Different Receivers And Satellite Reception

[+YodaDoe]

I've been using the cheap Garmin etrex. I've been pretty unsatisfied with the satellite reception, especially out in the woods. Can anyone tell me if other, more expensive receivers get better reception? Which ones? Thanks,

 

YodaDoe

Raleigh, NC

[+YodaDoe]

Could someone move this to the main forum? I didn't mean to post it here and don't think it really applies to website discussion... Thanks,

 

YodaDoe

[+StarBrand]

The eTrex use a patch anntena - these do not perform well in tree cover. Get any GPS that does not use a patch anntenea and you will be better off (at least alittle better). I recommend the 60 or 60C or 60CS.

[Keystone]

Actually this belongs in the GPS Units and Software Forum.

 

::: waves magic wand :::

 

And that's where it is now!

[Eddy [UK]]

The Magellan Sportrak and Meridian have a good reputation under tree cover.

[tossedsalad]

I have been using my friend's eTrex which does poorly under tree cover and sometimes even just rain or heavy clouds. Yesterday I got a Meridian Gold and we went out together. While his eTrex wandered over a ~100 foot circle, the Meridian Gold held a much tighter 20 foot area. Even so, we never found either of the two caches - evil cache hide

Edited June 1, 2005 by tossedsalad

[+IVxIV]

The eTrex Legend is OLD & has older technology, hence poorer satellite aquisition performance.

 

It has NOTHING to do with "patch vs quad" antenna styles..

 

It has NOTHING to do with how much you paid for your GPS. More money does not mean better signal performance. And conversly, paying less money does NOT mean poorer signal performance, just less bells-n-whistles bonus features.

 

Buy a newer GPSr and your signal performance will likely improve. Doesn't matter how much (or little) the newer one cost, or what sort of antenna it has.. Even a newer Legend C will work much better than a non-C Legend, and they both have patch antennas..

Edited June 1, 2005 by IVxIV

[+Marky]

The eTrex use a patch anntena - these do not perform well in tree cover. Get any GPS that does not use a patch anntenea and you will be better off (at least alittle better). I recommend the 60 or 60C or 60CS.

That is not true! The eXplorist line uses a patch antenna and it kicks butt in tree cover. Ask anyone who has cached with me. It routinely outperformed Garmin 60CS, Magellan Meridian and Sportraks on our last group outing (nearly 200 miles driven and 100 caches found). All those use the quadhelix antenna, said to be better under tree cover. I don't know what they did to make the patch antenna on the eXplorist line work so well under a variety of conditions, but they did a good job.

 

--Marky

[freeday]

http://web.utanet.at/rohmhube/gps-bilder/gpsvergleich.htm

 

eXplorist ist the best better under trees

[reidster]

The eTrex Legend is OLD & has older technology, hence poorer satellite aquisition performance.

 

It has NOTHING to do with "patch vs quad" antenna styles..

 

It has NOTHING to do with how much you paid for your GPS. More money does not mean better signal performance. And conversly, paying less money does NOT mean poorer signal performance, just less bells-n-whistles bonus features.

 

Buy a newer GPSr and your signal performance will likely improve. Doesn't matter how much (or little) the newer one cost, or what sort of antenna it has..  Even a newer Legend C will work much better than a non-C Legend, and they both have patch antennas..

Amen Brother!

 

That is not true! The eXplorist line uses a patch antenna and it kicks butt in tree cover.

Thanks to you also Marky.

[+jacques0]

Just to back up some of the posts here, I was out yesterday w/ my eX200, down in a valley under leaf cover. My gps fluctuated between 8 and 9 satellites locked, WAAS, 13 foot accuracy. I walked right up to the cache. I think the previous posters are spot-on when they say that the type of antenna is becoming (or has become?) a moot point.

[krismolleke]

My new Vista Color gets satellites much better than my old LEGEND. I use him almost all the time in the woods.

[+Milbank]

Legend C works great in tree cover for me.

