Is GPS acurate enough?

[BVI Hunter]

Is there a handheld GPS (say for hiking, geo-caching etc) that could be used to plot "finds"?
just wondered what the accuracy was - within a few feet? ten feet? or more?

thanks!!

 

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[calisdad]

From my experience I'd say 15 to 20 feet. At least with the E-Trex.
Think about it- your using some 27 satellites, not always the same ones. To come that close is still pretty amazing. We had on once on a fish finder that had a built in 12' error that was very repeatable so it all depends on the unit.

 

[vpnavy]

FWIW - I searched

and found a lot of threads - here are a few...

• New Gps tracking app for the metal detectorist (Jan 22, 2013)
• Is there an GPS unit that will get me within 10 feet of a site? (Jul 29, 2011)
• IPhone gps tracking apps? (Jun 12, 2011)

 

[BVI Hunter]

thanks all!!

 

[Jason in Enid]

It depends on the GPS, but most of the handheld models will get you within about 3 feet on a good day and about 10 feet on an off day. Lots things can skew the numbers slightly, so that's why it varies. If you are planning to use one to plot artifact finds on a beach, it will probably get you close enough for what you want.

 

[BVI Hunter]

Thanks!

Im trying to map a "debris field" of finds that I believe will lead back to the source??

if I can plot to within a few feet that should work

thanks!!

 

[Frankn]

I can mark a point in my E-Trex walk a mile away and come back watching the screen and it will show that spot in the last step, app. 3'. Frank...

 

[Uncle Jeff]

the more satellites a GPS can track the more accurate I have a garmin that is suppose to be accurate to within 10 feet. Although I think because of military concerns that is about as good as you will find commercially.

 

[TerryC]

Most civilian models will get you to 10 meteres, by design. A little better using WAAS. Military and most professional construction models can wipe the bugger off your nose without drawing blood! TTC

 

[GMD52]

In doing boundary surveys, and laying out logging roads, I've found it accurate to within 1-2 meters. The only function that gives poor results is when you try to use it to find elevations, It says it will, but I have had poor results there. But that;s not really it's purpose.

 

[BVI Hunter]

Thanks all!

will get shopping now!!

 

[Jason in Enid]

I can mark a point in my E-Trex walk a mile away and come back watching the screen and it will show that spot in the last step, app. 3'. Frank...

Yes, but thats on the same day with the same conditions. follow the coords back to that spot every week and see what kind of deviation spread you get.

 

[Keppy]

Most civilian models will get you to 10 meteres, by design. A little better using WAAS. Military and most professional construction models can wipe the bugger off your nose without drawing blood! TTC

Terry now most of us do not know what 10 meters is...1 ft...2 ft..3ft..or more or less.. ... You have to know that most of us went to school in the USA.. Is not 10 meters like 34 feet ??

 

[BVI Hunter]

3 ft to a meter...!

 

[Frankn]

Yes, but thats on the same day with the same conditions. follow the coords back to that spot every week and see what kind of deviation spread you get.

I put the survey metal stakes into my GPS a couple of years ago and I have no trouble just walking up to them and getting the
screen indication within the last step. I can set it to run on line and track my boundries from marker to marker with no problem. It has the WASS enhancements. The only place it went wacky was around an air force base near Tampa. It reversed 180 degees. I found out later that the base can electronically deflect the reading. A kind of missile defense. The height reading is accurate with a min. of 4 sats. I am at 330' elevation according to my topo map, and that is what I get with the GPS give or take 10'. Maybe I just got a good one. Frank...

 

[Jason in Enid]

My old E-Trex was better at altitude measuring than my newer GPS60CSX. The E-Trex only uses the sat info for measurements and the GPS60 uses only atmospheric pressure measurements. In theory the GPS60 should be more reliable and accurate, but that's only if you can calibrate it shortly before hand. If you don't know your exact baro pressure for your location or the exact height to calibrate, it can be off by quite a lot. I wish they made it with the option to use either or both.

 

[BVI Hunter]

I was looking at this?

Garmin GPSMAP 62stc Handheld Navigator

in case anyone has used one?

 

[Bum Luck]

Most civilian models will get you to 10 meteres, by design. A little better using WAAS. Military and most professional construction models can wipe the bugger off your nose without drawing blood! TTC

Terry's right.

The satellites are 11,000 miles up.

If you want better, you have to measure the phase shift of the radio signals of each satellite like the survey grade units. That was discovered by the Jet Propulsion Lab in the 1980's. I've been using them since 1995 with accuracy and precision.

If you think you're getting better, it's probably an accident of standard deviation.

 

[BVI Hunter]

Terry's right.

The satellites are 11,000 miles up.

If you want better, you have to measure the phase shift of the radio signals of each satellite like the survey grade units. That was discovered by the Jet Propulsion Lab in the 1980's. I've been using them since 1995 with accuracy and precision.

If you think you're getting better, it's probably an accident of standard deviation.

You lost me after "11,000 miles....." !!!!!

 

[Frankn]

Terry's right.

The satellites are 11,000 miles up.

If you want better, you have to measure the phase shift of the radio signals of each satellite like the survey grade units. That was discovered by the Jet Propulsion Lab in the 1980's. I've been using them since 1995 with accuracy and precision.

If you think you're getting better, it's probably an accident of standard deviation.

Hay, My Direct TV sat is 22,500 miles up and it sits over Equidor in the Clark belt with about the same signal output and I get a good signal. Now granted it is geostationary. With the speed of radio waves, I don't think distance is a problem, however trees, buildings and canyon walls can kill it. Frank...