GPS info

[Jiggin Machine]

I know this is a LOW site but thought I'd ask here anyway. I want to buy a GPS but know very little about them. I am your typical 52 year old that doesn't want anything I need a manual or kid to operate. I just got rid of my rotary dial phone so needs to be simple. I can remember how to fish I just can't remember where I fished.<BR>Thanks

[JAYSUPNORTH]

hey jiggin machine get youself a etrex made by garmin very easy. just punch your coordinates in and follow the arrow and your there. 100-110 is the price of this unit and well worth it.

[irvingdog]

GPS Connection makes videos that teach (or train ) you in the use of a GPS. No offense intended, but they really do a good job of "dumbing down" this technology, making it easy for the rest of us to use these machines. Best 15 bucks you'll spend if you don't know how to use your GPS. And yes, the yellow Garmin E-Trex is as easy as it gets relative to GPS use.

[walley]

I just bought a legend by Garmin this year and it is very easy to mark way points and find them. It has a quick reference guide for start up that is very simple. The etrex I am sure is on the same easy level, I do like some of the options the Legend has, like mapping, I have not used it much yet but find it very easy to use when I do. The legend is priced right now at around $180 after a $50 rebate. I am not sure if you want the other features or not but to me it was worth spending the extra $60.

[Crappie Killer]

My uncle bought the kind you mount on a boat. Spent a lot of money on it too. Found it didn't help him much come ice fishing. If I bought one, it'd be handheld. My neighbor has one that has mapping software so he can download coordinates from the gps to his computer. Looks like a real slick operation

[Jiggin Machine]

Thanks for the straight scoop guys. Crappie Killer, your neighbors GPS sounds like a nice unit except software and download are not in my vocabulary.<BR>Thanks again

[widetrack]

Garmin 12XL is a very rugged, easy to use unit.

[Sabaskong]

another vote for the Garmin 12XL, pretty basic to operate, I think they go for about $140

[Guest]

Can't go wrong with a garmin I've had one for years very easy to use

[Jiggin Machine]

I talked some guy last night and he told me if I didn't spend a lot of money $600.00 I would be dissappointed. He said you lose your data when the batteries go dead on the less expensive ones. Also said they don't have much memory. Then he tried to explain to me about using lots of satellites and not working in the hard iron lakes of Canada. Anyone help me here?

[widetrack]

My 12xl has been good for 5+ years. Just make sure you don't leave dead batteries in the unit. They have internal batteries that protect the nvram from loosing data, when there are dead batteries or when you are changing out batteries but it will only hold its charge for so long. So keep decent batteries in the units and there will be no problem. If the internal battery does dead, you need to return the unit to the factory for replacement, and you will loose settings. <P>The 12xl store 500 waypoints. Certainly enough for me.<P>Oh, as long as you keep fresh batteries in the unit, it will re-charge the internal battery as well.<p>[This message has been edited by widetrack (edited 02-27-2003).]

[Lip RIPPER!]

It's a good idea to save your coordinates on a computer or disk in case you lose your them. I've printed mine off and keep that list with me at all times in case something goes wrong. Works for me.

[widetrack]

I have backups of my backups, backups.<P>I agree.

[Lip RIPPER!]

Under lock and key too?

[ralf]

Has anyone tried a gps program called Expertgps from expertgps.com? Edit, download and upload your waypoints. Nice. You can use aerial photos with it. Only a 14 day trial period though. I am going to find a crack for it. lol

[Guest]

garmin has my vote, very user friendly. garmine gps 3 has an external antenna which lets me position in my homeand it is hand held. with optional power cord it can be ran 12 volt.

[toddb]

Jiggin Machine,<P>Don't listen to the guy who told you the $600 and doesn't work in Canada. I have a Garmin GPS III+ and it works fine in Canada and I think you can get a quality unit for under $300. I love my Garmin and have had no problems in the three years I've had it. The question is do you want a unit with all the mapping options etc. or do you want a unit that will take you back to a spot where you caugth fish yesterday. Some of the mapping options on the higher end units are downright unreal but you pay for that stuff. If you like toys and can afford it I would buy the one with more options. If you just want to get back to your truck in the dark after a evening in the stand or say go from Arnesons Pt. to 12 mile reef I would stick to the lower end units. My .02.<P>later,<BR>toddb

[Jiggin Machine]

This has been some great info. Does anyone know if there is a difference between a Garmin 12 and Garmin 12XL. If so do you know what it is?<BR>Thanks again

