[GeoStL] Re: GPS units
- From: Tom Wolpert <tom_wolpert@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2013 13:44:16 -0800 (PST)
Good point about the special-purpose hardware. All depends on whether or not
you
care about the relatively small numbers of caches which require this stuff.
Only (some) Garmin units can do Chirp. And only (some) Garmin units can do
Wherigo. Of course, there are good Wherigo apps for phones, so that's not so
much of an issue.
Also a good point about cell phones and opportunistic caching.
But Elonka's obviously a lot more careful than I am - no way I'd take my Nuvi
out of the car. Murphy was an optimist.
Paperless capacity (number of caches with all the gory details) varies wildly.
Generalizing unmercifully, Garmin handheld units tend to have a relatively low
capacity (a few thousand). They do not permit "selective loading" -- they
always
(try to) load whatever is on the unit into memory. DeLorme units allow 1500
caches and/or child waypoints to be loaded at any one time. But they allow
selective loading of individual files -- so the capacity is limited only by
your
SD card and your patience. As I understand it, the Magellan units are like
Garmin -- no selective loading. But they do have a much higher in-memory limit
(10,000?). I'm sure John will chime in if I got that wrong :-D.
Nuvi units do allow for a very large number of caches simultaneously. They are
loaded as points of interest (POIs). It generally involves an extra step or
two
to get your PQ into this format. I use GSAK, a GSAK macro, and the standard
Garmin POI loader program for this. I am sure there are other solutions. The
Garmin handhelds, the DeLorme units, and (I think) the Magellan units load
directly from .gpx files, which is the native format for your PQ. On DeLorme
units, at least, you still use GSAK or something similar to merge the cache
.gpx
and the child waypoint .gpx. Not sure about Magellan.
Tom
________________________________
From: Elonka Dunin <elonka@xxxxxxx>
To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, January 9, 2013 3:22:27 PM
Subject: [GeoStL] Re: GPS units
For myself, my primary units for geocaching are my iPhone and my Nuvi 255w,
which do 99% of what's needed: I can navigate to a cache with street
directions,
I can see "opportunistic" caches as I drive by, I can get GPS coordinates down
to .001 accuracy, get satellite views of an area (if there's cellphone access),
or still navigate with my Nuvi to a cache even if I'm out in the boonies. With
my Nuvi, I can also load literally tens of thousands of caches onto it, rather
than the limit of 500-1000 on the other units. The Nuvi also makes it much
easier to search for distant caches, whereas the smaller units are really best
for caches that are immediately nearby.
The only downsides to the iPhone/Nuvi configuration are:
* Battery life sucks, so if I'm caching for more than a few hours away from a
car charger or electrical socket, units start failing
* Shock-resistance is poor. If a device is dropped on rocks or in a stream or
in
the mud, the iPhones and Nuvi are not as robust as a "hiker's" GPS
* I cannot access "Chirp" or Beacon caches with a Nuvi. There are only certain
Garmin models that will sense beacons, and there's no current cost-effective
way
to sense beacon signals with a smartphone
Accordingly, when I did my own research to have a backup GPS unit outside of
the
iPhone/Nuvi configuration, l looked for:
* Shock-resistance
* Battery life
* Beacon-sensing ability, so I could get caches such as GC2HJ08
After comparing multiple models, this narrowed down to one of the following:
* Garmin Oregon 450
* Garmin Oregon 450t (same as 450, but with pre-installed Topo maps)
* Garmin Oregon 550 (same as 450, but has a camera)
* Garmin Oregon 550t (same as 450, but with a camera and pre-installed Topo
maps)
* Note: the Garmin Colorado can receive chirp signals, but cannot be used to
program a new one
Bottom line, any of the Oregon 450/450t/550/550t would suit my needs, and I
ended up getting a Garmin Oregon 450. However, I rarely use it, because I feel
that my iPhone/Nuvi configuration is still more powerful. So I only pull the
Oregon out for certain special-case situations, such as when batteries are
running low on the others, or if I want to get a Chirp cache. I'll also be
using my Oregon for the MOGA competitions, for the battery reason, though I'll
probably bring along my Nuvi and iPhone as well.
Just my $0.02,
Elonka :)
On 1/9/2013 2:57 PM, Tom Wolpert wrote:
In handheld recreational units:
>
>Basic unit = smaller black and white display, no maps (or ability to add
>maps),
>may or may not have paperless geocaching, physical buttons
>Midrange unit = larger color display, at least the ability to add maps,
>paperless geocaching, physical buttons or touch, no sensors or camera
>Highend unit = larger color display, maps, paperless geocaching, usually
>touch,
>includes at least electronic compass and barometer, may include camera
>
>Look for paperless geocaching if that's what you want it for. IMO, the ability
>to at least add maps is important. Beware of the additional cost of maps. If
>you
>don't need road routing (which is usually poor in handhelds anyway), consider
>the map/imagery subscription services from Garmin or DeLorme (for their own
>units). Sensors are a bell and whistle for most people, although the
>electronic
>compass allows you to see "direction to your target" when standing still.
>(They
>can all show you direction to your target and an on-screen compass when
>moving.)
>Touch vs. physical buttons is a matter of taste, but do be aware of possible
>touch difficulties when wearing gloves.
>
>Most geocachers are Garmin users. If you want to consider others, look at
>DeLorme and Magellan. Garmin in particular has excellent comparison
>capabilities
>on their web site. Look for "On the Trail" as a starting place for handheld
>recreational units.
>
>
>If you want to look, touch and play with a variety of units, visit REI. You
>might even find a knowledgable sales rep - or not. Visit during off hours if
>you
>want to play extensively. You can't beat their returns policy, but you will
>pay
>list price. Their member discounts/points did not apply to GPSrs the last time
>I
>checked.
>
>In most cases, you can buy at a discount online (for example, Amazon). Be sure
>to buy only from reputable sources and beware of used/refurbished/gray market
>sellers.
>
>Although I have not used one personally, the new (emphasize new - not to be
>confused with the less capable earlier eTrex models) Garmin eTrex series looks
>like a lot of bang for the buck. This is the eTrex 10/20/30 line. All are
>paperless. The 10/20/30 pretty much fit the basic/midrange/highend categories
>above. I wouldn't buy the 10 (no maps), but the 20 and 30 are likely OK. But
>these are relatively new units and are not likely to be discounted yet.
>
>
>If you have a specific unit in mind, post here, in the SLAGA FB group, or come
>to an event. Somebody who owns one will give you an earfull :-D.
>
>Tom
>(twolpert)
>
>
>
________________________________
From: Patricia Hutchison <patriciahutchison@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Sent: Wed, January 9, 2013 2:30:32 PM
>Subject: [GeoStL] GPS units
>
>
>
>I'm not sure I'm doing this correctly, but here goes. I'm starting to
>research
>GPS units in preparation for attending MOGA. I don't know where to start.
>There are lots of units and vendors out there and I don't know what to look
>for. Currently, my GPS is the Geocaching app on my iPhone 4, which has a
>lousy
>battery life. Suggestions on what features I should look for in a unit would
>be
>appreciated. Thanks!
>Spiritwolf922
>
>
>
>
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