[OSM-talk] mapping while hiking

[Charles Basenga Kiyanda]

Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn't thought about clipping the receiver 
to the top of my backpack. I also hadn't thought that a lot of small 
movement, compared to a steady stable displacement, might lower the 
accuracy. I'll keep that in mind if I try to attach the gps to my 
forearm and see what happens. Good suggestions frome everyone. I'll keep 
it in mind.

Charles

Mike Collinson wrote:
> At 04:13 AM 26/04/2008, Charles Basenga Kiyanda wrote:
>   
>> This is slightly off-topic, but does anyone have a trick to deal with 
>> the gps when tagging while hiking trails? I carry a garmin etrex legend 
>> Cx (unfortunately not the H version) and I find that it has to be 
>> "looking" directly up and flat to get best reception. Especially around 
>> here with often good tree cover and canyons. I'm just wondering if other 
>> hikers have found something to remedy that problem. I'm always using 
>> hiking poles when on the trail, so I was thinking about something that 
>> would look like an arm-band mounted pouch that I could strap to one of 
>> my forearm, since they stay pretty level constantly during the hike. 
>> Maybe a backpack mounted option? I'm fishing for ideas here. I've tried 
>> every possible permutation of having the gps stick out of one of my 
>> pockets on pants(trousers)/coat/etc to no avail. Just for reference, I'm 
>> in the southwest USA and my main source of hiking gear is REI and Amazon.
>>     
>
> I noticed that I got much better tracks on a bicycle than walking, even in similar conditions and speeds. After some experimentation, the reason seems to be that a GPS device likes to be kept relatively stable and not shaken or twisted around.  The best place I've found on the human body is to use a day sack or rucksack with a central top pocket, i.e. centre upper torso with best view of sky.  Hips and arms move too much.
>
> A rucksack strap should give similar results as other respondents suggest.  Like Andy, I also tried under or on the brim of an Australian stockman's hat but I found that I move my head around too much, and also even the small weight gives me a headache after a while.
>
> Good hiking!
> Mike 
>
>
>
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