Gps

[oldsarge]

Originally Posted by Theosus

Just don't forget: The number one rule for using a GPS? MARK THE CAR! so when you are hopelessly lost you can just punch "CAR" as your destination. Nothing sucks like trying to backtrack on a two inch screen.

Also, make sure your bread crumbs are set. If you do forget to mark any location ( car, good crossing site or water sources for example), it's a second chance to follow your bread crumbs back. Of course this will bring you back exactly the way you came in, which is not a problem. You will be covering familiar ground, alltough it will not shorten you journey back. Another point is writing down coords to specific locations in case your GPS takes a dump, this will allow you to plot your point on a map.

[briansnat]

I don't go anywhere in the woods without my GPS. I've owned a number of them over the years and have found them to be very reliable as long as I have extra batteries along.

With the newer, high sensitivity units losing signals is for the most part thing of the past. I can honestly say I've never lost a signal with my Garmin 60CSX and the few times I've lost a signal with my DeLorme PN40 was because it was sitting in my pocket or in the bottom of my pack. If I have it out it doesn't lose a signal.

For units with a magnetic electronic compass, the compass will work without a signal. Units with a compass that relies on satellites would be useless without a signal.

I still bring a topo map and baseplate compass as a backup, but it's so much quicker and easier reading the GPS.

[oldsarge]

The 60CXS is a great all round GPS, I have limited use with it but many of my friends have it and all really like it. A good buy for the money!

I too have gotten lazy on my map reading and compass skills by leaning toward s the GPS. Briansnat is right on, GPS make things a lot easier. I like just looking down and having all the info right there. It's been a while since I got out and just worked the map and compass.

[Theosus]

I still have my old Magellan SporTrak Map. It's not as sensitive as the new ones, but it's simple to use and reliable. Plus it's old enough if I dropped it in a stream I wouldn't be cursing losing my newfangled 300$ gps....
I have an etrex legend I won at a conference for work. I've used it about six times, I just like the sportrak better. I'm hoping a Geocacher will by the thing.

Plus - you have to love anything that runs on AA batteries. I hate rechargeable packs. You can find AA batteries at the most run down out of the way gas station on the planet. But if you're in the middle of a trip and battery pack hcl2159 craps out on you...

[oldsarge]

I had a SporTrak Map. It was my first map loadable GPS. It worked great, then I seen the eXplorist series and took the plunge because I wanted a color screen. Sent the SporTrak to my buddy in Alaska. Saw an eXplorist 200 at Sears for $120. Used it a while and then it started to screw up. I sent it in and got an eXplorist 400 in return. That was nice but it too locked up and I had to send it in. After 5 months I got an eXplorist 500LE in return, sweet, another free upgrade...only had to wait 5 months for it. This is when I got tired of Magellans customer service...or lack there of. I picked up a Garmin eTrex Legend and messed with hat for awhile until I got my Colorado 300. Been a happy camper ever since!

[ghostdog]

Originally Posted by paloma

I have been wondering how helpful is a GPS when you are in the wilderness. How reliable is it and would it still work if there is no communication signal in the deep forest?

I find my old Garmin Legend C very helpful. Yes, one can loose satellite lock under very heavy tree cover but that is easily fixed by moving. Most of the time even trees will not affect it. Deep, narrow canyons can cause the GPS to loose lock too but if you climb to a higher point or step out into a wider area you will get it back. They are not foolproof though. I had mine fail once. I resorted to my compass and paper map. When I got home I found a place buried in the menu to find new satellite locations. That worked. I chose mine for several reasons but also for its long battery life, 36 hours on two AA's. If you burn through them and have no spares, again one will have to be prepared to navigate by other means.

I take mine on every trip and mark special spots and navigate crazy loops in wild country. They keep getting better and better at acquiring signal lock, better chip sets and better antennas too. Until my old unit breaks I'll keep using that one.