GPS Advice
- Thread starter Orion
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chrisstorey79
Well-Known Member
go outdoors are doing a 1 day deal on 6th march on the Garmin Etrex H GPS for £59.99 (in store only)
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
My advice is if you can find one get the Garman 12 as they are built like the proverbial. The modern Garmans whilst have great sceens etc are not that robust. I left my 12 on the top of one of the hills in the borders and found it again several months latter - just a fresh set of batteries and it runs perfectly.
Plenty of paragliding / mounteneering / canoing friends use the later generation GPS and they are not robust enough nor particularly waterproof - I got my 12 of friend when he traded up to a new one - he now wants it back!
The other option is an iPhone - have just got the 3GS and totally amazed by it. It is a work tool, but has some pretty good GPS apps etc. and a good camera.
Plenty of paragliding / mounteneering / canoing friends use the later generation GPS and they are not robust enough nor particularly waterproof - I got my 12 of friend when he traded up to a new one - he now wants it back!
The other option is an iPhone - have just got the 3GS and totally amazed by it. It is a work tool, but has some pretty good GPS apps etc. and a good camera.
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Orion
Well-Known Member
Now that's a thought.
I was looking to upgrade my business mobile sometime soon so it might kill two birds with one stone. Would also save having to carry two bits of kit around when one will do the job.
I just had a quick look at the MotionX GPS App and it appears to have most of the functions that the Oregon 550 has as a standalone unit.
caorach
Well-Known Member
I've had handheld GPS units for a long time as I walk a lot in pretty featureless country, often alone. My first was a Garmin GPS 12XL and for some reason it appears that I took delivery of the first unit on earth as the Usenet (it was that long ago) GPS group went nuts when I posted saying I'd got one in my hand. It was funny at the time. Anyhow the 12 was a very basic unit, basically it gave you your grid ref and it could do a track back thing and that was it. However, it worked well and I used it for a very many years with no problems. Of late, say 4 or 5 years, I've bought a Garmin unit with a colour screen that can display maps and I have the OSGB maps for it. It is a great thing and it really is very useful to have the maps on screen, specially if you are out there for a purpose.
The one thing I will say about a GPS is that when you need it bad you are usually in a tight spot and I wouldn't want to be depending on something designed by Apple under such circumstances, especially something that doesn't claim to be waterproof etc. and that was designed that way because it looks nice.
With that in mind I'd say get yourself a GPS designed for the job. I imagine all the leading makers do something suitable for you. I'd also recommend a waterproof mobile phone, I got a Samsung and while it isn't fancy it will keep working when wet.
The one thing I will say about a GPS is that when you need it bad you are usually in a tight spot and I wouldn't want to be depending on something designed by Apple under such circumstances, especially something that doesn't claim to be waterproof etc. and that was designed that way because it looks nice.
With that in mind I'd say get yourself a GPS designed for the job. I imagine all the leading makers do something suitable for you. I'd also recommend a waterproof mobile phone, I got a Samsung and while it isn't fancy it will keep working when wet.
caorach - that's an excellent point. It is a painful reminder to me that I've ruined two mobile phones that way, though when I've been fishing rather than stalking.
The first was when I slipped on the bank of the Teifi whilst fishing at night for sea trout and rolled into the river.
River 1, willie_gunn 0
The second time I was on the North Tyne after salmon. I'd learned my lesson from the Teifi and I'd bought a waterproof box for the phone that I could put in the pocket of my waders. Casting away I heard a "plop" and saw my mobile phone box hit the water - sadly the box may have been waterproof but it didn't float and I saw it sink to the bottom.
As the river was only about 3 foot deep and the bottom of the river was almost visible, I figured I cold reach down and feel around for the phone. As I did so, I heard a noise like rainfall - I then realised my life jacket was an automatic version.
River 2, willie_gunn 0
First cast afterwards I caught, landed and returned a 15lb salmon
but I never did find the phone.River 2, willie_gunn 1
Now I've got a Musto waterproof pouch on a long lanyard I can hang round my neck. It will take the phone or the GPS.
willie_gunn
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
One point on GPS' and getting lost. I was on a winter mounteneering course end of January with the instructors being part of the Mountain Rescue teams. They hate GPS's as they always go down when needed and are the cause of many people getting lost.
Instead you should rely on good map and compass skills and use the GPS as an additional aid rather than a primary nav aid.
And if you are leaving a gralloched beast for pick up later have a couple of orange or white shopping bags in your pocket and tie these firmly to a leg or antlers - that way you can easily find it again.
