What GPS for my needs?
 

Hey all,

As Christmas is approaching i'm looking at things to add to my list and a handheld GPS seems like a good idea. There is so many choices, I don't know which one would suit my needs the best. Here is what I would like it to do:

Able to download maps of a city to it, and know "Oh 34th street is 3 blocks ahead" Like have the map and then a little dot that is me so I know where i am in relation to the streets.

Set way points. If I leave my car, I can make that a waypoint, then when i get lost i can see "Oh my car is 1.2 miles that way"

Be able to record my routes.

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That is all the things that I would really like it to have. I am looking to spend no more than $200 used. If you recommend one that is over 200 ill prob. look for it on ebay.

I'm not sure if those features are possible for around $200, but I can try at least hope :)

If you recommend one that you have, post saying the pros/cons that would be sweet.

Thanks guys,
Matt

Detailed maps is what gets expensive on a GPS. You can get an Garmin Legend for 150 new with a basic map but to download detailed street maps of cities, you'll have to fork out for Mapping software will run you 100 dollars alone.

Any GPS on the market will do this, even the sub 100 dollar ones.

Any GPS on the market will do this but some will have more memory than others to record with. However to transfer your routes to your computer or PDA, you have to have a unit capable of doing this and the cable itself. The low end Gekos, low end Explorist, and low end Lowrance models do not have external transfer capability. The Garmin YELLOW Etrex can do this but doesn't come with the cable.

Matt, go to the manufacters sites and check out what they carry then search for the features you want. I'm biased toward the Garmin Legend, others the Magellan Plat. You can google the prices on the units.


www.garmin.com
www.magellangps.com
www.lowrance.com

From reading different threads here, its seems that a lot of people are satisfied with their Garmin Legend.

W/ the Legend are you capable of recording your route then being able to follow it back pretty closely? Or is it hard to stay on the same path as you were on?

Thanks guys/gals!

I have an Garmin eTrex Vista, which is similar to the Legend but has more memory and adds a barometric altimeter and a compass-- GPS altitude readings don't work very well, and direction info only works when moving, so the extra features can be nice.

Anyways, you get a "bread crumb" display of your route on the map screen, and so far as I've seen it is pretty much the same from trip to trip, so you can follow it pretty easily.

I just glanced at pricegrabber.com, and it looks like the Vista can be had for around $210, the Legend for about $140, and the color Legend for around $210. Handle bar mount will run you about $10.

Correct. One of the reasons is that the GPS will use the 4th strongest satelitte to determine your altitude while it uses the 3 strongest for your lat/long fix. Quite often, the 4th strongest satelitte is weak. While a GPS can track up to 12 (or even more) satelittes, it only uses the 4 strongest for your current position and changes which satelitte it uses as signals fade or get stronger.

Yup, even the cheapest units have breadcrumbs.

Nice to see the color Legend dropping in price. It has a longer battery life, more internal storage (24MB), and uses a mini-USB port instead of a serial cable, auto-route calucation, and audio alerts plus it is smaller. This is the next unit I will get once my faithful Legend dies (which may be never).

But you will still have to fork out 100 bucks for mapping software to get detailed maps uploaded on the unit.

There's not much you can buy for $200.00 so you'll have to buy used and Ebay. The Garmin Legend does what you want but I think a used one and MetroGuide software will cost you more than $200.00 even used.

I have the Legend and won't travel without it. I went from Trenton New Jersey all the way to Newark NJ or about 64 miles without a map. I did discover a bug in the system but Garmin told me a way around it so next time I'm ready!

The MapSource version doesn't matter, BTW. Once you have a version (any), you get access to free regular updates from Garmin's web site. Current (non beta) version is 6.9.1, uploaded November 8th. (A crappy software whatever version so far, but that's what we're stuck with.)
Erling.

The Version 7 I mention of course is not the software version, it is the data version of the map data.
Mapsource technically the name of their software product offering.
The data is sold separately (with the software) as different packages.
(TOPO, MetroGuide, CitySelect, CityNavigator etc.)

The map and POI data are updated on a more or less annual basis.

And they charge for it.
Updates to licensed users of the previous CitySelect releases are half the price of a new unlock code.
Many people don't update every year.

The software is regularly updated and it has improved recently (for my uses anyway).
Interface still reminiscent of early windows products.
It is NOT MEANT TO BE A MAPPING PRODUCT. You are of course free to buy something else.


There are other vendors out there and all products have there limitations.
Magellan's dual purpose units require you to press a button to recalculate if you miss a turn.
They have more contour lines but less trails than Garmin in the TOPO version.
Lowrance has 50' contour lines & good forest road & trail coveraage, but they have their issues too.
Everything has it's trade-offs. Such is Life!

There are new products coming out all the time and each have their strengths and weaknesess.
Some units have better screens, better User Interface, better street or TOPO etc.
I know of one in the works that will impress.

How come people's words are in color?

by changing the color garmin legend is good will do alot and works well with other than garmin software as well

I've gotten pretty good prices on GPS at www.gpsworldsupply.com I bought my E-Map there for $115.

All three manufacturers use the same data for contour lines on their topo products. Magellan and Lowrance interpolate this data, so while the contour intervals are smaller than Garmin's, misleading innaccuracies are introduced.

Rich Owings
www.MakeYourOwnMaps.com
www.GPStracklog.com

"We were desert mystics, my friends and I, poring over our maps as others do their holy books." - Edward Abbey

My statement was about Magellan's MapSend Topo, not the newer 3-D version. Nor was it about Garmin's 24K package. I agree; it's hard to compare apples and oranges.

Rich Owings
www.MakeYourOwnMaps.com
www.GPStracklog.com

"We were desert mystics, my friends and I, poring over our maps as others do their holy books." - Edward Abbey

AAA makes paper maps that are free for members and these as well as the Thompson Guide show great detail of cities etc right down to the street level, or if you need offroad detail the forestry department makes maps for about $5 that can show you great detail of off road areas of whatever state your in; or computer based maps like MS Streets and Trips can get you right to an specific address for less then $50. Oh, I'm sorry, you need something expensive to play with...nevermind!

I use the Garmin GPSMAP 60CS.
http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsma...0CS01Large.jpg
It has a bike mount and I use it for way points, routing, altimeter, and tracks. You can also plot a course on your PC then use USB to download the routes, waypoints, etc. to the unit. Use the same USB to upload it to your PC.