Okay, this thread is about "finding something." How about a discussion about how it is that you find those things?

I am considering buying an affordable GPS unit for the purpose of marking which trees I've climbed and being able to tell people exactly where the good ones are. Also, I know there are a few other people doing similar things, so maybe one day I could use it to find a tree that someone else has told me about.

So how do these things work. I know the basic jist about triangulation and satellites in the sky, but I see some units for 130 dollars, and some for 1,300. I see some that are as big as a laptop and some that literally fit on your wrist.

What features should I look for? What should I avoid?

love
nick

Nick,
As a self proclaimed GPS expert (which means nothing, I just have no modesty), I would suggest buying a cheap unit. I use the Etrex from Garmin, which you can get now for right at $100. This is a non-mapping unit. But with some simple training you can learn to plot map position quickly from the GPSR. Mapping units are available, but I don't like that the screen resolution is so small. I don't see enough of any map to get my bearings. I understand that you shouldn't rely on units with built in compases, so get a decent mapping compass to go along.

Hurry up and get that unit. I want to start that waypoint database soon!

Anybody else using a GPSR to mark your climb sites? Send me an email containing a gps trackmaker, or easygps file of your collected tree waypoints, and information on the site(s) and we can start a waypoint database. Might be useful for climbers who are planning to travel.

Climb Safe!
Icabod

At the 2003 TC USA Gathering in North Georgia Blake's Hitch brought his GPS because he was able to find a cache at the Geocaching site.

Click on the "Valley of the Giants":
Geocaching site

He add a photo from the top:



I am hoping that future lists published about champion trees will change from USGS survey data to GPS.

See you at the top,
TreeTramp

Nick;

I have six different GPS units - from a $1200.00 full color mapping unit to a $170.00 hand-held eTrex Legend - and I suppose I could tell you a lot about what to look for and what to buy.
However, since I wasn't one of "The Chosen Few" selected to get a free membership to this site, you'll have to make your purchase based on the limited advice offered by the two or three people who are still posting.
All is not lost, however. In the true spirit of this site, I will gladly offer advice for an annual subscription fee of $50.00 per year, or $35.00 per piece of advice, whichever is greater.
Also, I am going to put everyone's name on a piece of paper, put the names in a hat, and then drop them from a tree. The name that falls closest to the tree gets free advice.
Otherwise, if you want to write me back, but aren't looking for advice, it'll cost you $2.00 a word. If you just THINK of writing me back, the fee is $1.25 a word for single syllable words, and $1.50 per multi-syllabic word.
If you don't write me back, and don't even THINK of writing me back, please send a check for $15.00 for "administration fees."

Yours In Profit,

Steve

Not About Trees

I have been using a Garmin GPS-V for several years. It’s a good little unit, but not great. Seems slow and a tad pricey but it has served me well over the years. I paid $400.00 for the “full package” about 3 or 4 years ago. I’m sure the price is a lot less now.
SEE: http://www.garmin.com/products/gps5/

On my laptop I use DeLorme Street Atlas USA, Delorme Topo USA, and the Delorme Earthmate usb mini GPS.
SEE: http://www.delorme.com/consumer.htm

The Garmin GPS-V and the DeLorme mapping software can be used together or separately. They are both stand-alone systems but they augment each other very nicely.

Nick…
As you know, New Jersey has got crap for trees, so when you spot a hidden grove of big stuff, GPS marking the site is a must. So save up your $$$ and make the purchase. You’ll be happy with what you can do. Even a cheap GPS is a real time-saver in the forest. Most of them do altitude too! (a good feature for those that do the BIG climbs)

To "s"--

I think you and I would get along well--I got a big smile out of your humor . . . well . . . I guess it was humor!

Nick, As for GPS units, I still have not bought one, but researched the dickens out of them to assist a neighbor in choosing one for her husband for a Christmas present. After wading through the specs for a dozen or more of them, the eTrex Legend was the hands-down winner.

My neighbor got one and the family is quite pleased with it. If I were to buy one today, that's the one I would buy.

I also liked the Magellan SporTrak Color very much and actually was about to buy one when I learned that Magellan was discontinuing it, so I chickened out. The specs really do look good for the price, though.

Now, of course, I don't own one, so have no hands-on experience.

I would suggest that you use the Legend as a benchmark for your comparisons.

Good luck in your shopping.

Come on.

I can't be the only one left that is marking my finds...

I'm serious guys. Get me your waypoints and we can make something interesting...

My favorite part about GPS...I don't get lost unless my batteries die!

Lot's of good responses! Thanks guys!

Okay, I went to REI (return everything, inc.) yesterday and grilled one of the sales guys about GPS units. He was very informative, but I could tell he was no expert and his experience was limited.

In essence, I am anti-GPS. I don't like reliance on electronic devices in order to enjoy that which mother nature has provided for us. I prefer my map and compass. In the past, I saw the GPS as a slap in the face to all the time I spent learning how to properly use a map. But try as I may, technology will have it's way with all of us, so this thread will continue!

Honestly, though, until very recently, I never considering using a map and compass to find one certain, specific tree. Basically that is not possible with conventional mapping skills. You can't (well, I can't anyways) find a specific spot on a map, down to a few feet away. I can use the map to find a particular area of a forest, but i guess one would need the GPS to be very specific.

So here's what I now want to know: What features would y'all reccomend? I don't see a color screen as a necessity. How much memory does one need? The sales guy reccomended I get the software that provides topos of the entire US for $100. I guess this supposedly puts a map of where I am onto the little screen of my GPS reciever. Is that right? Is that $100 necessary if I will have a map and compass with me anyways?

