View Full Version : Handheld GPS
SouthernDZ
09-01-2010, 15:55
I'm finally moving into the new millenium and need to buy a handheld GPS that I can use here in the U.S. and over in Europe. My job requires me to travel all over frequently and I think this is the way to go but I'm pretty clueless here:
What is a good commercial handheld GPS that accepts software with German streets (going to Grafenwoehr later this month).
Thanks in advance!
What's your budget?
I'd check Magellan out...the Explorist with their World Edition software...I've used their hand held GPS units with no issues and have also used their survey grade (Ashtech) companion products.
Besides budjet.
What will you use it for??
You need to develop a list of requirements.
Driving? with Verbal directions?
Altimeter?
Southern Hemisphere?
Iphone application?
Water depth and tide charts?
Long Battery life?
Solar Powered?
WiFi to get map updates?
Micro SD card to store and archive routes?
These guys have been in the GPS business for years, at least 15. They have a simple site,, full of good info.
http://gpsinformation.net/
Good Luck..
Let us know what you find..
:lifter
Ambush Master
09-01-2010, 17:58
I've been dealing with these folks and they're very good also (http://www.offroute.com/). I've got a Garmin 60CSx and I can get Sat-Lock in my living room!! There is at least one thread in here where this was discussed Search using 60CSx. Several guys said that once they got Lock, they could get into up-armored vehicles and not loose it. I've used the suction cup mount on the gas cap of my Bonneville and it's plenty easy to read (with a Dummy Cord tie off).
Good Luck!!
Martin
SouthernDZ
09-02-2010, 04:10
Besides budjet.
What will you use it for??
You need to develop a list of requirements.
Driving? with Verbal directions?
Altimeter?
Southern Hemisphere?
Iphone application?
Water depth and tide charts?
Long Battery life?
Solar Powered?
WiFi to get map updates?
Micro SD card to store and archive routes?
These guys have been in the GPS business for years, at least 15. They have a simple site,, full of good info.
http://gpsinformation.net/
Good Luck..
Let us know what you find..
:lifter
Under $300, basically verbal driving directions in U.S. and Europe. 3-4 hour battery life and plug-in capability in a rental car.
Water depth?
I don't think I need to archive as they never seem to send me to the same place twice.
I'll check the sites ya'll mentioned, thanks, I obviously came to the right place.
Water depth?
Boating & Fishing & Diving..
craigepo
09-02-2010, 08:37
Some friends and I are planning a drop-camp hunt, and I had been looking at this unit. Of course, broadcasting in the clear is no longer an issue for me.
http://www.offroute.com/product/view_product.asp?x_ID=149139&CatID=14347
Some friends and I are planning a drop-camp hunt, and I had been looking at this unit. Of course, broadcasting in the clear is no longer an issue for me.
http://www.offroute.com/product/view_product.asp?x_ID=149139&CatID=14347
SouthernDZ - just quoting craigepo
I got the GARMIN Etrex on sale a couple of months ago - the real bargin basement model. It works well for what I need it for and is simple.
With that said - all the higher models have many, many more features that can be used.
Almost all brands now days have up-loadable maping features through your PC - and somebody posted a link a while back to a site that has better maps than GARMIN.
The GARMIN works well in the left hand using the thumb and first two fingers to change pages. I don't have to shift it around much to hit all the buttons. I like the one handed operation. I think most of the GARMINs are set up similarly.
BUT - the buttons are on the side. The unit has a bike mount that you can use while riding. I find it a little hard when riding to work side mounted buttons.
So for hand use side buttons are fine for me but if mounted I'd prefer front mounted buttons.
A lot of the different brands are real similar. You really need to check the extra features on each to find what your looking for.
Edited to add the Map Link. http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/
SouthernDZ
09-02-2010, 12:51
Being able to drive and navigate without changing hands is a pretty good tip! An issue I hadn't thought of. Leaning towards a Garmin - thanks everyone.
