A Lanyard for my GPS (pictures)

[DancingBear]

I recently got a new GPS, a Garmin Gecko. I really like it except that it needed a better method of attaching a lanyard so I could carry it around my neck. I wanted something that wasn't prone to twisting, and would carry the receiver with the antenna exposed so I could get an accurate trace of my path as I hike. I also wanted to be able to access the battery compartment without removing the lanyard adaptor (a flaw with the factory accessory).

The idea had been brewing in the back of my mind for awhile. Today I decided to go for it. I'm fairly pleased with the result:





Here it is attached to the receiver:





Walt

[kendall]

Very nice, looks like it could have been a factory option.

ken

[Furnace]

Hey, thats pretty neat. If you showed that to I woulda thought it was a facotry option. Id like to get a GPS and try geocaching, seems like it would be family friendly.

[CCWKen]

Very nice! It does look factory. You should put those on the market.

I carry my GPS in my back pocket or belly pack. It's been working fine since about 1958 and I've never had to change a battery.

[A.K. Boomer]

Nice work! That does look like a factory built unit...

[winchman]

Very nicely made.

It looks like the Geko will hang upside down. See:
http://www8.garmin.com/flash/geko201_360.swf

Does that reduce the reception? I can see where you might want the unit to hang that way so you could just flip it up to view the screen, but it seems like the reception might be better with the unit upright. If that's the case, you can easily trim the length of the clip and turn it around.

Roger

[wshelley]

I like it. I bought a second back for my Etrex that has the typical cell phone circular belt clip. I put the clip on the shoulder strap of my backpack. It works well...

[BobC]

Nice idea. I need something like that for my ETrex Vista. Incidentally, I just purchased a Garmin 650 from Costco.com at what I consider a reasonable price and like it a lot so far.

[DancingBear]

Thanks for the kind words, folks!

It is intended to carry it upside down. My experience has been that upside-down works ok, as long as the unit is facing away from my body.

I thought about the phone clip solution, but I keep breaking the clips on my phone, so I didn't want to trust my GPS to it when I go bushwhacking. I think this should hold up pretty well, and being aluminum it'll bend rather than break.

I haven't tried geocaching, but it sounds like it could be fun.

This was a hand-tool project, by the way, and one that's in reach of anyone who cares to take the time. The shape was cut out with a hacksaw and filed smooth. I drilled the holes with my milling machine (it was handy ) but it could be done with an eggbeater hand drill. The material is 1/16" aluminum sheet from the K&S display at the hobby shop, and it was finished with Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black.

Walt

[motomoron]

I turned up a neat little aluminum flanged button to attach a leash to the back of my new Garmin 305 bike computer after the ~old~ one fell off somewhere around the 25 mile point of a the 40-odd mile shop ride one Saturday morning last summer. No matter what your project is, there's probably someone somewhere who's either done the same thing or has been meaning to for some time...

[winchman]

The thing that catches my eye and makes it look really "pro" is the neat radius on the inside corners. Did you use predrilled holes in those corners, or was it all careful hand work with the saw and files?

Roger

[DancingBear]

I drilled 1/8" holes at the inside corners (well, 1/16" inside the planned corner point). Then I sawed just inside the line and cleaned up with a file.

I didn't do the radiused corners so much for looks as for durability, it reduces the chance of stress cracks forming. But thanks for the compliment!

Walt