A simple GPS gadget

[grubstake]

I found the Canmore GPS on https://australia.desertcart.com/pr...r-gp-102-multifunction-gps-device-data-logger
but they are out of stock too!
somebody find me a conspiracy theorist

I reckon it's panic buying. :awful:

How about I swap you a roll of Sorbent for your keyring GPS? layful:

 

[sawdan]

I was going to ask about Personal Locator Beacons as well, but this little device is also great to have in the kit.

 

[Eski]

That canmore looks the goods, Showing the path you took, would be a nice prospecting tool too....

 

[ertoosp]

You can draw trails on the map then follow it.

 

[ertoosp]

GPS gadgets are cool stuff. It's great that you can find such a thing among Smart Devices on this site https://4prototypes.com . Come on, do you know that now even for dogs and cats there are special trackers? Such cool collars that help keep track of where the animal is and what it is doing. Well, think about how developed our world is, that every day more and more new gadgets are coming up with.

 

[hippyhunter]

this is the cheapy unit I bought to play with
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/12692/1593422342_mini_gps_compass.jpg

How did you find it for the task of directing you back to the car after detecting in scrub ded? Does the battery last for a full day? Just ordered one also. Will be happy if its works as advertised

 

[Katabatic]

Another option is the Garmin eTrex 10:

Full-blown GPS...waterproof.....GPS/Glonass for that extra bit of accuracy......track plotting, including TracBack, which guides you back to your start point the same way you came....none of those pesky mountains or swamps to worry about on your way back

Seem to be currently available just about anywhere at the moment...Johny Appleseed's got them for $145....Anaconda's got them for $127.20.

I've used one for years now for back-country trout fishing....always switched on when I'm out, and never flattened the batteries in a day yet.

Handbook here for anyone interested:

https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/eTrex_10_20x_30x/EN-US/eTrex_10_20_20x_30_30x_OM_EN-US.pdf

 

[hippyhunter]

Another option is the Garmin eTrex 10:

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/19153/1601375767_etrex_10.jpg

Full-blown GPS...waterproof.....GPS/Glonass for that extra bit of accuracy......track plotting, including TracBack, which guides you back to your start point the same way you came....none of those pesky mountains or swamps to worry about on your way back

Seem to be currently available just about anywhere at the moment...Johny Appleseed's got them for $145....Anaconda's got them for $127.20.

I've used one for years now for back-country trout fishing....always switched on when I'm out, and never flattened the batteries in a day yet.

Handbook here for anyone interested:

https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/eTrex_10_20x_30x/EN-US/eTrex_10_20_20x_30_30x_OM_EN-US.pdf

I have the etrex 30x model. I just find because of the size of it i can never be bothered carrying it while detecting with all the other gear. I dont need so many features or such accuracy for use while detecting. Just need a pointer back to the car if i get lost in thick scrub mostly

 

[goody2shoes]

I got my hands on one of these Bushnell Backtrack Point-3 Personal GPS Locator

Have not used it as yet but will

 

[Ded Driver]

this is the cheapy unit I bought to play with
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/12692/1593422342_mini_gps_compass.jpg

How did you find it for the task of directing you back to the car after detecting in scrub ded? Does the battery last for a full day? Just ordered one also. Will be happy if its works as advertised

The little GPS compass guides you back to your start point within about a 10-15m radius of where you set it.
Because I'm just mostly playing around with it, I havent had it turned on for more than a couple of hours at a time, & I haven't been very diligent in keeping it charged. I put it on charge overnight & will run it today to see how long the battery lasts. I will try to remember to report back on this.
DED

 

[Ded Driver]

ran my little GPS Compass all day today. fully charged & turned on at 7am, it ran close to 12hrs (was still running just after 6pm), but was flat when I got home & checked it at 7:30pm
So thats not too bad I reckon for what must be a tiny (Lithium) battery in such a small unit.

 

[hippyhunter]

ran my little GPS Compass all day today. fully charged & turned on at 7am, it ran close to 12hrs (was still running just after 6pm), but was flat when I got home & checked it at 7:30pm
So thats not too bad I reckon for what must be a tiny (Lithium) battery in such a small unit.

Wow. Thats good. They only advertise them as 10hr battery life. Means it will still last a whole day once aome battery degradation sets in. Has a 390mah battery i believe.
As long as it gets me back to withong 30m of the car it should be easy to spot and be back to safety. Cant wait to get mine. Will be able to focus more on the detecting and immediate area i am in

 

[Ded Driver]

Its not a top dollar unit, so having an average? quality battery, I would guess it will drop to 10hrs soon enough, then in a couple of years probably only a few hrs. Still good value for the money tho'

 

[hippyhunter]

Even if it lasts for a season battery wise i will feel its good value, because i didnt get lost and die! between now and when it lets go i will research the more expensive ones a bit. Even the more expensive ones batteries will die eventually so just have to decide if its better value to go for a dearer one and get a few extra years on battery of just get one of these each time the battery dies

 

[Lesgold]

I use this app. Works well. You can turn off your phone if it interferes With the detector and just turn it on again if you need to find your way back to your car or camp. Used it yesterday in unexplored, steep, bushy country with no reception.

 

[pinfire opals]

Its not a top dollar unit, so having an average? quality battery, I would guess it will drop to 10hrs soon enough, then in a couple of years probably only a few hrs. Still good value for the money tho'

Mine lasted approx 2 years then batt was knackered, now have an etrex 20 no rechargables. Tried to replace battery in it but would turn on and blank out, it now lives in the bin

 

[SCOOPY]

Thanks Katabatic for adding the link to the etrex 10 manual. Instructions look to be very confusing & poor. Interesting that some of the feedback by people that have purchased the Garmin unit, even those that had earlier versions, claim the instructions to be poor & have reverted back to the older unit. May see if I can find a used earlier one still with its instruction booklet.

 

[hippyhunter]

ran my little GPS Compass all day today. fully charged & turned on at 7am, it ran close to 12hrs (was still running just after 6pm), but was flat when I got home & checked it at 7:30pm
So thats not too bad I reckon for what must be a tiny (Lithium) battery in such a small unit.

Did you need to calibrate yours at all DD? I am having issues with mine not working properly. I mark a POI and walk 100-200ft away and the arrow keeps pointing in the direction i am walking (opposite direction to POI). I notice it says something about calibration in chinglish, but is a bit hard to understand.
I am hoping i just need to calibrate it. It seems to funtion properly apart from its sense of direction. Also tried a mobile phone app. (Find your car) and that worked as expected. Was hoping this mini gps would have similar performance.

 

[Ded Driver]

interesting problem Hippy.
Mine was fine out of the box, although it does need to be moving to get a proper direction. I guess yours may need calibrating.
I also notice they arent real fast at acquiring a full set of sateelites from a cold start.
Maybe try using it a few times in one day, turning it on & off, & see if it starts to read more accurately

 

[hippyhunter]

Yeah i saw it needs to be moving to work. Factored that in on first few tests. I will try calibrating it. Seems i need to activate calibrate and walk in a figure 8 for 30 seconds. :lol:
It gets full 4 satelite signal and seems to work in other ways like distance from POI.
Good to get a reference from another user in regards to the compass part. Sounds like mine is definately not functioning properly :|