Instead you should rely on good map and compass skills and use the GPS as an additional aid rather than a primary nav aid.
And if you are leaving a gralloched beast for pick up later have a couple of orange or white shopping bags in your pocket and tie these firmly to a leg or antlers - that way you can easily find it again.
Orion
Well-Known Member
Point taken.
Within our business we used to have the old Ericsson R310 mobiles that were truly bombproof - we've dropped them off of buildings, into water tanks even run them over with vehicles, and they just kept going. It wasn't any physical damage that killed them in the end but software and internal hardware malaise. Shame really as I have yet to see anything that compares with them.
The Garmin Oregon 550T looks attractive as it appears to have an advantage over the 'base' 550 model - but at a price - so I think I'll score an eTrex Vista off of eBlag as an interim measure before taking the plunge.
Thanks everyone for the input.
I am seriously thinking of buying a GPS receiver as I will get lost for sure in the stalking land my syndicate has. Any suggestions to add to the existing on this thread? Many thanks!
jon2
Well-Known Member
The iPhone ap is a gimmick as far ad I am concerned. I managed to get lost on a piece of ground we have had for some years about 2 years ago. I suddenly realised that I had my iPhone with the GPS ap loaded.
Got it out of my bag only to realise I didn't have a signal and so the ap wouldn't work!
I found my way back eventually but I would never use an iPhone for anything so serious if that makes sense.
Got it out of my bag only to realise I didn't have a signal and so the ap wouldn't work!
I found my way back eventually but I would never use an iPhone for anything so serious if that makes sense.
A key question to ask is "what do you want it for?", by which I mean do you want it just to know your position (and the position of other points of interest, e.g. the car, a shot beast, etc.) or are you looking for it to be able to give stuff like driving directions as well?
I have an old Magellan GPS 315 that I take up to Scotland for marking where a beast has been shot - the stalker has his own as well. It's used to give the ghillie the 8 figure grid reference of the shot beast so that he can drive the Argo to it. It has a tracking facility so, if needed, it could be used to guide you back to the lodge, etc. I bought mine over 10 years ago and it's still going strong. You can get them for less than £25 on eBay (see http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Magellan-...ics_GPSSystems_GPSSystems&hash=item20bd81ca48 for example). I bought a second one to act as a backup but have never needed it, as they seem to be tough as old boots.
If you want something more sophisticated with OS maps, turn-by-turn driving directions, etc then there are plenty on the market from the likes of Garmin, etc.
willie_gunn
Orion
Well-Known Member
Psyxologos,
As the originator of the thread I suppose I'd better offer up my experiences with the unit I eventually plumped for! I managed to get the Garmin Oregon 550T at a good price and as a justifiable business purchase.
Excellent, (if pricey) bit of kit and the photo/geotagging feature does come in handy for all kinds of reasons, including the cull recording previously mentioned.
The GB and Euro base mapping included with the unit is pretty good and allows me to use it as a basic satnav in 'automotive' mode on motorcycle or in the van. I bought the UK wide OS Discovery mapping on SD card s/h from eBay for a few quid and it means I now have very detailed mapping in 'recreational' or other modes - it's totally customisable and you can alter or setup your own modes and features. All in all I'm very happy with it.
As the originator of the thread I suppose I'd better offer up my experiences with the unit I eventually plumped for! I managed to get the Garmin Oregon 550T at a good price and as a justifiable business purchase.
Excellent, (if pricey) bit of kit and the photo/geotagging feature does come in handy for all kinds of reasons, including the cull recording previously mentioned.The GB and Euro base mapping included with the unit is pretty good and allows me to use it as a basic satnav in 'automotive' mode on motorcycle or in the van. I bought the UK wide OS Discovery mapping on SD card s/h from eBay for a few quid and it means I now have very detailed mapping in 'recreational' or other modes - it's totally customisable and you can alter or setup your own modes and features. All in all I'm very happy with it.
excellent suggestion. This is what I needed for exactly. Like you, I need to know where stuff is. I will give the device a look when I get home. Thanks.
I bought it.
mereside
Well-Known Member
i used my i phone with gps tracker and marked all my waypoints on my first outing in nz it worked well allbeit it was slow i baught a solar charger for it but the battery blew so that was the end of that i phone only lasts about 3 hours with gps enabled so it is useless uless you can charge it we had a proper one we hired from a garage before heading out into the wilderness just wouldnt want anyone needing one and relying on an iphone could put you in a mess ,atb wayne
I bought it.
Well for £12.62 plus £3 P&P you can't go wrong! If it doesn't come with instructions let me know.
willie_gunn
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