Orienting with Holux M-241 + Google Earth Maps (with lat/long grid)

Search for "holux"…33 results going back to 2009. I would rather use a garmin foretrex 301.

That's a nice small size, but no UTM is a bummer. I prefer a Garmin Foretrex or Gecko.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/search.html?q=holux+&x=0&y=0

Gregory,

have you considered the Garmin Fenix? It is quite expensive, but would allow you to get your UTM coordinates without carrying an extra device. You would get that information from your watch. You would even get basic maps, altimeter, compass, barometer, thermometer, etc. As long as you just look up information from time to time you can go on long trips with the watch. If you turn on tracking you would run down the battery in a weekend, but tracking doesn't seem to be your intent.

Just an idea …

Manfred

First, thank you all for your valuable answers.

I don't see any potential issue if you have a lat/long grid on map and device that gives you location in the same coordinate system. I know, UTM is more intuitive because it has 1km grid. Maybe it's easier to estimate distances on UTM grid. However I can have them both anyway. I can also take a map without lat/long grid and draw it. I think it's 15-20 minutes to do.

I read all the old threads here on BPL before creating this thread. There is maybe one poster here who used it for orienting with map. My concern was about using Google Earth maps since you may have map of virtually any area on the globe. Hence I thought it's worth posting.

Garmin Fenix is far too expensive for me. However that might be a good option.

But still maybe I'm totally wrong …

Gregory, I am one who has used it just like you describe but with Nat. Geo TOPO printed maps. I would think if the Google Earth maps are accurate (and I assume they are) it would be a fine system.

Gregory, a few observations:

– Does the Holux allow you to change the datum it uses? Google Earth uses WGS-84, but many maps around the world use a different datum, often a local one. If your GPS doesn't allow you to match the datum the map is drawn to, it could cause navigation issues. Often it's not a huge deal, but it can cause major confusion if you don't know it's going on.

– Does the Holux use a high sensitivity GPS chip? Garmins do, and this is what you want when dealing with tree cover or canyon/cliff areas. The Garmins seem to do a good job dealing with the multipath errors common to canyon/cliff terrain.

– Since you only need the GPS to give an occasional point position, a Garmin ForeTrex 301 or 401 would literally provide months of service on 1 set of AAA batteries, especially if you use lithiums. The battery life is so long, and two AAA lithium batts so light, I would just discount the AA/AAA disparity.

If you stick with the Holux, I think you're giving up a lot of capability to maintain battery size consistency.

Thank you for this great input!

I think I'll take both :) I mean I'll buy both. After a good field test I'll sell one of them.

Alex, do you still use it? If you don't, why?

James, you mentioned really important features. Thank you.

– I think that Holux use the same datum (84). I don't think it is possible to change it. However if I'll grid the map I use, then this might be not that important. But it is a lot of work to do, I know.

– I believe Garmin is far better than Holux. It is engineered for my purpose. Holux is a logger and using it for orienting means pushing it's capabilities. I'm pretty sure Garmin will perform better. On Holux website in specs they mention:
Built-in MTK Low power consumption GPS chipset.
32 parallel satellite-searching channels for fast acquisition and reacquisition.
Superior sensitivity, up to -159 dBm.
Built-in WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS Demodulator without any additional hardware.
However I couldn't find such info about Garmin 401/301 for comparison.

– True. Maybe it's impractical, but it would be nice to use same battery in GPS occasionally while hiking, then put it into Zebralight in a camp, then put it into MP3 player and listen to some audio book. This way I consider AA batteries as consumables. I can estimate how many AA/day I consume. Also it will save me 2 ounces (GPS, spares AAA) and make sense for me because power became uniform for all of my electronics.

Thank you!

However again, maybe I'm mad.

Gregory,
I still use it but only on certain trips. I must state up front that I am a GPS luddite and have always operated with just map and compass until recently. There are a lot of potential draw backs with the Holux like not waterproof and only Lat/Long but many good ones like weight, long battery life, 100,000 waypoints and very low cost. Mostly all I really want is location and some days, distance traveled

I have used it on 3 major desert trips, mostly off trail, 2 of them I recorded track logs which seemed to be very accurate with the exception of a strange track log on one day in some very deep slot canyons but I am not sure it wasn't user error on my part because in other slots it did fine.

The other trip I just turned it on like you are proposing just to check location, also in southern Utah canyon country and it worked perfectly. I was carrying just one Lithium battery for a month long trip and had complete confidence I would have plenty of battery life after having tested it previously on the other trips when I would have it on all day. I have also used it in some deep forest and it also seemed very accurate.

The Gecko is no longer available and the Foretrex's are 2 and 3X more expensive and heavier.