N2sing Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 I am very interested in getting a GPS what it needs to do I am not sure... We want to use it Caching, and also we are going to be doing camping and road trips Can someone give me a starting point and the price range we would be looking at... I don't want to spend to much but I also want some of the features... Which I know hikes up the price... What would be the best deal for what I want and are there any places to find deals.. Thanks Me Quote Link to comment
+cary1952 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 I suggest you read through the forum. There are hundreds of posts about this subject of good GPSr's. It basically depends on what you want to spend. If you can afford it , get the best there is at $3500.00. If you are broke, you can get a good unit for $100 which lacks many features, but is fine for geocaching. Most of us here online have units between $100 and $500.00. Many of us also use PDA's to download cache descriptions. Do some research on the forum. Think of it as trying to find a cache. Cary in S.D. Quote Link to comment
StarPuller Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 (edited) Man can I help you. I spent a good six months researching this. There's vasically a handful of things I would recommend and two basic routes to follow. It all depends on your budget. If you can about $400.00 then look at option one. If you are on a budget look at Option 2. But believe me if you can swing the $400.00 take option one. I can gurantee you in a year you'll be at option one anyway. First of all the GPS is the coolest thing in the world. If you camp and hike and travel (and bow geocaching) well you're going to love this device. These are the requirements for general use (in my opinion): Note: Handheld. Hands down -- get a handheld. 1. Must be water proof - Most newer Garmin® GPS units are waterproof in accordance with IEC 60529 IPX7. IEC 60529. This is a European system of test specification standards for classifying the degrees of protection provided by the enclosures of electrical equipment. An IPX7 designation means the GPS case can withstand accidental immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. An IPX8 designation is for continuous underwater use. (p.s. I took my 60Cx in the shower. No problems at all! 2. Good Case Design. Sturdy and have a locking/waterproof battery compartment - If water gets inside the case your GPS is toast. Keep an old shoe box in the closet of "toasted" GPS's if you skimp in this area. Garmin has the best cases. I have dropped my Garmin three times and it didn't even scratch the case. 3. Autorouting - My first GPS didn't have this and I didn't think it mattered. Believe me if you have auto routing -- you'll never go anywhere without it. Autorouting is a feature that will calculate a route from your destination to where you want to go and then give you street by street direction how to get there, while showing you on the map screen. Way cool!! If you're on a budget this is the item to dlete but believe me it is worth every penny. 4. Basemap - You should not buy any GPS without this option. Most GPS's today have a base map. 5. Multiple Channels - Channels. Use a receiver with 12 parallel channels. This should include most manufactured after 1997. Older, single-channel receivers are much slower and may not be as accurate. 6. External antenna jack - This allows the equipment to be mounted inside a vehicle if reception is poor. Althoug both of the GPS's I will reccomend for you I have used inside my vehicle and I have never needed an antenna. I get excellent reception. 7. Expandable Memory - This was my big thing. The $100.00 - $180.00 units typically come with 64 MB or less internal storage. This will handicap you for any cross country camping trips. There are two real good units out (very new) that have this feature. I own both. I will detail thiese two units in my option one and option two GPS recommendations at the end of this review. Get expandable memory or you will be limited in the coverage area you have. Of course you will always have BASEMAP, but why settle. 8. Interface - If using the receiver with a computer, be sure that it includes both data in/out ports, and make sure it's NMEA compatible. 9. Get a cigarette Lighter Power source - Use a cigarette lighter power cable whenever possible. If you're only using batteries, make sure to carry spares. The units have 24 - 30 hours of battery life but not if you want backlighting. 10. I highly recommend color. But the monochrome ones are OK if you're on a budget. O.K. OPTION ONE: The Garmin MapGPS 60Cx is the cream of the crop in my opinion. It has everything I listed as a must have and at a MSRP of $482.00 - it's the best deal there is in my opinion. You can buy this unit at The Twister Group for $369.00. You won't find it anywhere any cheaper. I bought two from them. Garmin is the best GPS's there are. SPend the money now or later -- but eventually you'll own one. Here's garmin's site if you want to read more Garmin Website and here is the Twister Group The Twister Group. OPTION TWO: The Lowrance i-finder. You can get this unit for under $200.00. It has all the above features except autorouting. I am not impressed with the quality of the case and I would not feel brave enough to step into the shower with it. But the monochrome monitor is available at only $132.00 and this is a very acuurate GPS. Believe me, for all around camping, travel, geocaching, commuting, travel in strange cities, sight-seeing etc. Get the Garmin GPS 60Cx and the following assecories: GARMIN GPS 60Cx ($369.00 The Twister Group) Cigarette Lighter Adapter (23.00 Garmin or Cabela's) Suction Mount Kit ($32.00 Garmin or Cabel's) Mapsource - City Navigator V.7 ($107.00 Twister Group or Garmin) 512 MB TrabsFlash Card ($52.00 Best Buy) Total: $583.00 Like I said -- spend it now or spend it later. I bougt the Lowrance and after a month bought all the Garmin stuff and even bought a second for the wife. Good luck. Edited March 11, 2006 by StarPuller Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 If you do not have the budget for the Garmin GPSMap60csx, you can get the Garmin Vista C at a discount now because the new units are out. It is capable of auto-routing just like the more expensive unit. I bought the City Select software (necessary for auto-routing city streets) in a package deal with the beanbag auto-mount and cigarette lighter adapter for about $145.00. The Vista C might be found for under $200.00 now. Quote Link to comment
N2sing Posted March 11, 2006 Author Share Posted March 11, 2006 WOW... Thanks For all the help.. current budget is saving $50.00 a month I have about 200 now so If I want the better option I just have to wait... Or find a money tree... Thanks Again Me Quote Link to comment
pyroatx Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 WOW... Thanks For all the help.. current budget is saving $50.00 a month I have about 200 now so If I want the better option I just have to wait... Or find a money tree... Thanks Again Me as the other guys said i think garmin is a nice unit thats what i bought the gpsmap 60csx one for the memory expandability and the range (buildings and suchs) but any garmin you get i dont think you will be totally happy with until you get some sort of map pack i got the car nav kit and im totally happy with the unit as is with the software with the 512 mem i bought i can almost have eastern us with texas great unit sorry i cant compare it to any other. hope this helps Quote Link to comment
N2sing Posted March 12, 2006 Author Share Posted March 12, 2006 Alright now I am confused again... Do I have to buy mapping software too... Or can I use the unit as is until I get the money for the software??? What do i need the software for.. Roads?? NOt sure I understand.. Thanks Me Quote Link to comment
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