On This Page:

• Overview
• Some Good Advice
• Things to consider
• Should you buy a Venture?

At This Site:

• About
• Software
  • DRGMapCal
  • CANgrid
  • OziExplorer Info
  • OziExplorer Utilities
• Maps
  • Map Comparisons
  • DEM Comparisons
  • Canada Landsat-7 images
• GPS
  • Buying a GPS receiver
  • GPS reception in trees
• Degree Confluence Project
• Xterra
• Photos
• Donations

Overview

The Global Positioning System, GPS receivers, and how to use them can be a complex topic, even for recreational users. Two ways to approach a purchase decision:

• Just go out and buy something! This approach will work if money doesn't matter to you, or you are willing to buy another GPS receiver if you discover you didn't buy the one you really needed. One realistic approach is to buy a basic, non-mapping GPS receiver and then make use of it to become familiar with the operation of GPS receivers. Later on, if you decide you need a different receiver, you can possibly sell the basic receiver, keep it as a backup, or give it to a relative or friend.
• Do some reasearch first to make an informed decision about which type of GPS receiver is best for your needs. The downside to this is that it will take some time to do the research, and even then you may not discover what you really want until you get out and use your GPS receiver. Don't rely on what you are told in the store by the salesperson. See if you can borrow a friend's GPS receiver, and go to an area such as a park and figure out how to use the GPS to navigate. There may be courses offered by GPS equipment retailers, or through outdoor stores.

People new to GPS will sometimes ask some variation of the question "What GPS Receiver Should I Purchase?". A posting in the sci.geo.satellite-nav newsgroup with a question about a possible choice of GPS receiver resulted in some responses which provided both specific technical information, and some general advice that applies to any purchase of a GPS receiver.
You can read an edited text version of the postings, or read the whole thread via the Google Groups archive.

Depending on how you plan to use your GPS receiver, some features may be more or less important to you. Some of the things to consider when deciding which GPS receiver to purchase:

• Cost. While this is an obvious factor, you should be aware that some GPS manufacturers, such as Garmin, have policies that require dealers to advertise in a way that doesn't necessarily reflect the lowest available price. You should always check with retailers for the actual price. Some dealers may have remanufactured or overhauled GPS receivers, with a full warranty, for a better price than a new receiver.
• Data/power connection. At some point, you will probably want to be able to transfer data, such as waypoints, between your GPS and a PC/laptop/PDA. Some low-end GPS receivers do not have the ability to transfer data, so they may not be the best choice. Some GPS receivers can be powered from an external source, such as 12 volts in an automobile or boat, which may be an issue, rather than relying on batteries in the GPS receiver.
• Apples vs Oranges. Make sure when comparing different GPS receivers, whether from the same or different manufacturers, that you are doing a fair comparison. GPS specifications and features are not always presented in the same manner, even within models from the same manufacturer. One factor that is sometime overlooked is whether or not the GPS receiver comes with a data cable, used for transferring data to/from the GPS, and for doing firmware upgrades. If a cable is not included, you will have to include the cost of making/buying one when comparing prices. A GPS receiver that does include a data cable may not have the option to purchase it with a combination data/power cable, so the cost of that additional cable would have to be taken into consideration, if you want such a cable.
• Accuracy. If the accuracy of the position reported by your GPS receiver is an important consideration for your intended use of your GPS receiver, then you should take some time to understand how the Global Positioning System works, and the limitations of GPS receivers. Consumer-grade GPS receivers are used in a wide variety of situations, but are not suitable for things like determining property boundaries, or if you need "sub-meter accuracy". You should also be aware that GPS receivers, when reporting a position, despite what you may see on your GPS display, can not tell you the accuracy of the reported position. GPS receivers will instead report the Estimated Position Error(EPE), which is an estimate of the likelyhood that, some percentage of the time, the actual location of the reported position is within some distance of your current location.
• Maps. If you are interested in a GPS receiver that can display maps, stop looking at specific GPS receiver models. The first thing you should do is to instead look at the maps available from the GPS manufacturers. Once you have decided which map product is the one you want, then you will have to look at only the mapping GPS receivers from that GPS manufacturer, because each manufacturer uses their own map format. You should then decide on how much map memory you will need in your GPS receiver. That will depend on the mapping product, what maps you will need, whether on trips you will have a laptop so you can upload more maps as needed, whether the GPS receiver supports storing maps on removable media, etc. Mapping GPS receivers generally only support the use of maps in the manufacturer's own map format, so you will not be able to use "map images" such as JPEG images on your mapping GPS receiver. Some people elect to purchase a non-mapping GPS receiver and spend the money saved on purchasing mapping software for their PC, which will work with map images, allow for pre-trip planning and post-trip analysis, and allow for printing custom maps for use on your trips.
• Features. Different brands and models of GPS receivers have different features, and which features are important largely depends on how you plan to use your GPS receiver. Once you have done some initial research into your GPS receiver purchase, if you are unsure about something, you can try asking your question in one of the GPS-related newsgroups. For example, if you have never used a GPS receiver, and aren't sure if a particular feature is important for hiking, then asking the question in the GPS-related newsgroups will likely get you the opinion of fellow hikers who use a GPS receiver.
• How will you use it? Does the GPS receiver display all the information you want, either on a single screen, or on multiple screens with easy navigation between screens? Does it matter which hand you use to operate the GPS receiver? Are the buttons/controls easy for you to use? Is the GPS receiver designed to be operated horizontally or vertically, and how does that relate to how you plan to carry(e.g. while hiking) or place(e.g. while driving) the GPS receiver? Is the GPS receiver's display readable given your eyesight, and viewing habits(e.g. in direct sunlight)?
• Antenna. Due to the antenna design, and placement in the GPS receiver, some GPS receivers are designed to be operated horizontally, others vertically, which may be a factor in how you plan to carry the GPS receiver while hiking, or riding a bike, or while driving. GPS receivers that do not have a connector for an external antenna can be used with an external re-radiating antenna. An external antenna may be needed in difficult reception conditions, such as under tree canopy, or in a vehicle with a windshield that blocks GPS signals.

If you are seriously considering buying a Garmin etrex Venture GPS receiver, given that I own a Venture, do I think you should purchase the Venture? My answer would be — buy an etrex Legend instead.

When the Venture, Legend, and Vista first came on the market, they all had similar capacities for the number of waypoints, routes, and tracklogs. The Legend and Vista have, via firmware updates, subsequently been upgraded to have larger capacities.

Unlike when the Venture and Legend were introduced, these days the Legend doesn't cost much more than the Venture. You may be able to purchase an overhauled Legend, complete with full warranty, for less than the cost of a Venture.

I think the additional tracklog capacities of the Legend make it a better choice than the Venture, and when you consider that you also get a GPS receiver that has mapping capability, I think buying an etrex Legend instead of a Venture is a good decision.