Why is Lowrance so under appreciated?

[Guest arffer]

support and willingness to give us an OFF setting for auto-averaging, I started looking for a new GPSR. Here were my requirments:

• Sensitivity on par with the Maggy 315 under heavy tree cover
• The ability to average a waypoint
• The ability to disable auto-averaging if present
• The ability to track based on time so that Jeremy's shotgun-pattern averaging can be done

 

Turns out that after MUCH research, I found what I think is the perfect GPSR for geocaching purposes, and its not a Magellan or Garmin, its a Lowrance.

 

I found at least three reviews of the Lowrance Globalmap 100 that showed it to be by far the most sensitive GPSR to date. It outperformed the Maggy 315, the Garmin II and III, and even the Garmin 12XL (rated one of the best for sensitivity). I have confirmed this myself; powering up my Maggy 315 and the GM100 in my livingroom, the Maggy can find 2-3 satellites, while the GM100 can find 5-6!

 

The GM100 has all the features I was looking for; waypoint averaging (it even shows the shotgun pattern during averaging!), tracking by distance or time, it has a feature like Magellan's Auto-averaging called auto-pinning, and it CAN be disabled.

 

On top of this, the GM100 is a mapping GPSR with a decent basemap, the ability to upload detailed maps, the ability to split screen showing 2 different maps, or two of the same maps but at different zooms, or a map and navigation data.

 

When heading to a waypoint, it will keep both your present position and the waypoint on the map, and will auto-zoom as you get closer.

 

The ability to customize the screens is terrific. Besides the ability to customize the 2 primary NAV screens, there are 10 totally customizable screens that can contain any of the maps and/or nav data as you choose.

 

You can save up to 2 tracks besides the current active one, its audible alarm is nice and loud (anchor, arrival, up timer, down times, and alarm clock).

 

And at $199 new ($130 eBay), I just can't understand why so few use and/or recommend this GPSR. For those that have needs other than caching, sure the GM100 may not be perfect. But for caching, there isn't a GPSR I'd rate above it for sensitivity or features, even at higher prices.

 

I'll end with two questions:

1. For those that own/use a GM100, why do YOU think the GM100 is so under appreciated?
2. For those that selected a GPSR to be used primarily or only for caching, why did you not select the GM100?

I'm just curious... I know for myself back 4 months ago, I never even looked at Lowrance because no one else was using one (peer pressure).

 

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Team CacheCows of Wisconsin

[Guest Schdp]

I GM100's configurable screens. I've been looking at all the brands and none of them seem to come close to it. The major thing I don't like about the GM100 is the unit size in relation to the screen size. The GM100 just feels bulky. If the iFinder had WAAS it would be promising.

 

Dave

 

[This message has been edited by Schdp (edited 16 October 2001).]

[Guest topografix]

I own a GlobalMap 100 for testing TopoGrafix GPS products. So far, I've owned 5 GPS units, and the 6th is on the way. The GM100 is my all-time least favorite.

 

The user interface on the GM100 (and other Lowrance products, judging from screenshots on their website) needs some serious redesign.

 

One key brings up the menu. A different key closes the menu. One key exists solely to bring up a menu that lets you pick which page you want, but again, you need to use a different key to select the page and exit the menu.

 

The GM100 has some great features, but I find it too difficult to use in real life. Since it's so bulky, I use it in the car, and take an eTrex or Mag 315 outdoors. Even in the car, the power/data cable sticks out the back of the unit, preventing it from lying flat.

 

Will the iFinder will fix some of these shortcomings? Only time (it's been delayed again) will tell...

 

 

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Dan Foster

TopoGrafix: GPS Software, Waypoints, and Maps

http://www.topografix.com

[Guest kymike]

Arffer, I really like my Lowrance and have often wondered why more cachers don't use them. The only real complaint I have is size and thats no real biggie to me. I think that the Magellans and Garmins have a stronger ad campaign and that has alot to do with it. As far as button use, I don't have any problem moving thru the different screens. I don't like the base map thats installed but I can upload any map I want from the accompanying disc. Since this is my first unit, I guess I am not really qualified to rate the others.

I think we need to hear from some more Lowrance users and maybe we can convert some of those others to use Lowrance. Of course this is just one man's opinion.

What ever unit we are using we can all agree its a great way to enjoy the outdoors!!

