Can anyone recommend a good hand held GPS? I’m getting sick of using my iPhone as a GPS, and I’d like something more robust and waterproof that doesn’t churn through the battery in a few hours. For some reason iPhones can’t use the GPS unless the phone signal is enabled, so in poor reception areas the battery drain is high. I’m told they’re fine if you pull the SIM out, but I’m not doing that. Initial research tells me that the Garmin eTrex 20 is the most popular non touch screen model, and that the more expensize Garmin Oregon 600 is the most popular touch screen model. Can anyone offer an opinion on these or other models, and whether the touch screen is worth the reduced battery life? Peter Shute
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I’ve been using a battery pack, Chris. It can charge the phone twice over, so there’s no problem getting through a day, but not an extended trip. I find though that leaving it plugged in means I’ve got a tangle of wires and two devices to juggle, while not leaving it plugged in means I have to remember to keep an eye on the battery level. Perhaps I should attach them together somehow, but then it’s pretty bulky. My battery pack was about $45. Can you give me a link to the cheaper ones on eBay? Are they reliable? And are they the type that doubles as a cover for the phone? Those seem convenient, but then I have to dispense with the heavy duty cover I have now. Peter Shute
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Peter, Battery life is a problem with iPhone GPS. However an add-on battery pack works nicely for me & will run GPS all day.. It is not another device to become familiar with, manage batteries for, fill another pocket, as would a standalone GPS unit. And at $12 ebay they are cheap enough to have several. Chris Charles +61412911184 Licole Monopods http://www.licole.com.au On 13 Oct 2014, at 7:58 pm, Paul Taylor < birder@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
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On 13/10/2014 6:30 PM, Peter Shute wrote: The base maps are next to useless. The GPS Australia forum has links to free topographic and street maps. http://www.gpsaustralia.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=55 I’ve used the Contours Australia 5m maps on a Garmin GPSMap 60CSx, and found them useful – but a higher resolution display would help. — -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Paul Taylor Veni, vidi, tici – birder@ozemail.com.au I came, I saw, I ticked.
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According to this discussion, you can set the eTrex 20 to use grid coordinates, Brian. I assume the Oregon 600 can do the same: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1991394 Does that do what you wanted, or is there a map reference type missing? Regarding the Oregon being more complex, I had been wondering about that. I know from my experience with a Blackberry phone before the iphone that buttons are easier to use without having to watch carefully, but the Blackberry had a lot of them, and the eTrex only has six. But I’ve used neither model, so I don’t know how much it matters in practice. Peter Shute
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I believe that the underlying detail in the maps loaded on my GPS is 1:100,000, but you can blow it up as much as you like. You can also use the touch screen to measure distances and directions from your location to a point you choose. It saves your tracks, as you go along, so if you return at a later date, your old track will still be there if you haven’t removed it. Regards, Laurie. On 13 Oct 2014, at 5:30 pm, Peter Shute < pshute@nuw.org.au> wrote:
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How do find the topo maps, Laurie? What “scale” are they? I.e what map series are they based on? And do you think the touch screen is useful? I was thinking it would make naming and searching for tracks and waypoints easier because typing would be faster than the move and select method on the non touch models. About turning it off to save the batteries, does that mean you have to start a new track, say, after lunch? I believe all the Garmins come with what they call “base maps”, which I assume are much less detailed than the topo maps. Can anyone tell me if these are usable? Peter Shute Sent from my iPad
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G’day Peter, I have a Garmin oregon 600t. It works well and has the minimum sized screen you’d want to view Topo maps when you are bushwalking. Mine came pre-loaded with Australian topo data and I have no problems using it in the rainforest. It runs on AA batteries – I use rechargeable ones. The trick with battery life is to turn it off properly when you aren’t using it. As for cost, you let your significant other know it is what you want for your birthday/Christmas present 😉 Regards, Laurie. On 13 Oct 2014, at 2:08 pm, Peter Shute < pshute@nuw.org.au> wrote:
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On 13/10/2014 3:08 PM, Peter Shute wrote: I have both around the house, but neither do what my old Garmin did – select either Lat/Long or Grid. All the maps I use have grids, and my main use was to identify just which intersection I was at – if it was mapped! The Oregon is more complex so slower to use. If all you need is a location reference, the eTrex would be adequate – and none come with all the maps you might need. Brian Fleming – a believer in Keep It Simple Stupid.
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