GPS Systems

[jigsbydirk]

Those of you who are the techno users help out us non techno's by telling us what to look for in a GPS system to use on a boat.

[drill instructor]

The Garmin 72 is great. I use it to mark brush piles and to monitor trolling speed. Very easy to use and cost around 170.00. I looked for one that would monitor trolling speed under 1mph. Some of them want pick up speed until your over 1mph.

[Barnacle Bill]

My idea of an ideal GPS would be something like this. On the left side of the screen would be pictures of all different kinds of fish. You highlight the type you want, then punch the button that says "go to". Then you just sit back and wait for the alarm to go off saying you have arrived. Once there, you push the button for details and it will tell you what bait to use and how deep to fish. Perhaps we could make the unit voice activated so we don't wear out finger out pushing buttons. Well I can dream can't I?

I would like to find one that is very simple to use tho.

[Crappie Chatt]

I would seriously look at the Lowrance models. The 332C is a color unit with 480 pixcels and a locator. Loading lake maps with a card is the easiest method. I have a Garmin 162 and love it but,,,I'm changing to the color Lowrance. Make sure the unit you choose has WAAS. I'm pretty sure all the newer models have it but, if you buy a used unit, make sure it has it. The more you use it,,,the more you'll like it and wonder how you ever got along without it. Good luck!! <*)}}}><

[Rock Bottom]

I just ordered the Lowrance 3500c. The media card was $200 but has the countor graphics for over 1000 lakes. It is real accurate too. So far I really like it. As you look at the map you see where you are in relation to other structure, sunken islands, saddles, channels, ect.......Chart your course mark your spots ect..ect..

[J White]

My stuff is sort of antiquated, but still works for me, Lowrance Globalnav
310 with Eagle differential beacon receiver - Got a Garmin E-trex for
hunting and it seems to be more advanced, but I still like the big screen
on my Lowrance for fishing. Not to hijack here, but has anyone went
from differential to WAAS? Is it as good? I got differential back in the
old days of SA when GPS was about useless without it, but now I seldom
use it. For those not familiar with it, differential takes a seperate whip
antenna - I'm using a 8' cause I'm about 100 miles from the tower in
Memphis and pushing the limit of reception. Bad weather between
here and there affects it sometimes, and a 8' whip is hard to keep
out of the way in a small boat. Can you use diff. and WAAS together?
Just curious. But to the original question, my .02 is to get at least a
5" diagonal display, Lowrance and Garmin are both good, and for me,
background maps and mega memory were not important - speed and
just marking spots are all I need, and even the basic models can do this.
This may change, as this Spring up at Goat Island, there was a center
console boat with some kind of "map service" lettering on it running grid
patterns back and forth, I assume to produce GPS maps - rude little
sucker running it too - told him he was #1 - wrong finger though!

[1weezer]

I have been using the Garmin 168 for about 3 years now. I have not found a better unit any where. I get back to my spots every time. Very user friendly.

[Bowfin]

i have a handheld I take with me. Magellan Sportrack color. Works for me. i wish the screen was bigger and a little more visible without the backlight, but it works great for fishing, measuring speed, distance traveled, driving directions, and geocaching.

B

[fiddlefarter]

I just puchased a Garmin 76 from IBNFSHN and it's pretty easy to use. Did you not read the book IBN? LOL. Well, I consider myself a surveyor as that is what I use to do before my current gig and I have a lot of experience with units a whole lot more complicated. So maybe I'm biased a little. I have used several handheld models by Garmin and I liked all of them. If your looking for a Sonar/GPS to be mounted in the boat. I have heard a lot of rave over the Lowrance 332C and I fiddled with it at BPS and its pretty slick. And for comparable machines its reasonably priced.

[JigMaster]

My wife just bought me a GPS map 76 for fathers day and it appears to be pretty simple although I hav eonly used it walking through the neighborhood. I plan to try it out this weekend.

I got is because of hearing quite a few people on this board and another forum talking about it. It already comes with a built-in basemap of cities, coastlines, lakes, rivers, interstates, and interstate exit information and a database of nautical navaids. In addition, you can buy additional downloads for the fishing hotspots maps which will give detailed info of the lakes. Go to www.garmin.com and do a little research on some of the products and take into account what some of the other users contibute. Ultimately, I will use mine on the lake as well as hunting and traveling.

Key thing I think is to primarily look at what you want to use it for and target those features.