[Guest hgmonaro]

funny you should bring this up, as I've been trying to decided what I'm going to do since my GlobalNav 200 broke down (no apparent reason.. hasn't been dropped or drowned or such). The GlobalNav's are a basic GPSR (no mapping) but I was happy with it's accuracy. Sadly the cost to fix my GlobalNav is very close to replacing it (here in Australia) so I thought I'd shop around... and I keep coming back to the GlobalMap 100. They are $450 (AUD) here, a Etrex is $385 in the place I priced them (I think that might not be the best price available) Any idea what a Etrex is 'over the counter' as my sister is in Florida at the moment and I could get her to pick one up if it saved a decent amount! In the meanwhile I think I'll have to try opening my Globalmap and see if some home repairs are possible! Maybe something's loose!

 

[This message has been edited by hgmonaro (edited 16 October 2001).]

[Guest arffer]

III+ and V.

[Guest Wesley Horton]

I have been using a GM100 for almost a year now. All things considered, I consider it to be a better GPS than most of what I have seen, with the possible exception of some of the new players like the GPSMAP76 or Meridian Gold.

 

I have to admit, it is sort of like carring a brick around and the power cord that comes out of the back, with a plastic cover plug that is just begging to get lost is a problem. However, the base map is adequate, Ability to lock a satellite and give a solution is very good. (It works in the house.) The buttons and menues are a bit strange at first, but after you get the hang of it, pretty handy.

 

The biggest problem that I am aware of is Lowrance's marketing. Seems that for an independant store to carry them, they have to order somthing like 25 or 50 of them. They have not been upgraded for WAAS and I wonder sometimes if the company really has its heart in the matter.

 

Overall, I really like the unit.

 

Wesley Horton

[Guest rmpgis]

Another happy GM100 user here. I picked it for several reasons. I'm not saying that other brands don't have some of these things, the GM100 just had the right combination for me.

1 sensitivity

2 mapping ability, including OziExplorer

3 power = 5-30V, I can plug into all kinds of batteries.

4 waypoint averaging

5 pinning that can be turned off (holding a position when the unit thinks that you've stopped)

6 price

7 waterproofness

8 good screen & button layout, customizable screens

 

Lowrance market share is a complex issue. Their GPS line was acquired from Eagle. Eagle was just starting to pick up speed when it became Lowrance. Lowrance didn't seem to put much effort into the gps line. They've started to push more recently but it's focused on the fish finder customers and console mounted units. Garmin is a tough competitor, they really push their products in the stores where handheld customers shop.

 

You'll probably be happy with almost any unit. Prioritize your favorite features and pick one.

 

Good luck

[Guest Vagabond]

Well lets see, most people don't like it because they say it eats batteries,?? if all the bells and whistles are turned on maybe so. I keep my alarms turned off and the backlight and I dont seem to go through a lot of batteries. Size bulkiness maybe just what your used to mine feels comfortable to me, I also bought a binocular accessory strap from Wallyword for about 6 bucks, very handy with the wrist strap clipped onto it.

Next time you go into a store with gpsrs look and see how many maggys and garmins are shown compared to Lowrance. One more thing Lowrance electronics has been around for a long time they're well built units just wish mine had waas but it can't be doing too bad since it has led me to 106 caches, and its and older Global Nav 212

[Guest Vagabond]

Well lets see, most people don't like it because they say it eats batteries,?? if all the bells and whistles are turned on maybe so. I keep my alarms turned off and the backlight and I dont seem to go through a lot of batteries. Size bulkiness maybe just what your used to mine feels comfortable to me, I also bought a binocular accessory strap from Wallyword for about 6 bucks, very handy with the wrist strap clipped onto it.

Next time you go into a store with gpsrs look and see how many maggys and garmins are shown compared to Lowrance. One more thing Lowrance electronics has been around for a long time they're well built units just wish mine had waas but it can't be doing too bad since it has led me to 106 caches, and its and older Global Nav 212

[Guest arffer]

With NiMH, I can't see the rate it exhausts batteries being a reason to ignore the GM100's great sensitivity and other features.

 

The only time I ever went through more than one set of batteries was on a multi-cache day long frenzy. For the typical afternoon or evening cache hunt, I've never exhausted more than one set of batteries.

 

But I too have seen that complaint, I just don't see how its relavent.

