfamiliar territory (driving to a cache in a town I've never been to!). I got mine for $150.00. You can always buy new ones on ebay too and save a little extra. Quote Link to comment
+KiltCacher Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Legend is my battle cry aslo! It is invaluable to have a unit with extra memory for maps and the like. Plus it allows for 1000 saved waypoints. I use mine in conjunction with my Palm for "paperless" caching. Quote Link to comment
Pixie_Tracker Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Zues, That is exactly how my wife and I got into Geocaching too! We watched the same show months and months ago, immediately got online, found our first cache while still awaiting our GPS in the mail and wondered how in the heck we'd never heard of this... Needless to say, we are hooked. You'll be too. Quote Link to comment
Pixie_Tracker Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Oh, BTW... forgot to mention... check out Target as they now carry the various Garmin models. Quote Link to comment
+GEO*Trailblazer 1 Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Garmin RINO 110,wife and 120 myself. Back up E-Trex Legend. Welcome Quote Link to comment
+Fritz_Monroe Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Welcome. I'm from the Magellan side of the house, but from what I've read on them there's really not that big of a differance. Go hold some and one will feel right. For me, the Garmins didn't feel comfortable to me and I didn't like the little stick thing. Magellan felt right and I like that it keeps the name of the cache also. I was in the Navy also. Aviation Electronics on the USS Forrestal. The Mighty FID! Get started and when you get to your first ship, take it with you and pick up some caches overseas. F_M Quote Link to comment
+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 While I am a magellen guy I might say that either major brand works great but don't purchase the lowest priced one. Go up one level at least. Quote Link to comment
+rusty_tlc Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 I started with a Legand, now I use a Magellan Meridian Platinium. Whatever unit you decide on make sure it has a PC interface. I hand enter my first few coordinates because I just didn't want to wait to install software and such. Didn't take long to realize that wasen't the way to go. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 (edited) I'm with the Legend people. It's a great starter mapping unit. Add Mapsource Topo later on to make it even more useful. The Legend was my first unit. I've since upgraded to the Vista and have a Gecko 201 as a backup. You can probably find the Legend for as little as $160 if you shop around. The basic eTrex is a good, inexpensive unit and I've seen it for $89. The only thing is that the Legend comes with a data cable as standard (a $30 add on for the basic model), which is a very useful accessory. It allows you to download hundreds of cache waypoints to your GPS with a few mouse clicks, instead of keying each one in by hand, which can be a tedious process if you're adding more than one or two. I just recently got the Gecko 201 and really like it. It's priced a little higher than the basic eTrex, but is very compact and extremely easy to use. I didn't even have to read the owners manual and figured it out. It even has a mapping capability of sorts (not real mapping, but it does show your tracks and position in relation to the waypoint), which I don't think the basic eTrex has. The data cable is an add on for the Gecko as well. Avoid the Gecko 101 because though its very inexpensive, there is no data cable port on it. Edited February 4, 2004 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
+Halden Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 One more vote for the Legend. i have been using mine since mid-december and I am in love. My father has his for a year or two and is more than happy with it. the mapping and compact size are great. Quote Link to comment
+sodajerk Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Inasmuch as we are gathering into two camps, like the donkeys and elephants, I throw my hat in the Magellen ring with my Sport Trac Pro. Also, paperless with spinner, plucker and Palm IIIC. That usually stirs up some more debates. Quote Link to comment
+Limax Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Is now a bad time to mention the Lowrance and the Cobra? Quote Link to comment
+Right Wing Wacko Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 I beleive the original poster mentioned that he was going into the Military. At this time, Magellens are somewhat frowned upon in the Military with them being a French company and all. I'm a Garmin person myself, with a Rino120, GPS-V, and hopefully soon a 60CS. Quote Link to comment
4x4van Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 I'm a Magellan fan, myself, but as previously stated, either brand is pretty much as good as the other. I use a SporTrak Pro, while I got an E-Trex yellow for my 11 yr old son. Both work great for geocaching. I did, however, get a cable for the E-Trex (Actually, I made an adapter to go from my SporTrak's cable to the E-Trex). Like said, go down and actually hold a few and see what "feels" good to you. My first unit was a Magellan 315, and when it finally died, I almost got the Garmin Legend, but after holding it and the Magellan SporTrak Pro, the ST got the nod. It just "felt right". And I second the idea to purchase at least one step up from the basic model if you can afford it, the base maps come in really handy and the PC cord is invaluable. Quote Link to comment
+harleycache Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 I'm in the Legend camp. Love it. But, I don't think you'll go wrong either way. What I would suggest though, is to buy the one that is more than you think you need. You'll soon find that it is just what you needed (maybe slightly less). I can all but guarantee you that if you buy the one you think you need, it definately won't be enough soon. Quote Link to comment
