Carrying A Gpsr

[waddy]

I just started using a hand held GPS (I have used aviation GPS units for several years), and sometimes it is definitely not advantageous to carry the unit in my hand. What are some good ways to pack the unit, while still allowing it to track satellites? I am using a Garmin eTrex Vista. In what position is the antenna best able to track satellites? Vertical, horizontal?

[Dale_Lynn]

I do two things. First I put GPSr on a lanyard ( attached to back pack) so I don't loose it, and then just stuff it in jacket pocket or in back pack pocket if to warm for jacket!.

 

Dale

Edited January 26, 2005 by Dale_Lynn

[rescue557]

I keep mine in a mesh pocket of a backpack with the antenna pointing straight up. This keeps the sats ready so when I'm ready to seek a cache, it's all set to go.

[+briansnat]

The Vista (and all eTrex) likes to be held horiziontally, face to the sky. It will lose reception frequently if you hold it any other way. I purchased the neoprene carrying case and I clip it to the top of my pack's shoulder strap where it rides in optimum position. Works great.

 

Edited January 26, 2005 by briansnat

[+sbell111]

When I use a pack, I keep my 3+ in a case that is attached to the shoulder strap. I can get to it easily when I want it and it keeps a good lock. I also am careful to keep the lanyard clipped to the pack, just in case the velcro flap comes open and the unit slips out of it horizonally-oriented case.

[waddy]

Wow, talk about immediate and helpful replies!! You have been extremely helpful (a PICTURE even). Thank you VERY MUCH.

[+Prairie Dog]

I know he was asking about the Etrex Vista, but what is the best way to carry a Magellan Sportrak Map? Horizontally like a Star Trek phaser or vertically like a walkie talkie?

[+Seay me]

Along these same lines, is the quad helix antennas as sensitive to carry position as the etrex is? For examply if I use the included belt clip and have it on my belt, will it keep lock good?

[+The Commissar!]

I know he was asking about the Etrex Vista, but what is the best way to carry a Magellan Sportrak Map? Horizontally like a Star Trek phaser or vertically like a walkie talkie?

 

...upright like a walkie talkie is best but if the sats are plentiful and strong and you are not in dense cover it won't matter much...and keep that phaser pointed in a safe direction. We don't want any GEO-accidents around here

 

The Commissar!

[+sbell111]

For examply if I use the included belt clip and have it on my belt, will it keep lock good?

 

If you have it on your belt, the antenna is facing upward and you should be fine. Of course, that big bag of water you call a body is blocking some of the signal.

 

I usa a 3+, so I just point the antenna at the sky no matter how I'm carrying it.

Edited January 26, 2005 by sbell111

[Dale_Lynn]

I know he was asking about the Etrex Vista, but what is the best way to carry a Magellan Sportrak Map? Horizontally like a Star Trek phaser or vertically like a walkie talkie?

I carry my Magellan Meridian GPS vertically when I happen to think about it. Its what manual states. Most of the time its any way its comfortable in my hand...

 

Dale

[+CTKayak]

I can tell you how not to hold it: in your purse. Not that you're a purse-carrier, but I generalize. Here's why: I keep mine in there sometimes, along with my cell phone, so I can just whip it out after work and wander around and grab a cache if I want (this is all in theory, of course, as I think more about it than I actually get to it). Nine times out of ten, however, the GPS (a garmin gecko, btw), will have turned on in my purse, used up its batteries, and simultaneously taken like 99 waypoints of nowhere, all marked 1 through 99, which I have to go through and delete by hand. Grr! But, I never learn. These things should have a "hold" button or something to keep them from turning on unintentionally. But then, it's probably mine (cute lil' beginner GPS and all).

[+Ladybug Kids]

I know he was asking about the Etrex Vista, but what is the best way to carry a Magellan Sportrak Map? Horizontally like a Star Trek phaser or vertically like a walkie talkie?

We've had good luck with our Magellan SporTrak Map hanging on a lanyard from the sternum strap of a backback during winter ski caching trips. This arrangement keeps the GPS easily accessible with gloves and ski poles over wrists, yet allows the unit to be tucked inside a vest or jacket for extra warmth. The unit tracks plenty well on that position to get within 50-100 feet of the cache. Then it's time to drop the pack, pull out the snow shovel, and start looking in earnest with the GPS in hand with lanyard now around wrist to avoid dropping the unit in the snow.

 

Also, buy the protective cover for your brand/unit like the ones shown in Briansnat's photo and in the attached photo. The cover keeps moisture off the unit, protects the screen from getting scratched, and provides padding. The velcro closure at the top also provides a convenient means to hang the GPS vertically from a small tree branch while the GPS averages if you are trying to get an accurate set of coordinates.

 

[+The Commissar!]

Hey! That cover is neat ...where did you get that? Who makes it? I use screen protectors but some padding for those accidental falls off short cliffs (like the one that wounded Plat#1)...

Edited January 27, 2005 by The Commissar

[+briansnat]

Nine times out of ten, however, the GPS (a garmin gecko, btw), will have turned on in my purse, used up its batteries, and simultaneously taken like 99 waypoints of nowhere, all marked 1 through 99, which I have to go through and delete by hand. Grr! But, I never learn

 

That's a major design flaw in the Geko. I take the batteries out of our Geko when not in use. Some people have glued a little washer around the on button so it isn't as easy to press accidently.

[Nozoki]

Commissar, I have that same cover and I got mine at Best Buy for about 15 bucks. The only thing I don't like about it is I have to remove the cover to hook up any cables.

[XV Pilot]

Hi!

 

GPS pouches made by your unit's manufacturer are very nice, but can be a bit pricey and difficult to find. (They are around here at any rate.) You may consider a generic pouch for a cellular phone as an alternative.

 

Same goes for dashboard mounts. After nearly fainting at the price of a Garmin mount for our eTrex, we found a nice tough generic phone mount that does the job very well for a 30th of the price.

 

- XV

Edited January 27, 2005 by XV Pilot

[Ferreter5]

I use a belt clip for my eTrex and clip it to the shoulder strap of my backpack. It keeps a nice signal lock there and it's easy to unclip/reclip when I want to look at it.

[+Ladybug Kids]

Hey!  That cover is neat ...where did you get that?  Who makes it?  I use screen protectors but some padding for those accidental falls off short cliffs (like the one that wounded Plat#1)...

Most Magellan vendors sell the carrying case as an accessory. Here's one place on the internet that I've had very good luck with: getagps.com. The case is $12.95 plus shipping, so if you live near BestBuy, REI, or another dealer you can probably come pretty close to that price.

 

I haven't carried my GPS on my belt much for a couple of reasons: 1) It gets banged around on rocks or with ski poles when skiing; 2) It interferes with my backpack and fannypack hip belts; 3) It can get unclipped and dropped and/or lost. Brush can be pretty sneaky at picking your pockets. There was also a thread several weeks ago about someone who lost their GPS while descending a boulder field and it was later found by another cacher.

 

I also almost lost my digital camera when I was pursuing a Pair of Quintuplets. I had my camera velcroed in its bag on my belt with just a bit of the wrist strap sticking out for easy access. When I got to the cache location, I reached down for my camera to take a photo of the GPS reading the specific coordinates and grasped at nothing but air. It was getting dark quickly and I retraced my steps and found my camera hanging from a bush at waist level. Whew!