Question About Garmin G12 Unit

[SilverSeeker]

I have a Garmin G12 series gps that I bought 7 or 8 years ago. I have just now gotten interested in geocaching and I want to know if there have been enough signifigant advances in technology since the purchase of this unit to warrant buying a newer one? As far as accuracy is concerned, is it worth selling the unit and looking for a newer used one? I noticed that you can get a gecko on ebay used for $60 or $70.

 

Question 2.

 

I have never hooked my G12 up to a pc. It's software is version 3.##(don't remember exact version). Is it possible with this unit to connect to a pc and download any software updates?

 

Thanks,

SilverSeeker

[+EraSeek]

I have a Garmin G12 series gps that I bought 7 or 8 years ago. I have just now gotten interested in geocaching and I want to know if there have been enough signifigant advances in technology since the purchase of this unit to warrant buying a newer one? As far as accuracy is concerned, is it worth selling the unit and looking for a newer used one? I noticed that you can get a gecko on ebay used for $60 or $70.

 

Question 2.

 

I have never hooked my G12 up to a pc. It's software is version 3.##(don't remember exact version). Is it possible with this unit to connect to a pc and download any software updates?

 

Thanks,

SilverSeeker

I still have my garmin12 (as well as a Map76). I use the map76 mostly but do use the 12 sometimes. It works fine. Yes, newer units have bells and whistles, and some software improvements as well as accuracy improvements, but not really enough change to affect geocaching. The biggest difference you will notice is that new units will take you down to feet, where the 12 does hundredths of a mile (.02, .01 .00) when you get that close to the target just switch to watching your latitude/longitude coordinates till you are right on. Its just as good.

 

Yes, you can coonect up to a pc. It uses the same serial connection cable as the map76, and you can download waypoints (or updates from Garmin). They don't have many recent updates for the 12.

[Prof. Y. Lupardi]

As already said: the new GPSr types have more bells and whistles.

Get yourself a cable to your RS232 port on your PC (make one see http://pfranc.com/ )

Then you can also upgrade the firmware to current version 4.58

When I put my GPS12 in user grid for the local metric grid (Rijksdriehoeksmeting :-) my goto-distance counts nicely in meters.

I got my GSP12 about 3 years ago. No problem at all using if for geocaching.

And when you mark a waypoint you have only 6 positions in the waypoint name (still common practice in the new GPSr ) but you have an extra info field of 16 characters (you can overwrite the date/time field!) that most nowadays GPSr are missing!

Geocaching with the weather-resistant (water!) strong-cased GPS12 goes very well. See my webpage at Geocaching and related items

[Kerry.]

I would be extremely hesitant, in fact I would not even try and upgrade a 3.xx software version with 4.xx unless you can confirm that this is possibble.

 

There are 2 specific software upgrades for the GPS12, 3.53 (April 3 1998) for those with existing versions 3.50 to 3.52 and 4.6 (Aug 4 2003) for those already with 4.00 through 4.58.

 

Certanly one couldn't upgrade from 2.x to 3.x but 3.x to 4.x I'm not entirely sure but better to be safe (until you can confirm this) otherwise trying this and if it is not compatible then you will have one stuffed GPS12.

 

As for the GPS12? then for sure one can update the software (within reason) and as for accuracy no problem either.

 

Cheers, Kerry.