[Daedalus]

I am interested in getting a GPS for use hunting and backpacking, but I do not know very much about them. I am interested in getting something on the low end of the 100-200$ range that will be reliable and rugged enough for outdoor use.

Any help is appreciated.

[repsychler]

I have the basic Garmin 12, and I like it. None of the fancy mapping features, but it does everything else to my satisfaction. As I recall I paid $150, but I've had it at least 3 years.

[Kevlarman]

I have a Garmin RINO 120. It's a full fledged GPS with FRS and GMRS radio.
I'd get the 120 over the 110, as the 120 has 8mb of internal memory so that you can upload your own maps.

It's great for geocaching (http://www.geocaching.com), and it has the added benefit of letting you communicate with the others in your party. In fact, if the other people also have RINOs, it will show you exactly where they are in relation to you!

And yep, it's a pretty rugged unit.

http://www.garmin.com/products/rino120/graphics/rino120Big.jpg

[repsychler]

I saw those being used on a TV show...Tactical to Practical I think it was. The ability to locate others looks pretty slick.

[Jaywalker]

Whichever one you get within your budget, make sure you get "parallel channel" capability. I have no idea if the "single channel" are still available, but that means they acquire the satellites one at a time - very, very slowly. Parallel means they search for all of the satellites at one time - much faster.

I have the Garmin 12, a good solid receiver, but well worth the $120 I paid for it. They make smaller ones now, however. My only regret is that I didn't buy the "12XL," wohich would have given me the ability to hook up an external jack. That would have allowed me to connect an antenna to the roof of the car and to download software updates and co-ordinates. Coordinates are a pain to do, one number at a time. You'd do that when planning a trip from a map - I'm still able to "mark" a spot and rename it in memory, however.)

Mine doesn't display a map, just the coordinates. It's just right for helping me find my car after a long day of wandering in the woods of Virginia. (Yes, I know, "Learn to use a map." You need to be able to see something other than the bottom of trees to be able to locate yourself, however. Virginia's very green. Yes, the GPS can usually "see" through a tree canopy.)

Jaywalker

[Matt Dillon]

I like the Garmin 76S Mapping unit. It enables one to download maps to it, and has jacks for external antenna and external power, as well as a good display screen.:)

[AK103K]

As far as they have come, its still best to use the GPS as a part of your total navagational kit, not its only component. You really do need to have a map and compass along and know how to use them. If you rely totaly on that GPS, your going to come to regret it sooner or later. While the newer ones are better at getting a fix with some canopy above or some loss of sight of the horizon, they more often than not, dont work in these conditions, especially if you are really counting on them to do so. I've used the hand helds for over 10 years now and the high dollar commerical versions at work the last couple of years and even these have trouble with a canopy or loss of sky view. I find its much easier to rely on my map and compass most of the time and use my GPS for conformation or coordinate collection of points I want to save if I can get a fix. Sometimes you just have to take a fix where you can and then use your map, compass and pace to determine just where that point you want to get back to is or find out just where you are on the ground and whats the easiest way back to the truck that wont get you killed by the terrain. The shortest route isnt always the safest. I'd also strongly suggest that you practice and read up on things a lot before you just go off into the woods with it, especially if you dont know the area.

[3 gun]

I can only say good things about my Garmin eTrex and Legend. I started with the basic yellow eTrex. Good battery life, good accuracy, easy one hand operation, weather proof (I took mine whitewater rafting) and compact. With its smallish internal antenna it does have a little harder time in valleys and HEAVY tree cover but it's a trade off I'll make for the compact size.

After a year or so with that unit, I up graded to a Legend. Same good and bad points as the basic eTrex but with some added functions. Mapping is the biggest. The Legend will take 8mb of downloaded maps and info. It works so well that I spent the extra money and got both the Topo and Metro Mapsource CD sets to use.

The amount of info 8mb of mapsource downloads holds is amazing. At the last Ohio get together, a shooter had a breakdown with his truck. I was able to look up the location and phone number of the nearest auto parts store even though I was almost 200 mile from home. The down side to 8mb is I have to keep changing the map sets I have download, so the next unit I get will have at least 16mb.

I agree you should have a compass and good map of the area with the skills to use them as a back up. Happily that's all they have been for me since I added a GPS unit to my kit.

Garmin (http://www.garmin.com/outdoor/)

PS. As a side note be sure to check your local laws, here in Ohio two-way radios or cell phones are a big no no while hunting.

[gun pimp]

:rolleyes: Does anyone have a need for a current issue military gps?

[Sven]

> Does anyone have a need for a current issue military gps?

Uh, is that legal for civilians? Thought they had better resolution.

