Buying A Gps?

[Some Canadian]

What is the absolute least I need for a very cheap GPS, preferably under $100. Also if you know of any really cheap GPS's for starting out, could you post how much they are and where you saw them.

Thanks.

Edited March 26, 2005 by Some Canadian

[+tands]

Lots of great deals on the garage sale forum. Garmin Vistas recently posted for $150 asking. Probably gone by now. We use a Vista and love it. Garmin Legend and better is great. A friend uses an ETrex Yellow exclusively and bags 5/5s.

 

- T of TandS

[+JohnnyVegas]

Lots of great deals on the garage sale forum. Garmin Vistas recently posted for $150 asking. Probably gone by now. We use a Vista and love it. Garmin Legend and better is great. A friend uses an ETrex Yellow exclusively and bags 5/5s.

 

- T of TandS

TigerGPS has the standerd Garmin e-trex for $95.00 and the Garmin Leged for $142.00. The Legend is a bit more than the range you want to be into but it does include the Data cable and you can load a map into it if you decide you want to use that feature.

 

a good portion of geocachers started with the basic e-trex

[+IVxIV]

Well for Canadian prices, Gpscity.ca is selling refurbished Garmin Etrex Yellows for $105CDN..

 

But if you're scouring for the dirt cheapest machine available, nothing beats Ebay,, have you searched there?

[+GeoDawn]

I got my etrex legend from amazon.com for $131 and they still have it for that price..you get free shipping too. You'll have to add it to your cart to see the low price. Can't beat it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...PDKIKX0DER&st=*

 

If you want to go etrex (yellow) you can get it for $89 on amazon.com with free shipping or $83 at walmart.com plus shipping. Just remember the walmart.com will have lower price on the site than at the store and they won't price match the website.

[+Renegade Knight]

Gecko 201,

eTrex (yellow)

 

Those are the minimum Garmins you can live with. There is a Gecko 101 but you can't hook it to your computer and so I would not consider it since if you like geocaching the #1 thing you would want to do you have to do by hand.

[+Team Cotati]

Lots of great deals on the garage sale forum. Garmin Vistas recently posted for $150 asking. Probably gone by now. We use a Vista and love it. Garmin Legend and better is great. A friend uses an ETrex Yellow exclusively and bags 5/5s.

 

- T of TandS

What features does the Yellow unit possess that make it more suitable for finding 5/5 caches?

[Some Canadian]

What is a 5/5?

[+Team Cotati]

What is a 5/5?

Difficulty in finding it after having arrived at the coords./The level of challenge presented by the terrain itself.

 

Both are on a scale of 1 thru 5. 1 is the easiest.

Edited March 26, 2005 by Team cotati697

[+Neslake]

What is a 5/5

 

Caches are rated on difficulty and terrainn, with a scale of 1 to 5. A 5/5 means the cache is rated at a 5 for difficulty and a 5 for terrain.

[+Team Cotati]

What is a 5/5

 

Caches are rated on difficulty and terrainn, with a scale of 1 to 5. A 5/5 means the cache is rated at a 5 for difficulty and a 5 for terrain.

There is an echo in the room I do believe.

[+Milbank]

What is the absolute least I need for a very cheap GPS, preferably under $100.

For under $100 I can only think of these two.

 

Garmin Yellow Etrex

 

Magellan Explorist 100

 

I don't own the yellow etrex, but I do the the Legend (blue) etrex and the Explorist 100.

 

Both will get the job done. My Explorist 100 seem to pick up the satellites better then my etrex.

[+briansnat]

For under $100 I can only think of these two.

 

Garmin Yellow Etrex

 

Magellan Explorist 100

 

I don't own the yellow etrex, but I do the the Legend (blue) etrex and the Explorist 100.

 

Both will get the job done. My Explorist 100 seem to pick up the satellites better then my etrex.

The Garmin Geko 101 is $49 (USD) and the Geko 201 can be found for $99 (USD) if you search around.

 

The Geko 101 and the eXplorist 100 (and 200 & 300) are of limited use to serious geoachers because they don't have data ports and you have to enter the coordinates manually.

