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GPS
Oct 14, 2013 20:14:38 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2013 20:14:38 GMT -5
Anyone who may be in the market for a new GPS I can share this with ya. I bought a new Garmin GPS MAPS 62STC and I really like it. A lil pricey imo but very, very nice. I'm what I would consider slightly technologically challenged and I had no trouble figuring this GPS out. A lil reading and a lil practice and playing I had this thing figured out. I honestly can say it would be virtually impossible to get lost with this GPS on your side. I really struggle with my sense of direction and travel when I'm in Colorado, this year once I got the hang of this GPS, I had the confidence to go anywhere without a single worry. The maps are awesome, the trackback feature is awesome, the buttons are easily seen, found and pressed, screen was easy to see in all conditions and never once did I lose satellite signal, not even in heavy dark timber. It has a ton of nice and useful features and everything worked spot on. Compared to my old gps this thing is amazing and like a Cadillac. I highly recommend this unit to anyone looking for a new GPS.
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GPS
Oct 16, 2013 23:17:37 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2013 23:17:37 GMT -5
How is it on battery life...? For my usage that becomes paramount....There have been some nice units with great features ...but they need to be hardwired to your car to work for any period of time...I have a color marine gps with bouy data ,etc. and I wouldn't take it in the woods fearing I might leave it on .... Sounds like a nice Gps ....I will check them out .....
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GPS
Oct 17, 2013 8:24:21 GMT -5
Post by deadeye on Oct 17, 2013 8:24:21 GMT -5
ohioguy- thx for the report as i'm in the market for a new gps. I like simplicity as I only use the gps for waypoint storage & to get the time. all the other gadgets annoy me. with over 3,000 foot miles in the forest over 21yrs I even get a little lost sometimes. loved my old "eagle explorer" made by larantz & now use my back-up garmin 12 approx. 20yrs old. still recommend this unit for a simple dude going blind?
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GPS
Oct 18, 2013 19:44:46 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2013 19:44:46 GMT -5
Battery life was pretty good in my opinion. I left it on all day every day and if I recall correctly I changed batteries out 4 times max on a 10 day hunt. I did turn it off when we got back to camp each night. I used regular AA's, not the rechargeable that came with it. I think it claimed 20 hours runtime on the rechargeables iirc. It stores a ton of waypoints and marks all your tracks/trails if you'd like to look back later at any routes you used. Heck of a gps and super simple. Thanks guys..
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GPS
Oct 19, 2013 9:54:21 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2013 9:54:21 GMT -5
Since I just turn mine on for marking waypoints then turn it off your GPS would probably last me all year on 1 set of batteries....If I left mine on all day...the screen would be black...Thanks for the info Ohioguy...
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GPS
Oct 21, 2013 9:42:30 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2013 9:42:30 GMT -5
Deadeye I definitely recommend this to anyone, if I can figure it out and be comfortable with it, anyone can.. LOL It took me to a lil water hole about 3 miles from camp that I could not find without it, trust me I tried and I ended up way off track when I tried without any gps assistance. It got me everywhere I needed to be and more importantly it got me back and with 0 issues or hiccups from the gps. I was impressed. Can't say it is THE best gps in the world, but I did my research on them and it's a good one IMO.
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GPS
Nov 6, 2013 11:01:59 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 11:01:59 GMT -5
FYI, Cabela's has a GPS (Garmin gpsmap 62s) on sale for $299, sale runs from 11/7-11/17. It is similar to the one I have and reviewed a bit', iirc this is just a stripped down version of the 62stc, but for those who don't want all the extra be on their GPS, this is surely a good one and a good deal. If you're in the market for one, read up on it and check the reviews, may fit the bill.
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Nov 20, 2013 11:12:43 GMT -5
Post by jacobean on Nov 20, 2013 11:12:43 GMT -5
I have had a garmin 60CSx for about 4 years and can tell you it takes a beating and gives very accurate readings. It uses 2 AAs and is pretty efficient with its battery life. I carry an extra set of batteries but feel providing i don't lose it, i could depend on 50% battery to get me home from a full day of hunting. The 60csx is not the greatest for driving, but I don't have the special road map package. However, with the 100k map it is easy to read what is ahead. I'm sure a touchscreen gps will be faster to mark detailed waypoint info but this thing is built to last and you can't argue with the accuracy under heavy tree cover when marking rubs and scrapes or tracking back through thickets.
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GPS
Nov 24, 2013 14:27:20 GMT -5
Post by jims on Nov 24, 2013 14:27:20 GMT -5
Good information
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GPS
Jun 1, 2014 15:30:43 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by artjr338wm on Jun 1, 2014 15:30:43 GMT -5
Ohioguy, have you heard of any instances of your model Garmen or any other models of Garmen GPS's having for lack of a better way to describe it, total melt down when you ask it for your position? I ask because some years back IIRC Outdoor Life did a story on GPS's suffering some sort of malfunction and when asked by the operator holding it to give his position it gave a location far enough off course as to be useless and in some cases showed locations that were actually in a different state entirely. I would like to stress these problems were with several different makes of GPS and I don't recall the exact ones listed, but I do recall the problem of incorrect locations did occur in a large enough number of different manufacturers GPS's that the author of the story felt it had become a must address issue for GPS makers. Now I must say at no point in the story was any single GPS maker singled out as any worse than any other but it did occur in enough different ones that the author felt reporting the problem in a story in one of the most read outdoor hunting and fishing magazines in America.
