Best Handheld GPS for Road, Walking and Marine

[jimg]

I am thinking of buying a handheld GPS with reasonable detail of roads in Europe , to be used for walking and as a backup for the boat. I have been reading about the Garmin GPSMap 76 and it looks quite good, however there seems to be so many models to choose from ( and thats only in the Garmin range ) that I could do with some advice from anyone who has trod this path before. Any tips gratefully received.
Cheers
Jimg

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[Steve_D]

Any of the ETrex models will do what you want in a handheld. The main difference is in the extras and the memory. The extras are things like digital compas and altimeter, not worth the battery drain IMHO. The memory varies from 2mb to about 20mb. I have a Legend, which is very good indeed, it has smaller screen than some of the other models but it is high resolution and perfectly useable. It is small, robust and waterproof, All of the models have a european base map in which will give the main roads.

The Legend has 8mb of memory whch can be used to supplement the base map with the smaller roads using garmin maps on cd (by smaller roads I mean down to 'cul de sac' level). 8mb will allow most of the south of England to be loaded, as an example when driving from the south coast to scotland i put say weymouth to bath in high detail, then use the base map for the motorways, then use the rest of the memory to load all of scotland in.

Ive not used any other GPS' with mapping in so I cant comment on them but I have never been disapointed with either the Garmin products or their after sale service.

You can also download an app which will load all of the navmarks for european waters onto the GPS.

Steve D

<hr width=100% size=1>No. I was right the first time....

 

[lanason]

I've got the 72 from Garmin but it doesnt have any maps - I can buy a PC attacement for it which I guess may be useful.

works well but a bit slow to find the satelites and often looses sat when under trees.

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian
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[Happy1]

I use the Garmin e-map and have used it all around the world, it uses the same memory chips as the marine / car 176C and the same maps e.g. Mapsource. The unit can be used for walking, in the car (a special bracket can be purchased that fits to the windscreen) or on a boat. It can be powered by a ciggie lead or its own internal batteries. I have used it in rental cars abroad and also used it linked into my laptop, good solid bit of kit, and slim enough to slip in a shirt pocket.

See :- <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.garmin.com/products/emap/>http://www.garmin.com/products/emap/</A>

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Greg2]

MBM did a survey a few of months back - tested lots of models and as I recall the Magellan Marien version came out best (only tetsed re boating though)

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[Greg2]

MBM did a survey a few of months back - tested lots of models and as I recall the Magellan Marine version came out best (only tetsed re boating though)

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[c_j]

How do you use it in the car? Do you have an external ariel. My Garmin Summit will not work unless it has clear sky. Even the boat screen interferes with it.

I would want a talking model for the car.
Do they do a kit that does that?

Sorry I missed you at SIBS, SWMBO thought she had lost her purse. (it was on a chair at home)

<hr width=100% size=1>CJ
cjs@stone.uk.com


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[Happy1]

The e-map works perfectly, although it does not talk to you. It is like a roaming A-Z with the maps entered into it, and is great for all three uses, walking, car and back up on boat.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Steve_D]

As far as I am aware The summit uses the same patch antena as the Legend, I have no problems using mine in the car, The case is rubberised in places, I just put it against the dash in an apropriate position and press it against the glass, pushing down slightly and it sticks there. Run the power down to the ciggie sockets and away you go.

Trees will affect the unit but it usually finds itself again soon enough, I find the worst is trying to use it walking in places like London. In the car its not so bad 'cos you're in the middle of the road, on the pavement the high buildings get in the way a lot more.

Steve D

<hr width=100% size=1>No. I was right the first time....

 

[Steve_D]

When I looked at the various models I plumped for the Legend based on
Battery life
High resolution screen
waterproofness (is that a word?)
and ruggedness

Its all a compromise at the end of the day but the two biggies were the battery life and the fact it would take a dunking. It sits in my grab bag along with a waterproof VHF just in case we have to take to the dinghy.

Steve D

<hr width=100% size=1>No. I was right the first time....

 

[c_j]

So I need to get a "patch antena" ?

<hr width=100% size=1>CJ
cjs@stone.uk.com


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stone.uk.com>http://www.stone.uk.com</A>

 

[BrendanS]

The antenna on the unit should be fine. I've used several Garmin model in the car with no problems (and even on commercial airlines if sitting at a window seat). Just make sure it's reasonably close to windscreen - it works ok through glass, not through the metal of roof.

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[Steve_D]

No, the patch antenna is the one thats built in, thats why I was suprised that you had a problem. It must be through the glass tho, not the metal roof.

Steve D

<hr width=100% size=1>No. I was right the first time....

