Best Basic Beginner Low Cost Handheld?

[+Ellteejak]

So what would be the best basic beginner low cost handheld GPS? The Etrex Yellow? Something else? Here is what I would think I would be looking for, in parameters.

 

1) Waterproof

2) Can upload/ download waypoints via a cable connection to my computer. (100 waypoints is fine)

3) Is minimally effected by leafcover, or rock reflections. I want it to be somewhat insensitive to reflected radio waves from other sources besides the satellites.

4) Easy to read/see display (lots of old eyes cant see the micro text in some GPS), with minimal setup required.

5) Battery life that can handle 8 hours after turned on.

6) Accurate to the acceptable range area (whatever is common). I think from reading some parameter/statistics/specifications that 10 to 20 feet is close as it gets.

[+Sputnik 57]

So what would be the best basic beginner low cost handheld GPS? The Etrex Yellow? Something else? Here is what I would think I would be looking for, in parameters.

 

1) Waterproof

2) Can upload/ download waypoints via a cable connection to my computer. (100 waypoints is fine)

3) Is minimally effected by leafcover, or rock reflections. I want it to be somewhat insensitive to reflected radio waves from other sources besides the satellites.

4) Easy to read/see display (lots of old eyes cant see the micro text in some GPS), with minimal setup required.

5) Battery life that can handle 8 hours after turned on.

6) Accurate to the acceptable range area (whatever is common). I think from reading some parameter/statistics/specifications that 10 to 20 feet is close as it gets.

The Garmin Legend would easily fulfill all of these needs. It is a great starter unit, and can be found on-line for $130 to $140. My second choice would be the Legend C. It is more expensive (around $200), but the color display is awesome. It isn't just a "pretty" add-on. It greatly improves readability, even (especially?) in bright sunlight.

[+JohnnyVegas]

You should also give a look at the Explorist 210 which can be found online for about $170.00.

[+Miragee]

I will also put in a vote for the Legend . . . or if you can squeeze it, get the Legend C.

 

The newer color units get a lock more quickly and they are easier to see. Plus, if you later can afford the City Select/City Navigator maps, it has the capability of auto-routing you around unfamiliar areas.

[+gpsblake]

Etrex Venture if you can find one. Comes with cable, about $110 online. Same as the Legend, except it doesn't have mapping.

 

Legend B&W probably the best choice though.

[planewood]

So what would be the best basic beginner low cost handheld GPS? The Etrex Yellow? Something else? Here is what I would think I would be looking for, in parameters.

 

1) Waterproof

2) Can upload/ download waypoints via a cable connection to my computer. (100 waypoints is fine)

3) Is minimally effected by leafcover, or rock reflections. I want it to be somewhat insensitive to reflected radio waves from other sources besides the satellites.

4) Easy to read/see display (lots of old eyes cant see the micro text in some GPS), with minimal setup required.

5) Battery life that can handle 8 hours after turned on.

6) Accurate to the acceptable range area (whatever is common). I think from reading some parameter/statistics/specifications that 10 to 20 feet is close as it gets.

 

Well, I'm looking for one that has about what you want but also has WAAS and SiRF and the ability to guide me to a waypoint. To bad Garmin hasn't yet provied those capabilities in a basic unit. The ability to upload/download waypoints preferably via USB would be nice (my computers have the serial ports disabled). I don't need tracks, routes, or maps.

 

Most of my usage of a gps will be in heavily wooded areas. Without WAAS about 15 meter accuracy is all they will guarantee. With WAAS connections, they say as close as 3 meters.

[Photobuff]

What do you mean by guide you to a waypoint? Any of 'em should. Just set the point and follow the compass arrow. IMO, the Magellan 210 does everything listed. Buy it some AA NiMH batteries, and it's good for 8 hours. Reception is excellent, even under tree cover. So's accuracy, if you can get a reasonable number of satellites in some decent pattern, almost never a problem. File system is just like Windows, and it's very similar to a jump drive when you plug it in to your USB port. IMO, the display could be a bit larger, but my 51 year old eyes aren't what they used to be.

[+apoliver]

My laptop has no serial port and I got a little worried about using a Legend under leafcover so i went with the explorist 210. Granted it is my first receiver but it is great. I have had no problems with it. The few caches I have found were exactly where it said they were. I have found three so far but have only been able to log one due to damaged or missing log books. I know there are a lot of people who love garmin and it scared me away from Magellan. After doing some research I finally decided to try the 210 and couldn't be happier. The Garmin units are still good but I found the etrex and basic legend to be a little outdated. If I had been buying a three or four hundred dollar unit then I would have gone with Garmin.

 

Aaron

[planewood]

What do you mean by guide you to a waypoint? Any of 'em should. Just set the point and follow the compass arrow. IMO, the Magellan 210 does everything listed. Buy it some AA NiMH batteries, and it's good for 8 hours. Reception is excellent, even under tree cover. So's accuracy, if you can get a reasonable number of satellites in some decent pattern, almost never a problem. File system is just like Windows, and it's very similar to a jump drive when you plug it in to your USB port. IMO, the display could be a bit larger, but my 51 year old eyes aren't what they used to be.

