Buying A New Unit

[Randilin]

I'm looking for some input on a new GPS. The unit we currently have is a Magellan 2000xl, it's a much older unit and the deciminal places on the coordinates only go to 2 places. Which makes it very very hard to find a lot of the caches and also it has a huge problem with keeping it's signal under light tree cover. Those things do not make for an overly enjoyable Geocaching experience.

 

Now that being said the caches that we have found have really hooked us on the whole Geocaching experience. So now we are looking in to getting a new unit this June.

 

We had a brief look at the different units while out a few days ago and wanted to get some input from the people who have been doing this for a while and would have a better idea what we should be looking for.

 

So far the main unit we have been thinking about is the Garmin eTrex Venture. It seems to have a lot of good features like coming with the download cord, coordinates going to three places. small in size, a lot of way points, and so on.

 

I'd love to hear from people who use this unit to cache. Also how does it work when it comes to tree cover. Any other information on it would be good too.

 

thanks in advance

[+Renegade Knight]

If you have concerns about tree cover you will want a GPS with a Quad Helix type antanea. The puts you into the Sport Trak line for a price in the same ball park as the Venture. The VEnture has a patch antanea and in a hand held unit you can notice a little bit better reception in tree cover with the quad type antanea.

[+Rubberhead]

The eTrex Legends are now available with a $30 rebate making a new Legend about the same or maybe a little cheaper than the Venture.

 

I love the eTrex series and have owned the Camo, Venture, Legend and Vista. I still own the Camo and Vista and just purchased a Mariner (the same as a Venture) for the kids.

 

Garmin is sending rebates out quickly I got a rebate on Fishing Hotspots in less than two weeks.

[Randilin]

I stopped in a local store this afternoon and checked out the SportTrak. The clerk asked what we would be using the unit for, so we may have another cacher here in Winnipeg. She had never heard of it, so we gave her the website.

 

One of the things I noticed while we were looking at the manual for the SportTrak was that the coordinate entry screen only seemed to go to 2 decimal places. Is there feature you would have to turn on or something to get all three places?

 

Cliff

[kascinoh]

If your display is only going to 2 decimal places, you don't have it set up correctly. I have a 2000xl also - I bought it used, and it wasn't set up correctly when I got it. To make sure you have it set correctly, press MENU then Choose SETUP. Choose , I think, LAT/LON (I'm going off memory here...) - then set it to the choice with ".MMM" as the display option. Also, in your setup choices, be sure to select WGS84 as your map datum...

 

I've used my old 2000xl and have had very good success with it...

[Magellin]

Do alot of research Like I did.

And take note of all the opinions you get here. if price is a main concern then think about the little problems like updated map software and recievers and firmware. Some units are the same on the inside and just look nicer on the out. (depending on where the buttons are).

My Magellan Units are dadgum good, dead nutz on with all.

The Maping software kinda sux on the PC but is the bomb on the unit itself. Lightning fast up/downloading with MapSend SW

[+embra]

One of the things I noticed while we were looking at the manual for the SportTrak was that the coordinate entry screen only seemed to go to 2 decimal places. Is there feature you would have to turn on or something to get all three places?

I think nearly any Magellan or Garmin units you buy today will go to three decimals. To specifically answer your question: yes, SporTraks will do this.

[kascinoh]

Ok, now that I have my 2000xl in front of me, try this:

Press MENU

Choose SETUP MENU

Choose COORD SYSTEM

Choose LAT/LON

Choose DEG/MIN.MMM

 

-this will get your display to 3 decimal places.

 

Also, try:

 

Press MENU

Press SETUP MENU

Scroll down (or up) to MAP DATUM

Choose WGS84

 

Hope this helps. Might want to keep your 2000xl around as a backup if you are going to spring for a new unit...

[Randilin]

THANK YOU.... THANK YOU... THANK YOU...

 

I had read through the manual and did not remember seeing anything about that, so we had basically come to the conculsion that it was an older unit and that perhaps the olders units were just not as accurate. Both of us feel like real dopes right now.

 

You saved me a bundle of cash. I still hope to get a new unit at some point but now I will hold off. It has been so very frustrating not having that extra deciminal place. We have avoided doing a number of things like planting caches for example.

 

kascinoh you have made my day, even my week....

[+DBC FOR LIFE]

Garmin 60c is the way to go, hands down.