GPS's...

[GregLS]

I want to know what kind you have, what you like dislike, what you would want different, what is it's primary use such as marking honey holes or geocaching or highway routing.

Do you have mapping software? What is it? Do you like it? And any other comments you want to add about them!

TIA
Greg

[FlygURL]

Garmin eTrex
Like it. Wish I could download maps into it. However, I do interface it with my map software at home to set up waypoints easily.

Delorme Topo USA - the fly fishing edition. Like it.

It's been a while since I've used either. Went geocaching with a buddy from work the other day. Thinking about taking it up as a lunchtime hobby.

[Bob M]

Garmin Summit. The magnetic compass in it doesn't require you to be in motion. It's for backwoods and I don't need a map download and am leery of having too many holes for water to enter. Garmins are fairly wet environment tolerant wich was a factor in the decision.

[Rockyraccoon]

I've got a Garmin Etrex Legend.

IT's great for what I use it for.

Mark lost anchors on the HI and easily return on low water to retrieve. Mark boat ramps on new rivers that I'm unfamiliar with. This is great for figuring out how much time you need to get out as the day gets late. Mark your truck as you begin trailing off to a new secrete stream.....then it's easy to find your way out. There's so many uses for fishing that it's just not possible to list them all.

I also do a little geocaching with it. I've found geocaching to be a fun alternative when all the rivers and streams are all over flowing and so are your fly boxes. It's amazing just how many caches are out there.

I persoanlly use the Delorme Topo USA 5.0 for my mapping software. It's the best mapping software I've ever seen. IT has 3-D topos, shaded relief topos, automatic routing that can be downloaded to the GPS, trip profile that shows you your elevation change in any route you make (really cool to see on a trip from the east out to the west) and lot's of other features.

Pound for pound and dollar for dollar.....the etrex legend is one of the best on the market. But if I had my choice I'd rather have the Etrex vista C or the Garmin GPSMap 76cs.....both have more memory and color screens.

[FlyBy]

I think the best way to decide what type of GPS you need is to decide what you want to use it for (navigating the backcountry, finding your way to and from waypoints, navigating in your vehicle, etc.). Then decide if you feel like you need the ability to download maps and the capability to auto-navigate in your vehicle. If you decide you need maps, then go to both the Garmin and Magellin sites and look carefully at their mapping software, as each make of GPS will only download maps from their own software (they can load waypoints and such from a lot of different programs).

I wanted a GPS that I could load topos on and auto-navigate in my car. The number of maps you can load is dependent on the amount of memory that a unit has. Garmins generally have the memory built in, while anumber of Magellins allow you to use flash memory cards. After careful consideration, I went with a Garmin 60C. It has 56 meg of built in memory and auto-routing capabilities. More importantly, I felt that the Garmin National Parks East 24k Topo software (which includes the Chattahochee and Nantahala NFs) was more accurate than the Magellin software and better suited my needs. I also needed the City Select road mapping software, since the basemap in my unit (and most units) is very basic. This software does support auto-routing, which I find very handy. The 60C also has a color screen, which you may or may not need. I like it because it allows me to tell between a road, stream, and topo line when I have a loaded map on my screen. I can fit all of the N. GA topos and City Select maps on my GPS with some memory left over.

GPSs can be confusing-here's a couple of sites that might answer some questions for you:

http://gpsinformation.net/

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=11

FlyBy

[GregLS]

I've been researching these things for a good couple of weeks. I've read stuff till I'm not sure what "datum" I'm operating from! ;)

My first intent is for marking/hitting lake/river structure honey hole's for fishing. I'll also use it backpacking/camping, geocaching, as well as road travel (who needs directions anyway ;) ).

What I think I'm really after is what detail are you getting from downloading Topo's? Even more specific are you getting the lake bottom cartography like you see it on those water proof maps like those from Atlantic Mapping?

I've seen www.maptech.com Bass 3D Maps but they only have a few lakes and they are way over priced IMO. But do any of you have any experience with 2d and 3D maps loaded in your GPS similar to http://www.maptech.com/water/Bass3D/index.cfm?infopg=overview?
How detailed is it? (what GPS and software)

I went thru the Walmart Rental program ;) and picked up a Magellan Gold yesterday. They had the best "walk in" price and I knew I had to put my hands on one to try it for myself. I choose it for it's features comparing it to the Garmin GPSMAP 76 and liked it better due to the Magellan using SD memory cards (which I aldready use for my digi cam's). If I decide I don't like it I can return it!

Keep your opinions and experiences coming!

[FlyBy]

Greg, You can go to Garmin's and Magellin's websites and they have map "viewers" that let you look at the maps that you're interested in. The maps look identical on the GPS units, only smaller (of course) and B&W or color depending on your particular GPSr. Here's a link to Garmin's map site-in the middle of the page is the map viewer wher you can select from a list of maps. Garmin does have "Recreational Lakes" maps that you can check out and see if they fit your needs- http://www.garmin.com/cartography/ . (Edit: Just checked out the Recreational Lakes map for Lanier and it does have the lake bottom cartography.)

The topo program I have (National Parks 24k) has very detailed topos, with trails, forest service roads, and even very small streams that are properly named. It has 40 ft elevation change topo lines, but does not show lake bottom cartography. It's possible that the Recreational Lakes maps have lake cartography-I'm not familiar with them. I carefully checked out the Garmin and new Magellin Topo programs, and found that the Garmin program was more accurate, but it's coverage area is limited. Fortunately, it works for me since it covers the Chattahochee and Nantahala NF and SMNP. There is also a "Topo USA" program based on 1:100K maps that covers the entire country but is much less detailed.

Again, if mapping is important to you, then look carefully at the available map programs and then choose the GPSr that best utilizes the map programs that suit your needs.

FlyBy

[love2fish]

The Garmin US Recreation Lakes w/ topo East shows the bottom contours of Lanier.

I have the Garmin GPSMap76 and have really enjoyed it. I've used it for driving help, finding isolated streams and for finding listed artificial reefs in the ocean. The only software I have ever used is the US Topo, which shows bottom detail in the ocean. Lanier has been added since I purchased my software and I just haven't bought the version mentioned above that shows it in all its detail.

[GregLS]

I think I'm gonna keep this Magellan Gold. I'd like to get a copy of their MapSend 3D software but at $100 bucks I'll have to hold off a bit. From the online demo here http://www.magellangps.com/en/products/webviewer/3dtopo.asp?load=yes
it looks as if it shows the underwater contours also. Do any of you happen to haf this ? Reviews?

TIA
Greg

[willis5]

they really are great, but it stinks when I hike into national forests and deep woods when you don't have a view of the southern sky. That is the only real reason that I want them for, and the signal stinks