Edited March 26, 2005 by briansnat

[WesR]

The Geko 101 and the eXplorist 100 (and 200 & 300) are of limited use to serious geoachers because they don't have data ports and you have to enter the coordinates manually.

I went for the absolute cheapest to get started (Geko 101) and it does everything that I need it to do. It takes 30 seconds to a minute to punch in the coordinates manually. It's just not an issue for me. I see no need to upgrade in the near future. It gets this dog off the porch .

 

About $50 from Fry's Outpost

Edited March 26, 2005 by WesR

[+Milbank]

The Geko 101 and the eXplorist 100 (and 200 & 300) are of limited use to serious geoachers because they don't have data ports and you have to enter the coordinates manually.

I went for the absolute cheapest to get started (Geko 101) and it does everything that I need it to do. It takes 30 seconds to a minute to punch in the coordinates manually. It's just not an issue for me. I see no need to upgrade in the near future. It gets this dog off the porch .

 

About $50 from Fry's Outpost

Sounds like you found just what you wanted.

 

There is a guy around here that I have run into that has a Garmin 60cs.

 

He he told me he has never had it connected to a computer and when he goes out he puts the coordinates in at the cache site from the cache sheets he printed.

 

I would call him a serious geoacher too.

 

I would think that there are a number of serious cachers that use the etrex yellow and have never connected it to a computer too.

 

Anyway have fun and enjoy.

After all that's what it's all about.

 

The Garmin Geko 101 is $49 (USD) and the Geko 201 can be found for $99 (USD) if you search around.

 

I new there was some I would forget about, thanks briansnat

 

I would like to try a geko someday

Edited March 26, 2005 by Milbank

[+IVxIV]

I reallly don't know why so many people here are so fanatical about GPSr's needing a data cable so badly..

 

It's a need of choice to whom wants that (or any other) feature. In my case on my "busiest day" of geocaching I may find 5 or 6 caches.. and really folks it's just NOT THAT HARD to key in 10 sets of numbers (5 lats 5 longs) in a day, and of course you gotta avoid typoes.

 

If someone wants to get into the sport on a shoestring budget then the heck with a data cable enabled GPSr. All brands make entry level machines without this cable, but reading posts here a person would think those machines are just embarrasing jokes by the manufacturer.. come on kiddies try keying in a co-ord manually once inna while.. you won't break a nail

 

The other potential need of the connectivity would be to get firmware upgrades for the GPSr, and yes that is unfortunately missed in the basic models. However my last unit was a Magellan 315 and, while it was capable of using a cable I never bothered to get one. And yes there have been firmware updates available for it that I can't load. But I'm not exactly losing sleep over that lol

[+j-mac]

I bought my first GPS Garmin etrex of Ebay for $114 Cdn after US exchange and shipping. It was brand new too. If you use ebay try to look for someone selling in Canada and watch the shipping cost and be patient, look for auctions that are also closing within a few minutes. I'm in Victoria and bought mine from a guy in Calgary, he did the $ conversion and I paid him in CDN dollars with cheap shipping cost.

[+geologyrox]

i bought a geko 201 last week for $90 shipped. It has not arrived yet (monday! =P) but I got nervous about what I had bought and posted over in the GPS forum, and found out that i had gotten a decent deal.

 

it looks like if you need just a very, very basic unit, you should get the geko 101, because it is the simplest of them all. the next step up seems to be the yellow etrex, then the geko 201, then the legend. the legend was outside of my price range, so i was between the geko 101, geko 201, and the yellow etrex.

 

the geko 101 is as basic as it gets. it is not WAAS enabled, and you cannot hook it up to a computer. if you think you will someday in the not so distant future get another GPS, this would make an excellent backup later, and serve your needs now. if you think you will never, ever have a use for a more complex unit, this is your best bet, as it works, and is cheap. 74.99 on amazon, can get it for 55ish+shipping on eBay - occasionally on sale for $50, from what i hear.

