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Taking Bearings With A Gps


polar69

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A cursory check of some of the basic models shows than not all of them do. Consider it a bell or a whistle (not sure which). In fact, the basic (yellow) Etrex doesn't even show DEGREES - just N-E-S-W!

 

My advice is to go to the manufacturer's Web site and download the manual for a model you might be interested in, and then search the PDF file for the word "mils". If it appears in the search, then that model has it. But I've checked a few of the "Maggie" manuals, and i can't find it in any of them.

 

Some of the middle of the line of Etrex models do have it. Again, Garmin wins! :unsure:

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In fact, the basic (yellow) Etrex doesn't even show DEGREES - just N-E-S-W!

Wrong. Although let me clarify; if you're talking about the "compass rose", then you are correct, however, one of the fields available on that same screen includes "heading" , as well as "bearing" (for a GOTO). That info is displayed in degrees. And in the "setup" section, you have a choice of 18 different formats (DD MM.MMM, DD MM SS.S, etc.), although since I don't have my son's yellow ETrex in front of me, I don't know for sure if MILS is one of those 18 options.

 

Also don't have my SporTrak Pro in front of me, so I can't comment on it, as well. But I think it's safe to say that most all consumer GPS units display heading in Degrees, yes, even Magellans:D.

Edited by 4x4van
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The Magellan SporTrak Map will also display in mils if told to. I was driving generally northward toward a cache once, and I noticed that the bearing to the cache kept going above 359 -- somewhat disconcerting since I think in degrees. Once I got over my initial dismay at the thought that my GPSr might be sick, I checked the settings and found that I had somehow set the display to mils. ;)

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Well, I just got home and checked.  My son's yellow E-Trex doesn't have MILS, but my Magellan SporTrak Pro does.
Again, Garmin wins!
Guess not! :P

The Magellan SporTrak Pro is over twice as much as the eTrex Yellow, and the eTrex legend, costing less than the SporTrak Pro, does have mils... ;)

 

sorry for the rant, it was too tempting. B)

 

The Yellow will display bearing in magnetic, grid, true north, or a custom offset, but all are in degrees.

Edited by geckoee
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The Magellan SporTrak Pro is over twice as much as the eTrex Yellow, and the eTrex legend, costing less than the SporTrak Pro, does have mils...

While I can't bet my life on this, since I no longer have it, I'm pretty sure my old GPS 315 had the MILS option, and it is about the same price as the yellow E. And we now know that the ST Map does (which is similar or lower in price than the legend), and I'd wager that the basic yellow ST also does (which is cheaper than the Legend) :P .

Guess so!

Again, Guess not! :D

 

In any case, I'd say that most of both brands, other than the lowest models, offer MILS.

 

Looks like it's a tie!!! :D

Edited by 4x4van
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