[+the hermit crabs]

My Vista C is way better under tree cover than my old regular Vista, but I was out caching in the woods with someone recently, and his Explorist 600 was able to lock onto satellites about 30 seconds faster than my Visat C.

[+IVxIV]

My Vista C is way better under tree cover than my old regular Vista, but I was out caching in the woods with someone recently, and his Explorist 600 was able to lock onto satellites about 30 seconds faster than my Visat C.

Well it really does seem that newer = better/faster. A "newer" Vista C is much better than an original Vista, and an Ex600 (newer still) is better than a Vista C. If you notice, thread after thread has this reocurring theme, and it really makes me wonder whether quad helix technology has been matched, or perhaps even beaten, by patch antenna technology at least under tree cover. I would really like it if someone who has a modern one of both could chime in & say which one is better under the trees. What's the newest model with a quad antenna? Garmin 60CS? How does it compare to a Magellan Explorist as far as satellite holding ability under tree cover?

[+briansnat]

I use my Vista under the trees all the time and I rarely have reception problems. First, you must hold it flat, face up to the sky. If you hang it around your neck, clip it to your belt, carry it in your pocket or just hold it in your hand dangling at your side, you will not get good reception. Hold it almost like a waiter holding a tray of beer.

 

This is not a problem for short cache hunts, but for long hikes it can be. I have the neoprene case and I clip the unit to the top of my pack's shoulder strap where it rides in optimum position.

 

Next, turn the unit on well before entering the woods. If it knows where the sats are it will find them again quickly even if it loses a lock.

[+briansnat]

http://web.utanet.at/rohmhube/gps-bilder/gpsvergleich.htm

 

eXplorist ist the best better under trees

This is far from a valid comparison. The units with patch antennas get best reception face up to the sky, while quad helix units get best reception upright with the antenna pointing skyward.

 

Comparing the Geko and 60CS side by side with the Geko in optimum position and the 60CS not will skew the results.

[+Cheminer Will]

I have used my SporTrac color now around several other GPSr's and the STC always gets better reception. Works great under trees. Even better than other Magellans. I also do not get much of the boomerang effect others talk about, so each individual unit may be a bit different.

[+JeepCachr]

I use my Vista under the trees all the time and I rarely have reception problems. First, you must hold it flat, face up to the sky. If you hang it around your neck, clip it to your belt, carry it in your pocket or just hold it in your hand dangling at your side, you will not get good reception. Hold it almost like a waiter holding a tray of beer.

 

This is not a problem for short cache hunts, but for long hikes it can be. I have the neoprene case and I clip the unit to the top of my pack's shoulder strap where it rides in optimum position.

 

Next, turn the unit on well before entering the woods. If it knows where the sats are it will find them again quickly even if it loses a lock.

This is true of all GPS's. Even the quad helix ones. Besides on long hikes it is not necessary to stare at the GPS screen the whole time. You should set that GPS aside and enjoy the scenery a little more.

 

To answer the origanel question you can either get a newer GPS, as has been mentioned a couple times or get a unit with a external antanae.

[Axeon]

The eTrex use a patch anntena - these do not perform well in tree cover. Get any GPS that does not use a patch anntenea and you will be better off (at least alittle better). I recommend the 60 or 60C or 60CS.

That is not true! The eXplorist line uses a patch antenna and it kicks butt in tree cover. Ask anyone who has cached with me. It routinely outperformed Garmin 60CS, Magellan Meridian and Sportraks on our last group outing (nearly 200 miles driven and 100 caches found). All those use the quadhelix antenna, said to be better under tree cover. I don't know what they did to make the patch antenna on the eXplorist line work so well under a variety of conditions, but they did a good job.

 

--Marky

I concure with Marky. My Explorist 600 kicks butt in terms of satellite tracking. Under heavy tree cover, and steep slopes on one side and lots of giant ferns I get around 4 sats. Up on the mountains I easily get 9 to 10 sats and accuracy down to 5 meters without WAAS. I'm in Australia. I love my new 600.