gps units...the best el cheapo
 

"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
"rb608" wrote in news:k5VQh.4633$qE2.1257
@trndny09:

Sorta on topic - has anyone else ever tried the geocaching thing?

I've been turning the idea over in my head, but I've never been motivated
enough to actually do it. I just don't see it as a test of skill so much
as a high-tech hide and seek, and I get out into the open world enough to
satisfy my need for the outdoors. If I were to take it up, it would be to
get my wife involved.

Now, orienteering, there's a hobby that tests your skill! If I weren't so
damn lazy, I'd give that a go.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

Scott,
I've tried the Geocaching, hide and seek, but it's not for me.
GPS has revolutionized orienteering, as I used to do it with a compass and
topo map. The hardest part for me with a compass and map was to
reverse everything. With the GPS, hit the backtrail button and the reverse
is automatically mapped out.

We actually downloaded our Alaska trip on the GPS, had all the coordinates
laid out. I also brought my topo map that Steve our outfitter laid out the
coordinates of the prime spots to fish on the river. We used both the topo
map and the GPS together to pin-point the locations. I couldn't believe how
accurate the GPS unit was. As we rolled down the river, we were able to
read the coordinates on the GPS, and hit every location marked on the
topo map.
Steve said the GPS unit was like having a guide without paying for the
guide.
-tom

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

"Tom Nakashima" wrote in
:


"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
"rb608" wrote in
news:k5VQh.4633$qE2.1257 @trndny09:

Sorta on topic - has anyone else ever tried the geocaching thing?

I've been turning the idea over in my head, but I've never been
motivated enough to actually do it. I just don't see it as a test of
skill so much as a high-tech hide and seek, and I get out into the
open world enough to satisfy my need for the outdoors. If I were to
take it up, it would be to get my wife involved.

Now, orienteering, there's a hobby that tests your skill! If I
weren't so damn lazy, I'd give that a go.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

Scott,
I've tried the Geocaching, hide and seek, but it's not for me.
GPS has revolutionized orienteering, as I used to do it with a compass
and topo map. The hardest part for me with a compass and map was to
reverse everything. With the GPS, hit the backtrail button and the
reverse is automatically mapped out.

We actually downloaded our Alaska trip on the GPS, had all the
coordinates laid out. I also brought my topo map that Steve our
outfitter laid out the coordinates of the prime spots to fish on the
river. We used both the topo map and the GPS together to pin-point
the locations. I couldn't believe how accurate the GPS unit was. As
we rolled down the river, we were able to read the coordinates on the
GPS, and hit every location marked on the topo map.
Steve said the GPS unit was like having a guide without paying for the
guide.
-tom





They really are amazing little things. Sort of takes all the fun out of
wondering if you've missed your take-out point, though.

I should use my eTrex Legend much more than I do. It's a little hard to
tell in advance whether you're going to get dioriented, though. Once, I
remembered to mark my car before embarking on a squirrel hunt on a pretty
overcast morning, and I got pretty well turned backwards somehow. I'd
like to think that if I knew I didn't have the GPS, I would have been
more careful about my position, but when I hit the road, it turned out
that my car was 180 degrees away from what my guess would have been.

I suppose for more serious stuff, GPS with map and compass backup is the
right way to go.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

Scott Seidman wrote:
snip
I suppose for more serious stuff, GPS with map and compass backup is the
right way to go.

Exactly right. I accompanied a Park Service biologist several
miles off-trail into the Yellowstone backcountry to check some
hair traps that had been set to prove or disprove the existence
of lynx in the Park. We set up camp between two sets of traps
and entered the waypoint into the GPS. It was dusk when we
returned and even though the GPS said we were standing right
in the middle of our campsite, we were not. It was just a hundred
yards away but I had a serious anxiety moment for a few minutes
there. It's a mind blower to depend on a piece of equipment like
that and have it fail you.

--
Ken Fortenberry

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

Ken Fortenberry wrote in
et:

Scott Seidman wrote:
snip
I suppose for more serious stuff, GPS with map and compass backup is
the right way to go.

Exactly right. I accompanied a Park Service biologist several
miles off-trail into the Yellowstone backcountry to check some
hair traps that had been set to prove or disprove the existence
of lynx in the Park. We set up camp between two sets of traps
and entered the waypoint into the GPS. It was dusk when we
returned and even though the GPS said we were standing right
in the middle of our campsite, we were not. It was just a hundred
yards away but I had a serious anxiety moment for a few minutes
there. It's a mind blower to depend on a piece of equipment like
that and have it fail you.


What year was this, Ken? The powers that be used to add some sort of a
dither to GPS, so that only the super secret US military tools could use
the network to full precision. I think it was during the first Gulf War,
when soldiers started having commercial units shipped to them because the
military providers couldn't keep up, that the military turned off the
dither, and I'm pretty sure they left it off.

I'll add to the above, the map and compass thing should be accompanied by
an honest assessment of your ability to use it! I think I could get by,
but I'd want to brush up a bit if I were in an area where getting lost
would be serious business.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

Scott Seidman wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote in
et:

Scott Seidman wrote:
snip
I suppose for more serious stuff, GPS with map and compass backup is
the right way to go.
Exactly right. I accompanied a Park Service biologist several
miles off-trail into the Yellowstone backcountry to check some
hair traps that had been set to prove or disprove the existence
of lynx in the Park. We set up camp between two sets of traps
and entered the waypoint into the GPS. It was dusk when we
returned and even though the GPS said we were standing right
in the middle of our campsite, we were not. It was just a hundred
yards away but I had a serious anxiety moment for a few minutes
there. It's a mind blower to depend on a piece of equipment like
that and have it fail you.