 

[Happy1]

I haven't used the Legend, but I would think it is similar but with a smaller screen. The reason I went for the e-map was the screen size, it is about the smallest my eyes could see while on the dash, plus as I said it takes the removable memory chips, does the legend take the same chips?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[boatone]

Saw this at the SBIS last Friday.....looks brill.........
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[Happy1]

Yes, I saw those as well, but I can't for the sake of me understand why they make it. Everyone is trying to put everything into their PDA's and with a small screen you can only see so much detail, a bit like phones really. My P800 is a classic example, jammed with everything you don't really need. Another problem with PDA's is battery life, if you were to have the GPS on too long you would soon have a flat battery and not be able to use the PDA bit of it. The Garmin GPS phone is another example, a small b&W screen that is difficult to see, I guess it would be a waste of time getting that AND the Garmin PDA which doesn't have a phone /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

I have box's and box's of gadget nonsense I have bought in the past, some still in use, these were all innovative in their own rights. The new units I think are trying to put too much into one unit, you really need to prioritise what you need in one before selecting it e.g. Phone, GPS, Calender, Tasks, Note pad, Address Book, Games player, MP3, Tri-band, Camera, Video calling, Window CE, Palm V, Symbian e.t.c. (important to review the operating system as some download programmes are not compatible with both, so check what you want to use or you may be dissapointed)

Some units will lose all data when the battery runs out and then need to be synchronised with a computer that you backed up the data on to get it back, unless it has a built in hard drive or memory card that info can be backed up on.

I can guarantee that hours and hours of attempting to work these things out can stress you up, and give you a lot of late nights /forums/images/icons/wink.gif So get one that is easy to set up with good techy support.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Steve_D]

The screen IS smaller but its higher resolution with good contrast so appears to be 'crisper' IYSWIM. It doesn't take cards but is so small that plugging it into the laptop is not a problem. The data transfer is slower than when programming the cards on my 176c but not really an issue.

I was dissapointed that I couldn't put waypoints on the 176c cards (unless anyone knows different) as I share the boat the GPS lives on board and it would have been nice to be able to do my planning at home (I have the bluewater charts), program a card and take it down to the boat. As it is I have to take the laptop to the GPS or vice versa.

Steve D

<hr width=100% size=1>No. I was right the first time....

 

[Trevethan]

Garmin Ique... very nice combined GPS and PDA, very easy to use, turn by turn directions. masses of trip computer functions, plus plays MP3s, movies, games and and organises your life. You can add tidal plotting software and so on too

My only criticisms are price of Bluecharts, lack of water resistance (but an aquapac sorts that out) and the battery life - again on boat car not an issue as yyou can charge up. if walking then additional battery packs that take AA's are available cheaply enough



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[Gtdog]

I have logged 17,000 + nm on my Magellan Meridian Marine, without fault, and would thoroughly reccomend it as a rugged userfriendly unit. However Magellan have recently released a new colour screen handheld, smaller than the meridian range, I have had the oppertunity to play with one for a few hundred miles, without complaint. The screen clarity in particular is great.
Both models can have info from a cd-rom map downloaded onto them giving bluechart or c-map quality data.
It is worth mentioning that I have not yet required an external ariel for the magellan kit, either in the car or the lower helm.
All the best,
Dog

<hr width=100% size=1>Work? You call this Work?

 

[Trevethan]

Have to disagree, the Ique is a very snazzy product. -- no I don't work for Garmin, but I do own one.

It has a lot going for it -- I highlighted the drawbacks -- battery life mostly, but there are ways to get aroubnd that.

The best things about it compared t a regular pocketable GPS are the quality of the screen -- it is very cruisp, very sharp.. even in daylight, and its much easier to enter where you want to be, add/edit waypoints and so on.

At to that you can put all the UK road maps and places of interest/service stations and so on, onto a 256 mb card which costs under £60 and still have room for two hours of music or books or col regs and shapes and lights or whatever, means its very versatile. You could probably put the text to your yachtmaster theory course on it and have it available at all times.... ;-)

If you have dodgy reception you can get an addonn antenna (£25 from www.gpsgeek.com) that will clamp on roof, boat wherever. The antenna makes a huge difference to the speed of acquisition and ability to see through trees etc.

It's far easier to use that my fixed garmin gps on the boat.

As for compatibility, using documents to go I carry a lot of work around with me in word and excel. |It can link to most modern phones.

Using gprs connection is pretty fast for mail and limited net sufing.

It uses secure digitaal cards, like many digital cameras and you can just plug in and view images on the 320x480 display.

I ahve to say this is aboout my 5th PDA, started out with a original palmpilot in about 1996 or 97.

I am not a gadget freak, but this struck me as clever convergence -- the phone is a bit of a crap idea -- display limitations etc, but this seemed (and is) an inspired combination.




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