Newbie Questions

[+georgiadawn]

Hello all! I stumbled into GC via a link from the AK State Parks page. I had no idea GCing existed before then. I am so excited to have made this discovery. I joined the site that very day and have been reading everything I can with the free time I have. I called DH after reading for several hours the first day and tried my best to explain to him what I had found (this site and my newest obsession!) and he laughed, "Honey I had planned on getting you a GPSr for Christmas because you are always getting lost!" Well, I have him convinced to get it for me for my birthday (in three weeks!) I'm assuming that people with no direction since can do this since they have the GPS to guide them? So that brings me to my questions .....

 

DH wants something that will help me with driving directions as well as whatever will be good for GCing. I think I want the Vista. Will that do on road/in town stuff well too?

 

Can all GSPrs download waypoints or are only a few set up for that? Can you add memory like you can to a computer or are you stuck with what comes with it? Can someone point me to some info on the GPS software? I keep seeing bits and pieces on it, but no real details. What about the mapping software? I think I understand that it is specific to the brand of GPSr?

 

How do I find other GPSrs in my area and do they welcome muggles to join them on their expeditions just to get the hang of it? I know no one who does this and have already infected others who want to get into it! HA HA HA

 

Anyway, thanks in advance for the help. Getting ready to order the book while I wait for my birthday to come around. (20 days and counting!!!!!)

 

Dawn in Mississippi[/size]

[+Spencersb]

What part of Mississippi are you in?

This link should help:

Mississippi Geocaching Assn

 

and I'll get flamed by the Magellan camp , but I love my Garmin eTrex Legend. Need to get the MapSource City Maps, though. Base map is pretty "base" for street level driving directions. You can compare different units here:

Garmin Website

 

Welcome to the addiction!

[+IV_Warrior]

I'm sure some others can give you info on what units can give "turn by turn" directions, but all I know is that the Vista can't. Also, on MOST units, you're stuck with the memory that comes with the unit. The Magellan Meridian series is one exception to this (if there are others, I'm not sure which ones) as it has a built in SD card reader, so your memory options are pretty much just limited by your budget. (I've heard the Meridians WILL work with the 1 GB sd cards, so pretty much all the memory you'll ever need and more is easily available for them)

 

Basically most any unit you get is going to come with pretty crappy basemaps, that only list MAJOR roadways and interstates, you'll need to spend some more, and buy the detailed maps, if that's what you need/want. Many of the "entry level" units don't even have maps (Etrex Yellow, for instance). The mapping software is brand specific, you can only load Garmin maps onto Garmin GPS units, etc.....

 

MOST GPS units have cables available to download waypoints, but there are a few that don't, and you have to manually enter waypoints in them.

 

Hope that helps with some of your questions, I'm sure a few others will chime in here with some more information for you.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Hmmm...it depends. Did you marry Daddy Warbucks?

 

It's like anything else, you can spend a little more and get a little more...and more..and more. So you start with what you think you can soak him for

 

If you picked the Vista because it's about the right price range, well and good. It's one model up from mine, the Legend, and I just love mine.

 

Be warned, though, that all the units in the eTrex line (and anything of comparable price from anyone else) have a screen that's really too small to navigate and drive at the same time. You need to know roughly what you're doing before you do it, then rely on the unit to tell you when the big turns are coming up. This is not a unit you can drive and watch safely.

 

Still...I have an absolutely appalling sense of direction; I've gotten lost all my life. I can't tell you how liberating it's been to know where I am and where I'm going. It means I can go exploring by myself, which I've never been able to do before. In fact, I've even gotten better at navigating without the GPS. If only I could patch up all the holes in my brain this easily!

 

Oh, and that geocaching thing's pretty cool, too

[+The Leprechauns]

Welcome to geocaching! You might want to look at the Garmin V for its turn by turn directions. Until the introduction of the 60C series it was the top of the line model. Since it isn't anymore, the prices are falling. I've used this GPS since I started geocaching and it's great both for finding the caches in the field and for navigating you to the next one. In fact, with autorouting telling you to "turn right in .5 miles onto Route 70" it almost takes the fun out of the navigational part of getting to the cache. If you don't care for that challenge, consider autorouting.

