Gps

[MikeA57]

If there's 1000 other threads on this topic I'm sorry. I did a search for "GPS" and got no returns, probably because the search algorithm can't find a term that's 3 characters or less, but anyway...

What brand and model GPS do you use for marking spots? I'm gonna put one on my Christmas list but I don't know the first thing about what I need and what I don't. A friend has the older Garmin 76CS but it's been discontinued. The new model 76CSx is about $400 and that doesn't include any maps. OUCH!!! Do I need maps when I get one or will it work without them? I browsed a Magellan Triton and for each of those models the battery life was only 10 hours! Is that normal for a GPS?

Thanks,

Mike

[Wannabe...]

Try searching for Garmin or Lowrance for some light reading.

I use a 76CSX, but also have 2 or 3 boat mounted. A man can never have enough GPSes. LOL.

Any one will work out of the box to mark a spot and then come back to it. Any of them including the little dinky 99 dollar models. What you're paying for is screen size, screen resolution, expandability (like memory cards) and color or lack there of.

No, the maps are not necessary, but they sure are nice so you can see where you are in relation to another object like a channel or drop off.

First one I owned...well, actually still do, was a Garmin GPS12. It was medium priced for it's era and is now probably 8 or so year old and it would be just dandy to mark a spot and go back to it even now.

I have my opinions, and I'm sure you'll get some, but any of them will serve just fine for marking a spot and going back to it. The devil is in the details though, like which maps work with which units. Cable add ons, software to manage the way points, how many track and way points it will hold and on and on.

And I haven't even mentioned the new touch screens. Ha.

Oh, battery life. Yeah 10 hours is about norm. Course, you can get cigarette lighter adapters to avoid that (for a price of course).

Hope that helps some.

Wannabe...

[ezgo]

Wannabe are you able to enter numbers to gps and go and find a spot off of a map. Something like if a friend gave you off of his map. Sorry dont mean to jump in on your thread. You were talking about gps, I just bought etrex vista h for 150.00 bucks.

[MikeA57]

Yeah, you asked a question I had even though I didn't know I had it. I don't think you could unless it is a touchscreen. The ones I've been looking at don't have a keypad so I don't know how you'd enter a location. But I could be real wrong.

Thanks WB!

[chuckauten]

I have two Garmins - a 72 and a 76. Work great for me. One is on the console and the other is on the front deck.

I really use mine to keep track of my speed.

Had problem with one of mine, called and paid $75.00, they gave me a shipping number and in a short time, I had a replacement.

Chuck

[SteveJ]

I have 2 Garmins, an old 72 and a color unit, the GPSMap 76Cx, so you can see I like the Garmin handhelds. I think the old B/W 72 is a little easier to see than the 76 but not by much. I keep both up front with me with the 72 on pointer page and the 76 on map page. The map that came with it is useless, shows a couple of my best spot on dry land, can't speak of any other map. I like handhelds due to portability, can take on other boat and walk the lake during draw downs.

[Wannabe...]

Yes any GPS is capable of enterring a lat/long co-ordinate manually and going to that spot. The Garmins all have a rocker switch and you can pull up a keyboard and navigate to the proper number/letter and enter it that way. Most use some form of that input to get the info in. Same method is used for naming way points somthing other than the sequential default. ie....instead of 052, renaming it to Harlow Point.

A57, what you need to do is get you the most Garmin you can afford and be done with it. If you're partial to Lowrance, get and H2O or H2OC. Here's what would be the deciding factor...If you run or want to run Lowrance GPSs on your boat in the future, the map would be compatable with the H20, so you might save a buck or 2 down the line. Then again, you can't go wrong with any of the Garmins in the 7 series for what it sounds like you want to do. Yeah, the 76CSX is the only one not discontinued that I'm talking about, but I'd go used if you don't want to spend the $400.

Here's a good link for reconditioned/refurbed Garmins if you don't want to go the swap/sell, or Ebay route. Looks like at the moment, they don't have any though.

Edge GPS: Garmin GPS Navigation Devices :: GPS 76 Handheld/Portable System

That link is to a Garmin 76 for $160. Make you a good basic unit to start out with.

Also, if you poke around the Garmin site, there's a comparisson feature on there I've seen where you can compare the features of each model to get an idea of what you're paying for and what's important to you.

[Wannabe...]

BTW, there are different standards for lat/long formats....so if you get a co-ordinate in one format and your unit is set to use a different (the default can be changed), then you may bet some crazy location shown for your entry, like on the mall in Washington DC. There are free converters out there, so you can input as you've received it from a buddy or taken from a map and get it converted to the format you need it in.

So easy even a caveman can do it........after you get your PHD and paid all the stewpit tax along the way then get completely frustrated and figure out how to ask for help so then you can kick yourself for not doing it earlier.

Wannabe...

[ezgo]

Wannabe Thank You

[luvin.fishin]

If there's 1000 other threads on this topic I'm sorry. I did a search for "GPS" and got no returns, probably because the search algorithm can't find a term that's 3 characters or less, but anyway...

What brand and model GPS do you use for marking spots? I'm gonna put one on my Christmas list but I don't know the first thing about what I need and what I don't. A friend has the older Garmin 76CS but it's been discontinued. The new model 76CSx is about $400 and that doesn't include any maps. OUCH!!! Do I need maps when I get one or will it work without them? I browsed a Magellan Triton and for each of those models the battery life was only 10 hours! Is that normal for a GPS?

Thanks,

Mike

Mike, I've been running a 76CSx for over a year now on the original pair of AA batteries I installed in it. I run it off boat battery power using a Garmin cable and only revert to internal batteries when I pull it out of the boat for some reason or other (which is a rare occasion). I power it up when I get in the boat and shut it down at the end of the day, every fishing trip I make. The cable and the mounting bracket are the best way to go with that unit! It shuts itself off in 30 seconds (unless you intervene) when it loses power from the boat battery.