reidster

For the best value it's impossible to beat the basic iFinder in that price range. The next on my list is the MeriGold. Both have expandable memory. Based upon personal experience you'll really appreciate this once you start loading maps and saving trails and routes. Feel free to email me for iFinder questions and details. An electronic compass and altimeter are neat, but not necessary. Although people who do have electronic compasses seem to love them. (Note: One should never go geocaching without a regular magnetic compass). Can't say I've read the same about electronic altimeters. It seems they need frequent re-calibration and are unreliable in certain weather conditions. Again, this is based on what I've read, can anybody speak from personal experience?

I understand the Garmin units have both. You can plug USB into the unit, but it also has a connection for a serial cable. After reading the manuals (I don't own a Garmin and never will - see below), the newer color units have a USB serial I/O port. The older, non-"C", units just have an RS232 interface. Note: The RS232 units list NMEA 0183 protocol as an option. The newer ones list their interface as only "Garmin Proprietary"! Also they only mention using the port for use with their mapping programs. Unless others reverse-engineer their protocol (and proprietary usually means you legally can't), it seems many third-party applications will no longer work.

Great advice 4x4van! There is a lot of good info here. (I'm still a bit puzzled about why we shouldn't use WAAS and averaging and that errors usually cancel each other out. ). The EPE is an estimate and shouldn't be given much more relevance than that. Also it seems each manufacturer treats its formula like a trade secret and they are different. I know my Lowrance always states an EPE double that of a friend's Garmin. I pretty much use the 30' method. Once I get to 30' I continue my bearing and look around. Some recommend using a compass (magnetic or electronic) at this point, especially if there are a lot of obstacles. If I don't find it, I pace off to 100' elsewhere and try again. The Trimble Planning freeware is a neat tool, but be aware of its intended use. Surveyor-class receivers are built to acquire the optimum PDOP (position dilution of precision) measurement, which occurs when using satellites that are scattered and very low on the horizon. The default elevation window for these calculations is between 0º and 15º. Consumer units with a patch antenna (Etrex & iFinder) may ignore signals from very low satellites (the iFinder requires a minimum of 9º) and this thereby reduces the effectiveness of this application. However I do recommend using it, especially to get a better understanding of PDOP and its effect on EPE. If you really want to check your unit's accuracy do the following: Go to your account page and click "View nearby benchmarks". Select a "found" benchmark (the more "finds" the better). Click "view original datasheet". Record the coordinates, but only if they are "Adjusted". Do not use "Scaled"! Note: These coor's are given in DD MM SS.SSSSS, NAD 83 datum. Set your unit's Map Datum to NAD 83 and enter the coor's.* Now find this benchmark. It's the most accurate reference point you'll ever find. *It can be left in WGS 84, but you may be off by up to one meter.

I found this information in Geocaching for Dummies by Joel McNamara In my humble opinion, the author's statement is boooooooooooooogus! WAAS signals, like all other GPS signals, are highly sophisticated digitally encoded messages. Included in the WAAS message stream is the Iono-Grid correction information. The two Master Stations, with data collected from the 25 ground reference stations, generate ionospheric corrections for points on a grid covering most of North America. This information is then sent up to the WAAS satellites, which are re-broadcast to your GPSr. A WAAS enabled GPS receiver receives this data and interpolates the appropriate correction based on its location in relation to the nearest three or four grid points. Corrections are accurate within the grid area regardless of how far it is from a ground reference station. Therefore if a GPSr indicates WAAS reception, accuracy should only improve. If it doesn't, I would have serious doubts about the unit's firmware and reliability. If I'm wrong about this, I'll happily accept any correction to the contrary and appreciate the education.

I find it kind of funny that a company that say's there gps is " totally waterproof " would include a clear waterproof bag with there gps. Don't laugh too hard. The term "series" is an error, imho. The Basic iFinder and iFinder Pro are water resistant (IPX2), not waterproof (IPX7), and do come with a pouch. However all other current iFinders (H2O, Hunt, etc.) are waterproof and do not come with a pouch.

DOH!!! It's log out, REGISTER, then log in.

Log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out, log in, log out....

