Purchasing GPS

[Lovenlif]

I am new to the sport of Geocaching and am interested in buying a GPS and wanted info. on which GPS to buy.

[GoPherStash]

Welcome to geocaching! Actually, you can find a lot of information right here in the forums on the questions you asked. (Use the search feature at the top of this page) So instead of my starting off a whole other thread covering that same information, let me suggest that you look back through this forum, as well as the one on GPS units and software. You'll find all sorts of information there for you already, and can get your answers more quickly than waiting for people to post thoughts to this thread. Also, look in the FAQ's (at Geocaching's home page) or look for a link to Markwell's FAQ's (I think it's www.markwell.us) as I'm sure he has a bunch on it also. Have fun caching!

 

GoPherStash

 

[This message was edited by GoPherStash on October 21, 2002 at 07:43 AM.]

 

[This message was edited by GoPherStash on October 21, 2002 at 07:43 AM.]

[umc]

My suggestion would be to look at Garmin, Lowrance and Magellan's sites and find items that fit your needs then look for the specific hands on stuff here like GoPherStash suggested. I like to start out with the manufacturers when researching products.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

Coming Around, New Owner Of a Garmin GPS V Received on 10-03-02

[+Markwell]

Actually, my FAQ at www.markwell.us says very little about which unit to purchase, because that changes so often with new units cropping up.

 

All I say on the subject is

quote:

---

Best thing to do is browse the topics in GPS Units and Software Discussion. If you don't find your question, post it - and you'll be deluged with responses. Also there is a side-by-side comparison at this website.

---

 

It seems that they update it the comparison grid pretty often, as the Magellan SporTrak series is listed - and from what I know, that's a pretty new model. The Garmin 76S (my unit) is also listed, and that became available in April of '02.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

[+Trudy & the beast]

Check: http://www.joe.mehaffey.com/

This is the best source of info that I know of, but Trudy always asks what I know about anything.

[+briansnat]

How much do you want to spend? The Garmin Etrex and the Magellan 315 are good low end units. If you are looking for mapping capability, check out the Garmin Legend and Vista, or the Magellan Meridian and some models in the Sportrak series. If money is no object, then the Garmin V is widely considered to be the Cadillac of consumer GPS units.

 

"Men don't stop playing because they get old, they get old because they stop playing" Oliver Wendell Holmes

[shrekTBA]

I have 3 GPSr's, a yellow etrex, a legend and a vista. All are great, but i love the vista. If you travel at all in a car, the Vista with metroguide is great. I only have roads and rec now, but the other is next on the want list. All 3 are very capable for caching, I use the Vista in the car with the map to get to the parking areas, then my 6 year old son uses the yellow and I use the legend to get to the cache. So far he has beaten me to 4 out of 5 of the finds! Also, they say the only difference in the legend and the vista is the memory, electronic compass, and the altimeter, but add them together, and the vista shines. It will keep pointing the way even when stopped!

 

It's not a sport unless there is something dead in the back of the truck when you get home.

[Deanster]

I wouldn't be asking the question which one to buy, I would be more interested in which one NOT to buy. That would be the shorter list. I can't help you with that because I don't have enough experience with any of them to 'bad' mouth'em. But give me some time... I'll grow some strong opinion.

[+briansnat]

I have a Legend and am very happy with it. But OK, I'll badmouth it. I'm sure we all have a problem of two with our GPS, no matter how much we like it.

 

#1 Reception isn't great under very heavy tree cover.

#2 The glue that holds the waterproof rubber rand that surrounds the unit has deteriorated after a little over a year. I can lift the rand with my fingernail.

#3 I go through a LOT of batteries.

 

This being said, I have a lot more positive to say about the unit than bad, but you didn't ask that.

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on its hind legs, but by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" -Max Beerbohm

[+Markwell]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BrianSnat:

#3 I go through a LOT of batteries.

---

 

I noticed that I was using most of my batteries up while driving to the caches. I would suggest that you splurge and get the cigarette lighter adapter.

 

Once I did that, I've only been changing batteries once every couple of months. Combine it with a good Ram Mount, and you'll never worry about it again.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

"Therapy is expensive but bubble wrap is free."

[+cachew nut]

I'll go through a pair of batteries in a day or two. I have a lighter adapter, but found it more convenient to just change batteries than to connect/disconnect cables when driving to cache sites.

 

I said I'd report my results before, so here goes. I bought a Ray-o-Vac PS4 quick charger after doing a lot of homework, this appears to be one of the most popular, with many great comments. It recharges both NiCad and Nimh batteries. Right now I have 4 Ray-o-Vac 1600mAh Nimh batteries. I haven't tried rechargeable NiCads yet, but if I find some I'll try them, just for comparison.

 

The batteries I use recharge in about 1 hour, and will last about 10 to 12 hours, and can be recharged up to 1000 times. Since the charger will recharge 4 batteries at one time, I always go caching with two sets of fully charged batteries. I'll turn the GPS on when I leave home and just leave it on until I return. On a couple occasions I have changed batteries in the field (on all day cache hunts when I forgot to recharge before leaving), but for the most part, I'll get a full day out of a freshly charged set.

 

I will be buying more batteries at bulk prices, I'll step up to higher mAh rating as well, since I can always use these in the FRS radios and mini-maglite as well. I have only used Ray-o-Vac batteries only because they came with the charger, I'm guessing I will get the same results with generic brands as well. I also bought 4 Ray-o-Vac AAA Nimh which can be used in the same charger, and I use those for my pen cam, and they last a week or two easily, and I have an even smaller mini-maglite that uses AAA, so I always have some source of light.

 

At my level of battery usage, this equipment will easily pay for itself over a short period of time, which I haven't calculated yet, but it seems to be a no-brainer. The one other purchase I would like to make is some sort of battery case to keep the spares in. Ultimately I'd like to find a case that is designed for holding batteries, and can hold 4 AA's and 4 AAA's at the same time. Right now I keep them in a pouch and have been lucky so far and not shorted them out yet.

[+Team Teuton]

{{{{{{{Ultimately I'd like to find a case that is designed for holding batteries, and can hold 4 AA's and 4 AAA's at the same time.}}}}}}}

 

Radio Shack has plastic battery holders for electronic projects. You could get the AA and the AAA holders and tape them together.

 

You might want to cut the conductors between the the terminals in the holders so the batteries will be electrically isolated, but with no load, it really shouldn't matter.

[dave and jaime]

aristocracker, today at canadian tire by the rayovac display i saw the very storage tray for batteries you are looking for. should check local rayovac dealers.