[+geojeeper74]

If you want turn by turn directions, I would recommend the Magellan Meridian Gold Travelor Pack. It comes with the GPSr, mapping software, 64MB SD card, vehicle mounting bracket, pc data cable and cigarette adapter. Here is a link to it:

 

http://www.shopharmony.com/product.asp?i=MAGMRDGOLTRAV

 

This is the setup I have and have been very pleased so far. Worked great on my last vacation from Illinois to Maryland.

[+Prime Suspect]

I'm sure some others can give you info on what units can give "turn by turn" directions, but all I know is that the Vista can't. 

Actually, the nifty new COLOR Vistas do have auto-routing.

 

From the Garmin website:

Automatic route generation, off-route recalculation, turn-by-turn directions with alert tones, and icon-driven menus for finding points of interest (when combined with Garmin’s optional MapSource® CDs) navigate you safely to your destination

[+IV_Warrior]

Actually, the nifty new COLOR Vistas do have auto-routing.

Thanks for the correction, I haven't looked at the VistaC yet, and was just going base on my experience with my old Vista.

[+Sputnik 57]

For routing by car and caching, I love the Garmin 60c. It you drive by your turn, the display say "rerouting" for a few seconds, and then tells how to get back on course. I have City Select Maps loaded for urban driving. It is on the pricy side, but well worth the money, IMHO.

[+Team Virginia Browns]

My advice would be to buy an entry level GPS, that way if the game is not for you, your not out much. Of course with some of the prices of GPSr's on Ebay, you might not be out anything anyway.

 

With me, and my OLD eagle mapguide pro, I am ready to trade up but can't afford to...yet.

[+Kai Team]

I have the eTrex Vista and love it for geocaching - it's small and light, has great features (e.g. built in electronic compass, plenty of memory) and has never steered me wrong! In terms of road navigation, if you can afford the VistaC, go for it! But if you want to save a little money...

I'm sure some others can give you info on what units can give "turn by turn" directions, but all I know is that the Vista can't. 

Depending on what you mean by "turn by turn" directions, I would argue that the "old" Vista can do that. When in navigation mode, it shows the distance (and time at present speed) to the next turn and, as you approach the turn, the arrow bends in the direction you need to turn. It also sometimes shows the name of the street you'll turn on as the next waypoint, but sometimes the next waypoint is a more obscure reference. If "turn by turn directions" means the unit says, "Turn right on Main Street", then, no, it doesn't do that.

 

Although the screen is small (that's the trade off for portability), I use mine to navigate in the car all the time. With the additon of the optional Suction Cup Windshielf Mount and Cigarette Lighter Power Adapter, I find it's easy (I stick it to the lower part of the windshield just to the right of my line of sight, and it's easy enough to glance at to see when your next turn is coming up). Although these accessories add to the price, you'd probably want to get some kind of mount and power adapter for any portable GPSr that you're going to use in the car (you can find these exact same Garmin accessories at discounted prices on other - i.e. not Garmin - websites by searching for the model/part number).

 

As noted above, in either case you want to get the MapSource City Maps software for it's detailed maps (one purchase covers the entire US, including Hawaii). MapSource will automatically plot a route on your PC (you pick the starting and ending points), and then download the route to the Vista. It does a remarkably good job (I've checked it on routes I know and it always picks the best route!). Once MapSource has plotted a route, you can click on the route tab and print out detailed turn by turn directions (similar to what you get from MapQuest). If you do that and review it ahead of time, road navigation with the Vista is very easy.

 

As you can tell, everyone has an opinion about GPSr's, and not everyone agrees!

[+briansnat]

Welcome to geocaching! You might want to look at the Garmin V for its turn by turn directions. Until the introduction of the 60C series it was the top of the line model. Since it isn't anymore, the prices are falling. I've used this GPS since I started geocaching and it's great both for finding the caches in the field and for navigating you to the next one. In fact, with autorouting telling you to "turn right in .5 miles onto Route 70" it almost takes the fun out of the navigational part of getting to the cache. If you don't care for that challenge, consider autorouting.

I agree. The Garmin V was my "Holy Grail" GPS until the 60C came out. It is still a great unit and a bargain these days, but now I have my eyes set on the 60C.

[+Robespierre]

I love my Vista, and it has basic maps included of two continents. But, I suspect that there are better units IF step-by-step turning instructions are what you want.

[Robin's End]

I was shocked (pleasantly) at how useful a VistaC was for turn-by-turn navigation. I use City Select v6 with it.