Which GPS???

[Phoenix]

I've been looking at getting a GPS recently and thought i'd see what the consensus was as to what is worthwhile.

Systems I've been looking at are tge Garmin Etrex legend and GPS60, and the magellin explorist 200.

I'd like one with decent maps, but that really ups the price, so these are the options I like and can afford. Any thoughts?

[weeds]

I have just purchased a Garmin eTrex which should be arriving by courier. I only had a small budget $200-$300 dollars and started looking at the venutre and legend but was unsure how much map software could be loaded.

My main reason for the GPS was for my Simpson Desert crossing in two weeks and as I have the hemma map of the simpson desert I only needed a basic gps to identify where I am. I also figured once the novelty has worn off how much would I use it, however if i got into GPS and moving maps I could hook it up to my laptop. The garmin eTrex has just had a software upgrade, you can now input 20 routes. I also figued that if I do any more remote outback trips I would always take the paper map just incase the GPS failed.

I brought mine online from GPS Australia @ www.gpsaustralia.net they have just started there online store and have the etrex on special for $150, paided by credit card, 48hr delivery. This site is also a good source of info.

[Greylandy]

The general consensus is Magellan produce better detailed maps but Garmin is easier to use. I've got the Garmin 60CS but also looked at the explorist.

My view was the Garmin had more features and because I use OziExplorer with topo maps to plan trips/routes the "better" maps on the Magellan didn't play a role. The Garmin also felt more pleasant in the hand ... and the controls and menus were a lot easier to access and use. It also has Autoroute function which I believe the Magellan didn't have.

The things I looked for:
Basic mapping on the unit
12v power input
Ability to take an external antenna
USB/Serial Interface to a PC/Laptop for moving map display
Altimeter

The Magellan has removable storage cards for maps etc. where as the Garmin only has inbuilt memory (56mb)

I cannot comment on the Magellan software but Garmin is supplied with "Trip and Waypoint manager" and Tracks4Australia maps.

Hope this helps,

Henry

[incisor]

you could also look at something like an ipaq with sdio gps and destinator and oziexplorer.

got my whole setup for under $200's

works a treat and it is good for other things as well...

just took some time to get together of bits and pieces on ebay....

[weeds]

Hey Phoenix

I mislead you on the number of routes the etex holds, I received mine today and notice it could only store one route, I rang the supplier and they indicated that the 20 route model was not available in Australia, not happy with the Garmin Web Site as it makes no mention which countries the latest etrex is available in. Didn't research that on to good!!!!!!!! If you want to look at the Australian Garmin web site go to www.gme.net

[Phoenix]

No worries Weeds, i'm more in the research mode at the moment, before I spend any cash. The PDA + gps combination is an interesting idea, but I think that the nature and conditions that it would be used in would mean that it wouls be destroyed too soon, although a laptop hookup in the future isn't too far from a possibility.

I was actually eyeing off the GPS Map 60 from garmin, but I think i'll have to look at them in the flesh a bit first.

[weeds]

An update, I posted before opening up the packaging and buying batteries, even though the packaging indicates only one route the software on the gps will allow 20 routes.

[incisor]

Originally posted by Phoenix
The PDA + gps combination is an interesting idea, but I think that the nature and conditions that it would be used in would mean that it wouls be destroyed too soon,

personally i think the pda option is way more robust than the other options esp the laptop and larger gps's.

mine takes a hiding on a day to day basis without missing a beat.

[Phoenix]

If I were to plug in a laptop it wouldn't be going the messt places. I do some hiking (and in tassie, let's face it, everywhere is either wet and muddy or dusty), and even 4wding I get a LOT of dust and muck in the cabin. Even used at cadets it will cop a hiding, that's why i'm looking at the waterproof models mainly.

[rmp]

I run a GPS60c with a Toshiba e800 PDA and that works really well. For comps I use a laptop if its an nav event or a Magellan FX324 marine unit if it's a messy one.

This kit is really a personal choice, and remember no amount of kit will compensate for navigation ability.

[abaddonxi]

I bought an Etrex Legend - blue one- six months ago or so because I needed to find a boundary on a piece of land that nobody had stepped foot on in thirty years.

Bloody magic.

Tough, easy to use, all of that stuff.

Bought it for bushwalking, etc. as well.

Problems

When it is in the Landy it has to be in a very special place to get a decent signal and doesn't come with an external antenna port.

Means you have to buy a re-radiating antenna. I've just bought one, haven't tried it out yet, but it adds a lot to the cost.

Cheers

Simon

[Grizzly_Adams]

Originally posted by incisor+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(incisor)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-Phoenix
The PDA + gps combination is an interesting idea, but I think that the nature and conditions that it would be used in would mean that it wouls be destroyed too soon,

personally i think the pda option is way more robust than the other options esp the laptop and larger gps's.

mine takes a hiding on a day to day basis without missing a beat.[/b][/quote]

Some friends of mine over here have purchased such kit.

