Was in Cardiff playing chess today and called into the City lunchtime. Dixon's had a closing down/moving sale on which included a Casio GPS watch they reckoned retailed at £349 which they had for sale at £149. Got the guy to show me the watch and he said if I was really interested he could do it for £125 ! The wife has just bought me a Casio PRG-50 Altimeter/Compass/Barometer watch and I felt she might not appreciate me coming home with another watch - although I am quite keen to have a gps. Anyone seen one of the Casio GPS watches, if so are they any good and have I left a real bargain behind?
I think it was this model, can't seem to find another Casio gps watch on the web?
In article <[email hidden]>, Alan C <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Was in Cardiff playing chess today and called into the City lunchtime. Dixon's had a closing down/moving sale on which included a Casio GPS watch they reckoned retailed at £349 which they had for sale at £149. Got the guy to show me the watch and he said if I was really interested he could do it for £125 ! The wife has just bought me a Casio PRG-50 Altimeter/Compass/Barometer watch and I felt she might not appreciate me coming home with another watch - although I am quite keen to have a gps. Anyone seen one of the Casio GPS watches, if so are they any good and have I left a real bargain behind?
I think it was this model, can't seem to find another Casio gps watch on the web?
In article <[email hidden]>, AndyP <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
"Dominic Sexton" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
The Casio GPS watches are little more than a poor novelty. You could spend a lot less money on a much more capable and usable GPS.
Is that because they don't actually tell you where you are or because they don't have lots of extra functions?
The battery (lithium similar to a camera battery from what I recall) is only good for ~ 600 position fixes. You do not leave it on - you switch it on and wait 30 - 60 seconds to get a fix. It only displays position in lat / long. There is no track log facility or routes.
The relatively small antenna (relatively large for a watch!) means they are not very sensitive to GPS signals so they are less able to get a fix than a normal receiver.
In article <[email hidden]>, AndyP <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
"Dominic Sexton" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
The Casio GPS watches are little more than a poor novelty. You could spend a lot less money on a much more capable and usable GPS.
Is that because they don't actually tell you where you are or because they don't have lots of extra functions?
The battery (lithium similar to a camera battery from what I recall) is only good for ~ 600 position fixes. You do not leave it on - you switch it on and wait 30 - 60 seconds to get a fix. It only displays position in lat / long. There is no track log facility or routes.
The relatively small antenna (relatively large for a watch!) means they are not very sensitive to GPS signals so they are less able to get a fix than a normal receiver.
Buy some maps (OS Explorer series) and a good compass and learn map reading :-o) Regards Mike.
Good advice. I have a Garmin GPS III+, a great device that I use a lot in the car to find addresses and places I've never been to before.
When we go out onto the hills I used to take it with me, but not any more as I never really had to use it.
Unless you get caught in thick fog they're pretty much unnecessary in my opinion. As long as you have a map, and can see reasonably well, you'll be fine.
Mine only got used properly when we went off in the Yosemite park where there are far fewer features and map reading isn't as easy as it at home. --
Buy some maps (OS Explorer series) and a good compass and learn map reading :-o) Regards Mike.
Good advice. I have a Garmin GPS III+, a great device that I use a lot in the car to find addresses and places I've never been to before.
When we go out onto the hills I used to take it with me, but not any more as I never really had to use it.
Unless you get caught in thick fog they're pretty much unnecessary in my opinion. As long as you have a map, and can see reasonably well, you'll be fine.
Mine only got used properly when we went off in the Yosemite park where there are far fewer features and map reading isn't as easy as it at home. --
Buy some maps (OS Explorer series) and a good compass and learn map reading :-o) Regards Mike.
Thank you for that Mike.
How many more explorer maps should I buy?
Should I ditch the Pathfinder and original Outdoor Leisure maps I have in favour of the new Explorers?
Should I get a better compass than my Silva Type 4 or my Suunto M3 Global? What model do you recommend?
Where can I go on a map reading course to help me learn?
Your input is eagerly anticipated...
First you should buy the Casio watch, place it on a flat rock, and smash it with a mallet, preferably wearing safety goggles.
Only then will you be qualified to go looking for maps.
Thank you. Does that mean I have to go outside before I can look for maps. It's a bit of a Catch-22 situation - I'm worried I might get lost if I venture out of my house without a map.
Buy some maps (OS Explorer series) and a good compass and learn map reading :-o) Regards Mike.
Thank you for that Mike.
How many more explorer maps should I buy?
Should I ditch the Pathfinder and original Outdoor Leisure maps I have in favour of the new Explorers?
Should I get a better compass than my Silva Type 4 or my Suunto M3 Global? What model do you recommend?
Where can I go on a map reading course to help me learn?
Your input is eagerly anticipated...
First you should buy the Casio watch, place it on a flat rock, and smash it with a mallet, preferably wearing safety goggles.
Only then will you be qualified to go looking for maps.
Thank you. Does that mean I have to go outside before I can look for maps. It's a bit of a Catch-22 situation - I'm worried I might get lost if I venture out of my house without a map.
The Casio GPS watches are little more than a poor novelty. You could spend a lot less money on a much more capable and usable GPS.
Quoted message said:
Is that because they don't actually tell you where you are or because they don't have lots of extra functions?
Compare a watch with calculator functions to a calculator. It costs a lot more money and a lot less function to squeeze it into a watch format.
It doesn't have enough power to do much if any tracking, not enough display to show much useful info, and positions are given in Lat/Long, which is a lot harder to find on your map, A-Z, whatever, than OS grid refs. -- Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205 IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK [http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]
In article <[email hidden]>, Gordon Harris <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Dominic Sexton <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
How many more explorer maps should I buy?
Should I ditch the Pathfinder and original Outdoor Leisure maps I have in favour of the new Explorers?
Should I get a better compass than my Silva Type 4 or my Suunto M3 Global? What model do you recommend?
Where can I go on a map reading course to help me learn?
Your input is eagerly anticipated...
First you should buy the Casio watch, place it on a flat rock, and smash it with a mallet, preferably wearing safety goggles.
Only then will you be qualified to go looking for maps.
Thank you. Does that mean I have to go outside before I can look for maps. It's a bit of a Catch-22 situation - I'm worried I might get lost if I venture out of my house without a map.
Lay a bread crumb trail, any cheap GPS will do that for you. -- Gordon Harris
In article <[email hidden]>, Gordon Harris <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
First you should buy the Casio watch, place it on a flat rock, and smash it with a mallet, preferably wearing safety goggles.
How do you get safety glasses onto a mallet ?
Actually Bill, quite easily. You stretch the elastic head band and let it close up on the mallet head - that's why it's called a head band. -- Gordon Harris
