Advice on GPS units

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If you have a smart phone have a look at HandyGPS app. Costs a few dollars and works great. I use it every trip. Do need mobile network connection. I'm with Telstra and works fine.
 
To 2nd Jaros's comment, discussed at length previously.

Other search words to use are Garmin, Hema, or Magellan
 
Your phone already has a gps in it. you just need an app to use it.
Hema explorer is $30, I use it when 4 wheeling and it works offline so you don't need cell coverage for it to work.
 
Happy New Year to everyone!

Looking a buy a handheld GPS that's accurate, easy to use and not really expensive. There are lots to choose from.... any recommendations?
 
I use Garmin eTrex 20...colour screen. Fairly easy to use. Can back-track to your start point.etc. Downloadable top maps ( a bit expensive from Garmin). I pretty good unit.

eTrex 10 is similar but B&W screen and no download map capability.
cheers :)
 
I`d recommend a Magellan for the new user, they are easier to use, a casual user is less likely to save inaccurate waypoints. I started with Magellans way back in the 90s, and before I start a brand war, I am currently using a Garmin Rino 750. It is no where as foolproof as the Magellans I`ve used. Not knocking the Garmins, I just feel the learning curve for them is more difficult then the Magellans. Either used correctly are accurate.
 
Im with Mike, I use the etrex 20 and find it perfectly fine. It may be a little slow on the map scroll but the garmin full topo maps make this unit great. The joystick can be so so regarding entering data but one gets used to it

P.S on ebay there are the garmin v5 topo maps for around $20, i was a bit juvious about it but gave it a try. The seller i got mine through must just do a complete copy of the original
 
Dont get a touchscreen operated one. I have a Magellan 610. It was a free upgrade after the 510 I purchased would not function/ froze and flattened batteries left in the unit even when turned off. I find the Touch screen to be a pain to see as I have to leave the clear film on to stop scratching from dirt on the fingers when out prospecting. Its very hard to see in sunlight. Not a fan of the software that came with it either as it wont recognise a lot of the mapping file extensions.

Id go a Garmin Rhino if you could afford it. Or an Etrex 20 if you just want basic functions.
 
I had the Garmin 64s and was an excellent machine - never a problem and battery lasted great

I then purchased the Garmin Oregon 600 - super expensive for what it does, has a lot of features that I dont even use, batteries dont last long at all. I wished that I had of purchased it with the lithium ION rechargeable pack. Standard AA's no good

Maps were all over the place - needed to update the firmware via Garmin Express - re-initialized

Set breadcrumb trail - after detecting and checking the data when I arrived home it appears that I had crossed a major highway while I was walking, when I was no where near the highway.

Happened to a fair few other people, a guy in Europe was taking an 80km bike ride and needed to log his times, distance etc for documentary and the Garmin showed that he rode through the baltic sea.

Apparently the 600's were a hit and miss when first released. As for features wow

Now I just use the SUN :)

It does work ok now after installing the new maps. But the Garmin 64s beats this Oregon 600 - and the quad helix antenna pretty responsive

I pretty much turn it on, mark my location then turn it off and away I go, just for that added safety if I need to turn it back on to find my way back to vehicle or campsite. Also plenty of spare batteries just incase.
 
I have the Etrex 10 and only use it to set a waypoint at the location i need to get back to.
Turn it off for the day and only turn it back on if i feel like i might be getting lost.

Would like one with a few more bells and whistles but for very basic emergency find your way back,its cheap insurance.

Most of the time I use the sun and bedrock and any stand out land features.
 
Hand held GPS..throw them in the rubbish bin..so old tech now..nearly useless..and hard to use..a decent 5 inch mobile phone with a built in gps and hema maps will work any where..The only way to go..
 
Baldy said:
Hand held GPS..throw them in the rubbish bin..so old tech now..nearly useless..and hard to use..a decent 5 inch mobile phone with a built in gps and hema maps will work any where..The only way to go..
Click to expand...

Hand Held GPS units are a must because in the Bush if the GPS in your phone runs the battery flat then you loose your Coms and then you are screwed, with a Hand Held GPS you can get new batteries in any Store and carry heaps of them with you, The GPS in a Phone should only be used as a last resort.

When I go off, I use a Tomtom satnav, And a Tablet and I have Satnav in my Phone and I also have extra heavy duty batteries for the phone and I also have A Hand held GPS and an older Garmin Street Pilot III which has maps in it or I can use a clear screen that will only display only my Data. Which can be Dash mounted or Hand Held,

Using a Phone as a Main GPS unit is asking for trouble. Because the GPS in a Phone will Eat Batteries.
 

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