Handheld GPS

reconseed

reconseed

Joined
Sep 23, 2006
Messages
1,524
Does anyone know if these little handheld GPS satellites are reliable? I was wanting to try one out for hiking and being in the woods and wondered if you could enter a map coordinance and if the GPS satellite would take you to it by telling you to walk north, south, etc. I bought a tomtom car model today and it tells you the roads, etc, but on these handheld ones for the woods, how do they know where the point is once you have entered it? Does anyone have any experience with these?


This is the one I was looking at.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/howToGetItTab.do?c=1&zip=37604&oid=37488#tabs
 
Hi reconseed
I have used a few gps units in the bush/hill country here in New Zealand, and have had mixed results. In dense vegetation, or in deep valleys, the coverage can be spotty at best, particularly with older units. My current garmin (gps60cx) has a much more sensitive receiver and works a treat 9 times out of 10.
regards
Sean

[edited to add: in terms of how it knows where the place that you entered into it is, this is just by comparing where you are with the coordinates you entered.]
 
I can get an accuracy range of 90 feet down to 3 feet. I generally sit around the 12 ft range.
 
I was wanting to try one out for hiking and being in the woods and wondered if you could enter a map coordinance and if the GPS satellite would take you to it by telling you to walk north, south, etc.
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That's exactly how they work if you want to find a location on a map. Enter the map coordinates, either UTM or lat-long, and press the Go-To button. Most GPSes will show you a map, a directional arrow, distance, direction, and even ETA given your current speed.

I actually use my GPS more for doing the opposite, finding things in the woods and collecting the coordinates so I can see where I've been after I get home.

Does anyone have any experience with these?
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I've owned one for several years and have used them for work, geocaching, and other recreational purposes. Shoot off any specific questions, and someone here will likely know the answer.
 
I have an older Garmin and works well. The newer one work better in dense woods I am told. My signal gets weaks sometimes. However, If you take a waypoint at your car if you find a clearing you always get an accurate reading of where you are and how to get back to where you started.
 
I've got an old Magellan GPS315. It doesn't have mapping capabilities but it works great in the woods and I never have signal problems with it. I use it mainly for geacaching.

Jamie
 
Most GPS units will not be as accurate in dense forest cover or steep canyons. With the tree cover the signal is weaker, and in steep valleys and canyons there are fewer satellites visible. Satellite telephones don't work well in canyons either, or they'll work for only a minute or two as the satellite passes overhead.

The only time that's been a real GPS issue for me was while walking a historic mountain road and saving it as a track file. The signal kept jumping all over making the road look like a zig-zag with some track points being ~way~ off. The solution was simple, an inexpensive external antenna. Most of the better GPS units have an antenna plug, and that might be something to consider when shopping.
 
I use Garmin. I've taken them into ridiculous places and they've always worked for me.

I won't recommend anything else.
 
Some of the new Garmins have a "Sirf Chip", which enables the unit to get a lock on on the Sats. a lot faster, and inside of structures. Once locked on, it is hard to lose the signal - even in dense tree cover.

I have a Garmin 60CSx which I use Geocaching, and have only lost signal once, inside a RR tunnel.

I usually "mark my location" when I get out of the vehicle; and so far, the unit has always brought me back to the "mark" location, no matter how far I have wandered in the woods.

Also, Magellan is supposed to be coming out right about now with a new unit which possesses similar features.
 
I use Garmin's, generally the larger models are more durable, the GPS II to V platforms are probably the most robust and reliable with the 12 not far behind. I am using these "commercially", I actually have five of these sitting in front of me that I just programmed with tomorrow's helicopter flight plans for the airborne geophyical survey I am working on right now....they get bashed around alot and never break. I have not used the eTrek models much, they are a bit too small in my opinion, I bought one for a co-worker in Peru and I had to send it back for repair within six months.
 
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