What's a waypoint?

Does the GPS just report longitude/latitude? Or does it use some other number system?

I looked at units from Magellan and Garmin. Looks like Garmin is the way to go, but that's just my current ininformed guess.

Whaddya know?

love
nick

Nick,
Here ya go @ 2 cents each

1.) Regardless of which GPS you purchase, in about a week’s time of working with it, you’ll be a pro. Trust me, kids in YMCA summer camp geo-hunt all the time.

2.) In general, the mapping units cost more but will literally draw a map of the area and then put an X on the map at exactly the point you are standing.

3.) A GPS isn’t a compass. A compass is a compass.
I carry all sorts electronics when I go off road but I always pack a compass.

4.) A clear & open view of the sky necessary for a GPS to operate. If the sales boy at REI didn’t already tell you, a GPS will not work inside. That includes outdoors when in between tall buildings (like a city) or (my favorite) under a dense jungle or forest canopy.
NOTE: In general they work in the woods. There are ways around the open sky rule.

I am only a casual user so I too will be reading this thread to see what I can learn from the troop here.

Some light reading linked below...
http://lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041127/GLW/411270307/1132

Happy Hunting,
Electrojake

I just talked to nextel and they said that I can use my phone as a gps. The mentioned a website called www.trimbleoutdoors.com that is in some way affiliated with nextel.

Question: when you have a GPS, what information does it give you? Like how would I communicate to you all where a great climbing tree is? Is it long/lat coordinates, or is it different?

love
nick

Pretty interesting, Nick--using a cell phone as a GPS.

I hadn't heard of that, so looked at the Trimble site and then sent them an e-mail. I was surprised to learn that there indeed are GPS-enabled phones!

The Trimble rep told me via e-mail:

Trimble Outdoors will currently run on Nextel’s i710, i730, i733, i736, i810 and i860 by years end we will be on an additional 6 phones bring the total to 12.

If you currently have one of the 6 phones initially mentioned you could use Trimble Outdoors. These phones are GPS enabled, meaning they have an actual GPS chip built into the phone. So any of the mentioned phones will work both in and out of Nextel coverage for GPS.

If your interested in the silver package it is a one time cost of $20 which allows you to download the Trimble Outdoors software to your phone much the same way you would download a ring tone. This will give you all the functionality of a hand held GPS receiver.

Nextel also has Gold and Platinum packages for $4.99 and $9.99 a month which comes with a free version of the Trimble Adventure Planner. This application allows you to plan trips which then can be uploaded by the click of a button to share your trips with friends and family.

I hope I’ve answer your questions, however if you have any additional question please feel free to contact me via email or our customer service at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

end quote

One can check the Trimble site Nick mentioned for more details about their devices.

The information one gets from a GPS is latitude, longitude (lat/lon), and altitude (I believe this is "MSL" or height above mean sea level).

BTW, not to be too picky, but it's "lat/lon" and not "long."

lat/lon....got it.

So it is just lat/long (sorry..couldn't resist!). I thought there was like another numbering system. I had a map that had some funny numbers on the side and the key said it was a GPS grid or something like that.

I like the idea of paying $20 and having a GPS. I was under the impression that I also had to pay 5 or 10 dollars a month also, in which case it'd be much more affordable to just buy one of the several $100 dollar GPS units I saw. Man, if I can do it for $20 I'd be a bit less bummed about buying a stinking $250 phone! (what a mistake, I don't know what I was thinking )

So I would get my phone or GPS, get to the awesome sequoia tree then I could get the lat/lon....g coordinates and that's how you all would be able to find it in the future?

I'm just trying to figure out how this would all work.

love
nick

Nick,

Most cell phones have a built in GPS by default.
For instance, if you are using a Motorola i530 it’s simply a main-menu selection. The read-out will be in simple latitude & longitude. Should be just what your looking for!

It is not a pay service. Much like a radio program, it just exists for all to use, (thank you tax payers). The GPS feature on a cell phone is brutally Spartan and slow but… It will give you a fix.

So Nick, whats ya got?

WOWWOWOWOOWOWOWOOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!!!!

I was just about to spend $20 on getting a GPS program downloaded onto my cell phone. I look on this site and read Electrojake's post, look on my phone and what do I find???

Quote from the screen on Nick Nextel i830 phone...

"Last fix 2:50pm GMT 1/3
N 33* 13.941'
W 117* 12.744'
Est Accur: 117ft
Sats Used: 4 "

Now why my phone got a satellite reading over a month ago, I do not know as I never even fully knew I had this function. There was a refresh button, I pressed it and it said that it was unable to locate sattellites. I attribute this to me being indoors at the time. I'll check it in a little bit.

So maybe I just got my $20 back! We'll see if this thing works when I get outside.

Can anyone tell me more or less where I was on Jan 3rd?

love
nick

Nick,

Step outside with your cell phone.
Walk to a location where you have a clear view of the open sky.
Select the GPS function on your cell phone and then hit the “refresh” button.

It will take 3 to 6 minutes for the phone to get an accurate fix but you should see an improvement in positional accuracy from your old 117 feet to about 30 feet.

The GPS system is accurate to within an inch but most receivers will only zoom you in to about 3 feet. The feds regulate such things.

Also…
You will see a selection on your cell phone, under the GPS settings, called “Interface”. This is where you can setup your phone to output to a laptop or PDA so you can do mapping.

NOTE: On January third, at 10 minutes to seven in the morning, your cell phone was at the end of Bella Rosa Drive in Vista, California. And Nick, what’s that big round thing out there. Looks like a giant water tank or something.
It aint easy to see from here in Jersey.