GPS reccomendations

MattB said:

Being the gadget junkie I am, I'm considering adding a GPS to the
arsenal. I know this has come around before, but do any of you have
strong feelings about a particular GPS unit, good or bad? I think our
needs would be similar here, wanting to plot rides after the fact, or
selecting a route beforehand based on topo information and having the
gps "guide" me on my selected route. A handlebar mount may be nice,
but just having it in my pack would also be acceptable (and safer).
I would also occasionally use it for navigation on road trips,
but that would be a secondary use. I mostly want to use it on rides.
A color screen isn't important, but easy readability and use is.
Suggestions? Things to stay away from? Thanks.

Matt (yes I know there are GPS-specific newsgroups, but I want the
opinions of strangers I kind of know or share interests with).

We have a garmin extrex summit and it's a fun little tool. It works fine in
the mesh pocket of a pack. The only trouble we've ever had making a track
is under deep tree cover. We use it to make maps and trails - making
junctions, waypoints, the trail and other notes. I then upload the info
into TOPO CD software to make maps.

We'll also take info off the software - same thing, make notes, way points
and junction and load them into the GPS.

I can provide sample maps on request ( post them to the web)

We chose the model w/o the 24 mb's of memory.. who needs to up load a color
map?

penny

i have a garmin etrex legend, now about a year old. i've used it with the
handlebar mount and it has worked out much better than i expected. it's
been great, and survived a number of minor tumbles. it tends to turn
itself off in a tumble, but i think people here have recommended shimming
the batteries (etc.) to fix that.

the only thing i'd reconsider is lack of a pressure altimeter. in a
canyon the gps altitude goes up and down and doesn't always give a good
idea of distance climbed. they're all cheaper now, so maybe that would be
an easier option than it was a year ago.

btw, we used an etrex legend on a sailboat trip from san francisco down to
monterey, and it was wild how much chart detail could be loaded into a
hand-held. if you want a land-and-sea model you might check out which of
the current units have the ability to download both maps and charts.

looking back over the etrex line again, i see that i chose memory over
compass/altimeter when i went with the legend ... your choice, depending
on what you want to do. garmin has a comparison thingy that helps:

http://www.garmin.com/outdoor/compare.jsp

MattB said:

Being the gadget junkie I am, I'm considering adding a GPS to the
arsenal. I know this has come around before, but do any of you have strong
feelings about a particular GPS unit, good or bad? I think our needs would
be similar here, wanting to plot rides after the fact, or selecting a route
beforehand based on topo information and having the gps "guide" me on my
selected route. A handlebar mount may be nice, but just having it in my pack
would also be acceptable (and safer).
I would also occasionally use it for navigation on road trips, but that
would be a secondary use. I mostly want to use it on rides. A color screen
isn't important, but easy readability and use is. Suggestions? Things to
stay away from? Thanks.

Matt (yes I know there are GPS-specific newsgroups, but I want the opinions
of strangers I kind of know or share interests with).

Don't buy a Garmin. I've had a 12 CX for years. Used it a lot (in
gliders). Damn thing won't break so I can buy a new spiffy one! :-)
The color display on mine really only gives me lower contrast in bright
sun. Check what ever you buy outside before committing. Never used it
on the trail, so I can't help there. For riding, I'd want elevation
recorded. Mine shows current altitude, but doesn't recored. Now that
selective availability is off (or did W change that?), GPS alt is more
accurate than pressure (typically).

Cheers,
Shawn

Garmin: eTrex Legend

--
--
John G. in Memphis, TN Have a nice......... night.
http://www.shavings.net/images/Memphis/reflect_john.jpg

"MattB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Being the gadget junkie I am, I'm considering adding a GPS to the
arsenal. I know this has come around before, but do any of you have strong
feelings about a particular GPS unit, good or bad? I think our needs would
be similar here, wanting to plot rides after the fact, or selecting a

route

Quoted message said:

beforehand based on topo information and having the gps "guide" me on my
selected route. A handlebar mount may be nice, but just having it in my

pack

Quoted message said:

would also be acceptable (and safer).
I would also occasionally use it for navigation on road trips, but

that

Quoted message said:

would be a secondary use. I mostly want to use it on rides. A color screen
isn't important, but easy readability and use is. Suggestions? Things to
stay away from? Thanks.

Matt (yes I know there are GPS-specific newsgroups, but I want the

opinions

Quoted message said:

of strangers I kind of know or share interests with).

