GeoCache and External antenna

[martin]

Guys,

I am wondering for those of you who do Geocache work in your XJ or any vehicle do you use an external antenna to help you get better accuracy.

I have an external antenna and a rebroadcast unit which i put next to my garmin eTrex Legend. When driving through the woods it allows me better results. I also use this same set up to map old logging roads then lay them on top of the TOPO! maps from National Geographic.

I am considering getting a new "hiking" GPS to geocache work, I am thinking a new unit with a compass built in. I hate walking and when you stop the GPS no longer give your direction.

I am thinking I may want to get a hand held unit with an antenna port so I can place the antenna I already own on the roof then navigate, then when I get out and walk I have the option of using the external antenna or the internal antenna.

Wonder what the rest of people do.

 

[MyJeepXJ]

I think you dont like to walk.

Im getting ready to start Geoing, should be fun with the daughter!

 

[DrMoab]

The way a GPS works, an external anntenna will not get you better accuracy. As long as you are receving a signal from at least four sats you should be golden. Your Etrex should be WAAS enableled which averages your location if you have a poor signal. The little bit it would be off isn't enough to worry about when you are in a car (less then ten feet)

Guys,

I am wondering for those of you who do Geocache work in your XJ or any vehicle do you use an external antenna to help you get better accuracy.

I have an external antenna and a rebroadcast unit which i put next to my garmin eTrex Legend. When driving through the woods it allows me better results. I also use this same set up to map old logging roads then lay them on top of the TOPO! maps from National Geographic.

I am considering getting a new "hiking" GPS to geocache work, I am thinking a new unit with a compass built in. I hate walking and when you stop the GPS no longer give your direction.

I am thinking I may want to get a hand held unit with an antenna port so I can place the antenna I already own on the roof then navigate, then when I get out and walk I have the option of using the external antenna or the internal antenna.

Wonder what the rest of people do.

 

[martin]

I guess I failed to tell you guys I am walking/driving in the forest, not walking in the open plains. With my eTrex Legend and 4 satellites I was getting 50 ft accuracy, if i was lucky i had 25 ft accuracy. I went to the external antenna to improve that value. When I am out there seems like only 8 satellites are "in view".

I am mostly using the GPS to "map". We own 80 acres in the Mark Twain National Forest and there are seveal old logging roads to our property. The current 7.5 minute USGS maps do not show these old logging roads, so making my own maps is the way to go. With the GPS sitting on the dash and making turns you lose some satellites and then pick up others. With a roof antenna you keep don't have the roof blocking.

I have the garmin 15 min maps loaded in my eTrex Legend and then use the field data to make maps with the garmin maps or 7.5 min maps from USGS/National Geographic.

I am consideirng one of the new units with the SIRF III processor so see if that imporves my reception in the woods. The reviews say people are getting signal in their houses with units with that processor.

Thanks again.

 

[whatevah]

an external antenna makes a big difference, especially in heavy tree cover. We got my brother a Lowrance iFinder H2O, which has much better reception over my Legend in open cover (maxes out the signal from 12 sats, mine barely gets 1/2 signal strength), and in heavy tree cover blows away my legend. Got him a Gilsson antenna with enough cable so we can use it in my XJ We also got the "Plus" package when we ordered his GPS which comes with a car power adapter and topo mapping software "MapCreate 6.3". Very nice software, even showns some driving trails in the forests I play in out here.

Being a new Lowrance fan, I'd say to check out the Lowrance iFinder Expedition C. It has a color screen, and the electronic compass and barometer for altitude calculations, mp3 player and built-in microphone for making audio notes. The Hunt C also has those features, but it's a bit more (not sure why). Both have 16 channel receivers, so you can lock on 16 sats at once. And it has a "scout" feature which they say is to "mark area perimeters and create borders", but I don't know anything more about it. you can get the Expedition C Plus package for $319.95 at gpscity.com, maybe even cheaper if you do a little searching on Google's "Froogle" search.

 

[DrMoab]

An external anntenna will make a difference in signal strength but not accuracy.

 

[whatevah]

it will if you don't have any signal strength at all without an external antenna

 

[SCW]

it will if you don't have any signal strength at all without an external antenna

Yeah, but if your WASS enabled and have just 2-3 birds locked on, you get as good of accuracy as if you have every on locked. Your just 10x more likely to lose signal for a short time.