singleton

Couple nights ago I bought a Garmin Geko 201 GPS.

My first impressions:
- Small and light, fits in a coat pocket easily.

- Waterproof.

- 500 waypoints (more than enough for me)

- It even has some games builtin which I've yet to try.

- The GPS even comes equipped with WAAS mode.

- Price is right

- Nice backlit display (you can turn the light on and off while the GPS is on...and you can set how long it stays on for)

- It can even take note of elevation level which I thought was pretty cool


the downsides to it:
- No antenna jack (wasn't that big of deal for me because I didn't want one)

- If you want to connect it to a laptop you require a special Garmin proprietary "data" cable (garmin<->serial) because it uses a special 4 contact design on it. Too bad it doesn't have 9 pin serial. This wouldn't be so bad if the adapter was cheap but it costs $50 CAN (!) from Radio Shack. For $10 more you can get the car cig lighter adapter for it too, to run it off your car not AAA batteries.

- Accuracy. With WAAS enabled, I went out on a clear blue sky day in my backyard for 15 minutes and it still has trouble. This was with no trees around :P I'd see it ocassionally dip to 19 feet, but it averaged around 30 feet accuracy.


My final thoughts:
It'd make a great GPS for those who don't need (or want) a ton of features. The price is right so it'd make a great tool for Geocaching and hiking as accuracy isn't that important (when you're in the bush, 30 feet isn't that big of a deal). Had I known about the data adapteer I might not have bought it. I will need a serial<->usb adapter anyhow as that is all my laptop has. For less than the cost of the Geko 201 + data adapter I could have bought a Magellan SPORTRAK MAP unit or a Garmin eTrex venture (apparently this Garmin comes "With PC interface cables").

I'm not too sure about Radio Shack's return policy but if they let you return items money back I will most likely return it and choose one of the other two GPS units I've mentioned.

Eyecannon

Look up 'pfranc' on google and you will find cheaper cables...

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The Others

It's a really good bit of kit. The subject of games beautifully illustrates another downside to this GPS though. It has no built in compass, therefore, when standing still you can't tell what way you're pointing; you have to walk roughly 15 feet to get a directional indication. Not only did I look a tit playing the maze game in my local park, but I also found it impossible to play if I stopped walking.

As posted, you don't need to buy a cable, you can make one from an old serial mouse and a piece of cut-up store card (ask your other half ).

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singleton

I checked with Radio Shack and I can return it with all the packaging and booklets it came with.

I'm debating this now. I'm going to play around more and try to increase the accuracy but if I can't get it to maintain around 15-20 feet I will take it back.

The Others

With a clear view of the horizon, or at least, part of it it, you should easily maintain an accuracy of 14 feet. It's a good GPS; arguably better than the two you've mentioned. If the Geko can't maintain an acceptable accuracy then I doubt the others will either.

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singleton

Yeah that is what I gathered unfortunately

I guess if I want -great- accuracy I have to pay the $$$

Oh well

Madhadder

Sounds like you arn't happy with your geko....

When you take it back, take a look at the Etrex series.
The Newer ones, also have WAAS and tons of other features,
but as far as I know the Etrex's also don't have Ext. Antt. ports.

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Barry

I have an Etrex, usually gets around 20 to 15 feet. The cloesest I've ever noticed it was 13 feet. Nice bright sunny day. They have problems in the mountains, though most gps units do. They make reradiating antenna units for ones without external antenna ports, good for in the car. I usually just pitch mine up on the dash up against the windshield and get close enough accuracy for what I want to use it for. I figure if you can't see what yuo are looking for within 20 to 30 feet you aren't going to find it.

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EVH-rocks

Stick with the gecko or get an etrex, you should be able to get a USB to rs232/com on ebay and also a compatible data cable.

do a search on ebay for garmin cable, then do a search for usb to serial. This search should throw up both items for less than the price of the one cable from the supplier you mentioned.

The usb to serial adaptor will give you a new com port in device manager, all you have to do then is tell NS in the GPS configuration to look on com 4 and set it for 8N1 and NMEA 0183 and the gps will stream data into netstumbler.

IM estimating $40.00 for both cables. Eyecannon has a link for Belkin usb to com adaptors on his website. these are well thought of on these forums.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=4668

above is a link to a combined power/data cable for etrex/gecko works out about 20 bucks with shipping.

have fun...Paul

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EVH-rocks

**edit** the above post should read like this

The usb to serial adaptor will give you a new com port in device manager, eg COM 4,........

obviously you will set the config applet in netstumbler to whatever number com port your new usb to serial adaptor has assigned you.

BTW I have an etrex too (just recently aqquired) getting around 20 to 40 feet at best at moment. located in Scottish highlands with lots of snow and clouds at moment. Great little unit, like you say though , no ext. antenna. You can get a windshield mount or do a heath robinson with sticky pads/velcro whatever.

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