Gps

[CaptCaper]

If you use a 60cs for a little while you won't want to let it go. Very fast.

I use 2200 rechargeables and they last all day. Even with low temps near zero. I take Lithiums for backup.

 

[stoopid]

Wow, thanks for the info folks I was considering which GPS to purchase and a lot of my questions were answered here.

I really only need waypoints/coordinates and an altimeter. I won't be depending on it much, mostly for security on long bushwacks.

Is there a cheaper solution (apart from finding a used one locally)? Cheapest I could find the eTrex Summit is $189 at amazon.com

 

[Turnbill]

I'd say the Garmin Geko is probably one of the least expensive units out there and is certainly the lightest. There are three models with the 101 costing a bit under $100, the 201 is around $140 and the 301 is around $230. All are basic GPS receivers, (i.e., no maps can be stored) with more memory and features as the price increases. Go to REI's or EMS's site and you'll find info on what the specific features are for each model.

 

[BlackSpruce]

Garmin versus Lowrance

After a few weeks of Garmin use I will definitevely get another Lowrance but will maybe carry the Garmin along as it is very light.
The Topo feature of the Garmin (contour lines, summits, etc.) is fun but no very accurate. Plus there are numerous mistakes with names and location and some unusual omissions of trails and large brooks/rivers. For example while hiking I would be travelling along a well known brook or river to my left but the unit would have it way to my right. I did a test while being driven an 100 miles along I87 and we rarely "touched" the Northway, in that instance the map was off by several hundred feet at times...

One would be better using the National Geograhic Topo program to draw a "bushwhack" route for downloading to a Garmin GPS rather than the Topo program(MapSource) sold by Garmin to at least have the waypoints on the right "address" if not on the right place on the map shown on the screen.
While practising with the Garmin it has been fun to hike and then download the route followed to the Mapsource Topo maps and as well to the National Geographic Topo maps and compare the two finished drawings!

As for the reception, I still haven't got an antenna but if it only takes a couple of trees to block the reception I am not sure that an antenna will make such a difference but I will soon try. As even holding the unit vertically away from my body is not enough to keep a constant lock on the satellites even on a relatively open hardwood forest! The Lowrance I could keep in my pockect at all times just about anywhere and have a constant reading.

Christine

 

[CaptCaper]

Re: Garmin versus Lowrance

After a few weeks of Garmin use I will definitevely get another Lowrance but will maybe carry the Garmin along as it is very light.
The Topo feature of the Garmin (contour lines, summits, etc.) is fun but no very accurate. Plus there are numerous mistakes with names and location and some unusual omissions of trails and large brooks/rivers. For example while hiking I would be travelling along a well known brook or river to my left but the unit would have it way to my right. I did a test while being driven an 100 miles along I87 and we rarely "touched" the Northway, in that instance the map was off by several hundred feet at times...

One would be better using the National Geograhic Topo program to draw a "bushwhack" route for downloading to a Garmin GPS rather than the Topo program(MapSource) sold by Garmin to at least have the waypoints on the right "address" if not on the right place on the map shown on the screen.
While practising with the Garmin it has been fun to hike and then download the route followed to the Mapsource Topo maps and as well to the National Geographic Topo maps and compare the two finished drawings!

As for the reception, I still haven't got an antenna but if it only takes a couple of trees to block the reception I am not sure that an antenna will make such a difference but I will soon try. As even holding the unit vertically away from my body is not enough to keep a constant lock on the satellites even on a relatively open hardwood forest! The Lowrance I could keep in my pockect at all times just about anywhere and have a constant reading.

Christine

Do you have the "LOCK ON ROADS" off? If it's locked then you'd be way off. Also make sure you are showing Topo in the show maps selection.

I have good accuracy with mine. I do let it run for an hour at least like I said earlier in my posts to build accuracy with WAAS and for the altimeter. Actually it runs the whole hike. Then the gps can build a good almanac. If you haven't used it for a while,or have moved a good distance between hikes then it will take a while to perform.

Some other recievers like Magellan and maybe your Lowrance have averageing in their software. Garmin has it as an user select. But when moving there similiar or the same..

I must confess I don't use the map in the gps as much as on the pc but with the new 60cs it draws very fast and with the color screen is easy to see. So I may use it more. The last hike I did which was South Carter the gps's map showed us right on the summit. while I was standing next to the sign and also on the trail in.

With my 76S I use to load a route,a track if I had one from before,and the summit. I used the printed out map's with it. With Info from NGTopo it was alway's right on. And in using it to return to a trail a year later the track was right on too. It's a good unit. You've got to hold it up straight up they say on that type of antenna.they say.

