navigating in the woods ?

[blynx]

If your GPS is losing signal then you need a better GPS unit.

Lower end GPS units work great anywhere it is flat and open. If you add mountains, draws, thick wood cover, etc, then you need a higher end model with a better antenna.

2 years ago I used a friend's Garmin etrex vista c for 2 months while picking morel mushrooms, and it lost signal when I would go in the deeper tree cover or get in a narrow draw. Even my body could block the signal. I wore the unit on a cord around my neck and if I bent over picking for too long it would temporarily lose the signal.

This year I bought my own and got a Garmin gpsmap 76csx. It has a different (better) antenna then the vista c. I used it while picking morels all spring/summer and have yet to see it lose the signal. I've been out hiking with my friend and heard his (vista c) lose the signal while mine didn't.

Even if you have a GPS, it's a good idea to carry a compass too (also an extra set of batteries).

 

[BACKCOUNTRY]

blynx- Basic models work fine as long as you can find a break in the tree cover, mountains are not really a problem since they don't really block the sky over head.

Constant signal contact is not needed, only when it is actually time to navigate, loosing signal for a period of time is not a concern since the GPS unit will reajust itself each time it does recieve signal from sattelites.

I'm only pointing this out because I don't want to discourage cash-strapped growers from getting GPS by believing only more expensive high end models will work for them. My GPS is over 6 years old and way basic by todays standards, and my fathers only cost $60 on sale, but both work fine for navigation.
I have found however that my fathers newer GPS does maintain more constant contact with the sattelites than my older 2nd generation model does, so even todays bargin basement models are better than the one I still use regularly.

The Garmin etrex vista c costs @ $250-350, and the Garmin gpsmap 76csx can cost $100 to 200 more. Models costing $75-200 will work just fine for the casual user.

I tend to use a compass with my GPS when navigating in heavy forest, I use the GPS just to find the correct direction to travel, and then use the compass for finding the correct direction to travel. I frequently check my GPS when it gets signal to make sure I am still heading in the right direction, and ajust the compass as needed.

 

[BACKCOUNTRY]

......so who is goona hook us up with the link to a kick-ass tutorial on how to use a compass?......

This one looks good->
OA Guide to Map & Compass- Outdoor Action Program, Princeton University

 

[supermanlives]

my last gps was an old magellan and it sucked. i learned map reading in boyscouts long ago so i bring a compass and map too.i like delorme as i have their laptop gps setup in my car.and you cant beat their maps either

 

[BACKCOUNTRY]

My old reciever is a Magellen, it is slow and clunky by todays standards, but it did/does the nitty-gritty job.

This reciever from Garmin should be a great basic model- Garmin eTrex H GPS Receiver- $87.19 - $109.99(click here)

I pretty much taught myself to use a Compass while hiking in the trailless and roadless areas of Californias Trinity alps wilderness. Once you get the basics and do it a couple times it gets easy.

 

[LORD BENIS]

Journey to Ixtlan
by Carlos Castaneda
Very good book about being in the wilderness. One of my all time favorite books.