[pct-l] GPS Recommendations?

[pshaw999 at cox.net]

The accurate fix you are referring to seems to me to be what a surveyor
might want when seeking very high precision. For a hiker, a couple of feet
either way is irrelevant. My DeLorme PN60w finds itself in seconds from
power up, so does my phone, so does my Magellan navigator in the car and my
other in-car gps. From that experience I assume all gps's can get a pretty
good location in a matter of seconds. These short times assume an open sky
which is mostly what you get on the PCT. Forested area are a different story
and they all struggle a bit to get a fix and that is where it would wise to
keep it on once it has a location. But leaving it on all the time will get
through batteries pretty quickly. On the CDT last year I mostly used the gps
to confirm my location on the map. A few times I ran it continuously, but
that was getting through forests with umpteen feet of snow concealing the
trail. This way, a pair of Lithium AA batteries would typically last me at
least a week. But the CDT is a navigation nightmare compared to the PCT.

Not surprising Garmin refers to their own product as the gold standard. When
I was looking for a gps, the Garmins all had this maximum number of waypoint
limit (if I recall it was 500) and you had to go through an elaborate
procedure to fool it into believing the trail waypoints are really points of
interest. Thanks to Halfmile for figuring this out and publishing a step by
step guide. The DeLorme has a limit but it's something like 10,000. Maybe
Garmin has fixed this in their latest offerings, but to me it was a deal
breaker. Additionally, the integrated Spot on the DeLorme was a nice
feature, although today you can get a Spot integrated with an Android
smartphone as well.

Peanut Eater

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Diarmaid Harmon
Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 7:27 PM
To: Brian Peterson
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] GPS Recommendations?

Garmin GPSmap 60CSx or 62s. Both have a quad helix antenna and I have rarely
lost signal with either one. the 60CSx is the according to Garmin the gold
standard and the 62s is the latest greatest. I get about 2 days on the
batteries. That been said turning on and off will save batteries but it will
degrade performance so where you need to count on it the longer it is on the
better the performance. A gps not only uses satellites right now but it also
downloads a packet from the satellite about where it is going to be. This is
the file the GPS uses to accurately fix it's position. Most manufactures
recommend 30 minuets to get a good and accurate fix. This can go up
depending on the terrain you are in. 

Hiking Irish.


On Jan 8, 2012, at 7:12 PM, Brian Peterson wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I am a prideful map and compass user that is looking to get a GPS system
> for off-trail hiking. I always carry a map and compass, but want a GPS to
> clarify at the end of the day that I am following my route, and is capable
> of getting me back on the right track if needed. This means I will need to
> be able to put in waypoints before leaving for my trip, and possibly a map
> so that the GPS doesn't link up the waypoints of my route by the way the
> crow flies, but my actual contours.
> 
> If I am doing a 100 mile point-to-point off-trail route that doesn't cross
> any trails it would be nice to know once a day if I am staying on my
route.
> 
> Any GPS recommendations for that use?
> 
> Other features that I want: solid antennae, compass, altimeter,
waterproof,
> light-weight, and colored screen.
> 
> I'm not sure if battery life is a huge concern as I don't plan on running
> it all day everyday, just plan on turning it on when confused or for a few
> minutes at the end of the day.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Brian "Stinky Butt" Peterson
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