Re: Rafting Grand Canyon, GPS Reception
- From: ron-wongREMOVE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 08:55:19 GMT
In article <m2tNe.2124$1g2.1528@xxxxxxxx>,
"Brad Blackburn" <crevicecave@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Anyone rafted down the Grand Canyon with their GPS.
> Is reception bad enough that it isn't worth taking along?
> I think my old 12map would have worked fine but the antenna on this
> 76C seems anemic.
>
> Brad
Rafted down the 200+ miles with my old Garmin 12XL hooked up to Wolfe's
"Mighty Mouse" antenna a few years ago. It worked just fine on the
river. It was a different story as soon as you left the river for a hike
up one of the narrow side canyons.
Even though the unit worked on the river without the external antenna -
and I suspect your 76C will too, I found that the the 12XL locked on to
the satellites a lot sooner with the external antenna and the signals
were stronger. It drew less than 12 ma. This was quite a bit less than
Garmin's antenna at the time (1999) - as was it's price - and there were
those who claimed it performed better than the Garmin antenna (I have my
doubts).
Although I don't have the numbers, I'm quite sure it extended the life
of the batteries significantly.
***************************
OT:
I don't have any affiliation with Wolfe's company but I have been a
satisfied user of one of their products (The original "Mighty Mouse had
a straight MCX connecter and, because it stuck out from back of the
receiver at a 90° angle, it was continuously subjected to stresses that
finally caused the pin to break off in the receiver. Ron Wolfe offered
to replace my Garmin 12XL without any questions, found a manufacturer
that made MCX connectors with a 90° bend, and sent me one of the first
of the new antennas with the Garmin 12XL replacement).
In open water, you probably don't need an external antenna. Even one
whose antenna "...seems anemic". But, if you're going to be using your
76C under tree cover a lot, you might want to consider getting an
external antenna. If so, you might want to check him out (as well as
other vendors - after all, it's been 6 years).
The URL is:
http://www.wolfesgps.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2&zenid=f0
809e47b6bb51ed10198b9e4316d0ec
My antenna is now is called the MK-4/MCX and goes for $45. It requires 5
VDC to work properly and has a gain of 24 dB.
Your 76C puts out 3 VDC to the external antenna (you'll have to check to
make sure). Wolfe has an antenna called the AXM3U which is SMA, MCX, and
BNC savvy (the last two by way of adapters that are included in the
package). It works on both 3 VDC and 5 VDC, draws 20 mA of current, has
a gain of 32 dB and costs $37.50.
***************************
Have a great time.
ron
.
- References:
- Rafting Grand Canyon, GPS Reception
- From: Brad Blackburn
- Rafting Grand Canyon, GPS Reception
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