GPS...Help needed

[Canadian Bacon]

I need a GPS!! I don't want to spend too much....If I can keeper under $200 that would be nice!
I don't know much about them or really what to look for. Of course it will be mainly for fishin and to mark spots..but I will likely use it in travel in my truck and to know my speed on the boat....built in calnder etc...

I was hopin for a bunch of advice from the experts out there and some recommendations for the products you use!! Set me up with a link to a sight if ya want and I can read up...
Maybe let me know how it will benefit me most..as a fisherman..blah blah blah....

I appreciate it...

[JimW]

CB,

I recently purchased a Lowrance iFinder Pro and I am liking it very much. Easy to work with, not too small, good sized screen. It cost a bit more than $200, around $250 but I think it is a great unit.

JimW

[Wall-I-Guy]

Hey CB!

I have the Magellan Explorist 200. Paid $199 for it and it's great. Gives me all the info I need as well as has a compass. Can set way points, follow your exact path, just great. I imagine they're all pretty much the same.

The thing I liked with mine is you can buy as an option, a "dash stand" to put on the dash of the boat and the unit snaps right in there....Beauty! Don't have to worry about it bouncing around on the dash.

Here's a link to the exact one..
http://www.efunctional.com/explorist-200.html

I got mine at LeB's..But likely Ed can order them too!

[jsdx]

I have one of those little yellow garmin etrex units. Its pretty simple, no maps but it has all the basics. Nice thing is its waterproof so when your out fishing and need to follow the track back home, its not problem in the rain. I've used it on fly-in trips and the battery life is great. Run it a couple of 12 hour days non-stop... If you baby it, you can go all week on a pair of AAs. For mapping I hook mine up to my laptop but its not something you'd want to bring out into a boat. My next GPS will have maps.

If I were to get a new one today in the $200 range, I'd go for the etrex legend .. similar features, waterproof etc but it also has mapping capabilities, more waypoints, better screen, calendar too ... Seen it online for $215 (google gps canadian prices). You can also get the fishing hotspots maps... Canadian maps are thin but they *do* have BoQ...

For a fisherman GPS, i'd say you need
1) waterproof
2) tracks (go back *exactly* over the same trolling pass)
3) lots of waypoints (get to the hotspot, mark fish caught etc)
4) mapping (easier to find yourself with coastal references) and helps you drive to the new lake too

Options - iSee of it comes with a external power cable ... if you get the cigarette lighter power cable you could run it on you boat longer .. my unit has some funky serial/power cable that saves batteries too.

I like the dash stand the WIG suggested. Handy to prevent accidental overboarding of the unit

John

[DV_8]

Hey CB,

I still use my old Eagle Accunav Sport. Still works great. Check out E-bay. There's some awsome deals to be had! If your in no hurry to get it it's worth looking. Good Luck!

[SkeinMachine]

Here's the E-Trex that John mentioned.



I also own one,works great for ice fishing,boat speed,way points,etc.

Nothing fancy,but gets the job done.

No point paying extra $$,for options you're not going to use.

Picked mine up at Crappy Tire,couple yrs ago,paid $200 approx(tax in).

Might be discontinued now

Plus it's small,fits nicely in the inside pocket of the survival suit.

H.I.H.

[big-o]

Hey Skein

They still make them....I have one as a back up to my map GPS, and John uses the same one, the screen is small, but it works like a charm,I bought mine from this board in the classifieds, I beat Bacon out....you snoonze you lose

[la gelinotte]

I have the Garmin 76 Marine for 3 years now.....Very satisfied....

Would not go fishing without it...

Have a nice day


La Gélinotte
Gatineau

[Seaweed]

I am still grinnin from ear to ear on this little treasure that Santa left under the tree for me and I can`t wait to get her mounted and running on my boat.

Eagle Status GPS/Fishfinder.



I noticed that the place I got mine is no longer selling them or at least has very few left so it looks like I got mine just in time.

I got this for less than a quarter of the price of the comparable product in the Lowrance family of GPS/Fishfinder products and you know what .... I love it when I get a bargain. Now many of you Lowrance guys are going to try to flame me on this I know.... because of the amount of money you have invested... but that is probably because your boat is worth four times more than mine too. I am a guy who is trying to compete on a shoestring budget and is making it happen .... just slowly... one bargain at a time.

Oh yeah.... and I am putting bass in the boat and picking up the odd cheque too....

[fishforfun]

I too have a small magellan like WIG, great units. The dash bracket is nice
but I recomend getting a 12 volt adaptor, they eat batteries like a digi camera does.

[Tomcat]

CB:

I also have a Garmin 76. I've had it for 3 years and am very satisfied. Its very user friendly and Garmin tech support is reportedly very good. See the following web reference for unit comparisons and prices: http://www.prairie.mb.ca/76comp.htm

[Rideaufish]

magellen sport track map no probs and the included maps are prety good can always buty more software and add stuff was like 200 ish (us)

[skooter]

Hey CB, Hope you had a great Christmas

Before I got one for Christmas, my next buy before spring was going to be a GPS unit. All I wanted was something to mark fishing spots and provide a safe route through shallow waters, I was actually up at the place where I stored my boat, on "xmas" eve talking to Tom about the different types. I also had that little yellow etrex in mind. ($159.00 at CTC.)

There's a feature called WAAS-enabled, it's new technology to do with the satellite signal (accuracy I believe). The original etrex doesn't have it, He recommended the venture ($189.00) if you don't need maps, that's one step below the Legend ($219.00) that does take maps. I only plan to use it in the boat and since 99.9% of the nautical maps are for the U.S., it wasn't really worth the extra money.

The one I got, the GPS 72 ($219.00) has a larger screen and has more memory than the venture, it doesn't take maps but otherwise compares to the GPS76 which is $50.00 more.(see link in above post)

Are you totally confused now? I was till Tom explained the basics to me for about an 1hr. I've got some literature here, if I can scan it so it's readable, I'll post it.

My first choice at the time would have been the venture(cheaper), and my second choice would have been the one I got, the GPS72 (more features)

P.S.
My buddy has had the same one as I've got now for a couple of years, and it has worked great.
In fact I've got to program some of his waypoints into mine before spring.

Hope this helps, everything should be clear as mud

[jsdx]

The one thing to note about screen size is that its the same rule as fish finders, more pixels is better due to more resolution.

For comparisons, Garmin has a handy site where you can do a side by side selection and compare features... http://www.garmin.com/outdoor/compare.jsp

To see of the mapping software is worth having, you can check out the detail on the mapsbut using the viewers here ... The maps are pretty expensive so its best to check out where you wold like to go ... http://www.garmin.com/cartography/

I checked out the the topo canada and searched for the location in gouin where we fished last summer and it actually had the lakes and inlets pretty well covered but no depths...

Now *I* want a new GPS

[Canadian Bacon]

Thanks guys great information...now when I get one who wants to give me lessons on how to use it...