The article caused me to hold off on committing to buying a Gps. I wish I could recall the article with more detail and accuracy especially what the GPS manufacturers said was likely the cause for the potentially life threatening problem.
I'm however confident the problem was eliminated as I haven't heard any more reports of a similar problem.
Im asking you because you are obviously far more current with present day GPS technology than I am.
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GPS
Jun 2, 2014 6:01:45 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2014 6:01:45 GMT -5
Ohioguy, have you heard of any instances of your model Garmen or any other models of Garmen GPS's having for lack of a better way to describe it, total melt down when you ask it for your position? I ask because some years back IIRC Outdoor Life did a story on GPS's suffering some sort of malfunction and when asked by the operator holding it to give his position it gave a location far enough off course as to be useless and in some cases showed locations that were actually in a different state entirely. I would like to stress these problems were with several different makes of GPS and I don't recall the exact ones listed, but I do recall the problem of incorrect locations did occur in a large enough number of different manufacturers GPS's that the author of the story felt it had become a must address issue for GPS makers. Now I must say at no point in the story was any single GPS maker singled out as any worse than any other but it did occur in enough different ones that the author felt reporting the problem in a story in one of the most read outdoor hunting and fishing magazines in America. The article caused me to hold off on committing to buying a Gps. I wish I could recall the article with more detail and accuracy especially what the GPS manufacturers said was likely the cause for the potentially life threatening problem. I'm however confident the problem was eliminated as I haven't heard any more reports of a similar problem. Im asking you because you are obviously far more current with present day GPS technology than I am.
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GPS
Jun 2, 2014 6:08:50 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2014 6:08:50 GMT -5
Haven't heard about that, tho I'm not doubting it. My old Garmin, was a little sluggish sometimes and sometimes may even lead you off the path by a slight margin and was no where near as fast, accurate or user friendly as the new one. That being said, I'm by far no expert on them and thats makes this new one all the better, so far it has been flawless, spot on with all functions and its super easy to use. Which is a huge plus for a whitetail hunter who is blundering around in the rockies.I only hope it remains this way for years, time will tell. "To this point, it's given me confidence to go anywhere with no worries." It even proved me wrong several times, ex. It took me to a marked waterhole when I swore it was wrong and that I was going the wrong way.
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Jun 2, 2014 9:16:29 GMT -5
Post by deadeye on Jun 2, 2014 9:16:29 GMT -5
art & ohioguy- it is not the gps's fault. years ago I hooked up with a guy from the military that was over the gps systems.
he said the military @ times conducts "spoof's" for security reasons & sometimes when you are out you will see the #'s rolling or not locking in on your gps. you need to wait if this is going on to lock-in. after a lock-in its always best to wait a few & re-check your lock to make sure its stable & accurate. watch your ground speed-preferably zero.
one time I was out locked in during a spoof & it was off course by 5 miles.
other thing that has happened to one of our guys his gps was set up on a different map. check all units to make sure they are on the same map, most use iirc wgs84 map.
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Jun 2, 2014 11:17:41 GMT -5
Post by rossman40 on Jun 2, 2014 11:17:41 GMT -5
I've worked with GPS since the late 80s, both military and civilian. What you will see with older units is lack of computation power. The unit has to take the data broadcast from multiple satellites and then compute it's position. Older units had to download the "almanac" (broadcast within the signal from the satellite) which told the unit where the satellites should be and any correction factors. Early units like the 300 Magellan could do this with 4 or 5 satellites to get what is called a coarse position (accurate to 500'). Newer units can do this with 12 or more satellites. Newer units can also pull the satellite position from the signal instead of having to go by the almanac. One of the big improvements was unlocking the "Selective Availability" in 2000 which allowed civilian units to get the more accurate channel that the military had access to which brought the accuracy to as tight as 66'. Then in 2006 newer satellites, the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and units capable of "Differential GPS (DGPS)" brought the accuracy down to 30-10'. DGPS is what allows a good fix under tree cover. There is another "Modernization" program going on now that will make even more improvements. A few new satellites and a updated control system.
There are situations you can get into that can throw you off. If you get into a city with tall buildings you can get scattered/reflected signals. If your in a deep canyon you may get less then the 4 satellite signals required for a "good" fix. Then you could also tie into just the older satellites.