Seemed to work well, but on long trips the PDA would freeze. Eventually after searching on the internet they figured it was a memory leak or some such in the software and there was nothing that could be done about it :-(

At the moment I have a TomTom Go! I am really really hoping they start selling Australian maps by the time I come back to Oz in April 2006 as I love it to bits.... it's small, easy-to-use, and seems to pick up signals quite easily.

If they don't start selling maps of Oz, I'll sell it and have to look at picking up something else when I get back home :roll:

[incisor]

destinator has no such problems, have used it in 48 hour + sessions and never had a problem that wasnt my fault.

it has AU maps in truly amazing detail...

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Maybe this deserves it's own thread, but I would like to find a way to buy satellite maps of inland Australia. It doesn't necessarily have to integrate with a GPS, but would need to be able to pinpoint GPS co-ordinates.

I know there are plenty of mapping solutions, but what we want this for it to be able to look in detail at the terrain in a given area. This would help us find the best way over sand dunes, and help us to find a nice wooded campsite far more easily style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

[abaddonxi]

Don't know about buy sat pix, but if you have a pc, download google earth.

Sat pix of the entire planet.

Australia isn't updated with the frequency nor the detail of USA, and probably doesn't come up to the detail standard that you want, but you can navigate there with lat/long or gps coordinates.

And it's a whole lot of fun.

If you're looking in NSW try the dept of lands http://lands.nsw.gov.au
They have a mapping site which will do topo display and with a whole bunch of fiddling about will give you really good aerial pix.

Cheers

Simon

[Phoenix]

Ok, an update on this, the budget has been fixed at a max $600, and the main 2 units that i've been looking at are the Garmin GPSMap60 and the Magellen Meridian Gold.

Anyone have any experience with these??

The specs on both are pretty similar, and i'm leaning a little towards the garmin withough having had a look at them yet.

[rmp]

Originally posted by Phoenix
Ok, an update on this, the budget has been fixed at a max $600, and the main 2 units that i've been looking at are the Garmin GPSMap60 and the Magellen Meridian Gold.

Anyone have any experience with these??

The specs on both are pretty similar, and i'm leaning a little towards the garmin withough having had a look at them yet.

Used both extensively. I own a GPS60c. It is in my opinion a better unit than the Magellan in almost every respect, bar mapping. Even with Mapsource 6 Garmin are still well behind Magellan's DiscoverAus. However, this isn't a problem for me as I run digital maps on a PDA.

The 60 will have more features, better battery life and be more usuable. The Magellan will have the better maps (extra $).

Both will do the job.

[Phoenix]

Tat's what I thought. I was debating going for the basic GPS60, but as the minister for finance has allowed more funds than I expected I think it will be the GPSmap60 that i'll be getting. I'd like to run moving maps on a laptop, but I don't have a laptop to use for that (yet :twisted: )

Thanks for that RMP style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[rogerb]

G'day Phoenix,

I used an Etrex for a number of years both in handheld mode and linked to my laptop with Oziexplorer for mapping.

Worked a treat until it spat the dummy. Rang Garmin who said to connect to website & upload a software update. Did this & it works a treat again.

Even though I have progressed to an in-car computer system, I still use the Etrex when I go walking. Its a great little GPS.

Roger

[Phoenix]

Thanks for that roger. My GPS Map 60 arrived yesterday. I haven't had a chance to give it a good workout yet, but from my initial tinkerings, it's going to be a ripper GPS style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[barney]

g'day phoenix,
i ran a gps for dummies day for the syd LROC earlier this month. we had 11 cars and some of them had the most ancient gps unit you've evr seen. it was interesting to see the operational differences between the garmins and the magellans. i have a garmin gps 11+, quite old by todays standards but in all reality just doesn't have all the fruit that the newer ones have.just as accurate, and at this stage i don't need the maps as i constantly refer to my paper maps, this in itself is becoming a lost art, many of the people on my course, despite 4wding for up to 30 yrs, did not know how to read a map correctly.
we had some magellan explorist 200 units on loan from a camping gear hire company in sydney "go play outside", we found them reasonably easy to use once we decyphered their glossary of terms, though the little joystick/press to enter setup was a little annoying because if you pushed too hard when toggling up, the button would click and stuff everything up. you'd have to start again.
i reckon you'll be pretty happy with the garmin, most of the people found them easier to use and understand

[Steinzy]

I've got a meridian platium and it's the best thing since sliced bread

[longreach]

hi fellas,I,ve being looking for some time to buy a GPS unit for when I go out back in june,Igot on to a good web site,that discount GPS..........the site name is www.prospectors.com.au,any one heared of it :?: :?: any way I have found the unit I wanted and the price,its a garmin etrex legend price about $289,with gst.......what do you think,good price or not. let me now :roll: :roll:

[Steinzy]

As far as I'm aware the Etrex is an older model but that's a good price. I had a Garmin Emap which I was happy with. Now I use a Magellen Meridian Platium which is one of the best I have used to date.

[Timmo]

I have an eTrx Legend C (the colour one). Love it, use it for the boat, flying and 4x4. It has a usb interface, so i hook ot to the laptop to load routes etc into it, using a program called Macgps pro. Haven't run the laptop in the car with me yet, but may do in the future.