 

the yellow has the best battery life of the three (gekos apparently have really crappy battery life) and does allow you to later purchase a cord to hook up to your computer. it is not waas enabled, but lots of people think thats not so important anyway. it's very small and light, and has some nice tracking, speed, and such features. more expensive than the geko 101, it is 89.29 on amazon, regularly goes for 85ish+shipping on eBay

 

the geko 201 is an ugly looking lime green color, unlike the other two yellow units, for all that it matters. it is WAAS enabled, and you can hook it up to the computer, though it doesn't come with the cable. the battery life is notoriously bad. its normal price is just outside your price range, at 112.09 on amazon, but you can get them on ebay regularly for 80 or 85 plus shipping if you watch and/or snipe the auctions. i wouldn't pay regular price for this, but eBay prices (even for new units) are under $100, and i think, well worth it.

 

if you are willing to step up just a little bit, the legend is on Amazon right now for $131.94. it has all of the features of the geko 201, plus the mapping - which is a really nice feature. i've been warned of the tendency to show up on the wrong side of a river for using a non-mapping unit.

 

 

i hope this helps a little for people looking at the lowest cost units - i really appreciate the help people gave me, and hope this helps some other folks

[Some Canadian]

Thanks everyone, I bought the eXplorist 100.

[+Milbank]

Thanks everyone, I bought the eXplorist 100.

Great choice,

 

I just got back from the state park.

I was playing around with my new Explorist 100 and my Legend.

 

The Explorist always picked up and held more satellites then my legend.

 

At one point when I was marking waypoints and walking back to them my Explorist said I was 0 feet away!

 

I was very very close to the spot I marked too.

 

Very often the Explorist said I was 5-8 feet away from the waypoints I marked and it was picking up WAAS most all the time.

 

On the legend the closest I have ever see it show was 10 feet and most of the time it reads 20-30ft.

I often see WAAS on my Legend, but I did not see it on at all today well at the park.

 

The state park I went to has a lot of tree (compaired to the rest of the state) and is preaty hilly

 

I think you will be very happy with your choice.

 

Have fun...

Edited March 26, 2005 by Milbank

[+Indotguy]

I reallly don't know why so many people here are so fanatical about GPSr's needing a data cable so badly..

 

It's a need of choice to whom wants that (or any other) feature. In my case on my "busiest day" of geocaching I may find 5 or 6 caches.. and really folks it's just NOT THAT HARD to key in 10 sets of numbers (5 lats 5 longs) in a day, and of course you gotta avoid typoes.

 

If someone wants to get into the sport on a shoestring budget then the heck with a data cable enabled GPSr. All brands make entry level machines without this cable, but reading posts here a person would think those machines are just embarrasing jokes by the manufacturer.. come on kiddies try keying in a co-ord manually once inna while.. you won't break a nail

 

The other potential need of the connectivity would be to get firmware upgrades for the GPSr, and yes that is unfortunately missed in the basic models. However my last unit was a Magellan 315 and, while it was capable of using a cable I never bothered to get one. And yes there have been firmware updates available for it that I can't load. But I'm not exactly losing sleep over that lol

I guess some folks just like an excuse to fiddle around with a PC. I agree. Lloading 3 or 4 caches into a GPS isn't much trouble but when you start loading 20 or 30 at a time it gets to be a bit like work.

[+Milbank]

One other reason to have a pc connection for your gps is to back up your waypoints.

 

I had a Magellan Gold that lost all it's waypoints (twice) when I turned it on.

After the second time I took it back because I just could not trust it anymore.

 

Maybe not a big deal for geocaching, but I have a lot of waypoint I use for work. It would be really bad if I turned on the gps one day and they were all gone and I did not have a back up file on the PC that I could reload the gps with.

[Mazinger]

hey, ya'll. i'm a gps nooby who just got a new explorist 200.

 

i had a question about the pc connectivity issue, esp. regarding the etrex legend.

 

lots of people seem to think the low #00 explorist line suckz cause it has no connectivity, which is useful for uploading/downloading routes/coordinates and loading higher detail maps. but i've got some questions about the feasibility of doing this w/out spending lots more than the "$100" price range the explorists fall in.

 

the legend comes with a serial cable. my pc doesn't have one. to purchase a usb adapter i'd have to plop down another 50 bucks, right? at least, another 20 ish.

