Got a GPS that you love???

[Wboggs5]

Tell me about it...I'm looking to purchase one soon. My bro. turned me on to this (geocache) today and it looks like my kind of way to spend some time outdoors.

I'm liking the features listed for the Magellan

Meridian. I've used my brothers gps a few times (Garmin) and am pretty well versed in its use.

I like the 2mb of map that s standard in the Meridian among other features. You LOVE the one you use? Tell me what you love about it.

Thanx

 

Later

Bill

[+nincehelser]

...from my basic eTrex to an eTrex Vista.

 

After a day with the Vista, I really appreciate the simplicity of the eTrex for geocaching.

 

Not that I don't like my new Vista...quite the opposite. It's just a lot more difficult to use because of all the bells and whistles available.

 

For geocaching-only, I think an eTrex with basic mapping would be just dandy. Maybe Garmin has it right with the Geckos.

 

(I just gotta have the other bells and whistles, though

 

George

[Team Sidewinder]

I agree with nincehelser. I had a Garmin 12XL as my first gpsr and it did everything I asked of it and found 99% of my caches so far. I haven't had my Garmin 76S that long but the simplicity of the old reliable 12XL is really hard to beat. I guess if you go to the gps brand and model you are already familiar with you can't go wrong. Although the old reliable ( 12XL ) gets the job done it is not to say the bells and whistles on the 76S might not make you want to upgrade for a long long while

but that is just my 2cents worth.

sidewinde

 

LOST AND FOUND DEPT.

[+Caching In]

I think I love my Magellan Sportrack Pro more and more everyday!

 

It's not the biggest and baddest unit available, but so far, it has performed well for me under a variety of environments. Be sure to thorougly compare it to your first two choices.

[+Renegade Knight]

GPS V.

 

Until something better comes along it's as good as it gets, bar none.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[+Dixie's Crew]

Magellan Meridian GPS. It is cheap (one hundred bucks), accurate, expandable with memory card, and yellow. Plus it's my first GPS. Whoop!

[hostetter]

I love the simplicity and the small size of my etrex. Screaming yellow notwithstanding, I can be subtle in a crowded park if I need to be cause it's so small. However on a cloudy day in the woods this thing is not that reliable. I don't have a problem finding caches though.

[+Night Stalker]

I have used Renegade Knights GPS V and I have the SporTrak Pro. They are both great GPS. If you have the extra money I would buy the GPS V, but if you need to save $150.00 then buy the SporTrak Pro.

 

Lost? Keep going. You're making good time anyway!!

[+Newenglandah]

I had a Garmin gps 38 --old

 

and I decided to go and buy a etrex legend, and love it. It has all the features I need esp for caching.. I belive it has a few more features then the Vista and not that much more in cost...go to garmin.com and compare them..

 

Found the cache but where is that damm GPS?

See You In the Woods!!!

Natureboy1376

[+JoGPS]

I have a Garmin Etrex, Etrex Vista, Garmin V , Garmin 76S, and a Magallin Sport Track Map , I get out of the truck with the 76S. But they are all good units but I use them in different ways except the Sport Track I just gave it away I couldn’t make friends;’…….JOE

[+Criminal]

quote:

---

Topic: Got a GPS that you love???

---

 

Yes, I love ole number 47. It gives WAAS corrections and regular sat info. I only wish it wasn't so aloof here in the Pacific Northwest.

 

 

OK OK, I know that joke is getting old...

 

http://fp1.centurytel.net/Criminal_Page/

[+J.D.]

No probs w/ my e-trex, but I do carry a compass in case of heavy cover. 14-0 so far.

 

J.D.

Doctors Inlet, FL

[+EraSeek]

I have a Garmin 12 and a Garmin map76. The 12 is rugged as all heck, easy to use and read, but older. The map76 is awesome. The best for seting up however you wish! It has an awesome tide graph. A larger screen. I love it. I use the 12 for rugged adventures, and the map76 for all else.

 

[+sbell111]

I started out with a 3+. I Considered upgrading to the V, but decided against it. The 3+ is a great unit.

[+Thomas & Dingo]

Love my Meridian Platinum, its been taking me right to the caches no problem, even in moderate to heavy forest cover. It is larger than the Garmins but I did not like the placement of the buttons above the screen that Garmin uses.