BigJimCalhoun
09-04-2010, 20:05
I have been trying to learn about GPS too. I want something for hunting in Colorado, so an altitude feature is more important to me and maybe someone on the coast.
I essentially chose a make/model but then read the reviews on Amazon. Ouch - there were a number of bad ones. I know one must take those reviews with a grain of salt but I am still looking around.
Here is a little tit-bit for the FOG's
SCREEN SIZE.. Having the lightest, smallest GPS is useless if you can't read the screen
and conversely
BATTERIES.. Having a big screen means you use more power..
It is a compromise you need to weigh, especially if you are on long off road treks. If you have a camp where you can store gear or pack horses to toot gear??
If you are still a ruck'r, look at small solar panels and rechargeable batteries. If you have sunny shies & good weather..
For those that trek with their Land Yatchets (winny-bagles) you may want to think about a small remote GPS antenna that will port to your laptop. GPS software is fairly cheap and you will probably have the laptop anyway. With a data contract on your cellphone you can Twitter your location any time, any place..
In the car I have a Tom Tom XL one with 5 inch screen??
:munchin
Papa Zero Three
09-04-2010, 23:46
Garmin Nuvi 500. Great for driving on or off road and you can load topo maps on it. It talks to you and is in color. If you look around you can find them from the $150-$200 range. It's thin enough and the battery lasts long enough that you could use it as a handheld while walking if you needed to. I take mine with me when I travel. Comes standard with the window mount, power cord,etc.
greenberetTFS
09-05-2010, 05:52
In the car I have a Tom Tom XL one with 5 inch screen??
Pete,Can that be hand held?.........:confused: Would only use it in U.S.........:) How much?................;)
Big Teddy :munchin
In the car I have a Tom Tom XL one with 5 inch screen??
Pete,Can that be hand held?.........
Would only use it in U.S.........
How much?................
Big Teddy :munchin
BT
Prices are coming down, the latest on Amazon for the TT XL 1 is 175 USD,
and I was wrong is a 4.3 inch screen.
The problem with TT is the battery design. As it is meant to be vehicle mounted,, with dash power tether, the battery is only good for a couple hours when off the charge.
The good parts,,
You can use micro SD cards, I have a spare 4GB card for maps and way-points in the TT. I can also use it as back-up for my camera
You can get all sorts of POI (points of interest) to down load. Airports, Micky D's, Hospitals, VA Clinics,, all sorts of places.
I can feed your local alternate routs info back to TT for distribution to other TT users.
You can get real time updates for weather & accidents(most all are doing this)
Not Good.. The TT and other car rout GPS' are not geared to the walker, conversely treking GPS' are not geared to traffic info & POI..
:munchin
BigJimCalhoun:
You may wish to check out the Earthmate PN's at http://www.delorme.com
Pros: Advanced, Detailed, Strong, waterproof, Map Pack service will save you tons of money on maps and aerial imagery.
Cons: No Weather Feature, Garmins are easier to setup
I use one in western remote areas regularly along with maps (in a ziplock bag) printed from the pro-grade XMAP PC software. The printed maps are good enough that you can navigate without a compass (or GPS) in visible conditions. They have added SPOT SATCOMM in the PN-60w (SPOT requires a subscription) so you can leave the SAT phone in the truck (or saddle bags). I carry a GPS PLB so SPOT isn't an important feature to me.
BigJimCalhoun
09-05-2010, 17:43
Thank you - I really like the PN-60 model.
Ambush Master
09-05-2010, 18:32
Here is a little tit-bit for the FOG's
SCREEN SIZE.. Having the lightest, smallest GPS is useless if you can't read the screen
and conversely
BATTERIES.. Having a big screen means you use more power..
It is a compromise you need to weigh, especially if you are on long off road treks. If you have a camp where you can store gear or pack horses to toot gear??
If you are still a ruck'r, look at small solar panels and rechargeable batteries. If you have sunny shies & good weather..
