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RedDog
06-20-2001, 07:43 PM
I would like to buy a hand-held GPS unit. Any recommendations?

1) I don't want to spend much money - want a value - but of course I want the best
2) What about the units with a map? Is this a plus or just a gimick that is not really useful?
3) Recommended brand - I lean toward Garmin


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Reddog
mailto:tsfloyd@bigfoot.comtsfloyd@bigfoot.com</A>

Frank Civitano
06-20-2001, 07:48 PM
I have ETrex by Garmin. Accurate and fast, For a little unit it is the best money can but $114 West Marine. I had the 310 Was way to slow. I ran 1 mile before it would come up with the correct speed.

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Frank Civitano

RedDog
06-20-2001, 07:56 PM
Frank - talk about a fast reply to a post! I looked at the eTrex - $119 at the local Wally World. I am surprised at myself that I didn't leave with it - unusual restraint prevailed and I decided to research a little more.

Thanks

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Reddog
mailto:tsfloyd@bigfoot.comtsfloyd@bigfoot.com</A>

STUNG_AGAIN
06-21-2001, 01:43 PM
If your gonna buy new make sure it has the new WAAS capability built into it. This gives you the new highly accurate readings as of last year. I think the Garmin-76 has this capability for a little over $200 and it's fast. If you waste your time buying anything less you'll regret it later and the resale will be crap on it. I have the Garmin-12 it's ok and i bought it used for a song but it's a little slow to respond. It takes a good long run to get reliable speed readings. For plotting though it does just fine. Me personally, my next GPS will be a Nordskog or Livorsi-Gaffrig speedo.

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"...we sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those that would harm us..."

bverd
06-21-2001, 02:04 PM
I just got that Magellan 330M (Marine version) Waterproof, as well as floats, and you can switch from "land" mode to "marine" mode and it shows bouys and markers in the water ways, as well as marinas and gas docks. Pretty helpfull. There is a $20 rebate on it until the end of the month. --Brad

[This message has been edited by bverd (edited 06-21-2001).]

Bryan Tuvell
06-21-2001, 04:48 PM
GARMIN GPS 12, $109, dash mount $14.
She will run almost 30 hours on 4 AA's. Memory so you don't loose your data on battery change.
Track back (a life saver).
1025 Waypoints, a bunch of symbols, routes, max speed, average spd, elsp time, current time, total time, altitude sunset/sunrise, programmable routes... etc. etc.
Bryan

blue-z
06-21-2001, 08:03 PM
Originally posted by Reddog:
I would like to buy a hand-held GPS unit. Any recommendations?

1) I don't want to spend much money - want a value - but of course I want the best
2) What about the units with a map? Is this a plus or just a gimick that is not really useful?
3) Recommended brand - I lean toward Garmin



Just bought a garmin 48 not long ago and it is a great machine. I do not think you can find a better unit than its upgrade, the garmin 76 for the money. WAAS, larger screen, marine and city data base, downloads and fast plus easy to use keys etc.

BigGrizzly
06-21-2001, 08:57 PM
I have a Lowrence with a big screen and a map. I am getting a nother Lowrance--the Ifinder! it too has a map. I love the map especially if I havn't been there before. I have been known to travel using the map with familylooking for objects- like other boats.

Randy

Dalelama
06-22-2001, 05:17 AM
GARMIN E MAP!!!!

larger screen than etrex and easier to operate (I had both)

I use it in both the boat and airplane...for $200 you cant beat it. Add on chipos and cd's make it a complete unit.

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Dale Evans
Miami, FL
'87 Minx / 320 EFI

RedDog
06-22-2001, 09:56 PM
OK - I made a buy - cost more than I wanted of course (about $250) but I hope it is better than I planned on. Using it, I was able to find my way home from supper at the local dinner!

Got the Garmin eTrex Legend - has lots of memory for tracking routes and way points, map features, pc interface to download detailed maps(for a fee I don't know yet), WAAS ready.

Just to note - in my Yukon with larger than stock tires I register something like 55 MPH and the Garmin unit says 53. Who's right? I would have thought my truck would read slower than actual with the bigger tires (P285/R16 or is that 265/R16 - whatever)?

STUNG_AGAIN
06-25-2001, 11:00 AM
Same here. My F-150 came stock with 265's and I replaced them with 31x10.5's and after 55 the speedo starts to read "high" compared to the Garmin-12. I think the 31's are slightly larger than the 265's but the effect according to the GPS is the opposite??? It should read slower.....

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"...we sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those that would harm us..."

[This message has been edited by STUNG_AGAIN (edited 06-25-2001).]

RickR
06-25-2001, 02:55 PM
Reddog
They GPS should be very accurate.
Is the aspect ratio the same on both tires?


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RICKR
mailto:riggerb@aol.comriggerb@aol.com</A>