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Vehicle GPS for Caching navigation


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Hi,

I've been seriously considering purchasing a dash mounted navigation GPS to help me navigate when I go solo caching. The Nuvi 500 has been discontinued. I'm sure if I poke around, I can find one new or used. However, discontinued items tend to also mean "no longer supported" by their manufacturers. The Nuvi 500 is the only navigation gps I know of that's also caching friendly. Today, in an effort to learn if Garmin's other devices would be just as useful [i.e. download a pocket query to them, etc] I called Garmin. The lady that took my call was friendly and did the best she could. I'm still not convinced that their "POI" function is going to be what I want. I figured someone out there in the caching community might have some ideas. Thanks.

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So the Nuvi780 is for the car and which GPS is best and inexpensive for when you have no phone service.

 

You can use a phone without service. You just load the caches when you do have service, just like a normal GPS. Etrex is probably the cheapest.

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I use offline routing apps on my phone - Navigon (paid maps), Here (free maps), or others like pocket earth. With my caching app, I simply click a button on the cache page and am routed with whatever map I choose. If you have a smartphone or tablet I do not see the purpose of a separate vehicle GPS.

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If you have a smartphone or tablet I do not see the purpose of a separate vehicle GPS.

You're either still working with 'young' eyes or wearing bifocals. Street names in 2 point type don't work well for most of us from the distance of a dashboard. A purpose built PND also typically includes a better feature set than a phone app.

 

I use one of several different TomTom models. All cache types (traditional, multi, etc.) are loaded as their own POI set, and the 'targets' for the day are loaded as a separate POI set for quick access. All of that sorting is quickly accomplished once a week with GSAK and my own macro.

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If you have a smartphone or tablet I do not see the purpose of a separate vehicle GPS.

 

They have a bigger screens (than a phone) and better guidance features especially in large urban areas.

 

did someone step back in time a decade? there are tons of HUGE screen phones now, and the feature sets for gps duties are. .... extensive

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If you have a smartphone or tablet I do not see the purpose of a separate vehicle GPS.

 

They have a bigger screens (than a phone) and better guidance features especially in large urban areas.

 

did someone step back in time a decade? there are tons of HUGE screen phones now, and the feature sets for gps duties are. .... extensive

 

Okay, you carry around a 7" phone... I'm guessing you have not used a modern dedicated car GPS.... I have used both the newest phones and GPS and I talk for actual real world experience.

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I found my first geocache years ago using a Nuvi GPS. I really don't recommend it. They are optimized for road use and I had to change a lot of settings to get it to be basically functional for geocaching. There were no phone apps at that time. Today, you would be FAR better off using a geocaching app on a decent phone than you would with a Nuvi for geocaching. There are a few free apps that are available, and the paid apps are $10 or less.

 

All that being said, I use a Nuvi in the car to get me there, a handheld Garmin for the actual caching, and a phone app as backup and to read descriptions, logs, and post field notes. Each of those items excel in what they do. But none of them do everything well. If I had to limit myself to a single device, it would be the phone. It does everything the other devices do. Not as well, but well enough.

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If you have a smartphone or tablet I do not see the purpose of a separate vehicle GPS.

 

Because in some areas,reception isn't available. I'm pretty good at getting back to an area or home without any form of technical navigation. Unfortunately, my brain doesn't work from coordinates. Besides, a vehicle nav unit is good for solo cachers trying to stay "hands free" while driving.

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For the most part, I navigate using a buddy who uses an app as I drive. It's great, offers the chance to be less structured than planning routes, etc. But... my usual navigator isn't always available. I thought I'd see what others do. Besides, if I were sadistic / masochistic enough, I'd plot them on a paper version of a Delorme map or military map. [:P ] But, I'd rather spend the time caching. Solo caching isn't optimal in my opinion, but better than none. I just want to be safe and legal about it.

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If you have a smartphone or tablet I do not see the purpose of a separate vehicle GPS.

 

They have a bigger screens (than a phone) and better guidance features especially in large urban areas.

 

did someone step back in time a decade? there are tons of HUGE screen phones now, and the feature sets for gps duties are. .... extensive

 

Okay, you carry around a 7" phone... I'm guessing you have not used a modern dedicated car GPS.... I have used both the newest phones and GPS and I talk for actual real world experience.

 

a 7" display is too big for my needs. I carry a 4" , four year old phone, and record about 200 miles of trails a month. you mentioned there were not any large screens on smartphones, i only ones out that yes, there are quite afew.

 

I'll admit I haven't picked up an auto focused gps in years, since this no need with today's s multi use smartphones, but real world experiences I have a decent amount of.

 

the only guidance feature I need (you may like more features) is the ability to navigate turn by turn while offline for street driving. after that I'll plot an off road route to take, right on the screen, abs record a track of the process as I follow the proposed route.

 

if you prefer to have a separate camera, car gps, hiking gps, phone, watch, etc that's cool.

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