 

also, to buy more detailed maps, i'd have to buy map software, say another $50.

 

so, doing the math, buying an etrex legend and uploading maps to it would run me $135 + $75ish = +$200ish conservatively.

 

if there's any other way of doing this cheaply, save for ebay-ing used goods, i'd love to hear about it.

 

what i'm wondering - isn't the explorist 200 a great alternative for people looking for an *inexpensive* gps w/ a low-detail basemap (interstates, etc.) who can't afford a $250 upload-capable package?

 

plus, the explorist series seems to be quicker / more reliable on satellite pickup when in less-than-desirable visibility conditions. even amazon's ulterior-motive-laden we-want-you-to-buy-our-product-after-reading-our-review review lists sketchy reception as a caveat to the etrex legend.

 

i guess i'm really happy w/ my explorist 200 as an entry level gps (quick localization, WAAS, basic basemap, under $120 new), but seems like lots of people on the thread keep saying you should get the etrex ($130ish) cause of it's pc connectivity capability - neglecting to mention it'll run another $100 bucks to get detail maps on there if your comp doesn't have a serial connection and you can't find free maps to upload (and that it may have receptivity issues).

 

anyway, any enlightenment the more experienced gps'ers can offer would be appreciated. sorry if i posted this off-topic or rehashed anything already discussed.

[+briansnat]

seems like lots of people on the thread keep saying you should get the etrex ($130ish) cause of it's pc connectivity capability - neglecting to mention it'll run another $100 bucks to get detail maps on there if your comp doesn't have a serial connection and you can't find free maps to upload (and that it may have receptivity issues).

 

The detailed maps are always something that can be added later. Its great to have that option (you can always beg for maps for your birthday, Christmas, or wedding anniversary). Cheap serial adaptors can be found on e-Bay. There are no reception issues with a Legend if its used properly.

 

The first time you spend an extra couple of hours searching in the wrong place for a cache because you keyed in one wrong number, you'll wish you had PC connectivity.

 

When the manufacturer comes up with a firmware upgrade for your unit that you need and you have to ship it back to them to get it, you'll wish you had PC connectivity.

 

When something happens to cause your unit to lose all your waypoints, you'll wish PC connectivity to retreive your backups.

 

When your waypoint storage maxes out, or you just need to delete a lot of extraneous waypoints, you'll wish you had PC connectivity.

 

When you go away on vacation or business and want to put a few dozen caches at your destination into your GPS, you'll wish you had PC connectivity.

 

When you join a group of locals on a "cache machine" and need to enter 30 waypoints, you'll wish you had PC connectivity.

 

When you send your GPS to the mfr. for warranty repair, you'll wish you had PC connectivity to save your waypoints.

 

When you upgrade to a better unit, you'll wish you had PC connectivity to transfer waypoints.

Edited March 31, 2005 by briansnat

[+noosh9057]

My Garmin e-trex yellow works great for me. It cost me about $100.00 from the GPS Store.

 

Roger

[reidster]

WOW! In many ways this has been one the best threads yet on this subject. Every post so far has been pertinent and accurate, without the usual abrasive bashing and pontificating regarding brands and features. Although we didn't touch on all the available features ($), it's not necessary when the topic is inquiring about a basic/starter unit.

 

If all one (ever) wants to use a GPSr for is casual geocaching of a handful of finds and occasional hikes AND does not require the saving/loading of data and maps, then any lower-end model will do. In the sub-$100 range you'll be quite satisfied with your purchase of an E-Yellow, an Ex100, or an iFinder Go. (I plan on getting one of these for my 10 year old very soon.)

 

However if one can spare an extra $30, I whole-heartedly recommend purchasing up a level. Within this range I've seen qualified support for the iFinder Basic, MeriGold, and Legend. (If you want to see a really ugly topic thread, vaguely ask which one is the best).

 

Every point Briansnat listed I can substantiate from personal experience. Another point for this recommendation is my personal need to constantly load and save trials. Sometimes just having a waypoint isn't enough. It's been indispensable for those times when I want/have to return directly to some obscure spot. (i.e. a trip back to that beautiful scenic outlook over Lake Michigan where I proposed to my wife in a state forest where every intersection of unmarked paths looks the same). I have saved many trails, each of which has been a real time and stress saver.