[widetrack]

<A HREF="http://www.garmin.com/products/gps12xl/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.garmin.com/products/gps12xl/</A><P>Go here, then click on product comparison<BR>compare 12 and 12 xl<BR>

[Fishing Realtor]

I used to work @ Reed's on Leech: if you can't run a microwave - then you can't run a GPS. The 12 was the best selling unit ever, but they stopped making it recently...after the ones on the shelf are gone, that's it. It's a great handheld, but the menu can get confusing compared to the newer 76 series (bigger screen, too.) A liitle over $200, and there's a mapping 76 for $350. If anyone has any ?'s on these, sonar, or Minnkotas,rods,reels...that's all I used to talk about all year when not fishing.

[Guest]

I have been running Garmin for a couple years now and find them easier than other companies units to run. Before Garmin I ran the global map 100 but that gets to in depth with menu's and things like that. The thing with the batteries running out and loosing your waypoints has nothing to do with the batteries that you put in the unit. There is an internal battery that stores all that information. That battery will last for approx. 7 years if it is taken care off. Don't leave the unit in your car or boat all winter the cold weather will drain it just like a regular battery. Fishing Realtor what can you tell me about the fishing buddy made by bottomline? I also want to know if you were able to get into that good year class of fish in Walker bay this year. We found it to be excellent.

[Fishing Realtor]

Up until this winter, I thought that Leech was one of the most over-rated fisheries in the midwest...and I know it like the back of my hand. I've never had a more frustrating year than the past summer (result of the unreal amount of bait fish.) If there's is a strong year class, this lake needs it, mostly to get people to stop keeping those 4 pounders that reproduce the fish we saw on the humps this winter. You think all those foreign crawfish are going to be around again this coming year again Fish To Live?

[MN Mike]

Garmins get my vote too, I have 2 units and I like my GPSII because of the way it traces a line of where you have been and say for instance in the summer when you are drifting and you have a good drift ( pick up say 6 -7 fish ) over a spot and want to run it again, start the boat spin it around and drive right back up that line, its as easy as pie.<P>I have a Etrex Vista and I like that too because it is quicker to update and more accurate, the screen doesn't read as easy for tracking back though.<P>In all honesty, I haven't run any of the new Magellans and others, the Garmins are the ones I have the most expierence with.<P>If you can find a 12 take a good look at it, I have to imagine the GPS76 has to be a good unit too.<P>One last thing, get yourself a holder if your going to put it in a boat or pickup, otherwise you'll be picking that darn thing off the floor all day.<P>Good Luck.<P>Mike<P><A HREF="http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/002268.html" TARGET=_blank>FrozenBait</A>

[Jiggin Machine]

Well you guys talked me into a Garmin and the guy at the store said the GPS 12 is about as simple as they come. So I bought it. I have had it out 4 times on trackback so far and if I wasn't on a trail I would never gotten home. But I'm being patient and trying to learn. <P>Signed,<BR>Haven't smashed it yet.

[widetrack]

Use the mark button to mark a waypoint.<P>Use the goto button to pick your waypoint, then just bring the compass screen up and follow the arrow home.<P>That is the very basics that may help you get started... Spend some time with it in your car running around, and read the manual, you will get the hang of it in no time.

[Jiggin Machine]

Thanks Widetrack. If I want to save this track do I need to make a waypoint at both ends?

[Jiggin Machine]

Thanks guys. I think I'll take Irvingdogs suggestion and get the video and beer.

[widetrack]

That would be one way to do it. There are route functions which are a little more complicated...<P>I'd stick with marking waypoints and using the compass screen to go back and forth between the two until you get a little more comfortable with it.<p>[This message has been edited by widetrack (edited 03-07-2003).]

[Jiggin Machine]

Widetrack, One of the reasons I bought this is because we fish Chamberlain Narrows on Lac Seul every year. The trip back to the post is about 1 hour and 40 minutes through a tangled mess. So unfortunately we need someone from the camp to come get us and we follow them back. It would be nice to have it on GPS so that we wouldn't need to connect with the post. Do I have enough memory to store that long of a trip? What is the best way to TracBack that?<BR>Thanks

[irvingdog]

The American way to learn things, <A HREF="http://www.gpsoutfitters.com/Garmin.htm" TARGET=_blank>the lazy way</A>! Sit down, watch a video, have a beer, and learn, learn, learn. <P>Almost eliminates the need for instruction manuals!<BR>