Forum Index > Gear Talk > GPS antennas and reception
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
polarbear
Member
Member


Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 3680 | TRs | Pics
Location: Snow Lake hide-away
polarbear
Member
PostSun Jul 07, 2002 4:51 pm 
How accurate is a gps? Could you use it to find your car if it's in a huge parking lot and you can't remember where you parked? rolleyes.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Steve
Phlogiston Purveyor



Joined: 29 Jan 2002
Posts: 769 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bothell
Steve
Phlogiston Purveyor
PostMon Jul 08, 2002 9:10 am 
I have a Magellan Meridan and was out on the Waptus pass loop this weekend. The only time I had problems was in the dense forest as we were travelling out on the waptus river trail under heavy cover while walking. The mosquitos were bad enough that I did not want to stop to allow it to gather the satellite data. It took about five minutes for it to get data from the 3 satellites minimum required but after that it tracked about 5 and even kept the lock when I put it in my pocket. One of my co-workers bought a Garmin Legend and returned it because he kept losing the sat lock while under trees. Here's a good site for GPS info. http://joe.mehaffey.com/

Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt.
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
MC
Guest




MC
Guest
PostMon Jul 08, 2002 10:00 am 
I have a Mag 315 and Garmin 76 map and both work quite well under trees. Position is important they should be vertical, a holder attached to the shoulder strap of my pack works best. A few months ago REI was selling the external Garmin antenna for $20 and I told some freinds they now are $100. If you put in hat it works very well but you look like a jerk. The small Garmins will not take an external antenna and the mags do not need them.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote View IP address of poster
Tom
Admin



Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 17835 | TRs | Pics
Tom
Admin
PostMon Jul 08, 2002 11:39 am 
If you're on a budget and don't plan on uploading topo lines for the entire state into your GPS you can probably get by with the SporTrak Map which I've seen selling for as low as $175. I think it has 4 MB of free memory which covers a very large area. My Map 330 has 8 MB of free memory which allows me to pretty much fit topo lines for the the entire cascades into my unit. Of course, if money is not a concern go for the extra memory in the SporTrak Pro unit so you don't have to juggle the coverage area.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Tom
Admin



Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 17835 | TRs | Pics
Tom
Admin
PostSun Jul 21, 2002 12:16 am 
I had the opportunity to test out my brother's Garmin eTrex today. Let me just say the performance of the eTrex under tree cover is abysmal. As soon as I moved under tree cover it couldn't acquire enough satellites to determine my postition no matter how long I waited, also crippling the backtrack feature. I'd recommend a unit with a quad helix antenna (Garmin 76S or pretty much any Magellan). There is no comparison, not even close.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
-lol-
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Dec 2001
Posts: 767 | TRs | Pics
-lol-
Member
PostSun Jul 21, 2002 10:22 am 

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Tom
Admin



Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 17835 | TRs | Pics
Tom
Admin
PostSun Jul 21, 2002 11:05 am 
Same route, different days. My Magellan had tracked the route just fine while the eTrex couldn't. My brother mentioned it didn't track well under tree cover (almost as if this were normal). On the drive home I wondered if the protective eTrex leather case could have been hindering reception. My brother noticed the time zone was set incorrectly and thinks that could have been the problem but I have my doubts. I'll be doing some more testing in the next week while he is visiting.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Allison
Feckless Swooner



Joined: 17 Dec 2001
Posts: 12287 | TRs | Pics
Location: putting on my Nikes before the comet comes
Allison
Feckless Swooner
PostMon Jul 22, 2002 9:38 am 
I'm wondering if you folks feel GPS units are really of much help to you in the woods. I hear talk of having trouble getting a bearing from the satellite on these things. I use a map, compass, and altimeter, and don't have these problems. What kind of terrain are you using them on that the old methods are inadequate? When you CAN get a bearing, is it quicker, better, or more accurate than using the old method? Do you navigate more efficiently with GPS than with map and compass? Is it a substitute for good navigation skills? Everyone I seem to know who knows how to use a map thinks a GPS would just take up space in their pack most of the time. I've heard that GPS units are quite helpful for snow travel of all sorts. Is this what you guys are primarily using them for? I've got a long-overdue article on navigation I need to write, and I'm really curious as to how and why hikers use them, so tell me! Enquiring minds want to know!

www.allisonoutside.com follow me on Twitter! @AllisonLWoods
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Tom
Admin



Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 17835 | TRs | Pics
Tom
Admin
PostMon Jul 22, 2002 10:51 am 
The backtrack feature on my GPS has saved me more than once from a cold (or very late) night in the woods in situations where a map and compass would not necessarily have. For example, coming back from Rampart Ridge in the dark trying to find the shortcut trail junction, or trying to find my way down off the logging road maze on Keechelus Ridge in the dark in winter. Or navigating your way back when you are off trail in deep woods and cannot see landmarks to get a map bearing - much better than using flags. However, you still need to carry a map and compass and pay close attention when you are traveling off trail in case you run out of batteries or worse, lose your GPS rolleyes.gif.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Malachai Constant
Member
Member


Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16088 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny
Malachai Constant
Member
PostMon Jul 22, 2002 8:58 pm 
rant.gif I have used GPS Magellan 315 and Garmin GPSMAP76 receivers for several years in spite of being experienced with map and compass. There are several major advantages of GPS as well as some disadvantages. I have used the devices for biking. skiing, hiking and off trail scrambling. I still carry a Ranger compass and map for back-up but have not needed to use them. 1. The GPS is superior for situations where visibility is limited including fog, snow and woods. The e-Trek receivers have poor antennas for woods and the best will not give a good indication if very thick, With time you can always do better than trying to get a bearing. Even on ridges it is difficult to tell if the knob that appears through the clouds is 5876 or 6105. It is easy to tell if it is Stuart or Rainier but that is seldom good enough. Always carry extra batteries. 2. GPS is handy to find a lake in brush even at quite close distances. Just last weekend I was 1/8th mi. from Fisher Lake and did not know where it was until I took a reading. Similarly you can confirm which of the summits is the real one. 3. GPS since selective availability has been removed makes a fine altimeter that does not need to be recalibrated. As long as you can receive 4 birds it will be accurate to 30’ as good as my old Thomen. 4. I have a mapping GPS and it is neat to have all the topos for the Cascades with zoom ability to tell what yonder peak is. 5. With Topo! You can plan your route put it in the GPS and print out a map with all intersections marked. While this is overkill for marked trails it is very handy for cross country and logging roads. 6. It has a great cool factor. 7. If you are lost or injured and have a phone you can tell where thay can pick up the body. i.e. don't count on it for rescue!

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Steve
Phlogiston Purveyor



Joined: 29 Jan 2002
Posts: 769 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bothell
Steve
Phlogiston Purveyor
PostTue Jul 23, 2002 1:14 pm 
On my last trip I used it because I knew I would be traveling on snow for several miles and wanted to make sure I got to the trail junctions. My map and compass skills won't do that for me. I also used it on my southwest vacation to help me find the right roads to turn on since the road signs SUCK in Utah. rant.gif I think it's a great tool but not a replacement for map and compass yet.

Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt.
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Gear Talk > GPS antennas and reception
  Happy Birthday noahk!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum