Advice on GPS units
- Thread starter Nofind
- Start date
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
condor22
Mike
I have the E20 as I said earlier, I also have a Hema HN7, Laptop with Ozi. However, I interpreted "handheld" as something that fits in the hand and also a pocket when not needed....... 
Teemore
One foot out the door
Baldy said:
Agree the iPad versatile, Memory-Map App has all my find locations.
Made the mistake when 1 got a new iPad to not get the SIM version, no inbuilt GPS on non SIM iPads (bit cheap of them really).
The Elf GPS is less than an inch square and only as thick as the iPad.
Cheers T.
Dig'in-it put me onto HandyGPS for my iPhone. It's Frikin brilliant. It works in Lat/Long or UTM [GDA94 (MGA)] and shows your position along with GoogleMaps satellite overlay.
Storing and naming your current location is very easily done for future reference (sometimes difficult out bush with a car GPS).
You can enter waypoint cords manually (I often get these from Tully's maps), and it will show you direction and distance to get there.
It won't give you turn by turn street directions though and won't interface (to my knowledge with a PC - Dig'n-it may know better). I use my car nav for getting you close.
It is however great for setting a location when you stop your car and set out on foot. No matter how far you wander off or how many turns you take, it will safely guide you back (as long as it has power). Plus you've got the phone and cords to call for help with that snake bite (if in coverage - that's why I'm with Telstra).
Damn convenient and reliable! Thanks for recommending it Dig'n-it.
Storing and naming your current location is very easily done for future reference (sometimes difficult out bush with a car GPS).
You can enter waypoint cords manually (I often get these from Tully's maps), and it will show you direction and distance to get there.
It won't give you turn by turn street directions though and won't interface (to my knowledge with a PC - Dig'n-it may know better). I use my car nav for getting you close.
It is however great for setting a location when you stop your car and set out on foot. No matter how far you wander off or how many turns you take, it will safely guide you back (as long as it has power). Plus you've got the phone and cords to call for help with that snake bite (if in coverage - that's why I'm with Telstra).
Damn convenient and reliable! Thanks for recommending it Dig'n-it.
Garmin Rino 165 radio/GPS is our choice in WA.
A mobile phone is OK if hooked up to the aerial in the vehicle or van other than that absolutely useless even with Telstra. Telstra's advertisement of 95% Australia coverage is somewhat misleading. 95% of populated towns and a surrounding radius of approx. 50km's is nearer the point.
Maybe someone knows what percentage that would be, my guess approx. 10%?
A mobile phone is OK if hooked up to the aerial in the vehicle or van other than that absolutely useless even with Telstra. Telstra's advertisement of 95% Australia coverage is somewhat misleading. 95% of populated towns and a surrounding radius of approx. 50km's is nearer the point.
Maybe someone knows what percentage that would be, my guess approx. 10%?
Moneybox
Philip & Sandra Box
We carry a hand held Garmin each but we usually just mark the vehicle and then turn it off to save the battery so that we can find our way home if we need to. We use the Hema HN7 to record important spots and to find our way around. The little Garmin Etrex20 is really light to carry and has very good battery life. The Garmin Oregon 550 has the advantage of taking tagged photos but it's a lot heavier and has a reduced battery life.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2013
- Messages
- 3,272
- Reaction score
- 4,829
BigWave said:
Not lately, but we have no choice in the bush.
Another vote for the Garmin Rino, we have 2.
http://www.9news.com.au/technology/...elstra-experiences-third-outage-in-two-months
condor22
Mike
Bellaray said:
Have a look in the mapping section, this has been done to death already in other threads
G'day Ray
After reading the other posts I'm thinking it comes down to 3 things: 1. What is reception like where you are detecting; 2. How much money do you have to invest; 3. How much time are you really going to spend on making maps.
I looked at all these things when I started out 12 months ago and decided I wanted something low cost, ideally an app for my iPhone so I didn't need to carry another device, and something which gave me way points and tracking.
