I regularly use a GPS on known routes just to see how it does. I don't have a problem with using GPS for nav, but I don't use just the in-car receiver, I also have the software on my PC with the same map/DB as the receiver.

I use the map software so that I'll know the route before I get in the car, then I let the GPS follow along as I drive. Mine says "recalculating" quite often But that's one of the Garmin Nuvi receivers. For backcountry driving, a GPS 60CSx with road and topo maps is a much better option. Having the software on a PC so you can get a better picture of what the GPS is doing helps a lot.

To take that many people with children that far off road following a GPS blindly is a learning experience.

DW and I drove from NYC to near Wilmington, NC last month. We went via the DelMarVa Peninsula and even thereafter stayed off the major highways.

According to the GPS, I drove through a lot of cornfields. It was pretty clear it either did not know where we were or did not know where the road was on numerous occasions, and I suspect the later in most cases.

It's a tool. Only a tool. It needs to be checked against other tools, if you really have no clue as to wehre you are. other tools would include maps and your own common sense.

I'm not sure what you mean? Where did this 50% figure come from and what is it in reference to. Can you say a bit more about this?

Never blindly follow the GPS. It's a tool, a good tool, but not an infallible one. I use mine everyday while out geocaching and it has gotten me into good trouble more often than not! <very big grin>


(More often then not) to me says that he’s saying it doesn’t work more times then it does, that has to be over 50% of the time. I question this statement.

This is why I am very reluctant to endorse any kind of wilderness electronics. If you pray the tech gods and let them think for you...

Well, I'd point and laugh if it wasn't so serious.

I have a simple Garmin vehicle-type GPS that is helpful in urban area but not much use on bush roads. If you are driving on a road that does not exist it just shows you driving on a blank screen. There are also lots of roads shown on the GPS screen that were never there or were overgrown 30 years ago and are now just forest.

It is a handy tool in the bush though to be able to get your location (Lat/Long) from the GPS and use the map to figure out where you are.

Mike

Well, maybe, but I've sure seen a lot of GPS failures in mountainous terrain. Down in the bottom of gullies or deep canyons and under heavy tree cover seem to be places where failure to get a fix occurs.

Recently when I was on Marion Mtn (10,600+), the GPS pointed us to a false summit. GPS's are frequently but not always good. I can't say what percentage of the time under what conditions failures occur, but they're very common. I get GPS failures multiple times every hike I go on.

Roarmeister, anything to add?

Yes, but then what does it direct you to do?

Why, drive off a cliff of course.

Hi thseng,

I do not know, I have not asked the GPS to navigate somewhere when it was "off-road". I will try it tomorrow and let you know what it tells me to do!

Mike