Going To Japan Soon...

[overstated]

Of course I know there's lively caching action going on in Japan, and I'd like to get in on it when I arrive in August. Yet, here is my problem: I'm new to caching, and I don't even own a GPS yet. I've been debating which one to get.

 

At first I thought I'd just get a low-end etrex or magelan (the round orange one with mapping is nice actually..) for around $100, but then I read some and figured out that the datacable hookups are really useful..this bumps my expected spending limit up to about $250 (unless someone is feeling generous .

 

As i'll only be geocaching in the USA for a short while longer (rest of april, may, and june), and wil be in Japan for at least a year thereafter, I'm debating whether or not it'd be worth it to buy one in the USA. If I get to Japan I'd like to have a basemap of Japan to work with.

 

So I guess my real question is this: Are basemaps changable? i.e.: if i buy a GPS in the USA and take it to japah, can i load a detailed Japanese basemap into it? If so, where could I find such a map? Are there different brands of GPS in Japan or do they just import Garmin/Magelan (at much higher prices)?

 

Is it worth even TRYING to cache for the next few months without a GPS? Would it be worth it to buy a cheapo GPS for the time bieng a buy a more expensive one once I got to Japan?

 

I'm going to post this also in the international section of the forum, but any help here would be appreciated.

[+sTeamTraen]

For the amount of caching you will probably be able to do in Japan, I wouldn't bother too much about the PC hookup (and in any case, a Geko 201 for around $100 does this) or mapping.

 

You might do better to ask in the general GPSr section of the forum. There's not a lot of traffic here, and AFAIK a total of zero Japanese people. But several people in the "US-oriented" forums have been to Japan.

[+matz]

Sorry late reply...

 

Good job, you find some caches without GPS. But you had better to buy one.

 

If you want to buy "Garmin" or "Magelan", there was some shops in Japan also, but

all of them is very expensive than you buy same GPS in US. So you should get

it in US.

 

Actually, I have 2 GPSr bought them from US or Canada (import) because

of it's difference of the prices.

 

To tell about BASE MAP.. and To tell the truth.

It does NOT become helpful. It is too rough to check your position.

So I think it is not important that you buy American or Pacific or Atrantic basemap.

 

If you want to use your GPS just only for geocaching, I think cheaper model is better. But if you want to use it in order to get information from GPS when you go abroad or strange place. Map-Loadable GPS will help.

 

I said I have 2 GPSr. One is eTrex(yellow) and one is eTrex Legend.

I usually use yellow GPS to find caches in Japan, it is enough. But when I go out to US or Canada I use eTrex Legend which loaded "Metro Guide North America V6 " or "Metro Guide Canada V4". It is very helpful for me.

 

About Japanese made GPS..

Yes there are some Japanese GPS... I'm Japanese but I do not buy them.

And recently, some of cell-phone was released that included GPS unit but I do not know it has enogh function to do geocaching. They must not water-proof so it is not good model to do geocaching.

 

Anyway, we are looking forward to see you on this August!!!

 

matz Tokyo/Japan

[Auilix]

yes, there ARE gps units in some cellphone here (i have one in mine) but they do not work like a normal gps. you are unable to input any coordinates, all you can do is see a map of where you are and local stores/points of interest (and it's all in japanese too). so i wouldn't rely on using a japanese cell gps for geocaching... right now i dont think im going to by one from here cause ill be returning to US for good in a few months :< i think i'm going to try some of the geocaches here without a GPS... *crosses fingers and hopes it works*

does anyone geocache without one anyway? i probably wont be able to afford one until i return to the US anyway, but i still want to find them while i am in kyoto if possible... ><

[+Tidalflame]

I'd imagine it'd be cheaper to buy one in the US than in Japan.

 

On another note, I'm heading to Japan for a couple weeks this September. Unfortunately, I'll be on an extremely tight schedule and probably won't have any time at all for Geocaching =( It's a bummer, but hey, at least I get to go to Japan.