Advise needed (again!)

I'm looking to get up on the moor between christmas and new year - I'd like to do more than I do and I know I'm only 2 hours away however it seems like more of a distance during the daily grind.

The point of this post is that I feel the need to have a gps devise to get me back to the car if the weather closes in. If I am spending 70 odd quid on a gps devise I wouldn't mind one that accepts OS grid references so I can cheat a bit when the little'ns get impatient and demand a box before going home.

Any advice will be gratefully recieved

I have a Garmin GPS60 for walking on the moor and Geo-Caching.
I have a friend with a Etrex and the Etex is ok but not so easy to use because of lack of buttons.
The more expencive ones are a waste of money for what we us it for on the moors.
Plus the GPS60 comes with a free data cable to link to PC unlike the Etrex that cost £30 ish

Hi
I agree with the station master that the Etrex series are harder to navigate due to the lack of buttons, but you soon get used to it. Most of the Garmin Etrex devices use the same letters after there name there other devices use similar from what I recall these are -

H - High sensitivity with normally 24MB of internal Ram to allow for the loading of small maps. (You can get the Dartmoor topo on one of these)
C - Colour
X - Memory card Slot to allow for the loading of large maps UK topo for example
The

I would make sure you have the High sensitivity device (WASS enabled) I also like to load the Topo maps on mine so I have a Venture HC. However If I were to buy another one I would probably buy a HCX model.

Of course this is just my opinion, It is worth looking on the Garmin website as I think they have some sort of comparison tool

Hope it helps

Colin

I use a 'brick' which is a Garmin 12. It is solid and very reliable, easy to use. You can mark any spot, i.e. the car plus enter up to 500 way points. With the cable you can download a walk from your computer straight to the GPS (Thanks Colin, all sorted). I have 2 of these and I bought both off ebay for around £20. It is fully waterproof, and if I lose it, would have another one the same. Would be very annoyed with myself if I lost one that cost over £100. Worth considering if you only come down to Dartmoor very occasionally. I walk, when the weather is O.K, twice a week, sometimes 3 times in the summer, and still wouldn't consider a very expensive GPS.

I always mark where I parked the car on my gps before I set off as my sense of direction is really bad. Its a very good point about worrying about losing them, I love tech stuff and have a middle of the range GPS (I would have bought a top of the range one but I don't think it would have gone down well with wife ) as a result I spend half my time checking I have not left it behind or dropped it. I always secure it to my clothing but you never know. I have lost a compass and other odd items in the past. However I never seem to find anything of any use!!.

Colin

Not knowng anything about the whole GPS thing, is it as simple as entering OS grid references or does it not work like that?

Thanks

Ian

My mate John, who does not use a PC and he can use one with no probs.
Yes you do just enter a 10 fig grid, so long as it is all set right.

If you only have an 8 fig grid you make the last digits a 0

Hi
If I only have an 8 dgit ref I always make the last digits 5 rather than a 0 as this would put to in the centre of the square instead of the bottom left.

Colin

many thanks for the advice

I've gone for the cheaper device as it was on a deal with a lead and map software included (cotsworld outdoor) and it should do everything that I want according to a (very good) sales assistant along with above (also very good) advice from some of you fine people!

I was very tempted by the second hand older ebay devices but as I'm giving it as a present to the better half (thus killing several birds with the same stone) thought I needed a shiny new one with box.

Many thanks again for the advice

What one is the cheaper device?

Colin

The etrex entry level model is the one that I went for and I think that it wil do all that I want it to do. The GPS60 was very tempting (easier to use buttons etc) but keeping the extra 60 odd quid in my pocket was more tempting!

I have used both.
Etrex is not user friendly, and does not come with a data (USB)cable, it costs £30.

GPS60 user friendly and comes with a data(USB) cable.

So if you are linking to a computer the GPS 60 is only a extra £30, well worth the money.

Also with the Etrex you will spend a lot more time entering Data and less time on the moor.

Hi

Was it the Etrex or the Etrex H you bought? The etrex H is virtually the same as the etrex apart from the High sensitivity receiver!

Its worth checking ebay if you need a cable, a standard serial cable will cost about £10 (Make sure you have a serial port on your PC / Laptop if you buy this one) or a USB cable will cost about £13.

It's a lot easier to enter the data on your PC and then send it to your GPS via the PC.

The GPS60 does have a slightly higher screen resolution and 1MB memory (To store POI) and a USB interface and of course the buttons but apart from that there is not a massive difference. It has the same spec sensitivity GPS receiver at the standard etrex. Not sure which one I would buy if it were me, The GPS60 is easier to use but I am not sure I could part with the extra £60 for the etra few features.

Colin

swindon part timers wrote:many thanks for the advice

I was very tempted by the second hand older ebay devices but as I'm giving it as a present to the better half (thus killing several birds with the same stone) thought I needed a shiny new one with box.

Both the Garmin 12's I bought were brand new, and still in there original boxes (unwanted presents apparently). Came complete with cables and I bought off another sale a nice soft Garmin pouch to carry it in that cost me £5. As I am not a gadget mad person, its a brick shape with monochrome screen - not all singing and dancing colour etc.. - the Garmin 12 suits me down to the ground (where very often I drop it!!!).

I couldn't find any new gps 12s on ebay, like I say the deal at cotswold included a lead and some memory map software (which will hopefully allow me to transfer waypoints onto the device from my computer) and was still considerably cheaper than the gps 60 which is why I went for it. As I am likely to use it far less than some others on here I couldn't really justify the extra expence.