[Az-Geocaching] GPS Sick?

[Cord Harris]

In a previous life was a Navy Communications Technician (lot of
experience with electromagnetic stuff).  I have used and owned two
different Garmins and two different Magellans.  The Garmins were
superior in so far as bells and whistles are concern and were unbeatable
in the open desert but were not too hot at higher altitudes because
glitches were introduced into math calculations as altitudes increased.
My first Garmin was an E-Map, the last one was a 76CS.  Garmin's topo
map software is better, but harder to use and set up.

My Magellan's have better sensitivity and much faster satellite
acquisition no matter where I use them.  They will even acquire overhead
satellites in a metal roofed vehicle which really helps in trying to
drive to a cache.  The Garmen's could not acquire sufficient satellites
to allow approach from within a metal roofed vehicle without frequently
stops for a fix.  We currently use a Magellan SportTrak Pro.  Pretty
happy with it, but the display is too small.  The Magellan topo mapping
software frankly- just sucks.... It is only reasonably accurate on the
high resolution scales, but is easier to set up and more user friendly.
Delorme topo is excellent- love it.

The compassing system on the Garmin is much superior but needs to be
recalibrated after major latitude/longitude changes because of the
magnetic verification.