What year was this, Ken? The powers that be used to add some sort of a
dither to GPS, so that only the super secret US military tools could use
the network to full precision. I think it was during the first Gulf War,
when soldiers started having commercial units shipped to them because the
military providers couldn't keep up, that the military turned off the
dither, and I'm pretty sure they left it off.

I'll add to the above, the map and compass thing should be accompanied by
an honest assessment of your ability to use it! I think I could get by,
but I'd want to brush up a bit if I were in an area where getting lost
would be serious business.

It was either 2000 or 2001, right at the beginning of the Lynx Project
in Yellowstone. The biologist was Tiffany Potter and she was more
surprised than I was that the GPS was off. I had never used one before
but she assured me that they never fail. Hah.

--
Ken Fortenberry

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
et...
Scott Seidman wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote in
et:
Scott Seidman wrote:
snip I suppose for more serious stuff, GPS with map and compass
backup is
the right way to go.
Exactly right. I accompanied a Park Service biologist several
miles off-trail into the Yellowstone backcountry to check some
hair traps that had been set to prove or disprove the existence
of lynx in the Park. We set up camp between two sets of traps
and entered the waypoint into the GPS. It was dusk when we
returned and even though the GPS said we were standing right
in the middle of our campsite, we were not. It was just a hundred
yards away but I had a serious anxiety moment for a few minutes
there. It's a mind blower to depend on a piece of equipment like
that and have it fail you.


What year was this, Ken? The powers that be used to add some sort of a
dither to GPS, so that only the super secret US military tools could use
the network to full precision. I think it was during the first Gulf War,
when soldiers started having commercial units shipped to them because the
military providers couldn't keep up, that the military turned off the
dither, and I'm pretty sure they left it off.

I'll add to the above, the map and compass thing should be accompanied by
an honest assessment of your ability to use it! I think I could get by,
but I'd want to brush up a bit if I were in an area where getting lost
would be serious business.

It was either 2000 or 2001, right at the beginning of the Lynx Project
in Yellowstone. The biologist was Tiffany Potter and she was more
surprised than I was that the GPS was off. I had never used one before
but she assured me that they never fail. Hah.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken,
do you remember what make of the GPS you were using?
We've found that there are dead areas, where the GPS units have problems
taking a reading, sometimes it's a matter of moving a few meters in
a different direction
-tom

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

Ken Fortenberry wrote:

It was either 2000 or 2001, right at the beginning of the Lynx Project
in Yellowstone. The biologist was Tiffany Potter and she was more
surprised than I was that the GPS was off. I had never used one before
but she assured me that they never fail. Hah.


Was it somewhere in the vicinity of Fawn Lake?

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

Tom Nakashima wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
Scott Seidman wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
... We set up camp between two sets of traps
and entered the waypoint into the GPS. It was dusk when we
returned and even though the GPS said we were standing right
in the middle of our campsite, we were not. It was just a hundred
yards away but I had a serious anxiety moment for a few minutes
there. It's a mind blower to depend on a piece of equipment like
that and have it fail you.

What year was this, Ken? ...

It was either 2000 or 2001, right at the beginning of the Lynx Project
in Yellowstone. The biologist was Tiffany Potter and she was more
surprised than I was that the GPS was off. I had never used one before
but she assured me that they never fail. Hah.

Ken,
do you remember what make of the GPS you were using?
We've found that there are dead areas, where the GPS units have problems
taking a reading, sometimes it's a matter of moving a few meters in
a different direction

It was a Garmin I think. In teaching me to use it she emphasized
that there were two settings and you had to make sure you had it
on the right one. That's about all I remember except that sinking
feeling in the pit of my stomach when we thought we had lost our
campsite.

--
Ken Fortenberry

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

rw wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
It was either 2000 or 2001, right at the beginning of the Lynx Project
in Yellowstone. The biologist was Tiffany Potter and she was more
surprised than I was that the GPS was off. I had never used one before
but she assured me that they never fail. Hah.

Was it somewhere in the vicinity of Fawn Lake?

No, on the east side of Yellowstone Lake. Do a Google on
fortenberry lynx, the fourth hit will tell you more than
you probably want to know about the Lynx Project.

And there is no Fawn Lake.

--
Ken Fortenberry

gps units...the best el cheapo
 

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
t...
Tom Nakashima wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
Scott Seidman wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
... We set up camp between two sets of traps
and entered the waypoint into the GPS. It was dusk when we
returned and even though the GPS said we were standing right
in the middle of our campsite, we were not. It was just a hundred
yards away but I had a serious anxiety moment for a few minutes
there. It's a mind blower to depend on a piece of equipment like
that and have it fail you.

What year was this, Ken? ...

It was either 2000 or 2001, right at the beginning of the Lynx Project
in Yellowstone. The biologist was Tiffany Potter and she was more
surprised than I was that the GPS was off. I had never used one before
but she assured me that they never fail. Hah.

Ken,
do you remember what make of the GPS you were using?
We've found that there are dead areas, where the GPS units have problems
taking a reading, sometimes it's a matter of moving a few meters in
a different direction

It was a Garmin I think. In teaching me to use it she emphasized
that there were two settings and you had to make sure you had it
on the right one. That's about all I remember except that sinking
feeling in the pit of my stomach when we thought we had lost our
campsite.

--
Ken Fortenberry

The GPS units have come a lot ways since when they were first
introduced to the public. Some of the units today incorporate a satellite
correction. "WAAS" Wide Area Augmentation System is one of them.
I believe the accuracy is within 1-3 meters today.

We had our topo maps out and tested the accuracy of the GPS
with WAAS. We were off in location within 20 ft. Could have been
our pencil work drawing coordinates on the map.
-tom