 

WOW! I just looked at the Explorist 500 manual. Talk about simplicity! Beats Garmin all to pieces.

Magellan has a lot of things going for it. Regular SD card, inplace rechargable LI-Ion battery, understandable DOS file format on the SD card, to name a few.

 

But, will it match SiRF reception in deep woods? I noticed that an external antenna was not an option.

 

And, does anyone have an example of a POI file they could send me? One that works in the Explorist line.

planewood@sbcglobal.net

 

But, one negative is that no accessories come with them. So, add $40 or so for a usb cable and a recharger. And, reading this forum, lot of people say their support is not good.

 

I saw nothing on how long their standard warranty period was. Nor the procedures for warranty or non-warranty repairs

[+dino_hunters]

the explorist 500 caomes with a chargeer and usb cable.

 

its reception is great & will match the Sirf *III.

[+cron]

"inplace rechargable LI-Ion battery" -> is it replaceable when it's dead?

 

Proprietary batteries are absolutely a no go for me. They cost more when it's time to change them (after hundreds of charges, or less sometimes as everybody remembers the iPod saga), if you can change them...

 

There's nothing like good old rechargeable batteries. I think Garmin is now heading in the right direction. At least they have everything we want, and now it's possible to use an external data card to put maps on. The day we'll be able to put waypoints on them too is close.

 

Format of the card? Who cares... This summer, we'll have the choice of 1gb and 2gb for microSD. Well, of course, we could always want 4gb, and then 8gb, and then...

[rmm200]

Replaceable - a $5 Motorola cell phone battery is a replacement.

 

How replaceable do you want?

 

Robert

[+Ellteejak]

I think this went off track. I was saying Low cost. I think someone started suggesting units over $200. How about units under $100?

[+Sputnik 57]

I think this went off track. I was saying Low cost. I think someone started suggesting units over $200. How about units under $100?

The Etrex Yellow can be had for just under $100, but it does not come with a cable to hook it up to the computer, which you indicated that you would like. The cable for the yellow is sold separately, for about $40 from Garmin, but can be found for $20 or so on line. That effectively takes you to pretty close to $120. It will then satisfy all 6 of your listed requirements. Forum lore says that Old Yeller has found more caches than any other unit. If it were me, I would spend an extra $10 or $20 to get the extra functionality of the Legend, but it certainly isnt required.

 

For under $100, there is the Magellan 100, but IIRC, that unit does not have computer connectivity, so I would rule that out.

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

I think this went off track. I was saying Low cost. I think someone started suggesting units over $200. How about units under $100?

The Etrex Yellow can be had for just under $100, but it does not come with a cable to hook it up to the computer, which you indicated that you would like. The cable for the yellow is sold separately, for about $40 from Garmin, but can be found for $20 or so on line. That effectively takes you to pretty close to $120. It will then satisfy all 6 of your listed requirements. Forum lore says that Old Yeller has found more caches than any other unit. If it were me, I would spend an extra $10 or $20 to get the extra functionality of the Legend, but it certainly isnt required.

 

For under $100, there is the Magellan 100, but IIRC, that unit does not have computer connectivity, so I would rule that out.

 

For similar reasons, I'd rule out the Lowrance IFinder GO and Go2

[+dino_hunters]

here is a $15 cable for the Etrex or the geko If you want cheap, then I'd get a geko 201, since its a newer unit & has waas ability.

[+dino_hunters]

If you want to spend a little more get teh explorist 210. later, you can add maps to it and get autorouteing. the built in memory ont hat one will hold about 100,000 waypoints. For geocaches it will hold lots of info, like th ehint, diff /terr, etc.

[+CheshireFrog]

The new etrex basic is WAAS enabled.

 

Data cables for the etrex line can be had on ebay for around $12 dollars including shipping, look here. That's where I got the cable for my 76, and it's as good a unit as what Garmin sells. They're drunk if they think I'm paying $40 for a serial cable.

 

Used etrex basics can be found well below $50 for just the unit, but that likely won't be one of the newer WAAS enabled unit. For that it will run you $90+. Wal Mart has this model on sale a lot.

 

I still have my trusty old etrex yellow, can't bring myself to part with it. No mapping, no cursor, very few icons, but it gets the job done. True, it loses the signal in heavy cover, but combined with a Bushnell digital compass I can back up to my last good signal and take a sight bearing.

 

Trust me, you'll do fine with whatever you decide.

[blang]

here is a $15 cable for the Etrex or the geko If you want cheap, then I'd get a geko 201, since its a newer unit & has waas ability.

 

I'll agree the Geko 201 is a great unit, but probably too small for the original poster to read..

 

4) Easy to read/see display (lots of old eyes cant see the micro text in some GPS), with minimal setup required.