How To Hold??

December 1, 2004

This may seem like a very dumb question. What is the correct position to hold an etrex in, flat in the palm of you hand with the screen towards the sky or holding with the screen facing me.....where will I get the most accurate readings? Newbie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as you can see :rolleyes:

8.9k · December 1, 2004

From what I've heard (and I can't remember the source) for the Garmin yellow etrex, last I heard it was vertical - perpendicular to the ground.

3.5k · December 1, 2004

Hmmmm....and I have heard just the opposite...parallel to the ground....could this be the beginning of the great moderator war of 2004???!!?!?

The eTrex line is also designed to be manipulated with your left hand. However, I was not designed to manipulate things with my left hand....I wonder if I can "Jimi Hendrix" it.

Bret

1.5k · December 1, 2004

ehhhh... I believe all of the eTrex line are equipped with a patch-style AE at the top of the unit, and should be held flat, face up, and away from the body.

8.9k · December 1, 2004

Hmmmm....and I have heard just the opposite...parallel to the ground....could this be the beginning of the great moderator war of 2004???!!?!?

The eTrex line is also designed to be manipulated with your left hand. However, I was not designed to manipulate things with my left hand....I wonder if I can "Jimi Hendrix" it.

Bret

Just talked with Pete at Garmin's PR department (I think he was also one of the gentlemen I talked to when doing some tech editing).

The patch antennae it doesn't matter what direction you hold them. They will receive the signal the same way.

If the unit has a Quad Helix antenna - those you need to hold upright for better reception.

=========

</end debate>

9.5k · December 1, 2004

Rule of thumb for best reception, if it has a patch antenna, hold it flat, if it has a quad-helix antenna, hold it vertical.

What is the correct position to hold an etrex in...

It has a patch antenna, so hold it flat.

Just talked with Pete at Garmin's PR department (I think he was also one of the gentlemen I talked to when doing some tech editing).

PR department eh? I'll take that with a grain of salt. :rolleyes:

Edited December 1, 2004 by TotemLake

8.9k · December 1, 2004

Rule of thumb for best reception, if it has a patch antenna, hold it flat, if it has a quad-helix antenna, hold it vertical.

What is the correct position to hold an etrex in...

It has a patch antenna, so hold it flat.

Just talked with Pete at Garmin's PR department (I think he was also one of the gentlemen I talked to when doing some tech editing).

PR department eh? I'll take that with a grain of salt.

Actually, when I talked to him before, he was extremely knowledgeable on the products and their limitations and the best way to get use out of them. I specifically pressed him on the altimeter on the lower-end units and their lack of accuracy (when the unit doesn't have a barometric altimeter).

He (accurately) said that for those units to get a more accurate reading on the altitude, you would need a wide dispersion of the birds scattered around the horizon, but of course doing that makes it so that the sat signal is pushing through more atmosphere.

Any PR guy that can talk like that is OK in my book, so I'd take him at his word on the patch ant.

That being said, I have NEVER seen an increase in reception based on the way I hold the basic yellow, unless it is to move it to an open field or hold it high over my head.

9.5k · December 1, 2004

Thanks for the added qualification.

December 1, 2004

I don't know which is more accurate but try this. Lay your etrex flat on your dash board and drive down the freeway then have your navigator lean it up against the windshield so it is as close to vertical as you can get it and watch your track shift to one side or the other.

6.4k · December 1, 2004

I could be wrong, but i swore the extrex users manual tells you it should be oriented horizontally for best performance.

Edited December 1, 2004 by Mopar

December 1, 2004

This may seem like a very dumb question. What is the correct position to hold an etrex in, flat in the palm of you hand with the screen towards the sky or holding with the screen facing me.....where will I get the most accurate readings? Newbie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as you can see

It is my understanding that a GPS works best when it can get a clear shot of the sky. That being said, hold it as far away from yourself as you are comfortable and up in the air (flat or straight up), if need be.

3.5k · December 1, 2004

That being said, I have NEVER seen an increase in reception based on the way I hold the basic yellow, unless it is to move it to an open field or hold it high over my head.

Gotta agree with the verbed one. In moments of desperation I have tried the "hold it parallel to the ground and away from your body" walk.....maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't...mostly all it really does is make it hard to look at the screen. :rolleyes:

Bret

8.9k · December 2, 2004

I could be wrong, but i swore the extrex users manual tells you it should be oriented horizontally for best performance.

I looked there first, and didn't see it in a quick glance.

2.1k · December 2, 2004

The Legend manual says to hold it horizontally.

I can see lowered signal strength on several sats when I hold it vertically.

38.2k · December 2, 2004

The patch antennae it doesn't matter what direction you hold them. They will receive the signal the same way.

I think he should learn a bit more about his products. I've owned a Legend and own a Vista and my experince is that reception is far better when the unit is held flat, face up to the sky. You hold it out, sort of like a waiter carrying a tray of beer.

Any other position could cause it to lose a lock if its under heavy tree cover.

9.1k · December 2, 2004

From my observations of the yellow eTrex in the field, here are my tips:

1. The most important thing is to hold the unit very loosely in your hand so that you're barely touching it, with just your fingertips. When you think it's loose enough, relax pressure even further.

