best simple gps

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Richard D

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Just got a boat with all usual electronics but feel would like a hand held gps just in case. Dont think I need all the bells and whistles, just something that gives long and lat, unless someone can advise why I need more. so, whats the best budget unit to get.

Richard
 
Richard D said:
Just got a boat with all usual electronics but feel would like a hand held gps just in case. Dont think I need all the bells and whistles, just something that gives long and lat, unless someone can advise why I need more. so, whats the best budget unit to get.

Richard
Click to expand...

I think the cheapest and simplest is a Garmin etrex. I have had one for many years in a grab bag and often use it walking. No fancy maps. No colour display. But, batteries last forever.
 
Richard D said:
Just got a boat with all usual electronics but feel would like a hand held gps just in case. Dont think I need all the bells and whistles, just something that gives long and lat, unless someone can advise why I need more. so, whats the best budget unit to get.

Richard
Click to expand...

Usually the Garmin GPS72 wins this thread. Latest 72H has a USB connection which I'd have if I hadn't already got the old style. I have three of these. One talking Garmin protocol to the computer, one talking NMEA to the DSC and AIS, and one spare.

Seems a waste not to get it to talk to your other instruments computer etc. in terms of convenience. I like to have my route in the battery powered hand-held so that I can navigate safely (at least for a while) if there's a catastrophic failure of electrics.
 
Amulet said:
Usually the Garmin GPS72 wins this thread.
Click to expand...

Not handheld, so perhaps not relevant to this thread, but in my opinion the best "plain" GPS is the Garmin 128. It perfectly fits a niche in the way I like to navigate, but sadly is no longer made. Old ones on eBay fetch surprisingly high prices, proof of the high regard in which it is held.

I think I'm going to have to go with a 72 in a cradle if my next boat doesn't come with a 128 (as many in fact do).

Pete
 
Another vote for the Garmin 72, mine resides on a mount at the chart table where it provides GPS data to the DSC radios and has 12v power supplied so does not run down the internal batteries. Simple job to unplug and use in the handheld role. No need to run the chartplotter with this configuration if not needed for pilotage. An alternative is the Garmin 76 which has the benefit of a chart display - but at extra cost.
 
which phone

Garmin appears to be the outright winner on this thread but if you were to choose a phone which could do a multitude of tasks including displaying a chart and information relating to navigation which one would you choose.
 
Amulet said:
Usually the Garmin GPS72 wins this thread. Latest 72H has a USB connection which I'd have if I hadn't already got the old style. I have three of these. One talking Garmin protocol to the computer, one talking NMEA to the DSC and AIS, and one spare.

Seems a waste not to get it to talk to your other instruments computer etc. in terms of convenience. I like to have my route in the battery powered hand-held so that I can navigate safely (at least for a while) if there's a catastrophic failure of electrics.
Click to expand...

+1

Love mine....
 
I have an etrex but this knocks spots off it.......




gps.jpg
 
dylanwinter said:
I have two of them

very good little things

that and a chart and away you go

inputting the way points is a bit of a thumb strain
D
Click to expand...

£12 gets you a cable http://www.lynks.co.uk/ed1.html and there are plenty of free apps to let you easily edit the waypoints http://www.easygps.com/.
You can even integrate with Google Earth if you really feel the need http://freegeographytools.com/2007/exporting-data-from-google-earth-to-a-gps-unit

I don't go anywhere without my etrex!
 
There are some compact phones with GPS.
I have a nokia that is much smaller than an iphone, but has GPS with streetmaps of the UK stored in it.
Also does basis lat and long.
However, I would get a basic Garmin or Magellan GPS, they are waterproof which is hugely important, and if I'm in France I tend to take my ancient phone which is not prone to running up data bills.
Have had to use handheld GPS in the tender to find the yacht in fog on the french coast before now!
The Magellan handheld I have is great, but I'm sure its an obsolete model now.
I use it on the racing dinghy as a speedo sometimes. I think the eTrex does this better as it will store your max speed.
 
I use my etrex as a speedo. It does current speed, max speed and average speed.

However it is so sensitive that moving it across the boat quickly or dropping it will give a max reading of 8 knots or so when the boat will only do 6......
 
prv said:
Not handheld, so perhaps not relevant to this thread, but in my opinion the best "plain" GPS is the Garmin 128. It perfectly fits a niche in the way I like to navigate, but sadly is no longer made. Old ones on eBay fetch surprisingly high prices, proof of the high regard in which it is held.

I think I'm going to have to go with a 72 in a cradle if my next boat doesn't come with a 128 (as many in fact do).

Pete
Click to expand...

My 'new' boat has a 128-
It talks to the cockpit repeater and is low power consumption.
I **** to passage plan in Memory Map, graphically, so almost instant and no thumb strain inputting hundreds of digits, then NMEA via a usb/serial port to the 128 and shut down the laptop.
Not succeeded yet!

Nick

edit - why has the forum bleeped the word 'want'?
 
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