Learning the NMEA-0183 Specification is a must for basic communications. This spec is readily available, but the GPSr manufacturer probably has incorporated their own extensions for model specific data streams. Assuming you're using RS232, you'll also need to use the mscomm control. DAO? eeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwweeeee! Garmin code example

AFAIK, these units will not be available until later this month. From everything I've read, neither model has a computer interface.

Nope, spent too much time hanging out at the Gay Bar. Thanks for asking, reid (troll from brighton)

Here's another: PID SG0166 It's height is listed as one meter, but it's a stone monument on the shore of Lake Superior?!? I also did not submit it. reid.

Viper420, Although a color screen isn't necessary, I'd like to note that the Lowrance iFinder Pro has a 16-level grayscale, white LED backlit display. Experience has proven to me that being able to tell a stream from a road can be very helpful. Some say its ui isn't the friendliest, but I'm a tech junkie too and I just love all its features and abilities. After a day or two, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about!?! reid.

Although I am still learning, I found a bit more info regarding PID AB5034. The actual PID for the CORS mark is AI4508. Information for this location, "TRAK", can be found on the California Spatial Reference Center (CSRC) site. ( http://csrc.ucsd.edu/cdp/ , From the NGS site, click on CORS, then select California CORS).

Lowrance makes great products and I'm sure you'll be very happy with it. Unfortunately this forum is the last place to come for informed opinions about the iFinder product line. BTW: The iFinder Phd is "Waterpoof to IPX7 standard".

"...any good?" They are in fact an excellect line of GPSr's. Lowrance basically does not market their handheld units very well, if at all. Instead they are an industry leader of marine and aero GPS equipment. However with this acquired knowledge, the iFinder product line however is one of the best engineered GPSr available. In side-by-side tests they have proven to be as good, or better, to all comparable Mag's and Garmins. If you do your research, understand what features are really important, and not be bamboozled by the GPS Goliath, you will find this David of the GPSr to be the best for money!

I'd like to add just one little bit of info to what Lee stated, which is all correct as usual. Although 6.3 requires the LEI card reader and registers the memory chips, it allows/limits you to program up to five chips. Therefore buy large (512MB), high quality flash memory cards. I believe that just one 512MB chip should be able to contain maps of the entire US.

For viewing the Lat/Lon of your cursor on a map try TerraServer.com and search by Zipcode. Select an aerial view (I prefer pixxures) and see if this helps.

Dan, To change the units, or "Coord System", first select "Advance Mode". Then press the Menu button twice and select "GPS Setup". Select "Coord System" and scroll to and select "Degrees/Minutes". Exit out.

Borrow a Lowrance iFinder. They have an averaging function which has always worked for me.

Sorry. I did misspeak, sort of. The EasyGPS homepage says it supports Lowrance. Going to the manual I find it only lists the old GlobalMap. OOPS. Regarding my mumbo-jumbo, almost all the iFinder users I've contacted are total geeks and prefer rolling their own LOC2USR app. If you own an iFinder you are FAR from being an idiot! I have never known of an "idiot" to have an iFinder, except for Lee. (ha ha, just kidding). BTW: Thanks Lee. You're correct as usual. Since this program can not co-exist on a PC with MapCreate, I totally forgot about it.

I love my iFinder, but I have to agree with graldrich. For around $200 the MM Gold is definitely THE most-bang-for-the-buck GPSr!

The iFinder memory card stores waypoints in a USR file. I do not believe this format is supported by either gpsbabel or gsak. The USR file format definition/schema is available and not too complicated. You will also need a Lat/Lon to MercatorMeter conversion formula. The LOC file information is adequate for the iFinder. I've never used it, but you might want to try EasyGPS. http://www.easygps.com/default.asp

Yes, but to better answer the "how", what GPSR do/will you have and what mapping mapping software if any? Each brand is different and there's also third party s/w available for this purpose.

If you ever want to load large maps, then removable memory is very important. The sexy features of an electronic compass, baro altimeter, and color display are NOT essential for a GPSR.

IMO the Magellan Gold and Lowrance iFinder Pro/H2O are the only units you should be considering. Period. Check all of their features and you'll see that they're the best values today!