Getting into it - Garmin Legend

[takagawa-kun]

Hi everyone, I've been interested in jumping into the Geocaching foray for a few years already, and I've finally decided to take the plunge and look for a nice GPS to start with. <br>

I can't find many GPS speciality stores in Australia (Melbourne), it seems 'Johnny Appleseed GPS' is cornering the market on that area. I was thinking about getting the entry-level Etrex, but then I decided maybe my money would be better spent in one with some mapping functionality. I'm fine using maps, but I'm shocking when I don't have one since I've got a poor memory. So keeping a device in my bag so I know where I am would be a great help. So I decided on the Etrex Legend. <br>

Although I took my time to research it, I'd prefer to ask people who know more than I do as to whether, am I buying what I expect it to do?. For example, can I pull it out, and see myself on the map, with information like adjacent streets and major highways?. Also, can I pull it out, select a location and it'll figure out the roads to take to get there (navigation)?<br>

I'm probably going to buy mine from Johnny Appleseed for $330. Although they are charging an extra $55 with 'Garmin software'. This software is some sort of mapping software? Do I need/or is it worth the extra $55.

Anyways, thanks in adv for the advice

[Team Piggy]

I suggest also contacting Alex at Cartographics in Adelaide.

He is one of the Original Geocachers of Australia and supports the sport very highly.
Also happens to own a map shop that sells Garmin, and usually offers to better or equal the prices of Johnny Rotten.

Give him a call as he will explain all the mapping software etc etc.

My point of view being a Legend Owner, I use the base map that came with the GPS (Internal loaded) and find it is OK.
I have bought the $200 Software pack as well (Mapsource) but dont use it cause I think it is too detailed, (Street level names etc).
Legends or any Etrex cannot do route detail (Tell you how to get there) Only the $1000 + GPS will offer that feature.
I have never heard of a $55 Garmin software, , wonder to myself if this is the preloaded from factory base map they are perhaps charging more for ??? (My thoughts no-one elses).. I suggest trying the Legend and seeing if your happy, if not buy the bigger $$$ Mapsource and get street level.

Alex is at : http://www.cartographics.com.au

[Cached]

The Legend Colour (new) is auto routable, but I think you need to add the $400 maps to it to do that.

The Legend C is about $660 from JA - and of course, Alex will come close to that too.

If the insurance pays out for my Legend ([:(]) and my mapsource, I'll be getting one of those I think...

Sam

[Rabbitto]

The Legend C is about $660 from JA - and of course, Alex will come close to that too.

<p>

You can buy an Alex for $660? Hmmmm

[Mind Socket]

The Legend C is about $660 from JA - and of course, Alex will come close to that too.

<p>

You can buy an Alex for $660? Hmmmm

That's a pretty good price, if he's auto-routable. Problem is that he takes a non-standard power source, and mounting him on the dashboard is quite difficult. On the plus side, it is the only device that can actually find the cache for you too.

[takagawa-kun]

yea $660 is a little excessive for me at the moment. Anyways, I'm sure you can connect the handheld gps into a laptop and have the laptop work out the route yes?.

Today, i decided to go out to JA. spent an hour and err, I couldn't find it ;p Ironic eh. Stupid Melbourne Arts Centre screwing the street numbers. I'll try again later on today this time with a map ^^.

[CraigRat]

The $55 software is Garmins trip & waypoint manager... a VERY basic map but allows upload/download of waypoints etc.... Nothing that cant be done from Ozi/GSAK..

It's OK if you want to know what locality a waypoint is in, but won't get you down to any detailed level.

[Cached]

JA is at the ST KILDA end of St Kilda Road - killed me too trying to find it.

I expect an actual genuine Alex will cost more than $660

[EcoTeam]

Hi everyone, I've been interested in jumping into the Geocaching foray for a few years already, and I've finally decided to take the plunge and look for a nice GPS to start with. <br>

I can't find many GPS speciality stores in Australia (Melbourne), it seems 'Johnny Appleseed GPS' is cornering the market on that area. I was thinking about getting the entry-level Etrex, but then I decided maybe my money would be better spent in one with some mapping functionality. I'm fine using maps, but I'm shocking when I don't have one since I've got a poor memory. So keeping a device in my bag so I know where I am would be a great help. So I decided on the Etrex Legend. <br>

Although I took my time to research it, I'd prefer to ask people who know more than I do as to whether, am I buying what I expect it to do?. For example, can I pull it out, and see myself on the map, with information like adjacent streets and major highways?. Also, can I pull it out, select a location and it'll figure out the roads to take to get there (navigation)?<br>

I'm probably going to buy mine from Johnny Appleseed for $330. Although they are charging an extra $55 with 'Garmin software'. This software is some sort of mapping software? Do I need/or is it worth the extra $55.

Anyways, thanks in adv for the advice

If you are starting out with caching then it may be worthwhile to consider an entry level GPS and a street directory. Much cheaper introduction to the sport, and that way you'll learn all about plotting on maps, UTM vs Lat/Long, Datums etc.
If you are caching in the middle of the bush your street level electronic maps will most likely be useless, and if you are urban caching then you are always in your car and have the street directory available anyway.