 

Reid.

[+Scoobie10]

You can buy the Etrex Legend (blue) from Amazon.com for $138.94 and free shipping. They are also running a deal where you can sign up for their credit card and get an additional $30 off. $108.94 plus free shipping for the Legend is an excellent deal.

 

In my opinion it's a much better purchase than the Yellow for several reasons. Cord, memory and maps are the big three. If you really get into geocaching, the palate gets sophisticated pretty fast when it comes to to equipment.

 

Scoobie

[Mazinger]

hmm... definitely some good points. i guess i wasn't aware geocaching could get so complicated, w/ 30 coordinates and such.

 

plus, the thing about trying to long-term save special places makes a data cable pretty important.

 

is there any way to get a usb-capable gps for under $150??

 

i just flew from winston-salem, nc to miami and tried to log the trip w/ my eXplorist 200 (l33t haxors capital X, thank you). once we were airborne the thingy couldn't get a lock on more than 1 or 2 satelites at a time. the limits are "officially" 951mph and 60k feet. anyone know why it didn't track my flight down? (the answer "cause it suckz" isn't acceptable)

[reidster]

is there any way to get a usb-capable gps for under $150??

Probably not, but there is a legitimate alternative. GPSr’s that have removable SD memory. (Sorry Garmin). Most Maggies and iFinders have this feature. In a matter of seconds you can remove it and place it into an USB card reader for the same convenience of a direct USB connection. This also gives you the great advantage of having nearly limitless memory. I have an iFinder and this method works great.

i just flew from winston-salem, nc to miami and tried to log the trip w/ my eXplorist 200 (l33t haxors capital X, thank you).  once we were airborne the thingy couldn't get a lock on more than 1 or 2 satelites at a time.  the limits are "officially" 951mph and 60k feet.  anyone know why it didn't track my flight down?  (the answer "cause it suckz" isn't acceptable)

Probably cause it suckz, the reception that is. Unless it, or any other GPSr, is held right up close to a window, I don't believe you'll receive many satellites. I've seen this problem reported in other threads about reception in planes and cars with windshields having a metallic coating. Personally I've encountered this in my own car. Depending on how and where I place it on my dash makes a big difference.

[+briansnat]

s there any way to get a usb-capable gps for under $150??

 

An eTrex Legend for $130 and a USB/Serial adaptor from eBay for under $20 should do the trick.

 

i guess i wasn't aware geocaching could get so complicated, w/ 30 coordinates and such.

 

30? Many people have 100's. Personally, I run PQ's for the closest 500 caches to my area, plus PQ's for a select few areas giving me 800+ cache waypoints on my GPS and the respective cache pages on my PDA. I do a lot of my caching just by flicking on my GPS and seeing what's in the area.

[+Greymane]

I reallly don't know why so many people here are so fanatical about GPSr's needing a data cable so badly..

 

It's a need of choice to whom wants that (or any other) feature. In my case on my "busiest day" of geocaching I may find 5 or 6 caches.. and really folks it's just NOT THAT HARD to key in 10 sets of numbers (5 lats 5 longs) in a day, and of course you gotta avoid typoes.

I'm sorry, but I can't resist. Your point is well taken, IVxIV, but the same could be said for your standard TV remote. How hard is it to get up and change the channel? Now, hide the remote for a day and see what happens!

 

Back on topic, I have found OffRoute to be a good source of GPSrs at great prices. (But, the Garage Sale forum is the best place to start.)

[+jwheels1]

Okay- so we have had a good run on the entry level GPS's.javascript:emoticon('') What would one suggest for the next level. If the entry levels go from $80-150. What do you get (and what would one suggest) for next level up $2-300. Are the more expensive GPS worth the price of 2 entry level ones?

[+Team Cotati]

Okay- so we have had a good run on the entry level GPS's.javascript:emoticon('')  What would one suggest for the next level. If the entry levels go from $80-150.  What do you get (and what would one suggest) for next level up $2-300.  Are the more expensive GPS worth the price of 2 entry level ones?