I've had a Geko 201 for about a year. I enjoy it but the Geko line may not
suit your needs as they don't have maps. I just use mine for making maps
after the fact, and it does that quite well. You can upload routes and
waypoints and have it guide in that way but there won't be a map, just a
line and waypoints. I've done that a few times but only to see how it worked
and it was easy to use. I wouldn't depend on it for navigating in an unknown
area. The Geko is very easy to use, one handed operation. If you do get a
Geko make sure it's a 201 or 301, the 101 has no pc connectivity which makes
it useless for your needs. The thing is tiny, it's about 2"x5" and about an
inch deep, about the size of a small cell phone. I just throw it in the mesh
pocket on the camelbak and it works fine. It's got a WAAS feature which
supposedly increases reliability by using land based transmitters to help
positioning. I've mostly been pleased with the accuracy of the tracking. It
can mark 10,000 track points so you'll have enough for any kind of ride.

Chris

"MattB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Being the gadget junkie I am, I'm considering adding a GPS to the
arsenal. I know this has come around before, but do any of you have strong
feelings about a particular GPS unit, good or bad? I think our needs would
be similar here, wanting to plot rides after the fact, or selecting a

route

Quoted message said:

beforehand based on topo information and having the gps "guide" me on my
selected route. A handlebar mount may be nice, but just having it in my

pack

Quoted message said:

would also be acceptable (and safer).
I would also occasionally use it for navigation on road trips, but

that

Quoted message said:

would be a secondary use. I mostly want to use it on rides. A color screen
isn't important, but easy readability and use is. Suggestions? Things to
stay away from? Thanks.

Matt (yes I know there are GPS-specific newsgroups, but I want the

opinions

Quoted message said:

of strangers I kind of know or share interests with).

I have a Magellan Meridian Platinum. I like it very much.
I have dropped it hard (on accident of course) and it did no damage, and it
is submersible (Magellan doesn't say how deep), but that means it will keep
the rain, and trail mess out. there is a bike mount available, but IIRC, it
is priced what I think to be a little steep for a chunk of molded plastic.
it lists on magellangps.com for $39.95 (maybe that's average for a bike
mount).

This GPS (like several others too) can load maps from a CD. depending on
what CD you buy is what you get for maps. I have the topo disk, and it shows
contour lines, most rivers and streams, and most of the roads. it even shows
some 4WD roads. it has address searching and a listing of points of
interest. I can't say what the other disks have as I have not used them. but
I am able to use the topo one for streets just fine. mainly due to my
inherent navigation skills. I think the Dirrect Route disk is supposed to
provide turn by turn directions.

the MapSend software (topo, direct route, etc) allows you to print nicely
detailed maps (as good as what is on the screen, assuming your printer is),
and you can easily create routes and upload them to the gps unit (it is
actually easier on the computer). as well as edit routes and waypoints. you
can also download track information and use it to print a trail map. or you
can "play" the track in simulated real-time (only as accurate as the
information saved at each track).

one of the useless things this gps has, is a magnetic compass. I say
useless, only because I haven't used it yet. while in a car, it does a great
job of telling you where your engine (or transmition, if the engine is alum)
is. I haven't tried it on a bar mount while riding a steel framed bike as
the trails have not yet opened up, and I don't yet have a bar mount.

one point of note. I tested this GPS along-side my cousin's Garmen (not sure
what model) for satellite acquisition. mine was ready for use about 4
seconds faster (with a 3d fix). and when it had finished acquiring all that
can be, it had more satellites being tracked than the Garmen did. my best
guess is that this would provide a more stable transition when moving
through satellites. I do know, when in a car, if it is not by a window, or
under the windshield, it gets a pretty big (IMO) position error. my best
estimate once was about 30 feet from where I was supposed to be. this is
with the gps sitting on the passenger seat of my car.
As best as my experience can tell me, the "special" antenna used in this gps
does provide better acquisition. I can't compare during travel in a car as I
did not have access to another unit.

now, I'm sure you will pick something else, as IME my salesmanship is pretty
damn poor. ;-)
I received this unit as a gift so I don't know the cost (it was from several
relatives so I hesitate to say it was a bargain).

~Travis

"Merlin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"MattB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Being the gadget junkie I am, I'm considering adding a GPS to the
arsenal. I know this has come around before, but do any of you have

strong

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

feelings about a particular GPS unit, good or bad? I think our needs

would

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

be similar here, wanting to plot rides after the fact, or selecting a

route

Quoted message said:

beforehand based on topo information and having the gps "guide" me on my
selected route. A handlebar mount may be nice, but just having it in my

pack

Quoted message said:

would also be acceptable (and safer).
I would also occasionally use it for navigation on road trips, but

that

Quoted message said:

would be a secondary use. I mostly want to use it on rides. A color

screen

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

isn't important, but easy readability and use is. Suggestions? Things to
stay away from? Thanks.