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Jun 2, 2014 16:26:11 GMT -5
Post by slugger on Jun 2, 2014 16:26:11 GMT -5
Any of the new Garmin will NOT get messed up in a city or Canyons, that long since fixed... If it does your using a map that's not transparent. Your missing the way point here, YOU NEED to get an aftermarket chip with Land ownership on it ! NOW WE'RE Talking. You know what lands your on, like forest, blm, state, federal, any thing, reservations, every thing. A lot of the chips have Hunting districts and most important, Privet ownership on them too, like the persons NAME with a smart phone you can call them and get permission if you need. Some can track your buddy's gps, some can communicate with other gps and your lap top... In the field!
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Jun 8, 2014 5:08:18 GMT -5
Post by squeeze on Jun 8, 2014 5:08:18 GMT -5
I have a Garmin Dakota series, and it does everything I need and more. waypoints and track feature are mostly what I use, never a problem on any terrain and at least 12 hr+ from 2 AA batteries
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Jun 9, 2014 8:18:13 GMT -5
Post by rossman40 on Jun 9, 2014 8:18:13 GMT -5
As far as the maps the GPS uses the WGS84 cordinate system. But most maps of the US were made using the NAD27 (North American Datum of 1927), this is what the surveyors used as reference then. There can be as much as a 300-500' difference between the two. Surveyors who use GPS systems have to be aware of this. Till the US gets re-surveyed using WGS cordinates you will see differences. That is why when you look at your cars GPS map it my show you off the road a few hundred feet. If your using a USGS topographical map it will say on it what cordinate system it was made with. It still doesn't change say the distance from point "A" to point "B" but if you pull the cordinates for a trail intersection off a NAD27 map (there are probly only a handfull of people on here that could do that anyway) and input it into your GPS and then take off to find that point your not going to be dead nuts.. It was really messed up while I was in the Army, the surveyors would use NAD27, same as the maps, we had some GPS systems on WGS84 (my track had this early 4 antenna DGPS system that was being tested), then the Firefinder radar units used this high speed top secret digital map from the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA, now the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency [NGA]) that was made using radar imaging from satellites. We were doing a Mean Point of Impact (MPI) registration and everybody came up with a different grid for the impact. This two star general went ballistic and I got called in to explain it to him. I felt like one of the christians being fed to the lions but after a while he understood what was happening. He even thanked me for explaining it to him when the idiots couldn't, when your a two star you can call colonels idiots and get away with it.
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GPS
Jun 9, 2014 12:24:51 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2014 12:24:51 GMT -5
A bunch of great, useful and informative information here! Luckily for me my gps works well for me and is user friendly and I'm 100% certain my hunting partner could find his way out of the Himalayas even if he was dropped there blindfolded in the middle of the night, as long as he had his map and Ziploc bag full of his "guidance" tools. (His years of Army and Marine training definitely prove valuable when it comes to being able to navigate "the old way") The gps gives me the confidence I need on days when we split up or decide to go solo.
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Aug 5, 2014 17:27:25 GMT -5
Post by passthru on Aug 5, 2014 17:27:25 GMT -5
Any of the new Garmin will NOT get messed up in a city or Canyons, that long since fixed... If it does your using a map that's not transparent. Your missing the way point here, YOU NEED to get an aftermarket chip with Land ownership on it ! NOW WE'RE Talking. You know what lands your on, like forest, blm, state, federal, any thing, reservations, every thing. A lot of the chips have Hunting districts and most important, Privet ownership on them too, like the persons NAME with a smart phone you can call them and get permission if you need. Some can track your buddy's gps, some can communicate with other gps and your lap top... In the field! are there any specific recommendations you'd like to share for the GPS units and chips with this type of info? HuntingGPS (?), sounds great but not sure how much is fact, how much is marketing hype. Also, when a trust or foundation is listed as the owner, how would a hunter/photographer track down the correct folks to contact for access permission? Just curious, thanks!
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Sept 30, 2014 12:23:16 GMT -5
Post by stanb8 on Sept 30, 2014 12:23:16 GMT -5
If you are like me, don't forget your reading glasses. They don't do much good if you can't see them. Luckily I was local and just dazed and confused.
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Oct 3, 2014 21:37:01 GMT -5
Post by Harley on Oct 3, 2014 21:37:01 GMT -5
A couple of weeks ago I was on a deer stand near dark, hoping for a bow shot, when I realized that I would be looking for a shot deer in the dark in unfamiliar surroundings on an 1100 acre tract that would likely swallow me. I was relieved that I didn't get a shot that evening and the next day did my homework.
I wanted the simplest, most reliable, idiot-proof GPS on the market, with good battery life and the ability to maintain satellite handshakes under heavy canopy. Having owned more than a few Garmin's in the past, I also wanted the trackback feature and electric compass which allows compass readings even when standing still. Icing on the cake would be a quick satellite connection.
I found all that in the Garmin eTrex 30; it is a model of simplicity. I was also able to download from my computer into the eTrex the Google Earth map of the area I hunt; now, the screen looks very familiar.
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Nov 1, 2014 18:52:41 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by heavymetal on Nov 1, 2014 18:52:41 GMT -5
I have the one they make for trucking...always gets me where im going..but if you truck down load truckers path for your phone it find all the truckstops where only the ones that pay gets in the gps.
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