recommendations for dedicate gps only

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knowledge=gain

Sent off- not allowed to play
Jun 25, 2022
544
75
england
a neighbour has asked me for

something that is not too expensive as they are on a limited budget and want just a gps and nothing else

they said they do not mind second hand as long as it works and at the right price

if you know of or spot a bargain please let me know so i can pass it on
 

gra_farmer

Full Member
Mar 29, 2016
1,838
1,043
Kent
I have some GPS units that I will be putting on the classifieds soon. Will try and do it on the weekend.

I am an experienced ecohydrological / hydrogeological surveyor, and use a field based computer GPS unit most weeks, I always carry an garmin etrex as back up.

What are the budgets, and intended use?
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,130
1,650
Vantaa, Finland
One of the things to look for is that besides GPS it has Galileo too, I don't know why manufacturers are so keen on putting GLONASS and Beidou on their units.
 

gra_farmer

Full Member
Mar 29, 2016
1,838
1,043
Kent
One of the things to look for is that besides GPS it has Galileo too, I don't know why manufacturers are so keen on putting GLONASS and Beidou on their units.
I used fixed GPS location points like light houses to correct, with arc pad and a half good pda GPS, you can just about do sub metre
 

TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,130
1,650
Vantaa, Finland
I used fixed GPS location points like light houses to correct, with arc pad and a half good pda GPS, you can just about do sub metre
Yes but that was not the point. Having a different set of satellites to use was. I have watched a surveying GPS receiver get it down to few cm and apparently some can get it to mm in at least some applications (like checking on continental drift), just takes some time. Not that there ordinarily is much use for that as the accuracy of the maps is nowhere near.

It is always good to check at a known point, for a short while close by one gets enhanced accuracy and anyway some piece of mind that the thing works (as last week it clearly was off by much ... :)).
 

gra_farmer

Full Member
Mar 29, 2016
1,838
1,043
Kent
Yes but that was not the point. Having a different set of satellites to use was. I have watched a surveying GPS receiver get it down to few cm and apparently some can get it to mm in at least some applications (like checking on continental drift), just takes some time. Not that there ordinarily is much use for that as the accuracy of the maps is nowhere near.

It is always good to check at a known point, for a short while close by one gets enhanced accuracy and anyway some piece of mind that the thing works (as last week it clearly was off by much ... :)).
RTK units are the mm accuracy GPS units, they use what is a available, can program the data input from satellites, fixed point location, sim card with Internet data for calibration / correction.

I have used all of the different GPS technologies over the last 15 years.

Depends on the level you want, I find it quite good fun, particularly when watching someone doing the GPS walk, trying to locate a 30cm square area of rare vegetation with a GPS unit that has +/- 12 metre resolution :)
 

gra_farmer

Full Member
Mar 29, 2016
1,838
1,043
Kent
Knowing the limitations of ones tools is part of the job. :thumbsup:
I often give students the lower resolution GPS units to teach them not to be lazy and use their eyes.....it still amazing how long they take to stop looking at the GPS unit and look around them :)
 

SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,638
1,187
Ceredigion
a neighbour has asked me for

something that is not too expensive as they are on a limited budget and want just a gps and nothing else

they said they do not mind second hand as long as it works and at the right price

if you know of or spot a bargain please let me know so i can pass it on
Depends on what capabilities they want as well as budget, but the Garmin eTrex series is low cost and reliable.
 

knowledge=gain

Sent off- not allowed to play
Jun 25, 2022
544
75
england
What are the budgets, and intended use?
as promissed

i have finally caught up with the neighbours sorry for the delay

their intended use is for general day hiking in various places around the country to take the dogs for walks

their budget is around £30.00
 

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
Is it possible to use the GPS within a mobile phone to the same accuracy?
Do they work on the same satellites as the Garmin etc?

That would be the cheapest - assuming they already have a smart phone of course!
 
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knowledge=gain

Sent off- not allowed to play
Jun 25, 2022
544
75
england
Is it possible to use the GPS within a mobile phone to the same accuracy?
Do they work on the same satellites as the Garmin etc?

That would be the cheapest - assuming they already have a smart phone of course!
i had thought of that yet they are old school and do not like or have smart phones
 

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