 

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Team CacheCows of Wisconsin

[Guest brokenwing]

quote:

---

Originally posted by arffer:

For those that selected a GPSR to be used primarily or only for caching, why did you not select the GM100?

---

 

Well, I too didn't really look at Lowrance. The feeling I got when I was shopping for my current unit was that Lowrance was behind the curve. As you know their focus does not seem to be on handheld units, so this affected my decision. I also never saw what I would call a "glowing" report from anyone about any Lowrance units. I've always been of the opinion that they were just not in the same league with Magellan and Garmin when it comes to handheld GPSRs. Another thing was the info quoted below that I had read on Joe Mehaffey's web site:

 

quote:

---

In no particular order, SOME of the current 12 channel parallel GPS receivers WE consider suitable for hiking use include:

{cut}

GPS receivers WITH the ability to upload maps into the GPS from optional proprietary maps:

Magellan 330, GPS-V, Garmin G76Map, G-12Map#, G-III PLUS#, Vista, Legend, Lowrance GM100#, Magellan 410# (no street level maps), and eMap(*)

---

Notice the # symbol. The page goes on to say:

quote:

---

(#) While these units are not "obselete" from the standpoint of technology, newer units with more "features for the money" are recommended.

---

 

In otherwords, Joe and Jack don't recommend the Lowrance. Maybe you should ask them why?

 

Finally, I got my Magellan Map330X with GPSR, Map CD, power/data cable, and car mount for $249. How much would all that cost for the Lowrance? At the time, I'd guess closer to $450, though prices may have dropped somewhat.

 

Just my thoughts...

 

Take Care,

brokenwing

 

 

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http://www.cordianet.com/geocaching

[Guest Kerry]

quote:

---

Originally posted by brokenwing:

In otherwords, Joe and Jack don't recommend the Lowrance. Maybe you should ask them why?

---

 

I suppose it could depend whose payroll one is on along with how indepenent and unbiased the reports really are.

 

http://www.gpsnuts.com/

 

Cheers, Kerry.

[Guest Vagabond]

quote:

---

Originally posted by arffer:

With NiMH, I can't see the rate it exhausts batteries being a reason to ignore the GM100's great sensitivity and other features.

 

The only time I ever went through more than one set of batteries was on a multi-cache day long frenzy. For the typical afternoon or evening cache hunt, I've never exhausted more than one set of batteries.

 

But I too have seen that complaint, I just don't see how its relavent.

 

---

 

Labor day weekend I went out with my almost 7 year old grandson hitting the first site at approx. 6 am 10 sites later at a little after 6 pm we finished up on 1 set of energizers and I still had enough to go out and do a couple of singles later on. The 1 thing I learned that day is never take a 7 year old on multi cache trips.

[Guest Vagabond]

quote:

---

Originally posted by arffer:

With NiMH, I can't see the rate it exhausts batteries being a reason to ignore the GM100's great sensitivity and other features.

 

The only time I ever went through more than one set of batteries was on a multi-cache day long frenzy. For the typical afternoon or evening cache hunt, I've never exhausted more than one set of batteries.

 

But I too have seen that complaint, I just don't see how its relavent.

 

---

 

Labor day weekend I went out with my almost 7 year old grandson hitting the first site at approx. 6 am 10 sites later at a little after 6 pm we finished up on 1 set of energizers and I still had enough to go out and do a couple of singles later on. The 1 thing I learned that day is never take a 7 year old on multi cache trips.

[Guest Iron Chef]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Vagabond:

The 1 thing I learned that day is never take a 7 year old on multi cache trips.

---

 

hehe, you just can't take them with the way that you go caching Vagabond ;~)

 

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-Iron Chef

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

agefive.com/geocache/ ~ Fe-26

Lets Drive Fast and Eat Cheese!

[Guest Iron Chef]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Vagabond:

The 1 thing I learned that day is never take a 7 year old on multi cache trips.

---

 

hehe, you just can't take them with the way that you go caching Vagabond ;~)

 

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-Iron Chef

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

agefive.com/geocache/ ~ Fe-26

Lets Drive Fast and Eat Cheese!

[Guest tmateam]

I seriously considered the Lowrance GM100. The sporting goods and electronics stores around here carried wither Garmin or Magellan. I finally did find a Lowrance at >Walmart< [gasp!). They were all locked up in a case, no one to help.

