GPS receivers

[Mikey P]

I had a Garmin GPS12 and upgraded last year to an ETREX Vista - great bit of kit and has had a rough ride in the past year or so.

My only problem has been that I changed laptops late last year and my new one doesn't have a serial port - only USB ports. I have asked around and no-one seems to know but do Garmin do a USB cable at all? At the moment, I have a quality laptop and excellent GPS which can't talk to each other!

 

[leon-1]

ADI posted a link earlier on in this thread for cables that link a GPS to your PC, I think they were actually called links

 

[familne]

I had a Garmin GPS12 and upgraded last year to an ETREX Vista - great bit of kit and has had a rough ride in the past year or so.

My only problem has been that I changed laptops late last year and my new one doesn't have a serial port - only USB ports. I have asked around and no-one seems to know but do Garmin do a USB cable at all? At the moment, I have a quality laptop and excellent GPS which can't talk to each other!

Mike

You can get USB to serial adaptors quite easily, I had the same problem until i got an adapter from maplin.co.uk.

 

[Adi007]

ADI posted a link earlier on in this thread for cables that link a GPS to your PC, I think they were actually called links

http://www.lynks.co.uk/

 

[Adi007]

I had a Garmin GPS12 and upgraded last year to an ETREX Vista - great bit of kit and has had a rough ride in the past year or so.

My only problem has been that I changed laptops late last year and my new one doesn't have a serial port - only USB ports. I have asked around and no-one seems to know but do Garmin do a USB cable at all? At the moment, I have a quality laptop and excellent GPS which can't talk to each other!

Mike

You can get USB to serial adaptors quite easily, I had the same problem until i got an adapter from maplin.co.uk.

Here's another ... http://www.lynks.co.uk/usb.html

 

[Mikey P]

Mike

You can get USB to serial adaptors quite easily, I had the same problem until i got an adapter from maplin.co.uk.

Brilliant - which one did you get and you can confirm it works fine? The reason I ask is because I know someone who bought an adaptor and it didn't work!

 

[familne]

Brilliant - which one did you get and you can confirm it works fine? The reason I ask is because I know someone who bought an adaptor and it didn't work!

I got this one:

It's the A86AN USB to Serial Adaptor. Works fine for me!

 

[leon-1]

Well currently they are having offers on GPS http://www.gaynors.co.uk/acatalog/Catalogue_Contents_Navigation_Equipment___GPS_4.html have a look.

Also one of the guys mentioned memory map they appear to be selling that as well.

Mikey the link above was put up before, they have usb cables for the new gps :-D

 

[Doc]

I've got to stop reading BCUK - I only end up buying things!

Just ordered a plain vanilla yellow Garmin Etrex. £75.35 including VAT and post from Expansys. I note that in the US these things cost $100 - say £54. I was quite tempted to import one from the US from one of the ebay dealers but when you add carriage, and the possibility of a £13 customs bill, I decided not to.

Of course, our local outdoor shop has them for £118.......

I had thought that these things just gave you your position in Grid or Lat/Long. Obviously they do rather more than that.

I did wonder how well they work in forest, and whether interfacing with a computer is straightforward?

 

[Adi007]

I've got to stop reading BCUK - I only end up buying things!

Just ordered a plain vanilla yellow Garmin Etrex. £75.35 including VAT and post from Expansys. I note that in the US these things cost $100 - say £54. I was quite tempted to import one from the US from one of the ebay dealers but when you add carriage, and the possibility of a £13 customs bill, I decided not to.

Of course, our local outdoor shop has them for £118.......

I had thought that these things just gave you your position in Grid or Lat/Long. Obviously they do rather more than that.

I did wonder how well they work in forest, and whether interfacing with a computer is straightforward?

Interface ... easy, you need a cable. For that, don't buy Garmin because it is mega pricy but try www.lynks.co.uk where you can get a ready-made cable or bits. Connecting is easy!

In tree cover - it's OK. The problem is that leaves are moist and wanter absorbes the microwave signal. However, patchy cover will still allow the signal through. Hold the GPS receiver horizontal for the best reception.