[Jaywalker]

Sven, if you're referring to the GPS "Selective Availability," which introduced errors into non-official GPS units, that has been discontinued since 1 May 2000. All units now receive the same signals. More expensive units resolve them more accurately, but we're no longer talking about a difference of a hundred meters or so, but perhaps five or ten meters. More expensive units are better protected from sand or water, however.

Jaywalker

[OEF_VET]

I had a Garmin 12XL which served me faithfully in Afghanistan and several field exercises to both Forts Polk and Knox. When the memory battery began to die after it had been stored without batteries for several months, I called Garmin and told them the situation. They had me send it back, as the memory battery can't be replaced by the user. They didn't bother replacing the battery though. They replaced the ENTIRE unit, which was nice since the screen had a few scratches from the field. That's taking care of customers! With customer service like that, they've earned my respect and my recommendation.

I have to agree with AK103K though. Don't rely solely on a GPS. If you don't already know how to properly use a map and compass, learn before you venture off into the woods. GPS are wonderful, but they are machines, and therefore prone to 'Murphy's Law'. Bad weather can really affect their effectiveness, so you need to be prepared for that possibility. If you want a good land-navigation reference, look for the U.S. Army's field manual. Be advised though, military maps and civilian maps are scaled differently. Most military maps a 1:50,000 scale, and USGS maps, for example, are 1:24,000 scale.

The 'Selective Availability' or coding of GPS satelites has been stopped for the past few years, but could be restarted at any time. That's another good reason to not rely totally on a GPS system.

Frank

[Lennyjoe]

I picked up the Garmin Rino 120 and so far so good.

Then again, its my first GPS so I'm in the learning phase.

Still keeping the compass and map in the backpack though.;)

[shadow 1]

Sven, most of the guys I know that are currently in country are using Etrex's or the Sport model. The mil versions do have some upgrades, but most of the guys I know are happy with the "civvie" models. I have used my eTrex in Turkey and other vacation spots in the Middle East.

[P95Carry]

Garmin Etrex Legend here ..... no complaints since getting it about year ago.

Just maybe a bit ''fussy'' if indoors, aquiring the satellite signals.

[Sportcat]

Magellan Meridian Platinum... I love the map features.

I upgraded from a Garmin Etrex Summit... that was a great GPS too!

[Zip06]

I have two, both Garmin. The first is the 12XL. It can be described as very tough and primarily for use in land navigation. While there is a base map built in that is not this unit's forte. Its a very rugged unit, has an external jack for an antenna. No provision for downloading maps. My second unit is a Emap. This one has the capability to download maps, increase memory and is used for "car navigation." Its nice to see metropolitan maps and be able to see upcoming turns, etc. While both are good under forest canopy, the Emap's antenna is not as good as the 12XL, nor is it waterproof like the 12XL but its purpose is much different. The Emap also eats batteries much faster. While you can download relief maps I have found them to be unsatisfactory and clutter up the screen.

Garmin has been trying to design a unit to replace the 12/12XL but still hasn't found it. If I had but one it would be the 12XL.

As has already been mentioned, the GPS augments a map and compass. It does not replace either. One more thing, the altimiter in these GPS's are not particularly accurate.

[4v50 Gary]

The one on your cell phone. If it also takes pictures, you've got three birds in the hand. BTW, even Daniel Boone would have carried a cell phone w/GPS and camera. He warn't no fool.

[Jaywalker]

AK103K:While the newer ones are better at getting a fix with some canopy above or some loss of sight of the horizon, they more often than not, dont work in these conditions, especially if you are really counting on them to do so. Well, I agree in principle, but my Garmin 12 has zero trouble under a canopy.

True story: Last week I was deer hunting in Virginia. There's no canopy to speak of this time of the year, and where I was hunting I had no real concern about being disoriented, so I turned off the unit and put it in my BDU jacket chest pocket and snapped the flap to keep from losing it. Every once in awhile, I'd remember to open the pocket flap and pull the unit out to see if it had accidentally turned itself on with an inadvertant push of the power button. Most times it had turned itself ON, and had a complete satellite lock-on while still in my pocket! The signals had to have penetrated at least one layer of BDU jacket cloth - probably two layers - in order to get that lock-on. Since it didn't penetrate my body, the lock-on had to come from just the half of the sky my body wasn't in. I suspect the antenna on the Garmin 12 is seriously over-engineered.

Jaywalker

[AK103K]

I dont think clothing is generally to much of an issue. My old Garmin GPS40 seemed to work fine under a poncho or rain gear as long as it had a view of the sky. That unit was not real keen on any kind of canopy and rarely would get a fix under one. I still have it and it still works, although it needed to be rebooted around Y2K due to roll over issues. It still wants a clear sky though for a fix, as it only tracks 8 satellites . I also have a GPS III Plus which is much better at aquiring and holding a fix, even under a pretty good canopy, but it still has troubles if it didnt have a fix before it went under it or if the view of the sky and satellite positions are not just right. I've had fixes with both where I thought for sure that no way I would get one, and other times where I had a good view of the sky and no canopy where it would not lock on. Sometimes it seems your just not going to get one, and for me that seems to be at the very time I want it most. They are extremely handy when they work, but pretty annoying when they dont, especially if its all you brought along and your really counting on it. I still think that they are part of a complete package(map, compass, and gps) and are best used that way. By using them this way, it helps you keep on top of all your skills.

