GPS receivers

[Adi007]

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?

Yes. Cables are easy to get or even make ... if you go over to www.lynks.co.uk you can find the Pfranc connector - make a pledge for one and they'll send them out to you. Chop up an old COM port cable and away you go! Really cheap and effective. This makes life easier and you can move co-ords to the unit a lot easier.

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?

No, the receiver is a 12 channel receiver and updates the screen and data every 1 sec, irrespective of whether you are moving or not.

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.

Not needed, but if you want you can always use a trig point - go to www.trigpointing.co.uk for info.

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

Cool feature, innit!

Do you find its estimated accuracy to be reliable?

Reliable enough. You can expect 10 m accuracy under good conditions. It's just an estimate but it's normally quite good.

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

True. Altitude data is a bit flaky simply because most of the sats are above you - the clearer the horizon the better the altitude data, but even then it's always going to be less accurate than a positional fix.

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

Enjoy your toy!!!!! :biggthump

 

[ESpy]

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

Yeah but.. It'll be on the dash. Right about the lighter socket?

 

[Adi007]

Yeah but.. It'll be on the dash. Right about the lighter socket?

:biggthump

 

[Doc]

Thanks for all the info Adi.

Good bit of kit, the etrex.

 

[MartiniDave]

I've just ordered an etrex. Checking on lynks they do several different cables. Anyone know which one I need?

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Adi007]

I've just ordered an etrex. Checking on lynks they do several different cables. Anyone know which one I need?

Cheers,

Dave

Cables are on this page ... http://www.lynks.co.uk/cables.html

If you want a data cable only, you need the eD1 (http://www.lynks.co.uk/ed1.html), while if you want a combo data/car cord, go for the eCombo (http://www.lynks.co.uk/ecombo.html) or eMax (http://www.lynks.co.uk/emax.html) - the difference between the eCombo and the eMax is that with the emax you can choose whether you want to have the data and power or data alone or power alone connectors.

Or, if you've got an old COM port cable lying around, you can get just the plug. The plug you need is the ePlug on this page (http://www.lynks.co.uk/pplugs.html).

Hope that helps!

 

[Hogan]

Just bought Garmin Summit with Memory Map. PC Data cable. All is so far fine (having fun playing..) but for some reason, when downloading waypoints/routes/tracks from GPS to PC (Memory Map) a new waypoint is being created off the map area (sometimes it says I've been in the middle of the north sea, but I haven't - I know 'cos my socks aren't damp ). Any idea what causes this and how to stop it?

Thanks in advance

 

[Adi007]

Just bought Garmin Summit with Memory Map. PC Data cable. All is so far fine (having fun playing..) but for some reason, when downloading waypoints/routes/tracks from GPS to PC (Memory Map) a new waypoint is being created off the map area (sometimes it says I've been in the middle of the north sea, but I haven't - I know 'cos my socks aren't damp ). Any idea what causes this and how to stop it?

Thanks in advance

First off I'd suggest that you check for updates to Memory Map ... I seem to recall that this was a bug with certain versions.

Failing that, check the cable connector in the back of the PC.

Oh, one more thing. If you go into setup on the GPS and check out the coordinate system used ... it should be OSGB and the datum British Grid or WGS84 and a datum of WGS84.

 

[Hogan]

First off I'd suggest that you check for updates to Memory Map ... I seem to recall that this was a bug with certain versions.

Failing that, check the cable connector in the back of the PC.

Oh, one more thing. If you go into setup on the GPS and check out the coordinate system used ... it should be OSGB and the datum British Grid or WGS84 and a datum of WGS84.

Version checked, and it is the lastest one available.
Checked cable - seems OK :-?
Confirmed OSGB / British Grid settings.

Have now done all the above, (thanks for the advice). Will be out and about tomorrow and try again. Although if I do end up in the middle of the North Sea, I will be blaming you..

Again thanks for the help,
Regards

 

[Squidders]

I love the Garmin range, I have a streetmap III in my car and it's brilliant.

On the subject of cables for the etrex, I got mine from Maplins, I think it cost £15 and there was no messing about.

I have found the accuracy of my little etrex to be ok, nothing special and turning the backlight off gives me ages of battery life. It's been used for a lot of things, including checking speed when snowboarding and on this may I offer the following advice: Don't look at the screen whilst snowboarding as it's liable to turn you into a human snowball :yikes:

 

[Hogan]

Can anyone help? Have tried searching (but GPS is too short a word) to find a link to a site which was titled something along the lines of "anyone thinking about buying a GPS unit should read this first!". It gave a lot of technical info and highlighted the drawbacks of buying GPS without having even basic map & compass skills etc. A real eye opener, but I can't find it now.

I must have seen it here (I don't subscribe to any other similar forums) and forgot to 'waypoint' it (favourites) when I last came across it.

As always, thanks in advance...

 

[Squidders]

Hogan,

I had a little poke around and found this with google: http://www.travelbygps.com

There are some nice tutorials and helpful information. I hope this is what you're after... if not, you may publicly flog me ):

 

[Kath]

Hogan - what's the problem you are getting? I'm not sure I understand ...

 

[Hogan]

I hope this is what you're after... if not, you may publicly flog me ):

Great site, which I'm sure I will use a lot, but not the one I was asking about.

Thanks though

Regards,

 

[Hogan]

Hogan - what's the problem you are getting? I'm not sure I understand ...

Not one specific problem, but lots of little ones..

Like : My GPS lost signal and as a result, I have two saved tracks (one going up the hills, and the other coming down. I'd like to know how, using memory map, I can join the two together. I tried, but it kept reversing the second track, which made it look as if I started from the hill, went home, then back up the hill again :?:

The site I was asking about was simply one that remembered as being very interesting, but as happens so many times, I put it down, and can't remember where I left it

I was certain I had seen it from a link on this forum, but as I said, a search didn't turn it up - I'll know it when I see it though

Regards

 

[mojofilter]

Ive had a yellow etrex for about 3 years as a standalone, but now I want to link to the PC. What is the best software to use?

cheers

stuarty

 

[Adi007]

Not one specific problem, but lots of little ones..

Like : My GPS lost signal and as a result, I have two saved tracks (one going up the hills, and the other coming down. I'd like to know how, using memory map, I can join the two together. I tried, but it kept reversing the second track, which made it look as if I started from the hill, went home, then back up the hill again :?:

The site I was asking about was simply one that remembered as being very interesting, but as happens so many times, I put it down, and can't remember where I left it

I was certain I had seen it from a link on this forum, but as I said, a search didn't turn it up - I'll know it when I see it though

Regards

If you want to work with routes and waypoints then the tool I'd suggest you use is called G7toWin - http://www.gpsinformation.org/ronh/ - it looks basic but it is in fact very powerful and what you can do with this is take the waypoints that make the track you have and combine them. Much more powerful then Memory Map for data management.