+Cherokeecacher Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Interesting enough, I was watching a program on the Travel Channel about an hour ago, and number 6 on their countdown for the worlds best lost treasures was geocaching. Something I had never heard of it. I immediatly went online, found this place, and signed up. I have always been interested in hiking and "treasure hunting" and I'll be joining the Navy soon so I figured I better be able to tell what direction im facing , plus this seems like a lot of fun. I've never bought a GPS unit before, but Im hoping that I can borrow one from my college. If not, I'll just buy a relatively cheap one. Anyway, just wanted to say hey, and if you have any tips for me, that would be great! What is the name of the show? I would like to record it. It may come in handy when trying to explain Geocaching to new people. Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment
Pixie_Tracker Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 Cherokee, Here is the link to the show ad: http://travel.discovery.com/schedule/episo...725&channel=TRV You'll need to check programming to see when they will air it again. Quote Link to comment
Zeus982 Posted February 5, 2004 Author Share Posted February 5, 2004 Wow. Thanks for all the replies everyone. This has really helped with my decision about which unit to buy. As I explained before, Im a college student which equals poor lol, so I think I'm gonna buy an eTrex this weekend. Also, someone from this site who lives in my area (Atlanta) has offered to sell me a used Eagle Expedition II for $20. So I'll get both units and see which one I like better. Also, I noticed a professor at my college was posting on here so I emailed her about borrowing some units, and as she teaches a course in my major, it looks like I'll be able to borrow one. Im not sure which unit it is, but she said they are $400 units, so they have to be good. LOL. Again, thanks for all the suggestions. P.S. I tried to find a cache that I discovered was on my campus in a nature trail. I didn't have a GPS unit (this was yesterday) so I basically wonedered along the trail looking for the clue. Didnt work well. Quote Link to comment
+SBPhishy Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 Just as a note. While I think Magellan may be based as a French company, a lot of their stuff is here in the US, in Oklahoma. Their repair site, and possibly their main manufacturing plant. Quote Link to comment
Zeus982 Posted February 6, 2004 Author Share Posted February 6, 2004 UPDATE!!!!! Found my first cache today at the part I mentioned earlier. Oh yeah, I ended up buying a Magellan SporTrak. Anyway, it was relatively easy since I knew where the park is located to begin with. I'll need to familiarize myself with the features as time goes on so I can find a waypoint easier. But all in all, it was FUN! Quote Link to comment
+SBPhishy Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 Yay! We got another Magellan user! Quote Link to comment
+Cherokeecacher Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 UPDATE!!!!! Found my first cache today at the part I mentioned earlier. Oh yeah, I ended up buying a Magellan SporTrak. Anyway, it was relatively easy since I knew where the park is located to begin with. I'll need to familiarize myself with the features as time goes on so I can find a waypoint easier. But all in all, it was FUN! Do yourself a favor, keep your receipt handy, loosen the screws just a bit, and keep your eye on the plastic near the screws. I think if you back them out a bit you should be OK. Read these threads for more info on why I say this. SporTrack stress cracks calling all SporTrack owners have you contacted.... Do not get me wrong, the SporTrack series GPSr's are great, very user friendly, and you do not have to take out a second mortgage to buy one. I am just trying to give you the heads up. Please do not get buyers remorse and feel like you made a bad choice, you did not. They are great units. welcome to the addiction, you should have a great time. Quote Link to comment
shadowcatz Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 Hello...totally new to this and need to get GPS. I need to find one that is about $150 and will not need it for anything other than to play this "game". Found out about this from a completely un-related group and they're having a great time with it. any info would be appreciated Thanks for any help. YAz (hope i posted right) Quote Link to comment
+hikemeister Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 If you spend a bit more money than what an entry level unit costs, you will be happy you did it later. My recommendation is a Garmin Legend. It has base maps of the USA that show up behind the display when you are following your travel, it has a large amount of memory, and it is very well built. I have dropped mine several times, had it submerged underwater, etc.....and it functions perfectly. Garmin also is fantastic for support. I had a problem two weeks ago with one of the control buttons -- I mailed it to them with a note, after talking to a tech rep on the phone, and it was fixed and back to me in 4 days. No cost, since it was only 10 months old. They did not even ask me to have a reciept. These units are listed at $199 and up, but if you search the web, you can buy one for $159, which is just $19 more than the next unit down, the Venture -- and you get many more features. Also fits nicely in your hand, and you can get a handy belt holder at Wal Mart for about eight bucks. Welcome -- hope you continue to enjoy the sport. Quote Link to comment
shadowcatz Posted February 9, 2004 Share Posted February 9, 2004 hikemeister, that was the model (Garmin e Trex Legend) I was looking at this weekend while in REI. good to hear that it can take rough handling. love the maps that are built in and for $100 you can also buy National Geographic maps to down load to it thanks YAz Quote Link to comment
uperdooper Posted February 9, 2004 Share Posted February 9, 2004 Garmin GPS 76S user here. i got the extra topo maps downloaded on it and just love it. welcome to the fun and the insanity. Quote Link to comment
+SBPhishy Posted February 9, 2004 Share Posted February 9, 2004 Magellan Meridian Gold here, I highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment
Ackidge Posted February 9, 2004 Share Posted February 9, 2004 My brother swears by his Magellan Meridean & I swear by my Garmin legend, but it hasn't caused a feud yet! In fact it is fun to go together & use both. Adds to the competition! Quote Link to comment
Hogarth Posted February 9, 2004 Share Posted February 9, 2004 (edited) Magellan Rules and Garmin Drooles... Edited February 9, 2004 by Hogarth Quote Link to comment
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