The HandyGPS is a free download. The free version only has two way points and 20 track log points. This was enough to trial it. I soon upgraded to the paid version which was, from memory, under $10.00. I now have over 50 way points.
It does everything I need it to do for the money I want to spend. I do my research and put in my way points and can go straight to locations, and I never get lost as I can back track. One day I may be able to afford a Garmin or Hema Maps or similar. If you don't have a lot of money, use a smart phone, use Telstra which is reliable apart from the recent couple of outages ( not the norm), and just want basic functions it's worth a trial. The trial is free so you have nothing to loose.
Cheers Dig'nit
P.S thanks for the acknowledgement BigWave
After reading the other posts I'm thinking it comes down to 3 things: 1. What is reception like where you are detecting; 2. How much money do you have to invest; 3. How much time are you really going to spend on making maps.
I looked at all these things when I started out 12 months ago and decided I wanted something low cost, ideally an app for my iPhone so I didn't need to carry another device, and something which gave me way points and tracking.
The HandyGPS is a free download. The free version only has two way points and 20 track log points. This was enough to trial it. I soon upgraded to the paid version which was, from memory, under $10.00. I now have over 50 way points.
It does everything I need it to do for the money I want to spend. I do my research and put in my way points and can go straight to locations, and I never get lost as I can back track. One day I may be able to afford a Garmin or Hema Maps or similar. If you don't have a lot of money, use a smart phone, use Telstra which is reliable apart from the recent couple of outages ( not the norm), and just want basic functions it's worth a trial. The trial is free so you have nothing to loose.
Cheers Dig'nit
P.S thanks for the acknowledgement BigWave
I just checked. $4.49 for the paid version of HandyGPS. For Scrooges like me that would rather spend there hard earned money on a good detector and a range of coils, maps,books and weekends away this is a real bargain for what you get.
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2015
- Messages
- 1,427
- Reaction score
- 1,281
You could try here for model reviews (helps you work out your NEEDS and suitable match)...;
https://www.google.com.au/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=X5WjU5HdCMjC8gf93IDwCA#q=handheld+gps+reviews+australia
and here for deals once you have an idea of specific requirements (beware of o/seas stocks and power plugs etc)...;
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_nkw=handheld+gps&_fromfsb=0&_trksid=m270.l1313&ul_noapp=true
or even here for used items...;
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-gps+navigation/k0?sort=rank&fromSearchBox=true
and here....;
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-handheld+gps/k0?sort=rank&fromSearchBox=true
Supercheap Auto used to sell a handheld unit years ago for around $199.00 on release, further reduced to around $149.00. Then eBay sellouts for around $100-$120 some still unused/unpacked.
GGA
https://www.google.com.au/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=X5WjU5HdCMjC8gf93IDwCA#q=handheld+gps+reviews+australia
and here for deals once you have an idea of specific requirements (beware of o/seas stocks and power plugs etc)...;
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_nkw=handheld+gps&_fromfsb=0&_trksid=m270.l1313&ul_noapp=true
or even here for used items...;
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-gps+navigation/k0?sort=rank&fromSearchBox=true
and here....;
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-handheld+gps/k0?sort=rank&fromSearchBox=true
Supercheap Auto used to sell a handheld unit years ago for around $199.00 on release, further reduced to around $149.00. Then eBay sellouts for around $100-$120 some still unused/unpacked.
GGA
The above responses to my and Dig'n-it's HandyGPS lead were a little misleading. Yes, where cellular coverage is not available, it would not receive a download Google Maps imagery overlay (but that's just a possibly nice to have), so otherwise it works just fine with current GPS coordinates, distance & direction eto waypoints tc. That's what I bought the app for, and it does amazingly.
Hey Big Wave in Australia it is "Mobile Coverage".
Here is a Telstra map showing Australian cover. (Don't rely on a mobile phone if you are doing a run around the block)
https://www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage
Optus claim 98.5% coverage, absolute BS.
