Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game GPS, Whichone?

I am about to buy a GPS unit, I am looking @ one of the Garmin ETREX units. Is anyone familiar with these units. Pros or Cons. I hunt a lot of high desert valleys & draws, many times fog rolls in fast. Track back is an important item.

Hi Dogman;<P>I am not familiar with the Etrex other than the info on the Garmin website. The low end Etrex sounds like a decent and compact unit for the money. I have a 12XL and have used a 12 too and am going to get a newer version of the 12XL with the city database. The 12 models have a slightly larger display and the 12XL will run directly off of a 12v car battery while the 12 and the Etex models will need power coverters which are more expensive.<BR>I like the key layout of the 12 models but that's what I'm used to. The Etrex is lighter and more compact and runs on only 2 batteries instead of 4. The 12 models also have the tracback feature.<P>HW

I am looking for a GPS also and am looking for advise on one of two models. the Garmin 12XL or the Magellan 315(S?). Is there really any difference between the two? Is there a preference between the Garmin or Magellan brand? Smokey

I bought an eTrex on eBay this past spring for $107. It's my first GPS, and I should of had one of the little gadgets long ago...When I bought it, I was under the impression that only the more expensive Summit model had an altimeter. I've got a regular barometric altimeter that I've used for years, so figured no big deal. Was surprised & pleased to find the regular eTrex has an altimeter. It's not barometric, as the Summit's apparently is, but so what...I've checked it against known points quite a bit & it seems plenty accurate. I have no complaints about the unit, it sure is compact & light, and is nothing short of amazing, IMO. Greenhorn bought one also, and didn't like the fact that it doesn't show your location immediately on the first screen when it boots up, as his previous Garmin did. Considering that the eTrex is about half the size, though, and you can get your location in about three button presses, plus the fact that I'm not used to the earlier versions, it doesn't bother me. I wholeheartedly recommend the eTrex.

I recently picked up two GPS's, after not having one.<P>The first one is for my boat, a Garmin GPSMAP 176. It's a bit too large for hiking, so I bought a used basic Etrex for $50.<P>The lil'Etrex is an awesome package! It will lock on in my living room, when the more expensive model does not. It does have Track Back, but I haven't found a way to enter a lat-long, then have the unit guide me to it. In other words, if you haven't already been there, and marked it as a waypoint, the Etrex can't get you there. If someone else know how to do this, I'd like to hear it!<P>BTW, the Etrex gets it's altitude from being locked on to several sattelites, I think 4 is the minimum for this, but I could be wrong. Also, the compass only works while moving, not standing still. The Summit has the previously mentioned barometric altimeter, and an electric compass which reads correctly while standing still. But you have to hold it very level for the comapss to work.<P>I find the Garmin menu's easier to understand than the Magellans, but that's a personal opinion.

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BW:<BR><STRONG>I recently picked up two GPS's, after not having one.<P>The first one is for my boat, a Garmin GPSMAP 176. It's a bit too large for hiking, so I bought a used basic Etrex for $50.<P>The lil'Etrex is an awesome package! It will lock on in my living room, when the more expensive model does not. It does have Track Back, but I haven't found a way to enter a lat-long, then have the unit guide me to it. In other words, if you haven't already been there, and marked it as a waypoint, the Etrex can't get you there. If someone else know how to do this, I'd like to hear it!<P>BTW, the Etrex gets it's altitude from being locked on to several sattelites, I think 4 is the minimum for this, but I could be wrong. Also, the compass only works while moving, not standing still. The Summit has the previously mentioned barometric altimeter, and an electric compass which reads correctly while standing still. But you have to hold it very level for the comapss to work.<P>I find the Garmin menu's easier to understand than the Magellans, but that's a personal opinion.</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I don't know how the Etrex keys work but I enter waypoints on my 12XL by displaying the waypoint screen which has <P>"Rename? New?<BR>Delete? Done?"<P>at the bottom. You use the cursor keys to go up to "new?" and hit enter then enter the coordinates sequentially. BTW, you will be MUCH better off by using UTM coordinates than Lat.Long. as the UTM #'s are easier to find and follow on topo maps.<P>Go to <A HREF="http://www.joe.mehaffey.com" TARGET=_blank>www.joe.mehaffey.com</A> for everything you ever wanted to know about GPS. It has hardware and software reviews and tons of good info on GPS.<BR> Page down to the Geography, Maps, Datums... section and read the articles on UTM for more info. You can pinpoint locations within a few meters easily.<P>HW

Check out the <A HREF="http://eshop.msn.com/category.aspx?catId=283&ptnrid=13&ptnrdata=3" TARGET=_blank>GPS Buyer's Guide</A>

