Simply one of the best handheld GPS system for it's price

For this Christmas my wife decided she wanted a cheap GPS system so we could take the kids on Geocaching hunts once in a while. Because we are not really professional Geocachers or don't even go hiking on a regular basis we wanted a cheap, small handheld that would do the job without much extra gimmicks.

The geek in me had two minimum requirements 'though. I wanted to have a color display instead of B/W and I wanted to be able to expand the data in the GPS handheld by using a memory card. My idea was to be able to download map material and put it all on one big SD-Card or to be at least able to put in pre-programmed map SD-Cards in the device. My wife didn't want to spend much money 'though (ideally less than $150).

Finding a GPS handheld with a color display wasn't that hard but the SD-Card option proved to be difficult to find under $200. Nevertheless after searching on the web for a while I found the Garmin etrex Venture Cx for $160!


Unpacking the handheld GPS:

The etrex is pretty small, not much bigger than a average cell phone albeit a little thicker. Interestingly, it seems to be made for left-handed people as using the joystick button with your right thumb obstructs the screen. If you have bigger hands, you might find using the GPS with one hand a little difficult anyway.

The handheld only comes in yellow/black, the display and the joystick button is on the front. All other buttons are on the sides. The box also includes a bag, but that actually might vary with the packages you buy.


The technical stuff:

Outdoor Handheld GPS System
Pre-Loaded internal map: America recreational
Enhanced accuracy WAAS enabled
Geocaching ready
Display Size 1.3 in. x 1.7 in. 256 Color LCD TFT Display with 220 x 176 res.

Other Features:

Expansion slot type SD (Secure Digital) Card Slot for Micro-SD Cards and Pre-Loaded Topo Cards from Garmin
GPS System with max. Horizontal accuracy < 49 feet
Number of routes : 20
Number of Waypoints : 500
Battery : 2 x AA Batteries
Battery Life : 32 Hours


Using the GPS handheld:

Once you switch the device on it immediately begins scanning for the GPS satellites. When I turned it on for the first time, it took about a minute for the device to find the three satellites to know where it is. Another two minutes later it had found another three satellites.

Once you have established the location of the GPS satellites you can start using the device. The main menu has the following options to choose from (quick overview):

1. Satellite: Shows the status of the connection to the GPS satellites. Here you can see how many have been found, where they are in relation to you and what the signal strength is. In my handheld, there seems to be a bug here. If you switch to satellite view and use the power/light button to switch to the brightest screen setting, you cannot use the joystick/rocker as it will crash and shut down the handheld. I have to contact Garmin to see what is up with that.

2. Trip Computer: Keeps track on how fast you moved, how far, how long you stopped, etc.

3. Mark : Here you can set a Mark/Waypoint on your current location

4. Find : With this powerful option, you can quickly find all kinds of points of interest (POI's) near you, like your own set waypoints, Geocaches, cities, highway and interstate exits and others.

5. Tracks : Here you can start tracking your way. Very useful because of the "track-back" function that tells you how to get back to where you started. Never get lost again (unless you were lost when you started...)

6. Routes : Here you can program your own routes into the handheld to follow. Routes can be made up of all kinds of POI's.

7. Highway : A nice little extra that provides highway information when you use the navigating features.

8. Setup : As the name says, here you change all the system settings

9. Proximity : Here you can see all the waypoints near you and can also set up proximity alerts

10. Calendar : Basic calendar with some nice features like moon cycle and when the sun rises and sets.

11. Alarm Clock : Guess!

12. Calculator : Basic calculator, no fancy extras

13. Stopwatch : Basic Stopwatch functions

14. Sun & Moon : A nice little feature, showing you where the sun and moon are in relation to your position at any given day and time.

15. Hunt & Fish : Built in tables provide a prediction of best times for hunting or fishing on a given time and location.

16. Games : 6 small games. What would any tech-toy be without those built in gimmicks?



Even though the little handheld is loaded with features (especially for the price), it's never hard to use. The interface is surprisingly intuitive and most default settings are set so that you can get right into using the device without having to think too much about adjusting settings and customizing them.

When you have the map-view on, the joystick (or "rocker" as it's also called) moves a small pointer around the map. From here, a one small click can show you information on POI's, you can put in new ones, scroll the map, zoom in and out... it's all very easy to use and very easy to understand. Even if you have never used a GPS you will most likely be able to use the basic features without consulting the manual.


Geo-Caching-Ready

Chances are that you will think about this handheld because you are looking for a cheap, reliable Outdoor-GPS for Geocaching as it's one of the advertised features of this small handheld. So what does "Geocaching-ready" actually mean and what features can you expect?

Well, basically the Venture Cx offers a small database for Geocaches entered in the device. You can use the "find" option from the main menu to program the handheld to guide you to the nearest geocache that you entered using the connection to your computer for example. Once found, you can mark it so you can return to it later. Garmin offers Geo-Cache coordinates on their website which you can easily transfer to your Venture Cx via a USB cable (not included). You are then ready to go find hidden treasures.


WAAS

The Garmin Venture Cx features WAAS/EGNOS to improve accuracy of GPS data. WAAS stands for Wide Area Augmentation System. What does that mean? WAAS stations in North America monitor GPS data. They send correction messages to WAAS GEO satellites which sends the corrected data to the users device. EGNOS is the european name for the same system. Using the WAAS option on your Venture Cx gives it an accuracy of at least 3 to 6 feet horizontal and 6 to 9 feet vertical.


Enough of the technical bla bla... how good is the Venture Cx?

I am not a GPS pro or a navigation freak who wants all and the latest features available no matter what. I was looking for a cheap reliable handheld GPS that I can use offroad, for geo-caching and maybe limited road navigation. And I got so much more. This little thing, even though under $170, sports all the features that usually come with way more expensive units, like MicroSD slot, WAAS and color display. If you ever had a Garmin you will notice that all their interfaces are more or less the same, just with more or less options, depending on the unit. So basically, if you know how to use one Garmin, you will have no problem using another. And if this is your first one, you will be surprised by it's ease to use.

The display is really bright on it's highest setting and easily readable even in bright sunlight. That and the resolution and number of colors make for an excellent display.

The size of the Venture Cx is small enough to fit in almost any pocket (especially since it's antenna is internal, unlike the bigger Garmin 60 series). Some people, especially with very big hands, might find the Venture Cx a little too small. Some buttons are a little close to each other when you have bigger hands.

The overall quality is very good. Well, it's a Garmin. Their handheld GPS systems were always well put together. This one is no exception. Rugged and water resistant, the Venture Cx will survive a few drops even on harder surfaces - unless of course you drop it directly on the display. But even then I am confident that the display will only get a crack but will still work.

So is there anything I don't like? Actually...no. The Garmin Venture Cx is one nice little handheld GPS unit that I can recommend without reservation.