Matt (yes I know there are GPS-specific newsgroups, but I want the

opinions

Quoted message said:

of strangers I kind of know or share interests with).

I have a Magellan Meridian Platinum. I like it very much.
I have dropped it hard (on accident of course) and it did no damage, and

it

Quoted message said:

is submersible (Magellan doesn't say how deep), but that means it will

keep

Quoted message said:

the rain, and trail mess out. there is a bike mount available, but IIRC,

it

Quoted message said:

is priced what I think to be a little steep for a chunk of molded plastic.
it lists on magellangps.com for $39.95 (maybe that's average for a bike
mount).

This GPS (like several others too) can load maps from a CD. depending on
what CD you buy is what you get for maps. I have the topo disk, and it

shows

Quoted message said:

contour lines, most rivers and streams, and most of the roads. it even

shows

Quoted message said:

some 4WD roads. it has address searching and a listing of points of
interest. I can't say what the other disks have as I have not used them.

but

Quoted message said:

I am able to use the topo one for streets just fine. mainly due to my
inherent navigation skills. I think the Dirrect Route disk is supposed to
provide turn by turn directions.

the MapSend software (topo, direct route, etc) allows you to print nicely
detailed maps (as good as what is on the screen, assuming your printer

is),

Quoted message said:

and you can easily create routes and upload them to the gps unit (it is
actually easier on the computer). as well as edit routes and waypoints.

you

Quoted message said:

can also download track information and use it to print a trail map. or

you

Quoted message said:

can "play" the track in simulated real-time (only as accurate as the
information saved at each track).

one of the useless things this gps has, is a magnetic compass. I say
useless, only because I haven't used it yet. while in a car, it does a

great

Quoted message said:

job of telling you where your engine (or transmition, if the engine is

alum)

Quoted message said:

is. I haven't tried it on a bar mount while riding a steel framed bike as
the trails have not yet opened up, and I don't yet have a bar mount.

one point of note. I tested this GPS along-side my cousin's Garmen (not

sure

Quoted message said:

what model) for satellite acquisition. mine was ready for use about 4
seconds faster (with a 3d fix). and when it had finished acquiring all

that

Quoted message said:

can be, it had more satellites being tracked than the Garmen did. my best
guess is that this would provide a more stable transition when moving
through satellites. I do know, when in a car, if it is not by a window, or
under the windshield, it gets a pretty big (IMO) position error. my best
estimate once was about 30 feet from where I was supposed to be. this is
with the gps sitting on the passenger seat of my car.
As best as my experience can tell me, the "special" antenna used in this

gps

Quoted message said:

does provide better acquisition. I can't compare during travel in a car as

I

Quoted message said:

did not have access to another unit.

now, I'm sure you will pick something else, as IME my salesmanship is

pretty

Quoted message said:

damn poor. ;-)
I received this unit as a gift so I don't know the cost (it was from

several

Quoted message said:

relatives so I hesitate to say it was a bargain).

~Travis

almost forgot. the memory for maps is via SD cards. so you can put in only
what you need. I have a 64 meg chip (came with the gift) and it is more than
enough. a topo map for the entire state of Maine is only 10Mb. so I have the
entire state in there, and plenty of room for other maps. I also save all my
waypoints/routes/tracks to the SD card so I can bring them up later. for
instance, I am collecting waypoints for gas stations in all the areas I go.
if only it could track the current prices too. ;-)

~Travis

MattB said:

Being the gadget junkie I am, I'm considering adding a GPS to the
arsenal. I know this has come around before, but do any of you have
strong feelings about a particular GPS unit, good or bad? I think our
needs would be similar here, wanting to plot rides after the fact, or
selecting a route beforehand based on topo information and having the
gps "guide" me on my selected route. A handlebar mount may be nice,
but just having it in my pack would also be acceptable (and safer).
I would also occasionally use it for navigation on road trips,
but that would be a secondary use. I mostly want to use it on rides.
A color screen isn't important, but easy readability and use is.
Suggestions? Things to stay away from? Thanks.

Matt (yes I know there are GPS-specific newsgroups, but I want the
opinions of strangers I kind of know or share interests with).

Thanks for all the info everyone.

I mentioned this to a coworker who is a gadget junkie on an even greater
scale than I am. He's got a Garmin ETrex-something and has offered to loan
it to me. For the whole summer (!). So if this one is good enough, I'll play
with it as much as possible and then I'll really know what I'm looking for
when I'm ready to make a purchase. I've got a couple of topo packages that I
think will map the data for me, so I'm looking forward to playing with it a
bit.
Unfortunately I'm working quite a bit and haven't had a chnace to ride or
play in a week or so (worked 16 Hrs yesterday). I'll have some comp (trail!)
time coming along when this project is behind me...

Matt