Choosing a GPS

Andy Dingley <dingbat@codesmiths.com> wrote:

<snip>
>A surprising number have large inaccuracies in their conversion to GB OS
>grid refs though, which makes them damn near useless.
>
Which?

"Andy Dingley" <dingbat@codesmiths.com> wrote in message
news:no29pv4dqhl0mgcp6rqtsrs613qovbt696@...
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 00:42:48 +0100, "Paul Saunders"
> <pvs1@wildwales.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >Andy Dingley wrote:
> >
> >> A
> >> surprising number have large inaccuracies in their conversion to GB OS
> >> grid refs though,
> >
> >Inaccuracies, yes. Large, no.
>
> 1/2km is a bit too big, IMHO.
>
> Can't remember the model, this is a friend's (a Garmin, I think)
> bought just a few years ago. It was enough to put us on the wrong
> side of a woodland when out walking.
>
> --

Wrong set-up, or very old unit. From the tracklog of my Garmin Vista you
can usually see which side of the road I walked.

Jim Hutton

"Andy Mabbett" <usenet200309@pigsonthewing.org.uk> wrote in message
news:cjYwRPUeAGl$EwNE@pigsonthewing.org.uk...
> My other option for Christmas (see "Night Sight" thread :
>
> Message-ID: <6xxZFBQ7lFl$EwZT@pigsonthewing.org.uk>)
>
> is a GPS unit. I would want it for use in the field, and as an in-car
> aid.
>
> I have a Compaq iPAQ, so could use one tat works with that.
>
> Any thoughts/ FAQ?
>
>
> --
> Andy Mabbett


The first step is to look at the FAQ in sci.geo.satellite-nav. There are
loads of links.

The choice depends on what you want most. I have a Garmin Vista, which I
use for walking & cycling. It's not an ideal in-car unit (screen too small,
likes to be flat so at the wrong angle to see the screen, no voice-prompt)
but its the greatest for walking (small, likes to be flat .... etc). Other
advantages are - batteries last all of a long day's walking, I can make my
own maps, accurate, tough & waterproof.

The iPaq would be way too big and fragile for roughing it, and the battery
life is NBG, but may be good for in-car.

Perhaps both ...!

Jim Hutton

"Andy Dingley" <dingbat@codesmiths.com> wrote in message
news:no29pv4dqhl0mgcp6rqtsrs613qovbt696@...
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 00:42:48 +0100, "Paul Saunders"
> <pvs1@wildwales.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >Andy Dingley wrote:
> >
> >> A
> >> surprising number have large inaccuracies in their conversion to GB OS
> >> grid refs though,
> >
> >Inaccuracies, yes. Large, no.
>
> 1/2km is a bit too big, IMHO.
>
> Can't remember the model, this is a friend's (a Garmin, I think)
> bought just a few years ago. It was enough to put us on the wrong
> side of a woodland when out walking.


I've met people on mountains with a Garmin Etrex (the basic yellow one)
reporting a position around a km wrong.

Answer - incorrect setup.
The instruction manual is at fault, telling people to use a particular
datum. Quite possibly the correct setting for the USA, but wrong for UK OS
maps.


I changed the setup for them, and the position reported was where we were,
reporting to a higher accuracy than any of us could measure from the maps we
held.


Nigel. (not a GPS owner).

In uk.d-i-y, NC wrote:
>I've met people on mountains with a Garmin Etrex (the basic yellow one)
>reporting a position around a km wrong.
>
>Answer - incorrect setup.
>The instruction manual is at fault, telling people to use a particular
>datum. Quite possibly the correct setting for the USA, but wrong for UK OS
>maps.

You'll be pleased to hear that no such problem exists with the later
Garmin model, the Geko. I've set up a couple without needing to do
anything even slightly hard, and they were both right.

--
Mike Barnes