The yellow eTrex is a good gadget ... you'll enjoy it! :super:

 

[ESpy]

Tree cover + large metal box is a bit of a problem for those antenna, however.

I ought to fit a suitable one to the 110...

 

[Adi007]

In those situations I find re-radiating antennas a big help ...

http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk/viewprod.php?product_id=1393&category_id=46&pp_id=217&PHPSESSID=71c6b48f51efb2e42d1a1a40edb8f5a6

http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk/viewprod.php?product_id=1394&category_id=46&pp_id=217&PHPSESSID=71c6b48f51efb2e42d1a1a40edb8f5a6

 

[BorderReiver]

I bought a basic yellow garmin etrex last week and its amazing

It can keep sat loc in my car , in my pocket , I can connect it to my laptop and run it in my car

This weekend I'm taking the kids up to the North York moors to go walking and camping

The most exciting thing is the fact I can connect it to Autoroute, plot a course to the next continent and just follow the flashing icon

Brilliant

Oh and I use it for the geocaching malarky too

You forgot to mention that it is fully submersible too :ylsuper:

 

[Adi007]

You forgot to mention that it is fully submersible too :ylsuper:

Yep - to IPX9 spec. The battery compartment might get wet/damp but it won't harm the GPS itself.

 

[Jon]

I've had a Garmin 72 for about a year now. Very capable and configurable but not the most user freandly beast. Whoever organised the menu system needs a slap.

Linking your gps to a computer makes route planning a piece of cake. No more entering grid referances with the up/down buttons. Just point and click.

Jon

 

[Doc]

Well, I received the yellow Etrex yesterday.

I like!

Almost uncanny how it knows where it is. Also gives Maidenhead locators - much used in Amateur Radio.

Does anyone know: should I leave the map datum on the default setting, or change to the Ordnance Survey option (when using OS maps)?

Any other hints appreciated as it is a bit of culture shock using GPS for the first time after 30 years of good old Silva compass and OS map.

On a similar theme, any views on Harveys walkers maps versus OS? I have so far resisted them as being different, but users opinions would be of value.

 

[ESpy]

In those situations I find re-radiating antennas a big help ...

Cute... But the EMap has a socket on the back, so re-radiating is not strictly neccessary. Nice, though.

 

[Adi007]

Cute... But the EMap has a socket on the back, so re-radiating is not strictly neccessary. Nice, though.

External antennas really clobber the batteries tho ... but useful when you need it!

 

[Adi007]

Well, I received the yellow Etrex yesterday.
Does anyone know: should I leave the map datum on the default setting, or change to the Ordnance Survey option (when using OS maps)?

If you are using the OS grid co-ords then the datum has to be set to OSGB otherwise you'll get a positional error of about 30 m. The Garmin eTrex are good though because they usually go this automatically. If you are using Deg, Deg, Min or Deg, Min, Sec then you will need to use WGS84 datum or, again, you'll get errors.

On a similar theme, any views on Harveys walkers maps versus OS? I have so far resisted them as being different, but users opinions would be of value.

I'm too set in my ways to change! I can read OS like a book and I'm comfortable with it so I'm not going to change - especially as I have the whole of the UK on CDs in OS format!

 

[Doc]

Thanks for that Adi.

I see there are a few geocaching caches near me.

As I have no PC cable yet, I guess I need to enter the cache location as a waypoint manually: Am I right in thinking that cache co-ordinates use the WGS84 datum? So should I select WGS84 and enter the coordinates as lat long?

Also, does it use more power when its 'working hard' eg, plotting speed and location of a fast car, compared to just sitting there switched on?

Also, how can you check the position fix accuracy - Using OS 1:25000 maps I doubt I could resolve to much more than 25m anyway.

I'm also pleased to see it calculates sunrise sunset times. Nice feature.

Do you find its estimated accuracy to be reliable?

I'm told the altitude data is not particularly reliable - any comments?

Sorry - the persistent questioning of a man with a new toy!