 

I bought my Mag at Gander Mountain (kinda like a Cabelas, if u aren't familiar with Gander Mtn.) They let me play with several different GPS's.

 

Michelle

TMATeam

[Guest arffer]

We are taking a reporter and photographer out geocaching today for an article they are writing. I'm giving my new GM100 to the reporter to use, while I use my old Maggy 315. I'll let you know the results of these two GPSRs pitted against each other.

 

The final section of this cache requires very slow going due to over-growth, so the GM100 should easily beat out the 315 due to the auto-averaging problem.

[Guest joshuabrand]

quote:

---

Originally posted by hgmonaro:

Any idea what a Etrex is 'over the counter' as my sister is in Florida

---

 

You can get the basic etrex model for $120 USD at most Wal-Marts in the US. This is a very basic model with no mapping and minimal features. For $170 USD you can get the Etrex Venture with WAAS, and Click Stick (basically a mouse), and more memory. If it's mapping you want, you could always go for a Etrex Legend, which I believe is around $250 USD with 8MB of memory. The final option with mapping would be the Etrex Vista that retails for $350 USD. It is the mother of all Etrex's. It has 34MB of memory along with WAAS, mapping, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, along with a lot more.

[Guest Prime Suspect]

quote:

---

Originally posted by joshuabrand:

The final option with mapping would be the Etrex Vista that retails for $350 USD. It is the mother of all Etrex's. It has 34MB of memory along with WAAS, mapping, barometric altimeter, electronic compass, along with a lot more.

 

---

 

FYI: 34 would be real nice, but the Vista actually have 24 meg of memory, enough to store 3 MetroGuide map sets.

[Guest supertech]

quote:

---

Originally posted by tmateam:

I seriously considered the Lowrance GM100. The sporting goods and electronics stores around here carried wither Garmin or Magellan. I finally did find a Lowrance at >Walmart< [gasp!). They were all locked up in a case, no one to help.

 

---

 

I BOUGHT a Lowrance from walmart. On the way home, I stopped to try it out [excited much?] I had considered the eMap from Garmin and decided on the Lowrance model instead. Well, After about 5 minutes I realized it was not going to be what I wanted. I went back and traded it for the eMap. I have not regretted that decision. If I buy another, I will be looking at the Magellin 330 and the Garmin map76. Lowrance has not impressed me.

 

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Ken

32.619407 -85.37055

[Guest arffer]

Well, today was the first time we pitted our Maggy 315 to our new Lowrance GM100. Boy am I happy with the GM100. Both had solid signals under the tree cover, but the GM100 had more sats locked, and a smaller ETE. The Maggy as always had us located 100-150 feet behind where we really were due to the auto-averaging problem, and for the first time ever since we've been caching, our new GM100 took us straight to the cache without overshooting it! Got down to 10 feet from the cache while the Maggy was still showing 180 feet away. The Maggy caught up 8 minutes later.

 

We let the reported from the paper use the GM100 and he led the cache hunt. Found the cache quite well, and both he and the photographer had a great time. Meanwhile I was using the maggy 315, and kept being missled.

[Guest arffer]

quote:

---

Originally posted by supertech:

Well, After about 5 minutes I realized it was not going to be what I wanted. I went back and traded it for the eMap. I have not regretted that decision. Lowrance has not impressed me.

---

 

Supertech, please share how you knew that after buying it that the GM100 wasn't what you wanted? What didn't impress you? That's the kind of info I'm hoping to gather from this thread, thanks!

[Guest bradrobb]

I have the GM100 and have hid 2 cahces and used it for many other things and I am very happy with. I bought mine after looking around at others and it was the price here in Canada that sold me. The GPS may be cheap in price but the accessories after is what cost. Lowrance had a special on and I got all I wanted. I have used there fish finders for years and helps to buy a name you know.

[Guest arffer]

Well, just finished an 11 cache weekend using our new Lowrance GM100. What a beauty!

 

Easily shaved our hunt time in half based on 55 prior hunts using our Maggy 315.

 

We NEVER overshot a cache this weekend, NEVER had to wait for the GPSR to 'settle down', and it was nice to be able to start our compass triangulation from <50 feet instead of 100-150 feet away.

 

BTW, all three days of caching were done on a single set of NiMh batteries. The weight of the GPSR was never noticed, nor its size.

 

We're sold on the GM100!

 

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Team CacheCows of Wisconsin