Really, Really Happy with my Magellan SporTrak Pro

[The Shadows Know]

I don't often write product endorsements, but every so often something really good hits the market and I get inspired to share what I've found with others. In this case it is the Magellan SporTrak Pro.

 

Back in early June my son and I decided to begin geocaching so we began researching what gps unit to purchase. We began by reading lots of product reviews on the internet, particularly those written by people who use the units.

 

I came across a particularly harsh review of a Brunton unit and in it the reviewer lamented over the problems he was having with the type of antennas used in handheld gps units, in his case the Brunton.

 

His complaints were that he had to have a clear view of the sky to get any reading, and that he had to be moving to get a reading. He also stated that this was a problem not exclusive to the Brunton gps, but also the Garmin's, Lowerance and Magellan units he had tried.

 

He asked in his review why hand held gps manufacturers didn't "get with it" and begin using a quadifiler helix antenna rather than the "worthless" built-in patch antennas present in virtually all of today's hand-held gps units.

 

What made me pay particular attention to his review was that he was an aviator very familiar with high end gps gear.

 

I was just about to purchase a Lowerance unit and software when I came across an ad on a retail site stating that the Magellan SporTrak Pro had just come out on the market.

 

I did a little research on the unit and found out that the Pro uses a built-in quadifiler helix antenna that tracks up to 12 GPS satellites simultaneously.

 

I found one review at http://www.gpsinformation.net/mgoldreview/sportrak-pro-rev.html that stated,

 

"The Sportrak Pro GPS appears to represent a significant step forward in WAAS enhanced GPS position accuracy. In experiments the Pro was able to achieve 95% confidence accuracy of less than one meter on two out of the three tests we made in the open. It also achieved its specification accuracy of 3 meters 95% of the time under moderate tree cover on all tests. No other consumer handheld GPS we have reviewed has achieved this accuracy."

 

"Other tests show that this stationary accuracy is not achieved at the expense of position lag at highway speeds or in overshoot on sharp turns. We consider the Sportrak Pro to be the most accurate consumer GPS receiver that we have reviewed. Magellan Engineers have confirmed that our results are consistent with their data though they do not GUARANTEE accuracy to the level we have experienced in our review unit. Subjective evaluation of the sensitivity would be that it's above average. The most dramatic results of the Pro's performance was under moderate tree cover. Magellan seems to have overcome this general problem with hand-held receivers as can be seen in these plots." See: http://www.gpsinformation.net/mgoldreview/sportrak-pro-trees.html

 

Further, the review compared the SporTrak Pro to the higher priced, (but older technology) Magellan Meridian Gold and Map-330, and the Garmin GPS map 76S. You can review these results at:

 

http://www.gpsinformation.net/mgoldreview/map-gold.html

 

My experience with the SporTrak Pro has been extraordinary. My son and I gotten satellite readings under heavy tree cover while standing still. I highly recommend this unit to anyone. I bought mine at www.gps4fun.com, along with Magellan's MapSend software and a case for $367.95. Because I purchased the software at the same time I was eligible for a $50.00 rebate from Magellan.

 

johlaw

 

[This message was edited by johlaw on July 06, 2002 at 02:32 AM.]

 

[This message was edited by johlaw on July 06, 2002 at 02:39 AM.]

[Garbunkel]

the magellan sport trac and the gold and platinum have the same exact guts inside, i beleave that the screens are the same, same types of attennas too

 

I just purchased a platinum and am still in the honeymoon phase...i just love it

[GlfWrVt]

I just got a platinum and can't figure out how to turn the thing off... And for some reason I can't figure out how to leave the house without it either.... wierd... (the antenna works way better than my old yellow E-trex and the Magnetic compass feature is great also.)

[Eric O'Connor]

I don't mean to be a jerk here, you're most likely a real geocacher who's happy with a recent purchase and who just wanted to share with others with the same zeal that is normally reserved for the fundy set.

 

That being said.... your post reads like a marketing ad.

 

You're not by any chance related to Kim?

[Eric O'Connor]

I don't mean to be a jerk here, you're most likely a real geocacher who's happy with a recent purchase and who just wanted to share with others with the same zeal that is normally reserved for the fundy set.

 

That being said.... your post reads like a marketing ad.

 

You're not by any chance related to Kim?

[The Shadows Know]

I'm just happy with the purchase.

 

I used to be in research and marketing so that most likely explains why I write the way I do.

 

johlaw

[+craggy (nightcrawler)]

I'm proud owner of a MeriPlat, and have no problems with signal in moderate tree cover. Nor do I have problem in dense tree cover. Three satellites is enough to find any cache. My problem is next to big cliff over hangs. But was interested in buying a sportrak for my boy.

[uocooper]

Will the SporTrak work with any mapping software besides the Magellan mapsend topo? After hearing about how bad mapsend is for hiking in wilderness areas I was hoping to go with something like the National Geographic topo map instead. I really don't care much about roads but I do want trails to be listed and in the right places. The problem is that NG topo doesn't list the SporTrak as a compatible GPS unit on their support page. There was one other map program, techmaps or something like that and it also did not list the SporTrak as a compatible unit. Am I stuck with mapsend since nothing else works with the SporTrak?

[The Shadows Know]

I believe only the MapSend software will work with the SporTrak, unless someone out there knows of a conversion program, or a program that allows you to create and load your own maps.

[+TeamCNJC]

quote:

---

Originally posted by uocooper:

...Am I stuck with mapsend since nothing else works with the SporTrak?

---

 

If you want to upload maps into the SporTrak, yes, you're stuck with MS Topo, the same way that you're stuck with MapSource for Garmin. If you're looking for a program that allows you to print topos to carry with you while you're hiking, you can try a program like NG Topo! (CD) or ExpertGPS (Terraserver - online). ExpertGPS has a free 14 day demo, and I'm sure that if NG Topo! is not currently compatible with SporTrak, it will be soon - email the company.

 

-Craig/TeamCNJC

 

... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took off through the thorns, chest high, ...

[+chillas]

I've been looking at this unit, and was hoping someone who has one could answer a question for me ... in the pictures I've seen of the Pro, it looks like there's a Topo map being shown. Is this part of the base map that's included?

 

Thanks.

[AlexK]

The base map does not have topograpgic information in it.

I too am a new Sportrak Pro owner... this thing is great!

[+phantom4099]

quote:

---

Originally posted by chillas:

I've been looking at this unit, and was hoping someone who has one could answer a question for me ... in the pictures I've seen of the Pro, it looks like there's a Topo map being shown. Is this part of the base map that's included?

 

Thanks.

---

 

I tried to search mapsend for that location based on the available stream names (just because I want my unit to look like their unit...I am weird). But I have never been able to find it (doubt the location exists). Any one know if there is a place like that?

 

Wyatt W.

 

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your actions.