 

[+canadazuuk]

I have both Garmins and Magellans, and find the Magellan tracks better under moderate tree cover, which is due to the different antenna.

 

That aside, the Meridian is a super deal, so why pay more?

 

canadazuuk

[+LoneHowler]

I have a Garmin Rino and only recently broke myself of the habit of taking it to work and everywhere elce. I still like taking it to new places in the city to see where some of the caches are so I can hunt them down in warmer weather

 

More to see, More to do

[Dave Lucas]

If you can find one, get it quick.

 

Great intro unit... so great I just dumped the idea of upgrading to a Magellan ColorTrak.

 

At Canadian Tire, they go for well under $200.00 Canadian - about $125.00 if memory serves.

 

In US money, that's about a Big Mac, and Fries :-)

[+roasteroo]

Just to many reasons to list:

Rugged, SD card, Easy to read display and layout, great reception under tree cover. I bought mine based on sd card and internal memory specs as well as antenna. It has not let down. My freind got a Garmin Etrex vista for christmas. He was always asking for help since I had a GPSr. Side by side he found my gps better for these things:

Even though the garmin has better screen resolution, it screen is smaller and harder to read.

Joystick was unweildable and interupted view of the screen.

 

He traded in for a Meridian Gold

 

Magellans Mapsend Topo is good but could ask for a lot more.

 

Just my two cents.

[+nincehelser]

...is how the Magellen users get right to the caches.

 

After all, many Garmin eTrex users are placing caches, and if the patch antenna is so inferior to the quad-helix, then how are they getting coordinates so exact that the Magellen users can go right to them?

 

Something doesn't add up.

 

Personally, I think the antenna issue is overblown. Modern electronics and signal processing blows the difference away. Couple that with fact that the software can make a unit look as "stable" or "sensitive" as one wants.

 

Reminds me of the modems that always told you you were getting the fastest possible connect speeds, regardless of reality. Some companies did this to keep their tech support calls down.

 

Anyway, I'm just amazed at how the Magellens go right to the cache, even when they were placed with Garmins.

 

George

[+Siberian Cacher]

That's all I need! My little yellow e-trex, as many others have said, is simple, and easy to use - which is imortant with the dog on 1 hand and the unit in the other. Waypoints and routes a super easy to use and I made a homemade cable to download easy gps coordinates.

 

I live in the desert so I don't have too many cover or tree issues but I will be heading up to the mountains soon. I would like to upgrade to a unit with the street maps capability but I don't think I would ever give up my trusty yellow e-trex.

[+Brian - Team A.I.]

So far, I love this unit. It has yet to fail me, and the features are abundant. I've read of complaints regarding battery life, but I look at it this way. I used to get approx 25-30 hrs of life out of 4-AA batteries in my GPS III, and now there's approx. 12 hours of life on 2-AA batteries for the Vista. Using that logic, I have nearly the same results using 4-AA batteries, so the problem doesn't really exist IMO.

 

Brian

Team A.I.

[+Searching_ut]

But old yellow was a close second. Still wondering why I decided to sell it awhile back. My second favorite is my GIII+, which fits so well on the dash of my boat. Using the external antenna in my truck it also provides all the data I need to my pocket PC to get me down the road. As an avid hiker though, my legend is my trusted friend. Small, feature loaded, rugged and reliable.......

[+Ozarktroutbum]

My first GPS. I like/use the mapping feature and the solunar tables are useful to me too. Recently had a few bux burning a hole in my pocket and started looking to upgrade. After perusing Garmins and other Magellans decided that there wasnt any reason for me to upgrade. I've been eying an altimeter/barometer compass fob thingy at REI instead. Probably will wait for the new Meridian color to drop in price and then get that.

 

When GPSr's are outlawed, only Outlaws will have GPSr's.

[+TEAM 360]

So far I am lovin my MeriPlat, it got me within 3 feet of a cache yesterday...and my Magellan 315 was AWESOME, I would literally stumble over caches.

[+HartClimbs]

..but it's my first (and only) GPS so I don't have much of a basis for comparison.

 

What I can tell you is that I've been so impressed with Garmin's Customer Service that I would recommend Garmin without reservations.

