+Happy Landins Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 This may have been discussed before, but what is the best way to hold your GPS to get the most accurate reading? Here are some suggestions, but I'd like to know the answers - horizontal or vertical? - above your head? - away from your body - e.g. on the ground? at arms length? If you mark a waypoint several times in succession, does averaging the results really give the most accurate answer? Has anyone done any scientific research on this? I use an e-trek. Quote Link to comment
+RockyRiver Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Garmins like to be held horizontal, and Magellans like to be just held. No serious it seems that all GPS's like the horizontal position for best readings. As for holding over your head or away from your body thats not nescecssary. Quote Link to comment
Larry H Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 At times , in heavy tree cover, my etrex loses connection. When this happens, holding it up arms length over my head seems to get me reconnected fast. To other hikers (non caching types) i look like the Statue of Liberty with my etrex held high in my right hand and the print out of the cache pages held close to my chest. Normal use i hold it in front of me horizontally. Quote Link to comment
+SBPhishy Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Holding it over your head definitely helps, but you look sorta stupid. Away from your body will a negligeable (sp?) difference, not enough to walk around with your arm away from you. I have noticed with my MeriGold, that it definitely gets better reception when I hold it vertical, as opposed to horizontal. Quote Link to comment
+leatherman Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Holding it over your head definitely helps, but you look sorta stupid. Preying to the GPS Gods. Quote Link to comment
+Lone Duck Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I've found little diference in the position that I hold my GPS, although that old Garmin unit is obviously designed to have the antenna pointing up. I'll even walk with it in my hand down by my side without loosing the lock. When I'm close to a waypoint, I then make sure to hold it in an upright position. They're designed for us to comfortably hold in front of us without going through contortions to improve the signal. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 ... As for holding over your head or away from your body thats not nescecssary. I've found that it helps in wooded areas. Mabe because my body isn't blocking signals. Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 - horizontal or vertical?- above your head? - away from your body - e.g. on the ground? at arms length? It depends on the model. Some are designed to be held flat, other vertical. Away/above your body is optimal although not always necessary. Otherwise from the GPSr's point of view, your body blots out a chunk of the sky. (People talk about trees and rain attenuation signals - so what do you think a dense body of blood will do?) That may or may not be important depending on where the satellites are at the moment. If there are none behind you, then it doesn't make a difference. P.S. What's a happy landing? I know: A good landing is one you can walk away from. A great landing is one you can re-use the aircraft. But what's a happy one? Quote Link to comment
+LV Hiker Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 It seems there are many different ways to hold ones gps. Personally I prefer to hold mine horizontally between my knees. By squeezing your upper legs together against the sides of your gps you will find that with practice it will stay pretty secure between your knees. Actually just slightly above the knees. An added benefit of this particular method is that it brings you and your gps closer together in a more intimate manner. And of course everyone knows that the more intimate you are with your gps the more likely it is to give you accurate readings. This method does tend to shorten ones stride but the benefit is that it leaves both hands free for other activities such as shading your eyes from the sun while looking for satellites, trying to figure out how a compass works and looking at all the squiggly linges on a topo map. Quote Link to comment
+Ficky Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 my etrex likes to be held at about a 45 degree angle it lets the antenna be pointed to the sky yet still be readable. At least for this Teenager, it all dpends on the model. Dan Quote Link to comment
Kerry. Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Can depend on the actual make/model and some manuals specifically detail how it should be held, horzizontal, vertical, angles etc. One such case study on antenna orientation Case Study of Antenna Orientation Also as well as correctly orientating the handheld (for those models where it matters) the general rule for any handheld (for all low to mid latitudes) is always face the equator as this can mximize satellite reception as there are no satellites over the poles, 45 degrees either side of North or south and below 45-60 degrees above the horizon. In other words behind you. Cheers, Kerry. Quote Link to comment
+Marky Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Garmins like to be held horizontal, and Magellans like to be just held. No serious it seems that all GPS's like the horizontal position for best readings. As for holding over your head or away from your body thats not nescecssary. This is not true. Magellan meridians and sportraks prefer a vertical position (even says so in the manual). It's very easy to test. Just put a magellan on the satellite sginal screen and hold it vertical and notice the strength bars. Now hold it horizonal. You will most likely notice a decrease in the signal strength. Quote Link to comment
galenstewart Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Folks - there seems to be lots of confusion here resulting from the failure to recognize the fact that GPSR's can have one of two antenna configurations. Orientation for optimal reception depends on particular the antenna configuration of the GPSr in question. There are two types of antennas - patch and quadrifilar helix. Models with patch antennas like to be held horizontally. Models with quad-helix antennas likes to be held vertically. You need to check the antenna type of your particular model of GPSr, whether Garmin or Magellan or whatever. If it is a patch antenna, hold it horizontally; if it is a helix, hold it vertically. It is as simple as that. So, for example, the Garmin e-trex line all incorporate patch antennas. These perform best when being held horizontally (i.e. flat on its back). At the same time, the Garmin 76S, 60C/S, etc. incorporate quad helix antennas. These perform best when being held vertically. Quote Link to comment
+EScout Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 (edited) galenstewart is right on correct about the types of antennas and how to hold them. If you add another type of external antenna such as an Eggbeater or turnstile, you might have built them yourself and you would know the polarization and the proper orientation. Edited March 18, 2004 by EScout Quote Link to comment
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