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Trying to decide....


Guest Sport

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Guest Markwell

The bad news: Little yellow etrex does not do position averaging.

 

The good news: Little yellow etrex does not do position averaging.

 

Speaking as an etrex owner, I find the lack of averaging difficult when it comes to trying to place a cache. I would love to have automatic averaging for this purpose. However, in many forums (here's one), Maggie users have been bemoaning the auto averaging features in their cache hunts. It seems that it gives you some false readings as you change speed.

 

It really comes down to looking at the features you really want (Maggies are betting with tree cover) and what problems you can live with.

 

Best solution? Buy both ( icon_wink.gif)

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Guest Markwell

The bad news: Little yellow etrex does not do position averaging.

 

The good news: Little yellow etrex does not do position averaging.

 

Speaking as an etrex owner, I find the lack of averaging difficult when it comes to trying to place a cache. I would love to have automatic averaging for this purpose. However, in many forums (here's one), Maggie users have been bemoaning the auto averaging features in their cache hunts. It seems that it gives you some false readings as you change speed.

 

It really comes down to looking at the features you really want (Maggies are betting with tree cover) and what problems you can live with.

 

Best solution? Buy both ( icon_wink.gif)

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Guest Choberiba

You can rest assured that whatever you buy, something else will come along shortly that turns your head.

 

The obligatory little Yellow eTrex has an internal antenna, which means that it's easier to carry.

 

I bought my Vista because of the form factor on my standard eTrex and how easy it is to carry. YMMV

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If you don't have a problem with remanufactured units then http://www.tvnav.com has remanufactured Garmin units for a pretty good deal. They have III for $150 and III+ for $210 with a 90 day warranty. You won't find a unit that is better under heavy tree cover than the III/III+. These units will have better reception and more feature than either the eTrex basic or the Mag 315.

 

You could also dig around for a II+ on eBay or such. I would guess you could get one of these for less then $100 and you would get the same receiver as the III/III+ just missing the maps. Be sure not to get and old II it had an eight channel reciever. The II+ has a twelve channel like the III/III+.

 

Just and Idea

mcb

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I used the Garmen eTrex yellow unit for a full year here outside Seattle and it worked really well. The biggest issue is signal acquisition under tree cover. And since you can't get an antenna for the eTrex units (any of them, actually), you may want to consider finding one that allows external antennas. Does the 315 have one?

 

Otherwise, you can work around the issues. With the eTrex it takes a little more finesse to keep the satellites locked (sometimes you'll have to find a field to lock, then move in). But it is a great little unit.

 

Position averaging? Yeah, sounds cool, but you can do a shotgun pattern approach by creating a bunch of waypoints in the same spot and picking one in the center of the pattern.

 

WAAS? Forget about it. We're too far north of the equator to us it. At least until we get some more WAAS satellites out there. The yellow unit and the 315 don't have it anyway, so no worries. But don't consider WAAS as a useful feature as part of your decision.

 

I just picked up a Garmin V. I'd consider this the grandaddy of all GPS units I've seen so far. The only drawback is the lack of compass and altimeter. And, of course, the expense.

 

HTH,

 

Jeremy

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Guest supertech

Well - the Garmin eMap has an external ANT. port. But I assume others do too. For my $$ the eMap was a perfect choice. all the goodies and fun plus light weight and although it's only "water resistant" there are tons of addons you can get.

 

I haven't tried the others except the Lorance... which I bought, turned on, played with for 5 minutes, and immediately returned it for the eMap... NOTE:I also tried two "Palm" GPSrs thatnever worked...

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Guest Quinnow

ange for both the units you seem to hold an idea on. You might want to grit your teeth and wait a bit to save an extra 100.00 up, this way for around 250.00 you can get the Magellan 330x which will give you a large amount of mapping memory, An extremely good quad antenna system and yes, even WAAS. I have been testing this unit I mention over the past few days and find it to be a great runner with the IIIPlus and the map76 that Garmin puts out. It also comes with the mapping CD, Comp hook-up and cig power cord.

Unit also has Altimeter and tons of other toys.

 

------------------

Quinn Stone

Rochester, NY.14616

www.Navicache.com

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quote:
Originally posted by Sport:

Which is better?....The Magellan GPS 315 ($150)or the Garmin Etrex ($119)? I am new to this and want to get started. Pros and cons of both models please.

 

-Sport


 

Sport, go with the 315. It's got a nicer interface, it takes less button pushing, it holds a lock really well. For the $30 there's no way that you should limit yourself by buying a Garmin.

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Guest ClayJar

I'm a Magellanite. (In other words, I would highly recommend Magellan GPS receivers, since I like them, but I know that Garminites highly recommend Garmin GPS receivers because they like them. If you have a geocacher or two nearby, you can always find out which style you prefer first hand.)

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Guest supertech

quote:
Originally posted by tak1:

Sport, go with the 315. It's got a nicer interface, it takes less button pushing, it holds a lock really well. For the $30 there's no way that you should limit yourself by buying a Garmin.


 

First - I am not going to participate in a platform war.

Second, in my experience, not having a mapping feature is a big minus. I have done maps and such, and without a good paper map, how can you tell where you are with just coords? I might be using it as a crutch, but the mapping feature on my Garmin eMap is one of the main reasons I picked it.

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Guest ClayJar

quote:
Originally posted by supertech:

First - I am not going to participate in a platform war.


Well said. I'm all for comparing receivers, but in the end it all boils down to preferences and opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own. (I have Garminite friends, and apparently they have at least one Magellanite friend, since they still talk to me. icon_wink.gif)

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Guest ClayJar

quote:
Originally posted by supertech:

First - I am not going to participate in a platform war.


Well said. I'm all for comparing receivers, but in the end it all boils down to preferences and opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own. (I have Garminite friends, and apparently they have at least one Magellanite friend, since they still talk to me. icon_wink.gif)

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Guest ClayJar

quote:
Originally posted by tak1:

You guys are no fun.


Oh, yeah?!? Well... um... Linux... I mean BSD... I mean KDE... I mean Gnome... I mean Wi-- no I don't... I mean the Packers are better! Yeah, definitely!

 

(Oh, in case anyone wonders what I'm doing in Baton Rouge and cheering for the Pack, I'm not opportunistic; I was born in Wisconsin and lived there long enough to appreciate the depth of spirit that is the cheesehead. I also cheer for the Saints, except when they play my Packers, of course. icon_biggrin.gif)

 

[This message has been edited by ClayJar (edited 14 October 2001).]

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Guest ClayJar

quote:
Originally posted by tak1:

You guys are no fun.


Oh, yeah?!? Well... um... Linux... I mean BSD... I mean KDE... I mean Gnome... I mean Wi-- no I don't... I mean the Packers are better! Yeah, definitely!

 

(Oh, in case anyone wonders what I'm doing in Baton Rouge and cheering for the Pack, I'm not opportunistic; I was born in Wisconsin and lived there long enough to appreciate the depth of spirit that is the cheesehead. I also cheer for the Saints, except when they play my Packers, of course. icon_biggrin.gif)

 

[This message has been edited by ClayJar (edited 14 October 2001).]

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