has anyone any experience of geko 201. would this be a good starter GPS or would people reccomend etrex summit

garry

The 201 is fine, been using one for 18 months.

I have just seen the thread about the GPSMAP 76c, so any help would be appreciated.

garry

I have a Geko 201 but I only use it to get a location fix and even then it rarely gets used. For this job it is more that ok.

The Geko 201 is a really excellent little GPS. I've got one, but I didn't realise until quite recently just how much stuff it will do. It's also small and light, and with lithium batteries it lasts well.

If you're looking for a GPS with all the latest bells and whistles then the Geko isn't the one for you, but if you simply want one to perform all the basic functions efficiently then I'd say go for it.

Chris Townsend gave it a 'Best Buy' last time he did a GPS review for TGO, btw.

Been using mine for under a year. Hooks into the pc mapping software. Does all a gps should do for around the ton price.

No electronic compass, no barometer, only a grey-scale screen.

As ever, set the price, look at the options and then try and get the best one for the lowest price.

I'd recomend the Summit but that would be unfair as I have no knowledge of the Geko. The Garmin website will do side by side comparisons of the devices so I'd suggest ticking their boxes and running down the features. Then look at the individual pages. I like the compass as it makes it so much easier to just use the GPS and the altimeter can be handy too.

always carry a compass and have an altometer on my Suunto so don't really need them on a GPS. The only concern was if i got carried away with being a "mr gadget"and needed a more advanced model in the near future.

The only concern was if i got carried away with being a "mr gadget"and needed a more advanced model in the near future.

Always the way, Garry. :)

Maybe by that time the 'sensor' models will have dropped in price. Maybe. If nothing else, you could always sell it off on eBay and recoup *some* of the money.

I have the 301 and I do actually use the electronic compass. The altimeter is also a LOT more accurate than your Suunto!

Is there a dedicated altimeter in the 301, druidh? My 201 gives me height readings, but I'm never sure how reliable it might be. I'm just wondering whether you're referring to the same thing.

They're different. The 201 gives altitude calculated from the satellite signals in a similar way to the position. The 301 has a barometric altimeter i.e. working on a similar principle to the Suunto Altimax or equivalent.

Personally, as a 201 and Altimax user of some years, I've found that both tools do the job perfectly well. The electronic altitude from the 201 is much improved since selective availability (if that's what it was called, I forget) was turned off a few years ago. The Suunto works very well as long as you recalibrate it at known heights to take account of barometric changes - but the 301 would need similar attention.
I find that, used sensibly, the two are usually in pretty close agreement.

My own preference is to keep the functions separate - I like my altimeter, GPS, and compass for that matter, to be separate - different units, choice which to use, dependent on different batteries, not all going to fail at once.

Edited for clarity - called the 301 the 302 for some reason - doh! ;)

I've been happy with my 301, it's even survived me driving off with it on the roof of my car twice! I was goign to get a 201 but found a 301 for the same price so bought that. I've never used the altimeter and don't usually use the compass so I'm only really using the same functions as you get on a201 anyway. They're excellent for the money and very small and light. I've not used any other GPS though so I've nothing to compare it to.

The dynamic "correction curve" in the Suunto is very suspect at low temperatures. The Geko doesn't seem to be similarly affected.

201 is an excellent starter. small, light, works in your pocket.
but this is an ever better bargain for a few quid more. get one before they go.

www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod3211.html

druidh
Any idea what counts as low temperatures? I'm just curious because I've noticed no particular problems with my Suunto as low as -20C in a Norwegian winter.




Edited: sp.

Dunno - but I've seen a Suunto go c 300m out (i.e. too high) on a 950m hill (in a Scottish winter), while the Geko was spot on. It seems that the temperature/altitude curve is a bit flaky for certain conditions.

Fair enough then druidh. I'm pretty sure I've never experienced anything that drastic.

My approach anyway is that all these different tools (map, compass, gps, altimeter) just provide one or more pieces of positional evidence - I wouldn't swallow any of them as gospel, but they can be evaluated individually and together and different weight placed on each according to experience and circumstance to sort out where you are and where you're going. I reckon you need as much appreciation of what can be wrong with any information as of what it ought to be telling you! It seems to work for me - and personally I can't go with the "I'd never use a gps" school any more than the "gps is all I need" camp.

The Summit is a sealed unit with an internal thermometer to do the correction, I guess teh Geko is similar. Presumably the sealed nature of the device helps to hold the temperature more constant.

The temperature is visible in the test screens which can be displayed by holding page and up whilst switching the device on.

Thanks Matt.