What GPS should I get?

[SpeedyVic]

I am looking to get a handheld one that I can still hook up to my laptop. What is the best for the bucks?

I have never had one before. Do they act as an active GPS antenna while connected to the laptop, or do the just upload and download?

 

[spencurai]

there was a GPSIII for sale in here a while ago. go to the for sale section and search for GPS. it was the mapping version and very nice!!

you can hook most GPS units to a laptop.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I have the Garmin Etrex Legend... I think I paid $250 for it but I can't quite remember. It has all the options...laptop, antenna etc.. I need to pick up the ext. antenna. So far it has been a great unit, I don't use any of the advanced capabilities, just plain jane tracking and compass... but it does it all including WAAS...

1/4 Eliptic had a sweet one for sale a couple fo weeks ago... look him up...

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Look here:

http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2743

 

[muleskinner]

I have had one Magellan, and 2 Garmins. The Garmins are by far the best. I am looking at getting the Garmin rhino, which has two way radio's, point to point, and is WAS capable. I would strongly recomend you look at it before you buy. My .02

 

[mbryson]

Originally posted by muleskinner
I have had one Magellan, and 2 Garmins. The Garmins are by far the best. I am looking at getting the Garmin rhino, which has two way radio's, point to point, and is WAS capable. I would strongly recomend you look at it before you buy. My .02

That's a sweet one. I love the idea....is that the same channels as a CB or are the different radio waves/frequencies or whatever?




I'd echo the Garmin units. My dad just bought a Magellan and I have no idea how to operate it. I had an E-trex and have an E-map now. Get one with the most memory you can afford, and good mapping. Favorite accessories are the 'stand' that I've superglued to my dashpad in my XJ and the cig lighter adapter.

 

[Coreshot]

The Garmin Rino has the same frequencies as the Motorola two-way radios that are so popular nowadays. Pretty sweet units. If there are more than one unit in use, they can be used to pinpoint each other.

 

[Greg]

How about a Handheld, Waterproof GPS? Thats what I need..... Something small enough for hiking, biking, and wheelin. Choices?

Anyone own the $100 ETrex?

 

[spencurai]

Originally posted by Greg
How about a Handheld, Waterproof GPS? Thats what I need..... Something small enough for hiking, biking, and wheelin. Choices?

Anyone own the $100 ETrek?

the etrek is a good one for lightweight, minimal options type receiver. it will give you position, speed, compass funciton and all those basic functions for a c-note!! great multi purpose unit but not a lot of frill.

 

[Greg]

That'd be all I'd need! Just the basics!

How Waterproof are they? Submiersable? (Spelling???)

 

[spencurai]

this rino from garmin is frickin fool. it combines GPS with FRS radio. if someone else is using one of these radios, they show each other where they are on a gps map. great for finding someone that is lost or just keeping track of where people are on a trail run.
http://www.garmin.com/products/rino/

the geko is cool....smallest GPS yet and submersible in water for 30 min in 1 meter of water....?!?

http://www.garmin.com/products/geko101/

the etrex is submersible too check it out, it floats.... killer !!!

http://www.garmin.com/products/etrex/

I gotta give it up to garmin, they make the cooler looking GPS units..DeLorme is kina boring....

 

[94rodeo]

usually the more spendy the more acurate, but even the cheap ones now days get you withing 50 feet or so.. When you do get a gps check out http://www.geocaching.com

kinda like treasure hunting.


Troy

 

[1\4elliptic toy]

Buy mine!!!!! It is still for sale I need it gone quick.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Originally posted by 94rodeo
... withing 50 feet or so.. ...

Mine generally shows an accuracy within 10-15 ft... and I've checked it

 

[muleskinner]

Mine usually does too. Plug e'm into the laptop with the maptech program runnin and there awsome.

 

[xjc]

That garmin looks awesome but I doubt I would ever go anywere with anyone else with one so allot of the features aren't going to do me any good. Also, the best option I can think of is having a map.

 

[94rodeo]

the one i use gets me with in 10 feet usually as well, I was just mentioning that the cheap ones can get with in 50 feet.

 

[Caleb]

I have used magellan, garmin, lowrance, and eagle...by far my favorite was the lowrance but they wouldn;t do us a ton of good in the offroad world cause it was pretty big and quite pricey...

this is one of the ones we use at my work but like I said you will spend right around $2500 for it (pocket change right)

personally I really liked my magellan up until it got stolen...I no longer like it I have heard nothing but good about the e-trex (all models)...never used one though...garmin is a big name and you will get a quality product with anything of thiers...same for the rest really...

as for using them, whatever you learn on is going to be the easiest...since I have used so many different types and models they all seem about the same to me (but really they are different)...for sure get something you can load maps into, its a whole lot easier to determine (enter would be a better word) a route on the computer then it is to try and do it on the GPS (uness you are driving the route)

a very cool option (that I might do sometime soon) is the PDA option...then you could have color topo maps on your GPS and still be able to see it in the sunlight (ever tried to look at a laptop in the sun?) plus if the wife gets bored she can play games...