Well,<P>I found a big flaw in my Etrex GPS just now...<P>It's so small, I can't find it! [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]<P>I suspect it has succumb to one of the most powerfull forces on Earth.<P>My wife has "put it away"! <P>Therefore, there is only one way to discover it's new hiding place, and that's to <I>"ask the one who knows all, concerning the displacement of my toys".</I> [img]images/icons/wink.gif" border="0[/img]<P>Somehow, after 18 years of blissful wed, we just don't see "eye to eye", when it comes to the logical place to store such items! <P> [img]images/icons/smile.gif" border="0[/img]<P>Or, perhaps it has fallen into the clutches of an even more evil enemy, my three and a half year old daughter. If that's the case, I'm in for an even longer search!<P>Anyhow, I will check out the advice given above, once I find the darn thing. I'm just thankfull it's bright yellow!<P>About "UTM". If it's the 6 or 8 digit grid co-ordinate location the Army taught me years ago...<P>I like that system too!<P>That was the "read right and up" stuff, right?

BW, don't delay; if your daughter got it, you are in trouble. Those compact units may actually fit down the toilet... [img]images/icons/shocked.gif" border="0[/img]

I did the big search for a GPS last year and here is what I found. There are quite a few good GPS units and just a couple of great ones. The choice comes down to what you are buying it for and how much you would actually use some of the extra features the higher dollar units have...while not going too cheap and risking the quality and ruggedness of the unit. Like most of us it usually comes down to a Garmin or Magellan. I have not used the eTrex but when I was comparing the capabilities I looked for these:<BR>1-battery life<BR>2-memory of waypoints and landmarks<BR>3-weatherproofness<BR>4-ease of use and reading<P>I bought the magellan 315 over the more expensive Garmin and the eTrex which was about the same price at Walmart. Why...well first of all I have used the Garmins more than my Magellan at work...I teach survival and evasion techniques to pilots and aircrew members with our resident survival instructor...we have the high dollar Garmins but I find that other than two or three screens that all the roadmap and special features are more confusing when you are out in the wilderness and trying to find home or map out a route. Both seem quick on acquiring satellites though it helps immensly to initialize them if moved great distances before use...5 minutes at the hotel, tent or airport when you land can do wonders for accuracy.<BR>I find the Magellan much simpler and easier to navigate than the Garmin which cost nearly three times as much. It has two or three screens I use all the time...the compass (which will only work if moving but I have a REAL lensatic compass for that); the navigation screen which shows landmarks and features with a handy trail feature or by hitting the GO TO button I can see needed travel route. And there is one that has oversized letters for viewing when in low light or compromising situation when you do not want to squint at a screen and small lettering. Overall it makes a great addition to a good compass and a topo map. Additionally I bought the DeLorme Topo USA software and the GPS adapter for cigarette adapter and PC downloads...it allows me to view topo charts on my computer...lay out a route and then download them to my GPS...or mark areas like deer activity or future stand locations...and download them to my computer when I get home. Plus, I can visit the Magellan site and download the new firmware to make my GPS more reliable and accurate. I found that once former Pres Clinton released all the military codes on the GPS satellites that I sometimes started getting a 0 EPE rating which I knew was bogus especially on a small personal system...and it would only get about 22-30 under old signals. Upgrading the software takes into account this though they dont mention it on the description...and it is now much more accurate and usually gets down to 12-16 ft of EPE on a clear open area...<BR>The eTrex, Garmin and Magellan systems I am sure are all great units...and some will swear by them while others will swear AT THEM...but from years of experience using first the military only GPS (20lb behemoths in late 80's) to what we have now...I still stand by either the Magellan 315 or one of the older Garmin systems like the 12xl...the newer ones have many features you pay a great deal extra for and unless you are a GPS fanatic will likely never use in the field. One last thing...never use a GPS in place of a compass...a compass should be your first item...a topo map your second...and a GPS as a supplemental tool for these other two items. Just my opinion... Good Luck...

E-trex all the way!

You must be talking about a different Garmin model than the eTrex cause mine only cost $119 brand new at Wal Mart. <P>I really like it so far, but I havent really figure out how to use it either!<P>For the money though, it seems to be a pretty good one.

As far as prices go, the street price of the Magellan 315 is about the same as the Garmin 12 ($150) and the Magellan 320 is about the same as the Garmin 12XL ($190-$225). The various ETrex models run from a little over $100 to over $300. Of course there are higher end models with built-in maps, color screens, address to address capabilities, etc. made by various manufacturors. FWIW<P>HW