GPSGEEK.com has an external antenna with a rightangle mcx for $20.00 that works good. You can get a 9ft. cable which is good for putting it in your clothing in 0 temps.

Anyway I load it back into Garmins Topo on the Pc and NGTopo also and the accuracy is the same. It shows the exact positions. The trails are always off some more than others except along ridges,and the summits which are right on still. They move the other trails over the years.

I agree with the bushwack route though. That's how I do it also. That is use NG's Topo and make a route there and map to go.

I've got the new Delorme 5.0 coming. I saw it at their office Sun. in Me. and it looks quite nice. USB support,etc. I saw maps for the AMC there and I am incline to believe they make them for AMC. So I'm hopeing the new Topo 5.0 will have the up to date trails.

They have been bragging about 5.0 how up to date it is.

I hope this helps.

 

[BlackSpruce]

To be or not to be

Next time you are going to ask if I had the GPS on or off?

----You can get a 9ft. cable which is good for putting it in your clothing in 0 temps.---

I can already see the "faces" of the my hiking companions while they watch me getting all tangled up while using a unit with a 9 ft. cable.

 

[CaptCaper]

Re: To be or not to be

Next time you are going to ask if I had the GPS on or off?

----You can get a 9ft. cable which is good for putting it in your clothing in 0 temps.---

I can already see the "faces" of the my hiking companions while they watch me getting all tangled up while using a unit with a 9 ft. cable.

I hope your not offended.

I wouldn't ask that. It's just some people don't know that it throws off the map.

You've got a point,but compared to the flashlite,airII, extra second stage,catchbag,speargun,slate,safety sasuage,legknife,wreck tools,hose ,knife,fish string,I carry while diving. One small cable is easy to route. It's the dia. of twine. I just fish it down along the shoulder strap.
My companions,mostly my family like the idea. They know what it'll do in the right hands. I've had them since 1995 and Loran's before that.

 

[BlackSpruce]

Nope, just laughing!

As you explained you and I don't use a GPS in exactly the same environment. Could be that the margin of error dont' matter so much where you are, furthermore where "I dive" the tree cover is somewhat tighter if not almost impenetrable.

 

[SherpaKroto]

captcaper: I have Delorme Topo USA 5.0. I checked one spot that I knew to be off in the older versions (Kilkenny Ridge trail just north of he Horn. The appropriate correction had been made and it was much more accurate. I was pleasantly surprised. I plan to try it out this weekend in the field. Nothing tough, but I'll give it a whirl.

They are offering it at $59.95 as an upgrade if you own earlier versions of their software. I think (but am not sure) that you could also get it at that price if you owned a competitor's comparable mapping software. You need to call them directly to get that price. I did, and the software was on my doorstep the next afternoon!

 

[CaptCaper]

I'm way ahead of ya. It should be in today.

Like I said I was in the Me. office of Delorme and used the program. There I saw maps from AMC for sale in there map store. They might make the maps for them. They make them for a lot of agencys. So the data might be better. i.e. Trails,etc.

I'm curious how the arial views will pan out. One might be able to find a recent trail or even bare viewing areas and transfer it to map for loading to GPS. I figured out to have all the arial's for the Whole White Mountain Nat. Forest alone is about $200.00. But one might be able to chip away some of that by eliminateing some areas not hiked in.

The program does copy exactly from one map to the other with a duel curser and split screen. It seems to do a lot of stuff,actually.

Hopefully it will be accurate.

 

[Mark]

Don't count on being able to see any evidence of trails from the aerial views. I downloaded high resolution aerial images of the Fells Reservation in MA and used GPS TrackMaker to overlay the aerial images with my trail maps. I can't see any of the trails I routinely hike in the images, even though they are very obvious paths through the woods.

Trails above treeline may be visible, but even minimal tree cover seems to obliterate visual evidence of hiking trails.

Let me know if I am wrong. It would be a fun to get some White Mtn. aerials.

 

[CaptCaper]

Yea,that's what I was thinking. They give $50.00 worth free with purchase of Topo 5.0. to try.

One probably can't preview them to see if it'll be any worth.

 

[jrichard]

Are Garmin maps really useful

How useful are the Garmin maps (for models like the eTrex Vista)?

I'm primarily asking because from what I've read, there's no way to upload Garmin maps from a Mac. And I have to spend an additional 500+ bucks for a cheap PC, it had better be an awesome feature.

For context, while I normally use a map and compass, I have only used a GPS as a navigation tool twice and only a few more times as a mapping tool (saving coordinates and mapping out a bushwack after the fact). I have a hard time understand how I'd get much useful topo information from the small screen.

Alternatively, are there any GPS units which will work with a mac?