Thread: What are your Favourite or Most Accurate Garmin Devices?

Originally Posted by alamel

no I dont try because I Dont care about accuracy so much on my nuvi , but I care on my etrex , and 2-3 meter its what I got on etrex legend HCX

I use my nuvi as track logger in expeditions. There are no advanced accuracy in raw logging mode but the track records is very accurate and particular!

Originally Posted by Giomen

Do you try activate a raw logging for position in Nuvi 255? My Nuvi 765T is not inferior to any non-professional GPS devices in accuracy in this mode. 2-3 meters is total error due to using of L1 GPS channel. One exception I am using external Garmin marine antenna on car root for reduction of correlation with directivity pattern. In this case tracks is equal without difference - go forward or go back.

Giomen, from what I read, but not confirmed, the pattern of raw Garmin is not identical for all models of GPS. I tried to open the .bin of 3490 but I had no luck. You recommended some application?
Some application "old" captured the raw data from satellites (.bin?) from Etrex serial gps and converted into Rinex format for post processing data. The software (in notebook) could capture raw data before being processed by the GPS, all of these suited to gps and your hardware. Today with different chipsets and usb ports is no more possible to use these applications to Garmin. It would be the ".bin" the data not processed of satellites? It seems so, but do not cease to be strange that are available in the Nuvis and not on handhelds.

@alamel
Can you disable WAAS on your eTrex Legend HCx? That would be a fairer 'accuracy' comparison with a car unit like your Nuvi255. Some WAAS/SBAS enhanced devices are switchable.
@IGNATRON
Your etrex 'yellow' units have grey or mono screen? That could be the discontinued eTrex/eTrex H (both WAAS), or the current eTrex 10 which can also receive both GLONASS and GPS signals simultaneously. Either way, can you disable GLONASS and/or WAAS then do a comparative side-by-side accuracy test with your 2100?

@Neil
I think I can disable WAAS on my eTrex Legend HCx but I prefer an accurate off road GPS for hiking , geocatching ... I have no problem with my Nuvi255 it always drive me to the exact point. 50 feets off in adresse search is not a big problem.

Yes of course. Up to 50 ft (~15 metres) is quite acceptable for on-road navigation imho (other users' opinions do differ though, i've found). But my point is to check if an outdoor unit such as an eTrex, when not enhanced by WAAS/SBAS and/or GLONASS, will report a similar accuracy to an automotive unit such as your 255 or the OP's 2100 (which don't process SBAB signals and rely solely on GPS sat sigs).

I'm not for a moment suggesting that you should use your etrex like that for practical use. The question is of academic interest only, i.e. to gauge comparative sensitivity of receivers/antennas of the two types of units on more equal terms.

Here's a link to a small report on the Old Etrex " which I have" and it's replacement the Etrex 10 and the little glitches are right but reduce greatly when in open bush.

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As I say one day will replace them, when I have used the tracks from the Etrex I have been happy with the Track and Map line up " I use OziExplorer as my mapping Software" the 2100 logs I found are just the same but not the glitch line that disappears off to wide blue yonder. The accuracy of both have been very close to each other with the best at 4mtr.

My old Etrex doesn't have GLONASS as far as I know and only uses the US GPS system, which is fine even when they change the SA I still have been able to find Camp "some of the bush is so dense in the West "tea tree/mulga""you could miss camp without a GPS.

@IGNATRON
If your 'yellows' are older eTrex models eTrex or eTrexH, they rely on SBAS (WAAS, etc) for GPS accuracy enhancement. All current eTrex models, including the yellow eTrex10, receive both GPS and GLONASS (which adds up to an extra 24 sat signals) plus SBAS capability so accuracy should be superior to the older models especially if GPS signals are sub-optimal.