Garmin 45 too old?

[+Gremalkin]

Sorry to start a new thread - but I got too many matches on my search and couldn't find what I was looking for. . .

 

I am new to geocaching, and don't have the $$ to buy the GPS I want right now. My mom has a Garmin 45 - is this too old to use for geocaching?

[+EraSeek]

It will work, but not the best. For one you will have a hard time getting a signal under even light tree cover. You will want something better soon. I did my first caches with a 45xl. I still have it but never use it. Basically, as I understand it, you have one channel swithing back and forth between satelitte signals, instead of 12 channels each holding tight onto a satelitte.

 

[+ZachNLiam]

The 45 was the first gps I owned, before geocaching, and during Selective Availability's heyday.

 

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I think the 45 will only allow you to enter coordinates to the nearest 1/100 of a minute, not 1/1000 of a minute like current models. From what I understand 1/1000 of a minute is about 4-6 feet, depending on where you live, so 1/100 resolution would only give you an 'accuracy' of about 40-60 feet, even if the gps is "dead on." This will always be a potential error.

 

Personally, losing accuracy by tenfold on my own gps would make geocaching less fun. So I wouldn't use it. Look for a beater yellow eTrex, it will work SO MUCH better and shouldn't cost that much. Plus you can turn around and get maybe $40 for your 45.

 

Just my opinion.

[Kerry.]

As far as accuracy one really has to split hairs to even worry about the difference. There is/will be some difference under different conditions but again it can be purely academic considering the accuracy of the system specifications anyway.

 

Accuarcy and Precision are basically 2 differnet things and besides none of the 45 series gave much (if anything) away in displayed precision v accuarcy compared to anything comparable today in a 12 channel.

 

The following is a 5 v 12 channel comparision but as far as pure accuracy goes there's really nothing that most users would even notice in accuracy between a 8 & 12 channel Garmin.

 

http://www.cqnet.com.au/~user/aitken/gps/gps_5v12.htm

 

One advantage the 45 series had over other handhelds of the era was the antenna type/design, which even by some of todays handhelds is still a better design.

 

Cheers, Kerry.

 

I never get lost everybody keeps telling me where to go

[Kerry.]

As far as accuracy one really has to split hairs to even worry about the difference. There is/will be some difference under different conditions but again it can be purely academic considering the accuracy of the system specifications anyway.

 

Accuarcy and Precision are basically 2 differnet things and besides none of the 45 series gave much (if anything) away in displayed precision v accuarcy compared to anything comparable today in a 12 channel.

 

The following is a 5 v 12 channel comparision but as far as pure accuracy goes there's really nothing that most users would even notice in accuracy between a 8 & 12 channel Garmin.

 

http://www.cqnet.com.au/~user/aitken/gps/gps_5v12.htm

 

One advantage the 45 series had over other handhelds of the era was the antenna type/design, which even by some of todays handhelds is still a better design.

 

Cheers, Kerry.

 

I never get lost everybody keeps telling me where to go