Only if you need their more advanced capabilities. Then they are worth 10 entry level ones. Those who do not need the features or functions of the more advanced and costly units shouldn't worry too much about it. Otherwise save your dimes and quarters and get the unit that meets your needs for the foreseeable future.

Edited April 6, 2005 by Team cotati697

[reidster]

Okay- so we have had a good run on the entry level GPS's.javascript:emoticon('')  What would one suggest for the next level. If the entry levels go from $80-150.  What do you get (and what would one suggest) for next level up $2-300.  Are the more expensive GPS worth the price of 2 entry level ones?

Only if you need their more advanced capabilities. Then they are worth 10 entry level ones. Those who do not need the features or functions of the more advanced and costly units shouldn't worry too much about it. Otherwise save your dimes and quarters and get the unit that meets your needs for the foreseeable future.

Team cotati697,

Good sound advice!

 

For most ordinary purposes (geocaching, hiking, simple trips, etc.) these units are ideal.

The $30-$50 for PC connectivity is the most worthwhile price increment, imo.

Value per dollar seems to decrease for most other available features above that.

Features like color, electronic compass, and altimeters are nice, but are not a requirement for most enthusiasts.

However value and need are synonymous. So if you need it, you buy it.

 

That being said, after buying a GPSr with PC connectivity I would suggest researching what mapping software is available for your particular unit.

I'm not an expert on this, but I'll babble about the little I do know. (Feel free to add or correct.)

There are basically four categories: Basic streets and POI's; Streets with routing/auto-routing; Topographical; and Specialties (lakes, harbors, etc.).

I have just the basic version and really enjoy having it.

However, be aware of their faults…

They'll are only reasonably up-to-date; Accuracy is good overall, but horrendous in certain areas; and Copyright protection is becoming more and more restrictive of its use and portability.

 

Reid.

[+IVxIV]

I reallly don't know why so many people here are so fanatical about GPSr's needing a data cable so badly.. 

 

It's a need of choice to whom wants that (or any other) feature. In my case on my "busiest day" of geocaching I may find 5 or 6 caches.. and really folks it's just NOT THAT HARD to key in 10 sets of numbers (5 lats 5 longs) in a day, and of course you gotta avoid typoes.

I'm sorry, but I can't resist. Your point is well taken, IVxIV, but the same could be said for your standard TV remote. How hard is it to get up and change the channel? Now, hide the remote for a day and see what happens!

Well sure, having a GPSr that has an interface cable can streamline one of the steps of the Geocaching process. Hey so can one with a builtin compass. Oh, and autorouting can be a tremendous help in getting to your destination. And of course a barometric sensor could save your life by warning your of an upcoming storm. And hey while the wallet's out, might as well pop for a color unit as well, they're easier on the eyes

 

My problem is a lot of people really are getting encouraged here to buy more machine than they need. It's probably an impossible statistic to obtain, but I wonder how many people over the years have:

 

1) learned of Geocaching and discovered this site

2) red the forums, became intrieged enough to ask how to get started

3) get recommendations to buy a fancy GPSr, so they won't need to "upgrade later"

4) tried Geocaching for a little while, but for one reason or another...

5) have moved off to something else.

 

Now this guy has a nice shiny top-of-the-line GPSr in his closet collecting dust next to a bunch of workout equipment he bought but never used either

 

If some nOObie is genuinely is unsure if they're gonna really get into this activity, and doesn't have any other uses for a GPSr, then don't discourage them from buying an entry level starter unit. If they wind up liking the sport they won't be upset for "wasting $'s" starting with a cheap but reliable entry level GPSr. Now that their feet are wet they will be much more aware of precisely what features their next dream-machine GPSr will have

[+westumbledonit]

No one ever talks about the ifinder by Lowrance. At about $100 (at some Wal-Marts) and online it is great for geocaching. External card slot to handle megs of data; optional mapping software will show roads in most cache locations. WASS capable and accurate. Almost 2 years of use and no problems. I think it is worth a look, lowrance is a well respected name in the marine electronic field.