Geocaching Mode And The Gpsmap 60cs

[+The Goodcacher's]

Well I'm really doing good learning everything on my 60CS but still having problems narrowing in on a cache and using the map and geocache modes.

 

First off I wished I knew a little more about the coordinates it uses. I thought that there can only be one set of coordinates for any one point on the earth but when I find caches and take a reading of current location, it is a little different than posted (a little but not a bunch). I don't know why this is.

 

Also I've been having the problem of getting close to a cache (withing 150 feet) and

(1) if you just stop it will keep re-adjusting or something (I stopped at 160 feet and it went all the way down unto 40 feet in the same spot) and ...

 

(2) all the sudden (when you get within 30 or so feet) it will point the needle in the other direction and give you 30 or 40 or 50 feet in the opposite direction until you start walking that way and it switches again.

 

These are just a few annoyances I've been dealing with if anyone can please help me out. I would really appreciate it and thanks in advance!

 

Also I've been playing around with turning the compass on and off and also turning on WAAS and turning it off.

 

Thanks~

 

The Goodcacher's

[+Firehouse16]

Well I'm waiting for some answers too, but today I think I was getting a sequence down of how to use it and it was remarkably accurate! The auto route......WOW! Each day I learn a bit more and more, but it still confuses the hell out of me. The first cache I did today was a nightmare, found it by luck, but by the 3rd cache things were flowing a bit smoother. Once I feel a tad more comfortable I'll post again. It's about 5 times more complex than my Legend, but about 10 times better so far!

[jbclimber]

Is this happening with the compass on or off? Try it both ways.

[AlphaOp]

There is autorouting on the 60C? Holy crap.

[+The Goodcacher's]

Is this happening with the compass on or off? Try it both ways.

I have tried it with the compass on and off. Overall I seem to get much better results with it on. I have to keep it level though and I try to walk pretty slow when I get pretty close.

[+briggsmail]

I've run into this too and, though I haven't tried any experiments yet, I'm wondering if this might be part of the issue...

 

There's a default 90 seconds, or something like that, after you come to a stop before the CS's electronic compass kicks in. It could be that, once you come to a stop and then look for guidance from your compass, you're in an in-between place where the sattelite guided compass has stopped (because you're not moving) and the electronic compass hasn't kicked in yet.

 

Maybe reduce the wait time for the elect. compass, or just try navigating with the long/lat readings -- make sure you've got a good fix from 3 or 4 sattelites.

[+Firehouse16]

I'm lost here, 2 types of compasses? How do you get the electronic compass to kick in?

 

Right now I'm using the auto-route to get me to the area, then when I get real close I select geocache, the cache I want, go to, off road mode. Is there an easier better way?

[+mochalatte]

I'm lost here, 2 types of compasses? How do you get the electronic compass to kick in?

Turn the magnetic compass on & off by holding down the Page key. There is an icon near the top to show you when the compass is on. Remember to hold the GPS horizontal.

 

I had a terrible time getting my GPS to behave on Saturday also, but it was probably due to the thick trees that caches were hidden in. Couldn't find a couple of caches in those woods because I was supposed to look for a fallen tree. You would be amazed at how many fallen trees there are in the huge accuracy radius of a GPS in the middle of the thick NC woods.

 

I wonder if it is possible that we were dealing with a sick satellite overhead on Saturday. (As you can tell, I'm still decompressing. :-)

[+trippy1976]

when I find caches and take a reading of current location, it is a little different than posted (a little but not a bunch). I don't know why this is.

 

Also I've been having the problem of getting close to a cache (withing 150 feet) and

(1) if you just stop it will keep re-adjusting or something (I stopped at 160 feet and it went all the way down unto 40 feet in the same spot) and ...

 

(2) all the sudden (when you get within 30 or so feet) it will point the needle in the other direction and give you 30 or 40 or 50 feet in the opposite direction until you start walking that way and it switches again.

The things you describe [edit: err... above] are very typical of any GPS.

 

Since every GPS has an innacuracy of 30ish feet, it will sit there and re-adjust over and over even if you stand in the same spot. And yes... at times the arrow will just bounce over to behind you by 30-40 feet. Sometimes you lose satellite lock for a second and by the time the GPS catches up, you are beyond where you should be. Sometimes the trees or chain link fences just play amazing games on your GPS.

 

I don't think anything is wrong with your GPS, it's just how they work. They are only so precise and when you're working with 30 feet inaccuracy, you're working against both your own innacuracy of 30 feet and that of the original placer. Theoritically a 40-50 foot circle would be about as precise as you could reasonably hope for. In practice it's generally close to 15-20 feet, and is better under low tree cover, away from anything (like fences) that can mess with the GPS signals, etc.

Edited March 29, 2004 by trippy1976

[+The Goodcacher's]

Thanks everybody ... Yes I've been reading and getting some feedback. My troubles are just the norm of using a GPS. I think my unit (the 60CS) is a little better than most. I really like it and I'm sure they will only get better. I'm going to keep reading and keep practicing. I think that will do me the most good... thanks!

[+Patuxent Pirates]

I think its just the nature of the beast, my Magellan does the same thing as long as the auto averaging is on. At least with a Garmin you can turn that thing off.