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View Full Version : Basic (cheap) GPS - recommendations please



chr15williams
11th June 2008, 06:51 PM
Hello everyone - my first post on my first day of membership. Just a quick question to formulate a GPS buying strategy: please could you recommend a good GPS solely to be used for geocaching? I don't think I need all the gadgets that the new models possess and I certainly don't need the resulting hole in my bank balance, but would like to end up close enough to my intended target. I don't have a budget in mind so if splashing out is justified I will. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Chris

nobbynobbs
11th June 2008, 08:35 PM
an older model etrex will be fairly cheap second hand via ebay etc. you can download waypoints direct from your computer easily.
if you can go to the cost the garmin 60cx would be a great gps to own but they aren't cheap.
some mobiles now have inbuilt gps or if you have a bluetooth pda you can buy cheap bluetooth gps units.

Just Roger
11th June 2008, 08:46 PM
If you're going for an Etrex its definitely worth the extra to get one of the H models with the high sensitivity receiver that doesn't start to sulk at the first glimpse of a tree.

Belplasca
11th June 2008, 10:56 PM
The Magellan Meridian models are also good - and retain their satellite lock well under trees. The "Gold" is probably adequate - the more expensive "Platinum" just adds elevation and a compass that never seemed to work too well for me...

Bob

keehotee
14th June 2008, 06:58 AM
If you've got an Aldi near you they're still selling the Geko 201 for about £60.
Still using mine after 4 years, and never had a problem with it (apart from losing it for 18 months....)

Bill D (wwh)
14th June 2008, 01:47 PM
keehotee wrote:
(apart from losing it for 18 months....)
Tim, you can't just leave us hanging... 18 months...?!! Let's have the story...!!! :p

keehotee
20th June 2008, 12:34 PM
Most consecutive days without a find: 449, from 30/07/2005 to 21/10/2006

I put it down somewhere - then couldn't find it (but only for about a month)
Spent the next year or so building a website and database of mountain bike routes (www.gps-rider.co.uk .... now defunct) before I "acquired" a new pda (thank you PC World insurance) and bought a bluetooth GPS......

Edited to add wayback machine version.... http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.gps-rider.co.uk

chr15williams
21st June 2008, 12:05 PM
Thanks folks - most instructive!