[Az-Geocaching] Accuracy of GPS's

[Steven Stringham]

In the Garmin series, especially the Etrex series (I have had a couple - 
the Venture: Green and the Vista: Silver) the patch antennas between 
them give you about the same accuracy and sensitivity (or ability to see 
satellites).

The more Sats, the better (generally) accuracy.

I also have had the 60cs and currently have the 60csx. The external 
antenna on the 60cs was better at picking up Sats than the Etrex units. 
But not a whole lot better.

But, the newer antenna on the 60csx is very sensitive. I was never able 
to get any of the Etrex or the 60cs to work very well inside of my 
minivan with the electronics package on the ceiling blocking signals. 
But, the 60csx is not bothered at all by it. Inside of BOB (Chase Field) 
I with the roof closed, I got nothing with the other units, but the 
60csx gets multiple Sats. This is also the same under heavy tree cover.

But, there is a large difference in price from the legend (blue) to the 
60csx. Is it worth it? I like the my unit. But, I like my bells and 
whistles. The blue etrex is a pretty nice unit. Especially if you are 
starting out. As Jake said, they all get you within 15-30'. And, 
remember, your accuracy does not reflect the cache owner's accuracy. So, 
if they are using a bit "less acurrate" unit (say +-20'), and are off by 
say 20', a more accurate unit (say +-10') is not going help much, but 
may rather put you 30' off (the wrong distance +- an additional 10'). 
So, you have to start to think like the cache owner when you are hunting 
ones like that and expand the search radius.

Good luck.
Steven Stringham
StringCachers


Jake Olson wrote:
> WAAS capability would increase your accuracy over a GPSr that doesn't 
> have WAAS.  Of course you have to be in an area where you are able to 
> receive the additional WAAS signal.
>
> An external antenna my also increase accuracy but results would vary 
> greatly depending on the location and weather.  the possible increased 
> accuracy would probably not worth the added expense.  I haven't priced 
> out the antennas lately, but considering that the ammo can is usually 
> somewhere within a 15-30 radius it's really not an expense I can justify.
>
> Jake - Team A.I.
>
> On 9/7/06, *AZcachemeister* <azcachemeister at getnet.com 
> <mailto:azcachemeister at getnet.com>> wrote:
>
>     They are all about the same.
>     Each brand/unit will have it's quirks, but there really is very
>     little difference in accuracy.
>     More money=more features, but probably not more accuracy.
>
>     joe Highley wrote:
>        Is one gps really more accurate than other gps's?  I have a
>     etrex legend that was about $100 and there were other units for
>     three to four times that amount.  Does more expensive mean more
>     accurate?  Or just more bells and whistles?
>     Thanks, Joe.  Just hike.
>
>