+P&Q Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I have been geocaching for about 8 months now with my iPhone 4 (oldie) and the premium app. And although I have found around 50 caches with it, I have lots!!!!! of DNF as my GPS seems to be going left right and centre at times. When I do find a cache, my mobile can be off by as much as 10 meters. Would a proper GPS be more accurate? I love the ease of the app but it's frustrating to keep searching in the wrong area. Also, I love to place a cache but don't dare as the coordinates might be way off:( I don't have a computer, only an iPad. Would that be an issue with a GPS and loading caches onto it? Are there GPS'es which connect to either wifi and or have a sim possibility? Thanks:) Quote Link to comment
+Chrysalides Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Someone just asked about using iPad to load caches onto a Garmin Oregon : http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=329281&view=findpost&p=5466461&hl=&fromsearch=1 The Garmin Monterra is Android based and can connect through WiFi. I've never used one, and it is pretty expensive (US$650). A handheld GPSr may be more accurate - but may or may not make any difference regarding DNFs. First, consider how good (or bad) the hider's coordinates are. And even under ideal conditions, GPS error is around 3 meters. When using my phone, I use a combination of hints, descriptions, past logs and satellite photo (aerial photos) to help narrow the search. And when all else fails, I call a friend Quote Link to comment
+Lieblweb Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Search the forums....You will find soooooooooooooooo many threads about the 'phone vs GPS' debate. Debating about which is better - waste of time if you ask me. YOU - You are the only one who knows whether or not a phone or GPS will help. You've obviously discovered a 'lack of enjoyment' while using your phone while geocaching. Nothing wrong with that... A lot of people have discovered the same thing. That's the primary time to realize - especially if you enjoy the hobby - to buy a handheld GPS. My husband and I used iphones...and eventually had similar results as you. The 'bounciness' drove us crazy. Besides that... the short battery life, no cell signal in the woods, and not wanting to carry our phones around in the woods while hiking. We went with a handheld and couldn't be happier!! In fact, we have two handheld GPS's. In my opinion and from our own experiences - the handheld GPS's are more accurate and less prone to 'bounciness'. You can cache all day without needing batteries. You can easily cache in the woods and not worry about getting it wet or dropping it. For us...it was more about convenience. We weren't about to spend any time or extra money to make the phone into a stellar GPS unit. That's not what the phone is for primarily. We would rather spend the extra $$ and have the proper equipment designed specifically for geocaching/hiking and keep the $600-$700 phone in my pocket. I'd highly recommend getting a handheld GPS. Find a good used one.... Give it time as you learn how to use it. Then...you and only you can determine if it was a good or bad investment. If you don't like it, you can easily sell it. GOOD LUCK! Quote Link to comment
+popokiiti Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Pros for the phone....you already have it. Cons - battery life much shorter, not waterproof, sad if you drop it! GPS - rugged, waterproof, better battery life, no data being used, accuracy seems much better. I went with the Magellan GC to start with, but am much happier with my Garmin 62s. There is a learning curve, a bit steep, but if I can do it, anyone can. Good luck with your decision, and welcome to the fun. Quote Link to comment
+BCandMsKitty Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Search the forums....You will find soooooooooooooooo many threads about the 'phone vs GPS' debate. Debating about which is better - waste of time if you ask me. YOU - You are the only one who knows whether or not a phone or GPS will help. You've obviously discovered a 'lack of enjoyment' while using your phone while geocaching. Nothing wrong with that... A lot of people have discovered the same thing. That's the primary time to realize - especially if you enjoy the hobby - to buy a handheld GPS. My husband and I used iphones...and eventually had similar results as you. The 'bounciness' drove us crazy. Besides that... the short battery life, no cell signal in the woods, and not wanting to carry our phones around in the woods while hiking. We went with a handheld and couldn't be happier!! In fact, we have two handheld GPS's. In my opinion and from our own experiences - the handheld GPS's are more accurate and less prone to 'bounciness'. You can cache all day without needing batteries. You can easily cache in the woods and not worry about getting it wet or dropping it. For us...it was more about convenience. We weren't about to spend any time or extra money to make the phone into a stellar GPS unit. That's not what the phone is for primarily. We would rather spend the extra $$ and have the proper equipment designed specifically for geocaching/hiking and keep the $600-$700 phone in my pocket. I'd highly recommend getting a handheld GPS. Find a good used one.... Give it time as you learn how to use it. Then...you and only you can determine if it was a good or bad investment. If you don't like it, you can easily sell it. GOOD LUCK! Well said, Lieblweb. Our experience is similar, but we started off originally with a hand held GPSr. Have bought 4 more over the years. We finally got cell phones and decided to move to them ... for maybe a day! We hated how they searched, and the jumpiness drove us crazy after being used to our Magellans, and Garmins. I've tried the phones from time to time, but for us you can't beat the hand held. In my opinion, cell phones shine as phones and that's how we use them. The one thing I really like is having live maps with the phones, and sometimes, if we're having trouble finding the cache, I'll update the cache in the field, and maybe find there are newer logs that help us find the cache, or tell us it's probably gone. Other than that, it's the hand held units all the way! It's really your call. There are many folks that use only a smart phone, and I say more power to them. For me that just makes the game harder! Quote Link to comment
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