Drive 10km out of majority of rural towns and the area is a black spot.
Here is an example for iinet, type in Leonora, WA or any goldfields town and see what you get.
https://www.iinet.net.au/mobile/coverage-map/
Here is a Telstra map showing Australian cover. (Don't rely on a mobile phone if you are doing a run around the block)
https://www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage
Optus claim 98.5% coverage, absolute BS.
Drive 10km out of majority of rural towns and the area is a black spot.
Here is an example for iinet, type in Leonora, WA or any goldfields town and see what you get.
https://www.iinet.net.au/mobile/coverage-map/
I agree 100% with this. Even in NSW only a few hours from Sydney more black spots than not.Nightjar said:
Some mobile phone GPS maps will work offline i.e. without mobile coverage for example Hema Explorer topo maps. I use it & it was about $30 from memory. Easy to use & load waypoints etc. You can also cut & save specific area satellite maps for offline use.
If I was heading right off the grid I would have a backup & wouldn't be relying on the mobile only though.
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2015
- Messages
- 329
- Reaction score
- 844
garmin oregon 600. hands down the best gps i have used. a real advancement i reckon - kind of like the step from old phones to smart phones...will look at swapping over from my magellan explorist 610.
condor22
Mike
Nightjar said:Hey Big Wave in Australia it is "Mobile Coverage".
Here is a Telstra map showing Australian cover. (Don't rely on a mobile phone if you are doing a run around the block)
https://www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage
Optus claim 98.5% coverage, absolute BS.
Drive 10km out of majority of rural towns and the area is a black spot.
Here is an example for iinet, type in Leonora, WA or any goldfields town and see what you get.
https://www.iinet.net.au/mobile/coverage-map/
You are correct re %, however;
Both Telstra and Optus give their coverage as a % of population covered, NOT the % of land mass. Over 66% of Australia's population live in the 8 major Capitals, a large chunk of the rest live in Regional centres. Only a small % live in "woop woop"
It's a meaningless figure, when if what you want to know is, can I get coverage in the bush where I am.
For those who don't know; There are only 2 Prime Carriers in Australia - Optus and Telstra. All other mobile providers i.e Dodo, Virgin, Vodaphone, Amaysim etc etc buy Bandwidth from one of these two carriers.
Just because a provider works off Telstra or Optus towers does not mean you will get a signal where there is one. To explain in simple terms, there are Telstra towers all over Oz, (applies to Optus also) in the building next to the tower are "black boxes" commonly called cells. Every Telstra Tower has a Telstra cell (obviously), however, not every Telstra tower has a cell for every provider. A good example was the Yorke Peninsula S.A. Telstra covered most of the Peninsula, Vodaphone, which operates on the Telstra Network had far less coverage in that location a few years ago, (not sure about now) because they had no bandwidth on certain towers.
I live in a capital city, where I spend most of my time. I use Virgin, which is mostly owned by Optus and uses the entire network, because I get a good and cheaper plan for what I use. But, when I go out of town I carry a Telstra prepaid for emergencies. I think from memory I paid $70 for a 12 month "Long Expiry" Make sure it is Blue Tick and has a socket for an external antenna. The 2 together still work out cheaper than a single Telstra plan for what I get with my plan.
A good example of coverage is the Karri Track campground about 7kms from Maryborough VIC. I get no Virgin (Optus) coverage at all and the Telstra phone on it's own has no coverage. Until I plug in the "Big White" antenna on the bull bar, then I have a phone. Drive 7kms into town, both work great.
My advice - use a phone to make phone calls, use a GPS to navigate. Google maps are useless without mobile coverage or the Data to use them.
For driving on roads, I use the Jeep's normal GPS mode. When driving on bush tracks, I switch it over to the HEMA system. I only use the iPhone HandyGPS app when on foot - then I don't really care whether I have "Mobile Coverage" or not.