An eTrex or a ForeTrex (better than the eTrex and smaller) with paper street directory can be had for under $200 total.
A mapping GPS is double that, plus the cost of detailed street level maps which can cost several hundred dollars.
Forget the entry level Garmin software, you won't need it.

Before anyone has a go, no, I'm NOT anti-electronic mapping!
I just don't think they are necessarily good value for money.

eBay is the cheapest place to get a GPS.

EcoDave

[Mind Socket]

Before anyone has a go, no, I'm NOT anti-electronic mapping!
I just don't think they are necessarily good value for money.

Awwww, I wanted to have a go. I agree that mapping GPSes aren't necessary, but play with one for a while and you'll probably find that they're damn cool, and can be extremely useful and time saving. I own the most basic eTrex there is, and it's fine for me, but there are times when it would be good to know which side of the river I should aim for without plotting on a street directory.

Someone also mentioned plugging in a laptop. This is also a possibility and something I've done to great effect, but for short trips and quick lookups, it is a pain in the bum to juggle cables and the laptop itself.

eBay is the cheapest place to get a GPS.

... just be careful if you want an Aussie base map.

- Rog

[Cached]

I use the base eTrex's, have owned a Venture and a Legend.

I really, really don't like the yellow eTrex's. The resolution is hopeless. I really liked my Venture and only upgraded to the Legend because Dad accidentally bought two from the US on EBay (he only wanted one). Was too good a deal to pass up, so here we are. Now, if only I hadn't lost it.

The legend is worth every cent - it's good for heaps more than just caching, so my 2c worth is go for it, forget the software they want to sell you, just use GSAK and send clive your money if you choose to (that is worth it).

[Papa Bear_Left]

Hi, my name's Ian and I'm a mapping GPSr addict.

Oh, I used to think that it was just a fad, a gadget for its own sake, and that I could always use a paper street map or use maps on the Palm or laptop when it was really required.

But then I got a set of street-level maps of NZ for my Magellan Meridian...

Now, the laptop stays in the boot except for the occasional large-scale cache planning, I no longer complain about the poor quality maps that are all I can find for the Palm, and my wife can enjoy the scenery we're driving through instead of battling motion sickness while using the laptop or mapbook.

I use the maps to navigate our way for anything up to about 20-30kms away, with other methods being more useful for larger-scale route planning. When we're approaching a cache, it means that I know which road to take without the old "No, I meant the OTHER left! THAT way!"

Don't mortgage the house, but a mapping GPSr is a useful tool, no doubt about it.

Now, colour screens are just a fad, , a gadget for its own sake...

[Winyipp]

Now, colour screens are just a fad, , a gadget for its own sake...

So I take it you typed this on a computer with a green screen monitor then

[EcoTeam]

Before anyone has a go, no, I'm NOT anti-electronic mapping!
I just don't think they are necessarily good value for money.

Awwww, I wanted to have a go. I agree that mapping GPSes aren't necessary, but play with one for a while and you'll probably find that they're damn cool, and can be extremely useful and time saving. I own the most basic eTrex there is, and it's fine for me, but there are times when it would be good to know which side of the river I should aim for without plotting on a street directory.

Sure, having electronic maping in your GPS is very convenient and cool, no doubt, but I guess one has to weight up is it worth 2-3 times the price or more?
For me the answer is a resounding no. A few hundred extra dollars buys a lot of other stuff I'd rather have...
I can plot any cache on the street directory in under a minute, so if you did say ten caches in a day you maybe save 10 minutes at best, probably less? - Yeah, ok you might be able to nab an extra cache in those 10 minutes!
As Bear Left touched on, having an electronic map in your GPS ain't that great for large scale route planing, so I'm sure many would still be using a printed street directory for that.

We typically have one person driving and the other person plotting the cache on the way, so really an electronic map would save us no real time at all. Also, the search facility on gc.com.au plots the cache on the street directory for us anyway, if we need to check the placement before hand.

However, if I *WAS* to get electronic mapping, I'd make sure I got it within the GPS itself rather than on a PDA. The GPS itself is the right place to have it.

Eco "Cheapskate" Dave

[takagawa-kun]

If you are starting out with caching then it may be worthwhile to consider an entry level GPS and a street directory. Much cheaper introduction to the sport, and that way you'll learn all about plotting on maps, UTM vs Lat/Long, Datums etc.

Yea true. I was going to just get the Etrex, but then I thought, for an extra $100, I could get one with mapping. Although I have to admit, I underestimated the extra mapping software for $150 from JAs. But I guess I'll deal with that extra cost later ;) <br><br>

The more expensive ones with colour screens and road routing, are although quite nice to have, are pretty pricey. And also, I probably would prefer to still look in a street directory and get my own way, rather than let a GPS to prompt me when to turn. Something about re-enforcing my masculinity by being able to read a directory *grin*.