GPS performance in the deep woods

[cheezehead]

@huffinpuffin2 wrote:

@LostBoys5 wrote:

@huffinpuffin2 wrote:

Do folks really lose satellite reception under a canopy, totally? Or is that just another way of saying the GPRs is bouncy like crazy, and taking you on staggered path?

We have a Garmin 60, I think it is, that always loses reception completely. We consider it a bad purchase and rarely get it out. . .

Thanks! Think that would be very frustrating, and could also be very scary. Wonder how far one could be thrown?? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Side note- I did have that problem with my 1st 60CSx. Clear blue sky and not a cloud to be seen and lose total signal. Called Garmin, the unit was just ove a year old and no warranty. They said send it down, we’ll look at it, fix it or replace it with a refurbished one. Sent it to them on Monday, and a replacement in my hands by Friday. All it cost me was the shipping. Had no problems with it other than new pup thoughtbit was chew toy and chewed the antenna and the rubber off. Still works fine.

[sandlanders]

@cheezehead wrote:

Now Sandlanders recently got a the new Etrex 20…I think. It also does paperless. I know she has ad some issues with it, but I think it was with the setup or did not do the recent upgrade.

The new eTrex has been behaving better since you did the “laying of hands” on it, HCH. 😉 I still haven’t taken the time to really work on it, but I love the paperless capability.

In addition to the eTrex 20, we have used the yellow eTrex H and the eTrex Legend HCx. I don’t remember ever losing the signal with any of them except when we were walking through tunnels. Getting a good initial lock depended on where we were at the time. We’ve been in some good woods where the signal sometimes goes wonky, but we’ve never lost it.

[Muggle B]

I don’t even want to talk about it, if you guys think you wander around in the woods a lot……

[Northwoods Tom]

@Muggle B wrote:

I don’t even want to talk about it, if you guys think you wander around in the woods a lot……

Some of us wonder around on purpose… 😛 AND use a compass in addition to our GPS unit.
In order of importance for me:
1. Topo Map
2. Silva Compass
3. GPS Unit

[Walkingadventure]

@Muggle B wrote:

I don’t even want to talk about it, if you guys think you wander around in the woods a lot……

:lol2:

Following the signals from space.

[LostBoys5]

@Mister Greenthumb wrote:

We still have the Etrex Legends that we bought when we started 6 years ago. We can’t afford to replace them, but have never had trouble in deeply wooded areas. We use them to get as close as we can and then hide in the bushes and wait for someone with a better unit to come and find the cache. After they leave we come out of our cover and sign the log.

That makes me laugh out loud!!

[CodeJunkie]

I still have my original eTrex Legend that’s now 3 years old. I can’t recall ever losing the signal completely. I’ve done the GPSr dance at times, but I don’t think that’s anything out of the ordinary for anyone.

Regarding “speed” of signal lock. Most units have a prediction algorithm that is good for a few days since it was last locked to a group of satellites. I’ve noticed my units gets a lock very quickly on consecutive days of use, but if it sits for 4+ days, then the signal lock takes a lot longer.

Also something to note is ensuring all comparisons are made with WAAS turned on which corrects the satellite reception via radio signal here on earth based on specific predefined accurate locations. Turn this off on your GPSr and you’ll notice a huge difference in accuracy.

[GForce]

Thanks to all who have contributed/responded so far. I guess I have to buy about a dozen shiny new GPS units. It’ll cost me a geo-fortune. Just kidding. It’s all informative and helpful.

Here’s something else I learned in my conversation with the Garmin rep. I asked what is the importance of using NiMH or Lithium AA batteries when they are recommended. He said that they provide full power to the unit until the batts die – then nothing. Alkaline AA batteries, by contrast, begin losing their power from moment one, so their performance declines while in the unit until they die.

[-cheeto-]

@G*Force wrote:

Thanks to all who have contributed/responded so far. I guess I have to buy about a dozen shiny new GPS units. It’ll cost me a geo-fortune. Just kidding. It’s all informative and helpful.

Here’s something else I learned in my conversation with the Garmin rep. I asked what is the importance of using NiMH or Lithium AA batteries when they are recommended. He said that they provide full power to the unit until the batts die – then nothing. Alkaline AA batteries, by contrast, begin losing their power from moment one, so their performance declines while in the unit until they die.

I always use Lithium batteries in my Oregon. Always have. Was really sick of the alkaline and rechargeables dying all the time. May cost more but well worth the peace of mind. But I keep a spare set of alkalines for that emergency situation.

The garmin vista HCX I have could get signals in crazy places (inside the town hall building in west bend for instance). To be honest, it was much better at locating and taking coordinates than the Oregon. But I love the features of the Oregon and really don’t care if I wander from time to time. As for deep woods cover, I’ve always wandered and tend to agree with the puffins..

[srvive]

I started years ago with a Loran unit, bigger than most walky talkies, had a couple very early Magellans, when there wasn’t as many sats. that they search for like now. Had 3 Vista’s heavy cover didn’t seem as big a problem as weather cover at times. I’m also on my 3rd 60 unit which is now a 60CSX, all the other Vista’s & 60’s had trouble with vibration and bouncing while mounted on the ATV’s. The 60’s have only lost the signal once or twice while in heavy cover and rather hilly terrain, but only for a very short amount of time, a couple of minutes or less. I have a Colorado 400t that I only used twice and it was in heavy cover with no heavy cover issues. I just purchased a Montana 600 and have been doing some seriuos scouting and geocaching with heavy swampy cover areas and no signal problems yet. I still use the 60CSX with Montana 600, but my main back up is Silva compass and printed out ExpertGPS topo’s.

[Author]

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