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Does the old Etrex Summit have Garmin's High-sensitivity receiver?


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IIRC, my trusty old Summit HC (color model with "H"igh sensitivity chip) employs the MTK3318 GPS chip. Always a VERY solid little performer. Least drift of any unit I've ever tested, though that may be as much firmware as the chip.

 

I moved away from it some years back for a touchscreen model, but had ZERO complaints about sensitivity.

 

The older black & white unit didn't have the same quality of chip.

 

Need to know which model is on offer to answer the question with any guarantee of accuracy.

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IIRC, my trusty old Summit HC (color model with "H"igh sensitivity chip) employs the MTK3318 GPS chip. Always a VERY solid little performer. Least drift of any unit I've ever tested, though that may be as much firmware as the chip.

 

I moved away from it some years back for a touchscreen model, but had ZERO complaints about sensitivity.

 

The older black & white unit didn't have the same quality of chip.

 

Need to know which model is on offer to answer the question with any guarantee of accuracy.

Thanks for the info. I didn't see in the listings that there was a Summit HC. I was wondering if the base model had already included the High sensitivity chip. I will definitely pass on this unit.

 

Those old eTrex models aren't worth it unless you're just a collector of vintage junk.

I have 3 of these old eTrex models (2 Venture HC and a Legend H). I use them to had to the kids or noobs I am caching with. It gives them a taste of caching and costs me almost nothing.

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I will definitely pass on this unit.

Have a recent model smartphone?

 

I think I lucked out when I bought my current phone, a 2013-era Nexus made by LG. Couldn't find out GPS specs in advance, but it turns out this unit gets up to 24 satellites (dunno about WAAS), and in side-by-side tests with my once-trusty 60CSx, seems every bit as accurate.

 

And that's probably typical of the current crop of smartphones.

 

Apps range anywhere from free to about $10. Splurge.

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IIRC, my trusty old Summit HC (color model with "H"igh sensitivity chip) employs the MTK3318 GPS chip. Always a VERY solid little performer. Least drift of any unit I've ever tested, though that may be as much firmware as the chip.

 

I moved away from it some years back for a touchscreen model, but had ZERO complaints about sensitivity.

 

The older black & white unit didn't have the same quality of chip.

 

Need to know which model is on offer to answer the question with any guarantee of accuracy.

Thanks for the info. I didn't see in the listings that there was a Summit HC. I was wondering if the base model had already included the High sensitivity chip. I will definitely pass on this unit.

 

Those old eTrex models aren't worth it unless you're just a collector of vintage junk.

I have 3 of these old eTrex models (2 Venture HC and a Legend H). I use them to had to the kids or noobs I am caching with. It gives them a taste of caching and costs me almost nothing.

 

Ah, they are good for kids. I always called the old eTrex toys, because that's what they feel like, whereas the old 60 series felt more like tools.

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Im looking at buying a old Etrex off craigs list. I see a Summit for $35, but am only interested if it has Garmin's "High-sensitivity receiver". The old Etrex without that don't perform well under tree cover, so I'm not interested.

 

$35 is a bit much for used Summit. However, you will find just as many geocaches with that unit as you will with any modern unit. Accuracy in fact lies with the person who placed the cache, not with the people finding it. And quite often, people will stare too much into making sure they are within a few feet according to their unit instead of putting it down and looking around. Just my 2.7 cents.

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