Gps Units
- Thread starter naconst
- Start date
sparkysteve
New member
Gps
I have a Garmin etrex Legend and I love it. I bought it for $175 and bought the truck mount for $20, the Mapsource CD's for $100, and the lighter socket adapter for $30. Now you can find the all that in a set for under $200. It's nice and compact, easy to use, and afordable. I use it to mark hunting and fishing spots, as well as on road trips. It has info on rest areas, restaraunts, and gas stations stored in it. I'd look into that. If you have a Gander Mountian store near you check them out, or any other sporting goods store. GPSstore.com has some good deals too.
I have a Garmin etrex Legend and I love it. I bought it for $175 and bought the truck mount for $20, the Mapsource CD's for $100, and the lighter socket adapter for $30. Now you can find the all that in a set for under $200. It's nice and compact, easy to use, and afordable. I use it to mark hunting and fishing spots, as well as on road trips. It has info on rest areas, restaraunts, and gas stations stored in it. I'd look into that. If you have a Gander Mountian store near you check them out, or any other sporting goods store. GPSstore.com has some good deals too.
HappyGunner
New member
Capt. Charlie
Moderator Emeritus
I have a Magellan Meridian Gold. It's WAAS enabled and is incredibly accurate, with mapping capability. I fish a lot at night, and I've used the backtrack feature several times when fog was so thick on the lake I couldn't see the bow of my boat. You can get the Gold for around $175 refurbished. Only minor drawback I've found is that some of the newer ones have a color screen, but functionally, it'll match anything out there.
A word about GPS use: To properly use a good GPS takes practice, practice, and more practice. No way can you take it out of the box, walk into the woods, and expect to get out again, using only it.
Also, don't depend on it if you're going to be navigating treacherous terrain at night. The backtrack feature works great, but ol' Uncle Sam throws in an intermittent error factor called "wobble" occasionally. The error can be enough to lead you right off a cliff, or over a lowhead dam
.
A word about GPS use: To properly use a good GPS takes practice, practice, and more practice. No way can you take it out of the box, walk into the woods, and expect to get out again, using only it.
Also, don't depend on it if you're going to be navigating treacherous terrain at night. The backtrack feature works great, but ol' Uncle Sam throws in an intermittent error factor called "wobble" occasionally. The error can be enough to lead you right off a cliff, or over a lowhead dam
.Attachments
I just got a Magellan Explorist for Christmas. The unit works great but the mapsend software that came with it is defective. This makes the unit mostly worthless. Magellan is telling me there is a software problem and they don't know when they will be able to get new discs.
If you get Magellan make sure the software works before you bring it home.
If you get Magellan make sure the software works before you bring it home.
HappyGunner
New member
MapSend software
What Ver. do you have? I have Mapsend Ver.400f it's older and it works great with my Spor Track color.
What Ver. do you have? I have Mapsend Ver.400f it's older and it works great with my Spor Track color.
Garmin Etrex Vista, works great it has built in basic map which is good enough for most trips, plus the intermittent errors that Capt charlie mentioned are now removed. You can buy the Map source mapping as well if you want to plan actual trips, but I have no problem with whats on it. youve got a compass too and height info. I am pleased with mine.
here are a few places that have good deals on gps units.
http://www.gpscity.com/
http://www.reedssports.com/main.taf?_function=list&_start=15&cat=814
http://www.megagps.com/
http://www.gpscity.com/
http://www.reedssports.com/main.taf?_function=list&_start=15&cat=814
http://www.megagps.com/
HappyGunner
New member
Get real answers and help
If you want to get some real answers and help here is the phone number for their World Wide repair station. 918-437-6180 in 2003 Phillip L.Williams was repair/QA Supervisor. I am sure someone there can give you some help.
Good Luck
If you want to get some real answers and help here is the phone number for their World Wide repair station. 918-437-6180 in 2003 Phillip L.Williams was repair/QA Supervisor. I am sure someone there can give you some help.
Good Luck
I just broke down and bought a GPS yesterday...
I have a couple of friends who are very knowledgable on GPS...
We all agreed that currently the best way to go is Garmin eTrex Legend Cx
It has all the features, storage, color, compactness, lightness and it uses removeable memory chips which can be downloaded into your PC, Mac or laptop.
The price for all these goodies/features plus carry case, lanyard, USB cable and 12 volt adaptor AND the programs for all the US Geological Survey Topographical Maps, would normally be about $500.
There is a special going at Sportsman's Wherehouse ofering all of this at $349 and they will give you a free class on how to use it to your best benefit.
AND Garmin will give you a $50 rebate!!!
So bottom line is $300 for everything!
I realize it isn't under $200, but you'll get a whole lot more for the extra $100...
I have a couple of friends who are very knowledgable on GPS...
We all agreed that currently the best way to go is Garmin eTrex Legend Cx
It has all the features, storage, color, compactness, lightness and it uses removeable memory chips which can be downloaded into your PC, Mac or laptop.
The price for all these goodies/features plus carry case, lanyard, USB cable and 12 volt adaptor AND the programs for all the US Geological Survey Topographical Maps, would normally be about $500.
There is a special going at Sportsman's Wherehouse ofering all of this at $349 and they will give you a free class on how to use it to your best benefit.
AND Garmin will give you a $50 rebate!!!
So bottom line is $300 for everything!
I realize it isn't under $200, but you'll get a whole lot more for the extra $100...
FirstFreedom
Moderator
GPS units are the kind of product that you can find ones on serious sale when the next year's models come in. So highly recommend waiting/looking for clearance sales. I like my Lowrance i-Finder - it was packed with features for the price, and Lowrance seems to have a lot of aftermarket product support:
http://www.lowrance.com/Outdoor/
I got the i-Finder Pro GPS & WAAS Receiver on sale for about $100.00, IIRC. However, I'm not yet familiar enough with the technology to know whether this product is lacking or not in compatibility with the latest stuff. I'm still working with the basic features of it. But it certainly can download the maps ("freedom maps") and has a whole laundry list of features and a 5/16" thick manual. And a very large screen, which is one reason I bought it.
http://www.lowrance.com/Outdoor/
I got the i-Finder Pro GPS & WAAS Receiver on sale for about $100.00, IIRC. However, I'm not yet familiar enough with the technology to know whether this product is lacking or not in compatibility with the latest stuff. I'm still working with the basic features of it. But it certainly can download the maps ("freedom maps") and has a whole laundry list of features and a 5/16" thick manual. And a very large screen, which is one reason I bought it.
UniversalFrost
New member
+1 for the Magellan Meridian (I have the Platinum), plus it is somewhat waterproof and floats if dropped in a lake or stream. The only problems I had was when I updated the firmware (can't remeber which revision) and had serious delay issues when using the mapsend software in the car. After the next update came out it fixed the delay issue. The other tip is to ditch the serial sync cable and use the memory card to store and upload/download your maps or points of interest.
I bought mine about 2 years ago and the whole package with routing software and mounting brackets for the car and atv cost near 600, but have seen them for around 300 now with all the accesories.
One thing I would do when I do this again in a few years is get one of the gps units that has an integrated "walkie talkie/cb" . Have seen a few of these and the idea would be good incase lost/hurt and don't have your cell handy.
I bought mine about 2 years ago and the whole package with routing software and mounting brackets for the car and atv cost near 600, but have seen them for around 300 now with all the accesories.
One thing I would do when I do this again in a few years is get one of the gps units that has an integrated "walkie talkie/cb" . Have seen a few of these and the idea would be good incase lost/hurt and don't have your cell handy.