GPS

I have a Garmin EMap unit that works nice.

It can load all types of maps into a memory stick and comes stock with a nice North American map in it.

I haven't needed anything more than the stock map because it has all the main highways on it and lakes and rivers so I can just fire it up and it shows me where I am in relation to known landmarks like the roads and water and what direction I am heading. Then it gives me the lat and long too, but I haven't ever needed that.

I got it for xmas a couple years ago and don't think it was too expensive.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Hal Apa>

I just got a Garmin eTrex Legend for Christmas. I like it, But it was a gift, I have no idea what it costs.

Garmin eTrex Legend are around $200. I have an older Garmin that I have really liked, I would buy another Gamin in a minute. Also $200 will buy a great GPS no matter what brand. Even the basic GPS will be as accurate as an expensive one. What you really pay for is the ability for it to hold mapping software. But one feature that I don't have that I would really like is a built in electronic compass, I end up carrying a compass with me anyways.

The Legend has that.

Plus I can hook it up to my laptop and have big screen real-time mapping as I drive. Pretty cool. It also does MPH and average speed, stop time, altitude and more features than I'll ever use.

I used to be a Real Man, a Compass and Map man. Now I've joined the ranks, but I have the advantage of years of experience with compasses and topo quads and my internal compass.

Nothing like a analog wrist watch and the sun for navagating the outback of Big Bend.

I prefer the Garmin products... I have the street pilot (my model has be replaced)... it's a little pricy ~$500. The one Mike mentioned I think is replaced by the E-trex, it's about $200.

You can expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $1000 for the mapping units. They are the best choice for vehicle travel. Most of them have detail for a particular area that can be download. This detail can show back roads, logging roads, creeks and streams with your position as you travel them. It all depends on how much you want to spend

I have found these people to have a great selection and good pricing.

The wristwatch and sun brings back fond memories. I have the eTrex and like it very much. I only wish we had GPS when I was a forward observer directing artillery fire in viet nam. Our boys really have it nice now. Jeepers, do you need special software for your laptop to deal real-time mapping?

tnx~mark

On 09 Jan 2004 08:11 AM, Mike Romain posted the following:

I also have the same unit which I got for christmas a couple years ago. It is pretty much useless here in Alaska unless you buy the additional maps.

---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:

Mine has a compass that I can display or turn off the main screen.

Mike

fletcher wrote:

Yes and no.

I have a Macintosh.

My Mac can run Windows.

Delorme Topo USA only runs in Windows. They also have a Street Map product.

PC users don't have the special doohickies and dongles I have to run it. I like the Delorme product, although it IS a Windows PC thang/interface. IOW it's not as slick and intuitive and easy to use as most Mac products are. But it's nice none-the-less.

Currently I am toying with MacGPS and GPSy, however only the MacGPS is OS10 compatible and requires extra purchases (maps). I don't have any maps for yet, I just got all these for Christmas.

In short. Yes you need software for your laptop. I needed a special adapter and adapter software for my Mac to read through the Windows XP operating environment to the GPS unit. But it is pretty cool. I set up the laptop in front of the dash and lay the GPS on the dash and drive. I can zoom in or out and see all kinds of stuff and make decent estimates of arrival times, altho I could already do that.

go check out

sci.geo.satellite-nav

John Davies Spokane WA USA

Hey, Bill, you got some inside info on the date? ;^)

Any of them should be fine. I had (I left it on the roof one day and drove away) a Garmin eMap that was great in that area. I even used it once to make a cross country trip from Johnson Valley over to I40. I wouldn't recommend anybody actually do what I did, but my GPS made it possible to find a route where none existed.

GPS works best in developed places, Del. You live wwwaaayyy out in the sticks don't you?

My eMap had (has, but I don't have it anymore) lists of services one would find at freeway exits. The lists were pretty accurate too. I live in a new area, services are new within the last 5 years or so, and the GPS knew about the majority of the stores, restaraunts and gas stations.

On 09 Jan 2004 01:26 PM, CRWLR posted the following:

I used to, but not anymore. But whenever I have a need for the GPS I am out in the sticks. It does show the coastline and major roads, but if I actually used it much I would buy the add on topo map of Alaska. The stock map doesn't even show anything but major roads here in Anchorage, the location of my house is kind of in the middle of a blank space as I recall and I live right in town.

I'm glad that this thread happened because it reminds me I need to get it back from my friend who borrowed it for his Australia trip last month.

---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:

If you buy it in the stores, you'll pay around $200 plus tax for an eTrex Legend.

Look around on the net, there are big differences. I ordered mine from Amazon.com for $160.

JJ

It's not just Alaska... in any rural area, all you see is the major roads. I bet if you had the maps, you would see the street you live on and the local bistro down the street.

JimG