gps units

[barel fly]

I'm looking at getting a GPS unit for hiking, fishing, driving and all the other stuff you can use these for. I'm looking at the Garmin Vista C. Has anybody used this model and if so, what are your likes and dislikes? Any other models you might suggest?

Also, do you guys use GPS units while fishing on lakes and rivers?

Thanks for your help!

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Tight lines,

Jeremy Barela [url=http://www.customflys.com:b8a1f]www.customflys.com[/url:b8a1f]



[This message has been edited by barel fly (edited 17 May 2005).]

[jking]

Jeremey there is a lot of information here including reviews and comparisons. [url=http://www.gpsinformation.org/dale/:59530]http://www.gpsinformation.org/dale/[/url:59530]

Lots of user comments at [url=http://www.geocaching.com:59530]http://www.geocaching.com[/url:59530] in the discussion forums.

There are a lot to choose from and each has its own compromises... I've used a Garmin etrex Legend for a couple of years and I like it well enough when I'm navigating unknown territory.

John

[ny angler]

Love my E Trex Legend I have been using it for a few months now. Geocache is a great site ... I will be using my gps for ice fishing and if I get up to the Adirondacks this summer. But for most of my fishing I just walk up stream or down not like I can get lost most of the places I fish .Now geoachacing is kind of what I bought it for and I have a ball doing that.

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Mike

There are many different GPS Receivers available to the public, all depends on your needs.

I have a GPS that is a basic GPS that I can take the Latitude and Longitude off of a Topographic Map, and plug them into my GPS, as Reference Points for legs of a route that I will travel.


I just follow any winding trail, and the GPS will tell me how far to my next Reference Point, and how far (left or right) of the azmuith line (direction) from my last Reference Point to the next Reference Point.

Some have downloadable programs that will show a digital map on a screen, but I would rather have a topographic map to work with.

GPS units need 3 satellites to determine Latitude and Longitude, need a 4th satellite
to determine Elevation.

Sometimes you may be in a position where the signals from the GPS Satellites are blocked by buildings, hills, or mountains.

Some GPS can scan 4 or more satellites at the same time, some are slower and do one satellite at a time. Both are just as accurate, the multi channel is quicker, but more expensive.

~Parnelli

[new2fly]

i love my garmin etrex legend. it has mapping features which is something u will want. pay the extra. as far as to which is the best gps out there, magellan or garmin are what you want. i have had my garmin for 3 summers now and love it. best money an outdoors person can spend in my mind.

I also just recently started geocaching. very fun activity.

[fcch]

GPS has changed a lot of how we do things.

We use at the office the Garmin MAP76 for light apps and GPS/WAAS solutions for the heavy lifts

On nice way to use it is for Walleye fishing on still water (I don't trout fish anymore on many still waters).

You can set in Waypoints on hotspots

On rivers, it can help when you want to communicate to a client or friend the EXACT location of a shelf, seam or lie. I once saw a newcomer to the river set up time after time on some of the BEST casting locations and cast to some of the best lies. He was following instructions from a friend that had punched the spots into a GPS and transfered them to the other's unit. He then gave detailled instructions about presentation for each Waypoint. (neat eh !!)

Just a little note. The darn things do have a tendancy to die every once and a while (maybe only every 5 years). Please, know where you are when navigating a route.

You should always have a good compass and map as a backup. (and know how to use it).

You should always have a "situation awareness" of WHERE YOU ARE and how to get out at ALL times.

You shouls ALWAYS leave instructions with a reliable person (like a flight plan).

You should always ASSUME that if you get into a mess, ONLY you will be there to get you out.

(sorry about the rant)

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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:41449]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:41449]




[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 18 May 2005).]

[Byron Zuehlsdorff]

One thing not mentioned, and taught int hunter's ed class,,,,,,PACK AN EXTRA SET OF BATTERIES.

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Wyo-blizzard

[SilverMallard]

I also own a Garmin eTrex Legend and it suits my needs just fine. I think it's a good buy for the money. FYI, I bought mine used off the Internet. Do some shopping. You can get good deals on used ones as others trade up.

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Fishing the Ozarks

[Dave E]

Re: "Also, do you guys use GPS units while fishing on lakes and rivers?"

Hi Jeremy,
I do, almost entirely on our larger reservoirs. Some of our reservoirs fluctuate as much as 80 feet in water depth throughout the year. Imagine you're in a boat, or float tube fishing just over a submerged hilltop, now fast forward three months, that same hilltop now has eighty feet of water laying over it and the shoreline is now a half mile farther away. I could zig zag, back and forth all day with my fish finder banging away trying to find that piece of structure and still be way off the mark. That's where the GPS comes in, I can make tracks straight to my favorite spots and using the graph, see if anyone's home. Cheating? Some might say that, but finding them and enticing them to grab are two different things.

The unit I use is a Magellan Meridian Gold dating back a few years. I don't know if it still made, but I do know that it's waterproof and it floats! B^)

All the best, Dave

[FlyingCarp]

I have a Garmin Rhino, for hunting, hiking and driving it works great. I don't use it for fishing because I always know where I am. If you are relying on a GPS, make sure that you have a compass and know how to use it.
As mentioned befor, take xtra batteries.

PS, My dad also has a Rhino, so when we are in the same vicinity we can comunicate. My "map" shows me where he is, within a few yards.

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Land Em',
Carp


[This message has been edited by FlyingCarp (edited 18 May 2005).]