2. Next, hold the unit vertically.

3. Position your hand just above a wastebasket.

4. Repeat step one.

December 2, 2004

I have an eTrex legend, and when walking, I hold in flat (horizontal) that seems the most comfortable. When it is in the truck, it is wedged on the dash against the front windscreen, in an almost vertical way. Both positions give good satellite reception.

2.3k · December 2, 2004

A new user to GPSrs asks a simple question and he does not get a simple correct answer. I guess he will have to count the different opinions. There should not be any opinions on this subject because the patch antenna has a specific gain pattern and there is an optimal orientation. If you do not have the time to search and read some articles on the subject, the answer is: flat, horizontal, parallel to the ground.

38.2k · December 2, 2004

A new user to GPSrs asks a simple question and he does not get a simple correct answer. I guess he will have to count the different opinions. There should not be any opinions on this subject because the patch antenna has a specific gain pattern and there is an optimal orientation. If you do not have the time to search and read some articles on the subject, the answer is: flat, horizontal, parallel to the ground.

The fact that Garmin's rep gave bad info didn't help matters, but your post agrees with my experience. Flat.

9.5k · December 2, 2004

A new user to GPSrs asks a simple question and he does not get a simple correct answer. I guess he will have to count the different opinions. There should not be any opinions on this subject because the patch antenna has a specific gain pattern and there is an optimal orientation. If you do not have the time to search and read some articles on the subject, the answer is: flat, horizontal, parallel to the ground.

Ummmmmmmm

8.9k · December 2, 2004

A new user to GPSrs asks a simple question and he does not get a simple correct answer.

I'm sorry. I guess I assumed that by researching the subject and going to the manufacturer's public relations should count for trying to get the best possible answer.

If I went to Merriam-Webster's dictionary to look up the word cow, and it showed me a picture of a dog, would you fault my identification in the field or the dictionary?

:laughing:

December 2, 2004

Just for fun I thought I'd add the my Garmin Quest has a folding multi-position antenna and the manual recommends that it be positioned parallel with the ground in order to obtain the best reading.

1.1k · December 2, 2004

The ETREX has a PATCH antenna and it is BEST when it screen is held parallel to the ground.

cheers

24.7k · December 2, 2004

I find in my hand works best. When that fails I hold it out from my body a bit. If reception is really spotty I hold it up a ways so my body doesn't block satalites.

It's pretty straight forward.

December 2, 2004

IMHO, my $ 0.02 and field experience is to hold it horizontally.

Roadway57

1.5k · December 2, 2004

That being said, I have NEVER seen an increase in reception based on the way I hold the basic yellow, unless it is to move it to an open field or hold it high over my head.

Gotta agree with the verbed one. In moments of desperation I have tried the "hold it parallel to the ground and away from your body" walk.....maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't...mostly all it really does is make it hard to look at the screen.

Bret

The amount of difference that it makes may be small depending on bird dispersion, cover, et cetera, but if you look at the actual antenna design, signal polarity and so on, a horizontal orientation is best. With my Legend I found sometimes it helped, sometimes it didn't....

2.1k · December 3, 2004

A new user to GPSrs asks a simple question and he does not get a simple correct answer. I guess he will have to count the different opinions. There should not be any opinions on this subject because the patch antenna has a specific gain pattern and there is an optimal orientation. If you do not have the time to search and read some articles on the subject, the answer is: flat, horizontal, parallel to the ground.

THANK YOU !!!

December 3, 2004

Wow, friendly group we have lately.

I feel bad for Markwell........ well almost. :blink: PR people are salesman, good at making you buy their story, but all to often telling just that, a story, which is definately what this guy is doing. I think he forgot to take notes during class and got the reception characteristics of the two antenna types mixed up.....

Regarding the original post, the eTrex uses a patch antenna, which by design works pretty much like a wide angle lens on a camera. Without some fancy mirrors or other tricks, it's limited to a viewing angle of less than 180 degrees, and being a somewhat cheap lens, it will have some light dropoff towards the edges. On the Legend, you can actually see through the plastic above the display, and see the little square there which is the antenna looking straight up the same way that the display is pointing. For the best results, you want the display (And thus the antenna) to basically be pointing as much as possible towards the satellites, which may mean tilting it when on the side of a mountain, or holding it flat on it's back when you're in flat open terrain. Holding it down low, in towards your body, and with the display pointing towards you somewhat is probably one of the most natural, but worst ways that you could use an eTrex. Also, your hand can and will cause interference with the reception pattern, as will proximity to conductive things like your body. Experimenting with your unit, and figuring out how to minimize these problems can make a big difference in how it performs.

Good Luck

3.8k · December 3, 2004

Ok, I'm going to go with "I was just holding it for a friend." I was torn between that and "Know when to hold 'em; know when to fold 'em" but the OP asked How to hold, not when.

2.3k · December 3, 2004

Searching ut:

That was a very good, polite explanation. Unlike my post last night when I was in a grouchy mood.

24.7k · December 3, 2004

A new user to GPSrs asks a simple question and he does not get a simple correct answer. I guess he will have to count the different opinions. There should not be any opinions on this subject because the patch antenna has a specific gain pattern and there is an optimal orientation. If you do not have the time to search and read some articles on the subject, the answer is: flat, horizontal, parallel to the ground.

And if you are still having trouble getting reception, above your head. :blink:

Edited December 3, 2004 by Renegade Knight

How To Hold??

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