Usual 'newbie' questions I suspect

[shoops911]

My name is Steve and I am really in need of a hobby such as Geocaching. However, I am currently unemployed and penniless - 8 months now - but I am determined.

My problem is this. I bought, very cheap on Ebay, a Magellan GPS 2000 Handheld. It is in superb condition but for those of you that know it, it's 13 years old. Would you consider it too old for modern day technology?

I would like very much to commence dialogue with anyone that uses this particular device so that I might learn more about it.

Many thanks

[+gof1]

Pretty much any hand held GPS receiver is capable of finding caches. Can you input coords? Does it point you towards the cache? If yes then go find it.

[+BrrrMo]

My name is Steve and I am really in need of a hobby such as Geocaching. However, I am currently unemployed and penniless - 8 months now - but I am determined.

My problem is this. I bought, very cheap on Ebay, a Magellan GPS 2000 Handheld. It is in superb condition but for those of you that know it, it's 13 years old. Would you consider it too old for modern day technology?

I would like very much to commence dialogue with anyone that uses this particular device so that I might learn more about it.

Many thanks

 

Try Letterboxing, and yes your GPSr will work.

[+Bundyrumandcoke]

All GPS's regardless of type or age do the one same basic function- read a set of coordinates- longtitude and latitude. With this basic function, you can find caches.

 

The newer the GPS, the more features it will have, or the faster it will do the searching for satellites, or the faster it will process the information, but in the end it still does the same thing as older GPSs, search for a set of coordinates.

[+popokiiti]

Enjoy your geocaching shoops911/Steve, and I hope you find the work you're seeking soon. Good Luck!

[Neos2]

Did the one you buy look like this one?

 

Here is another page on the unit Magellan 2000 GPS and here is the manual.

 

I never used one of these, or cached with anyone who was using one--but I've seen them in displays of various gps units. It is older technology--but it ill get you to the general area of the cache. Hopefully you can find someone who used one who can give you some pointers that will be helpful.

 

Welcome to the hobby!

Edited June 7, 2009 by Neos2

[+Curioddity]

I have an old Garmin GPS-12 which I bought new in 1999. I also have an Oregon 400t and a nuvi 500 which are my primary units now, but I've been out "nostalga" caching a few times with the GPS-12 recently and it led me to caches just as well as the newer units do. About the only real disadvantage is it won't do paperless caching, so I have to carry the cache descriptions in paper format.

 

Pete

[the3gmen]

As others have mentioned, pretty much any functional gps will work to find caches. The biggest issue you will have with an older one is that it will have a tougher time holding a satellite lock while you are in the woods.

 

Good Luck and have fun.

[shoops911]

As others have mentioned, pretty much any functional gps will work to find caches. The biggest issue you will have with an older one is that it will have a tougher time holding a satellite lock while you are in the woods.

 

Good Luck and have fun.

 

The satellite lock has indeed been a problem I have encountered. I guess my biggest problem is that I did not spend enough time reading the manual, and finding out just how to handle the device. I'm one of those 'dive straight in' kind of people without much patience. I will learn.

Thank you everybody that has had a response. I'm learning more and more already.

Steve

[+Travelinmatt76]

This was my first GPS also. I found my first 3 caches with the Magellan GPS 2000. Heavy tree cover is a real problem with this gpsr. I soon found out that I needed something better. Once into the woods the display would freeze and all satellites would drop out. Also having to input each cache by hand was a pain. It was a good one to start out with but once I realized I really liked geocaching it was time for something better. GPS 2000

[+JayT_B]

Shoops911,

 

I to have been out of work. My last day of work was January 9th. We were living in Round Rock, Texas. We eventually leased out the house to a family and decided to move to Oregon. Was here about a month and now will be settling in Eugene, Oregon and starting my new job this next monday. Keep your head up, positive attitude and keep plugging away at job opportunities.

 

As for caching, I have not had the pleasure of searching for my first cache. I have a PN-40 on order along with a couple of other items. I am excited to get out with my wife and daughter and explore this hobby further.

 

Jason

[+kbraband]

As others have mentioned, pretty much any functional gps will work to find caches. The biggest issue you will have with an older one is that it will have a tougher time holding a satellite lock while you are in the woods.

 

Good Luck and have fun.

 

Another important aspect to keep in mind about your Magellan 2000 that has not been mentioned is that, according to the manual, it only shows coordinate accuracy to two digits after the decimal. Newer GPS units (less than 10 years old or so) have three-decimal-place accuracy. This is somewhat important when you search for caches because your accuracy won't be as precise as with new units, which may cause you to search in a larger area at ground zero because you won't be able to enter the full set of coordinates that you find on the web page. It will be even more critical if you hide a geocache using this older unit. I should say, other geocachers will be even more critical. Expect to see posts on your cache page from people who search for your geocaches complaining that your coordinates are "off." It used to be that a 40ft. margin of error was perfectly acceptable. Nowadays I see people complain that coordinates are "off" by 10 or 15 ft from what the cache owner listed.