[+ScottJ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by HartClimbs:

What I can tell you is that I've been so impressed with http://opentopic.Groundspeak.com/0/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=1750973553&f=5740990093&m=3090912555&r=4140980655#4140980655 that I would recommend Garmin without reservations.

---

 

Just as well. They don't take reservations.

 

I have been a Garmin guy since the first GPS I ever bought, a GPS 12. Many of the aircraft I've flown have had the Garmin GNS 430/530 series of GPS/Nav/Comm systems, and they're just the best. That quality seems to carry over into their handhelds. I presently own a GPS III+, a GPS V (which stays in the car) and one each of Rino 110/120, which we use when caching.

 

Like every company, they have their problems (I sure wish they'd settle on ONE power/data connector!) but all in all, they've served me well.

 

--

Scott Johnson (ScottJ)

[lomd]

quote:

---

Originally posted by nincehelser:

...is how the Magellen users get right to the caches.

 

After all, many Garmin eTrex users are placing caches, and if the patch antenna is so inferior to the quad-helix, then how are they getting coordinates so exact that the Magellen users can go right to them?

 

Something doesn't add up.

 

Personally, I think the antenna issue is overblown. Modern electronics and signal processing blows the difference away. Couple that with fact that the software can make a unit look as "stable" or "sensitive" as one wants.

 

Reminds me of the modems that always told you you were getting the fastest possible connect speeds, regardless of reality. Some companies did this to keep their tech support calls down.

 

Anyway, I'm just amazed at how the Magellens go right to the cache, even when they were placed with Garmins.

 

George

---

 

 

I saw a Usenet thread on this matter, and

a guy (someone with a good reputation who

writes articles on the matter, I figure)

tested some version of the eTrex and

a Magellan 315 (I think). IIRC, the

Etrex actually has closer accuracy than

the Magellan in most situations. The

quad-helix may actually be a hindrance

to accuracy, sort of - by having a easier

time acquiring a fix, maybe we are settling

for less precise satellites and having

overall lesser precision.

 

Please note that, on the other hand,

odds are that a quad-helix may acquire

a signal in situations where a patch

antenna might not. I suppose a q-h

would be especially recommended for

urban environments.

 

Best,

Luis.

[jjtrails]

I'm battin' 500. Found one..no sweat...missed the other. But I can say this...The SporTrak is waterproof(fell in the water when a rotten log gave way) and shock proof (bounces on my saddle at a trot without missing a beat) So it is durable, and the more I read about these things, accuracy is about 10' at best. So I'll take durability...this thing got me within 3' of the one I did find.

The one I missed may no longer be there after the rain.

 

Ride Far!

[DS_Grouse]

I am looking for a pretty versitile GPS, as my intrests go from hunting,camping,fishing to getting started into Caching. I am looking for something with a compass, altimiter, and barometer. If any one has a GPS with these features please let me know at mr_rgrouse@msn.com

[+MedicP1]

I love my MAG 315. It is my first and has not let me down yet. It seems to find the caches and is consistently getting a 3' reading sometimes down to 2'. It also shows 8-10 SATs and twice I've seen 12 with bars on 10. No barometer but you've always got the Weather Channel for that.

 

GPSr's...A step in the right direction!

[Fishnjerm]

I have a Lowrance Nav12, a Garmin GPSII+, a Garmin 126 (selling), a Garmin 162 on the way, and the Garmin Etrex Legend . I love the legend. It has 8mb memory space which is a lot of maps. I like the Mapsource topo quads for my downloadable maps. I used to use it fishing, before the 126, which is now being replaced with the 162. I still use in the woods, and sometimes at work. I'm a land surveyor. The maps are nice if your not familiar with an area so as to get to the parks where the Caches are stashed. Nothing but good luck with the Etrex Legend for me.

 

It is better to not speak and be thought a fool than to speak and leave no doubt.

[+Team Oodi]

The Garmin 12 is a great GPS, it's rugged and has great reception. It does over 24 hours runtime on 4 AA batteries. I just purchased a Garmin 72, haven't turned it on yet. I looked at the eTrex but preferred the 72 because it shares the same power connector as my 12 and has a nice large display.