For those that trek with their Land Yatchets (winny-bagles) you may want to think about a small remote GPS antenna that will port to your laptop. GPS software is fairly cheap and you will probably have the laptop anyway. With a data contract on your cellphone you can Twitter your location any time, any place..
In the car I have a Tom Tom XL one with 5 inch screen??
:munchin
Speaking AS A FOG!!! The Garmin 60CSx is easily readable without glasses!! Being that I was last in Combat in 1970/1971 I believe that I fall well within the REALM of FOGDOM!!
I do not use GPS in a vehicle, I believe in knowing where I am going the OLD way!!
Also, the 60CSx uses AA Batts and can run all day on a pair.
Later
Martin
Here is a little tit-bit for the FOG's
BATTERIES.. Having a big screen means you use more power..
:munchin
There is a great battery solution for Tom Toms and Garmins. I have a Garmin Nuvi 760, standard auto GPS. Radio Shack sells a small gadget that's about the size of the old plastic pocket coin holder, the one that looked like, er, um, well, anyway the gadget holds two AA batteries and has cords and tips for about any device. I keep it for as an emergency backup for both GPS and cell phone.
Tit-bits? :D
In my job I get to use a lot of different gear and can try new GPS gear as I constantly look for better toys for the office.
For driving I prefer the Gamin Nuvi series. It talks to me and have great maps that I can get for my trips outside the US. I still use paper maps like AM does as power and GPS computer /operator errors do happen. The GPS route is not always the best but it keeps me pointed in the right direction. I have found that if I input the destination and let it plot the route I can zoom out and make corrections as I want and keep going in the right direction.
For foot/boat/AC I ma currently using the Gamin 60CSx and I love it. Hell you can even plot HALO/HAHO with its app's. Just finished a maritime course and the 60CSx was our back up to the chart plotter and charts we had. The old rule 1 is none 2 is one should always be used.
Who wants to be out at sea 50+ miles from land and have their chart plotter die. Storm roll up and you lose your chart....... Yes it did on one exercise and the crew was freaking....... 36 foot center console boat in the middle of the Caribbean is not where you want to be with just a compass. They radioed in and we reminded them of the hand held in the crew box and they got up and going and back to shore with out error. It was training but as those that go to sea the sea is not very forgiving.
Just my 2 cents
There is a great battery solution for Tom Toms and Garmins. I have a Garmin Nuvi 760, standard auto GPS. Radio Shack sells a small gadget that's about the size of the old plastic pocket coin holder, the one that looked like, er, um, well, anyway the gadget holds two AA batteries and has cords and tips for about any device. I keep it for as an emergency backup for both GPS and cell phone.
Tit-bits? :D
Do you have a link or model??
Is this the unit??
http://sellout.woot.com/blog/viewentry.aspx?id=11559
Do you have a link or model??
Is this the unit??
http://sellout.woot.com/blog/viewentry.aspx?id=11559
I have the iGo model on this page. Got it from Radio Shack. However, there's a different model at the bottom of the page that used 4 AA batteries, and probably lasts longer. Mine works like a charm, and the tips are very available at Radio Shack and Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/iGo-powerXtender-Universal-Battery-Operated/dp/B000O2X2OU/ref=acc_glance_e_ai_purchase_similarities_t_2
BigJimCalhoun
09-25-2010, 11:47
This thread inspired me to pick up a used Garmin Legend at a pawn shop last week for $35. It worked in the store, but seemed to lock up when I got home after turning on the WAAS feature. The problem was this older unit needed a firmware update to learn about a new satellite launched in 2008. I then ordered a cable from ebay for $6.50 as the one from the pawn shop did not include the cable.
I was able to borrow a cable from a gentleman at work (prior to the ebay arrival) to successfully update the firmware. He then sold me a Magellan Triton 300 with color screen which is better than the older Legend without the high-sensitivity antenna.
Each of these two units have base functionality. If I like them maybe I will get a better unit in the future.
I am thinking of getting the expensive lithium batteries for my hunting trip. Do others use lithium batteries in their GPS in the cooler weather?