[larryw]

Any comments on the Magellan SporTrak Pro (http://www.magellangps.com/en/products/product.asp?PRODID=11)?

[Zip06]

I carry my GPS in a pouch (which has a flap on it) on my pack harness kinda like we carried our first aid packs in the service. My GPS's (Garmin 12xl and Emap) both will pull in and lock on the satellite signal with the pouch totally enclosed. The pouch is made out of ballistic nylon.

Sorry, I don't know anything about any GPS other than the Garmins.

[SemperFi83]

Garmin eTrex Legend. Got it on sale for $179, which I think was a good price (usually see the for around $200-$250). I also got the mapping software, which you don't really need, but its a nice to have. You can plot a route on your PC then download it into you GPS unit.

I have bee very happy with this unit. Hope this helps.

[Jaywalker]

larryw,

Sorry, I don't know anything about that one, either. I suspect all of them will work and be reliable, with the price differences zeroing in on features (including "size"). I looked at that link to see if it had a feature that I want/need, called "cross-track error." That's a feature I've found handy when trying to retrace a path I've previously walked - it tells you how far you are from that path, not just what direction to the next waypoint, if you see the difference. With a map display, I think I'd want "snap to map," which puts your position on the nearest street, rather than showing you an annoying 30 - 40 feet off to the side. Maybe both these features now come automatically - I can't tell from the web pages. Also, if I were buying one now, I'd want "WAAS," which is a more accurate capability - 5 meters instead of 15 meters, IIRC. WAAS coverage isn't all over the CONUS yet, but I expect it will be. It wouldn't be necessary to find your car, for example, but it could help you find your wallet.

Jaywalker

[Mal H]

larryw - I bought the SporTrak Pro last year and have been very satisfied with it. It was one of those deals at Costco where I knew I would kick myself later if I didn't get it. Deal included the GPS, car mount, belt holster, PC adapter, cig lighter DC adapter, and software. All for $189!

It has some very useful features, more than I can use. I like being able to use the software to add waypoints to the unit and also to save on my PC and waypoints, trips, etc. You can download very detailed maps of regions you select on the PC. Very useful if you're going to a National Park or the like and want topo map features available while you walk.

If you have any specific questions about it, I'd be happy to help.

One little anecdote about using it. This summer I was in Ireland and had the unit with me. I didn't think it would be very useful since I hadn't downloaded a map of Europe into it. I was surprised to turn it on and find the shoreline and major cities in the ROM. It turned out to be very useful since we got a little lost on the Dingle Peninsula and it got us going back in the right direction.

[P95Carry]

we got a little lost on the Dingle Peninsula haha! You too eh Mal ... been there - done that!!

So long ago tho, way b4 I had my Garmin ... it could have been useful but the ''natives'' were very friendly ... so all was well!;)

[Carlos]

Darned good deal on the SportracPro. I purchased one over the Summer and it works just great, in or out of the car, and under a 100 ft canopy. The only time I've had a hard time acquiring the SATs was while in a moving vehicle downtown.

I have the Street Map CD and it's extremely handy, although not upgradable. Lots of other room in the memory for waypoints, etc. I still carry my Engineers compass in the backpack and buy maps as I need them.

Oh yeah, there are sweet color versions of the Sportrac now.

Zip, you're so right about the altitude functionality. Still more to learn though.

[Mal H]

[thread veer]
P95Carry
"... it could have been useful but the ''natives'' were very friendly ... so all was well!"
Ain't that the truth! What a great country and what a great bunch of folks.
[/thread veer]

[CarlS]

I have a Garmin 76S Map that I use at work for plotting hiking trails and mapping prescribed burn areas. I also have a Garmin Etrex Legend for personal use. The 76S has more features but if you don't need mapping capability, it is not worth the extra cost. Both are waterproof (important) and the Extrex floats - nice for kayaking. With WAAS turned on and WAAS satellite reception, both are accurate to about three meters. I suggest that you go to the Garmin website and do a comparison of the models looking for the features that you want. I did comparison shopping and ordered my Etrex from Wal Mart on line. Don't rely soley on a GPS; thake a compass along!

[larryw]

Mal and jaywalker, thanks for the info on the SporTrack Pro. I'll be able to attend the SHOT show this Feb and think the thing to do is purchase after I do some hands-on research (whichever one picks up a signal in the LVCC wins ;) ).