Anybody GPS?

[whitetailfan]

Found some info on the net about geocaching.  Looks like fun, the kind of thing you could make an adventure out of with the kids.  I've always been intrigued by GPS and its uses in the field for hunting and fishing.  Kind of becoming my newest wish list toy.

Anyway, I'm looking for general feedback from anyone here who uses one.  What do you use?  What purposes?  How long?  Tips/tricks?

I'm leaning at the Magellan eXplorist line.  They look like the replacement to the Sportrak.  Waterproof and rubber coated like a good set of binos.

Magellan eXplorist

Any advice for a nOOb?

EDIT: Fix hyperlink

[Phone Guy]

I have owned a GPS for many years. 3 different ones. I now use a Garmin 60cs. I purchased the routing software and use it all the time. There is a newer model the 60csx.

http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap60csx/
it has a geocaching feature. I have been geocaching for a few years. I slowed down though. Search their site for Phone Guy.

[Phone Guy]

I found some info. It is a lot of fun.

http://www.garmin.com/outdoor/geocaching/

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

WTF,

Geocaching is a lot of fun. It is surprising where people have stashed things.

I have two GPS units; Garmin V and a Garmin Etrex Legend. The Garmin V is mostly for driving, since it supports turn-by-turn navigation. The Legend is for packpacking and geocaching. Both support down-loaded maps with more detail. I also got the Garmin BlueChart series, which includes marine navigation data.

I got mine at www.onlinemarine.com. Pretty good prices and no sales tax.

Have fun....

Arcs_n_Sparks

[nsxbill]

Have used Garmin products for years.  Have Color Street Pilot in both of the cars and a handheld for when out in the boonies.  All have capability of uploading city and topo maps. 

Bill

[tsquared]

I have a Lowrance Global Map 100 handheld for marine navigation but it's a couple of generations old now. You have an excellent store in Calgary, if you ever get up there, Whitetail--it's called GPS City. I bought a gps receiver ($89!) with a USB connection from them that i plug into an old laptop out on  my boat. That combination gives me a 14 inch colour plotter for a grand total of $300. Anyway, for what you want, one of the Garmin's would work well or the Ifinder series is good too. Google GPS City and check out their prices and compare to what you would pay locally. Their shipping and service is good.
T2

[manxman]

I have a couple of Garmin GPS's, a 45XL hand held model bought 10 years ago in the US and a Garmin Chart Plotter fixed unit for marine navigation.

I used the hand held unit extensively as part of a local Search and Rescue Civil Defence team and they are marvellous, not a replacement for good old fashioned map reading but a very useful adjunct to it and in most instances the primary method.

We used to set up our own sort of geocaching exercises for training purposes in the hills using a 6 pack of beer for example, great fun even on a small scale.

The version I use on the boat is particularly useful for wreck fishing, not only finding the wreck but being able to repeat the optimum drifts where most fish are caught.

And now selective availability has been switched off by the American Military accuracy is much improved. Don't thing WAAS is available this side of the pond but I understand this improves accuracy still further.

www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html

I have only ever used Garmin and Magellan, for me I found the Garmin hand held units better but a few years ago they tended to be smaller than the equivalent Magellan units, they all appear very similar now.

[iceman]

Manx, I have an older Garmin 12 GPS and never got to learn how to use it. I can't seem to find any place that teaches a class on how to use them up here. Is there a web site or something you might know about where I can learn?

[manxman]

Manx, I have an older Garmin 12 GPS and never got to learn how to use it.

Seem to remember this model was very simular to mine apart from cosmetic differences.

This site is good, it gives a good overview of GPS together with a GPS for beginners guide which is available as a download. You may well still be able to find and download a copy of the User Manual if you haven't still got it.

http://www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/

Don't think the Garmin 12 or the Garmin45XL is WAAS enabled. Non WAAS GPS's are typically accurate to about 10-15 metres whereas WAAS enabled GPS cuts that down to about 3-5 metres.

Now that selective availability has been switched off by the US military the random variable error that used to be introduced on GPS receivers no longer occurs..... accuracy could be as low as 100 metres or more when SA was a factor. Not good when trying to navigate near a rocky coast or cliffs!!! :o

Apparently the Europeans are launching their own 30 satellite GPS system called Galileo which is suppossed to be operational by 2008 and they are talking accuracy down to 1 metre!!

Hope this site helps. 

However, once you have a grasp of the basics the best way to learn is to just play with it! :-[ (or so my dad used to tell me! ;) )

[whitetailfan]

T2,
Thanks for the tip.  I found GPSCity online and also came across a forum discussion where I found GPSCentral.  Both Canadian companies and both have a store in Calgary, although GPSCity was questionable.  Both places have WAY better pricing, and I can go get it or have my buddy buy for me.  Cheers.

BTW I'm leaning at the eXplorist 400 Winderness bundle Here.

The prices on those stores are like 60-70% of what I can buy around here...crazy :o

[tsquared]

WTF-I had a peek at your choice--amazing features and good price. Sure has changed--I paid $400 for my old Lowrance several years ago and it didn't have 1/2 the capability that machine has. Happy gps ing! I give mine a little kiss on the screen everytime I come into harbour in the thick fog.
T2

[oguard]

T2 that is why those things are so valuable to outdoorsmen these days.Years back you would see fog roll in and that would be it.Now you can stay and fish and follow the breadcrumb tracking in.

Mike

[manxman]

.

Years back you would see fog roll in and that would be it.Now you can stay and fish and follow the breadcrumb tracking in.

Very true, amazing how these things can bring you back onto the mooring time after time with amazing accuracy.  ;)