Can anyone give me any advice on gps units ?

[Olaf]

Hi, as above, Im looking for a hand held gps unit to help me with locating various points in some large forrests that I oversee the hunting in. I've put up a wanted add in the classifieds section but would be most happy if anyone has any experience in the development and use of various models over the past 5 years or so.
Min the past I've always just used my iPhone but this only works where you have reception
Anyway, any advice would be great.

kindest regards, Olaf

 

[Essex stalker]

Obviously it doesn't help with the dog tracking but have you downloaded the ordnance survey app and maps onto your iPhone. I find the gps on that works really well and because the maps are downloaded you don't need a signal

 

[Kalahari]

I have always used the Garmin stuff, which is pretty reliable. I use paper maps mostly and keep the GPS for emergency position finding to transfer it onto a map. Used this way you only need the basic versions. I find the maps on little screens don't give an overview so I don't like relying on them. The basic versions are now pretty cheap.

David.

 

[stubear]

Yes +1 for Garmin.

They have functionality whereby you can drop way points on a map, save them and then navigate back to them later. Their units have really come on in leaps and bounds the last few years, you can download maps for regions on to them and all sorts.

Plus I think some of them are geocaching enabled - So you can put a little GPS tracker on your dogs or give them to people who are out walking and then you can track their location from your unit.

 

[Erik Hamburger]

Hi, as above, Im looking for a hand held gps unit to help me with locating various points in some large forrests that I oversee the hunting in. I've put up a wanted add in the classifieds section but would be most happy if anyone has any experience in the development and use of various models over the past 5 years or so.
Min the past I've always just used my iPhone but this only works where you have reception 
Anyway, any advice would be great.

kindest regards, Olaf

The 'ViewRanger' App is used by me and other stalkers I know to pinpoint high seats, trail-cams, cars parked, carcasses etc, and it seems to work even when you have no mobile phone coverage. So the GPS build-in to your mobile takes over once you lose the mobile network coverage. Pretty good App with OS Landranger Maps 1:25,000, an option of Satellite view of those maps as well, and a simple but effective compass.

 

[crouch valley]

I use the Garmin 64s it meets all my needs and more.

GPSMAP® 64s | Garmin

 

[Alantoo]

In his other post Olaf states he needs maps for northern Europe so I don't think the otherwise excellent OS App is appropriate. There may be a mainland Europe equivalent if Olaf asks over there.

Google maps will allow you to download maps to the iPhone so will work independent of the data signal, but the offline terrain maps are a bit sketchy at best and are basically only good as road maps.

A friend's son has just paddled down the length of the Yukon using a Garmin device that enabled his father to track his progress.

Alan

 

[Ranger22]

I use a garmin 64s, stick the appropriate data card in and you have very detailed maps of the area. The birds eye satellite imagery is meant to be good but I haven't tried it. The unit is very easy to use

 

[mchughcb]

Garmin oregon 650.

 

[Olaf]

Thanks for the replys , it confirmed what I'd heard elsewhere , so I will get something ordered next week. From what i can tell, a push button unit is potentially better for my use than one with a touch screen.
I will post my findings once I've got something and have tested it out a bit.
Thanks once again for taking the time to reply.

kindest regards, Olaf

 

[Heym SR20]

If you use an app that stores maps on your phones harddrive and the gps then it works well without phone signals. I use Navionics and my iPhone and iPad on the boat and it's just as good as the GPS unit. But it does use a lot of battery power.

The Garmin GPS units with good mapping software within work well.

Being a cheapskate I prefer to use a proper map, and in forestry I also print off google earth images of where I am, if I don't have a proper map of the forest. These plus a compass - the one in an iPhone works well keep me reasonably correct.

 

[mchughcb]

Thanks for the replys , it confirmed what I'd heard elsewhere , so I will get something ordered next week. From what i can tell, a push button unit is potentially better for my use than one with a touch screen.
I will post my findings once I've got something and have tested it out a bit.
Thanks once again for taking the time to reply.

kindest regards, Olaf

I"ve had two push buttons and now have the touch screen. You can lock the touch screen which I do when its in my pocket. My last push button was a Garmin 60CSX. The best thing I ever did was lose it so I had an excuse to buy the Oregon 650.

 

[Moray Outfitting]

A good friend Lyle ( voice over man ) Brotherton is the go to on Navigation. He trains Mountain Rescue Teams etc - and his choice was the Garmin 62/64. He'll have researched that choice to a level that would cause even me to lose the will to live; so I dont re-invent the wheel.

He has some good Youtube video's worth looking up - including GPS use and 112/999 mobile phone use. Then at least you'll see what I mean about 'voice over man'!

 

[mchughcb]

Imagine how frustrating your phone would be if you had to pan on google maps using a button.

 

[TOMMO.B]

Aye get an ordinance survey map and a silva compass. And a sharp pencil to mark where you left the beast

 

[Eddie P]

Ever tried to use a mobile with water on the screen? I'd avoid a touch screen GPS unit.

I use an eTrex30. Does everything I need it to. Came with basic base mapping.
I use viewranger on my phone too, but like the redundancy of a separate GPS that takes AA batteries.

 

[Luke.243]

Try the Suunto Traverse Alpha watch

 

[paulbshooting]

Plus one on the Garmin G64 unit, speak to the guys at Shepherds Walks and they will advise and do you a good deal inc Birdseye map options for the areas you need

 

[armo.]

Looking at the Garmin GPS units online, it looks like you get the base unit and core navigation capability but you have an option to buy additional maps. What is not sufficient about the base unit that requires buying & adding additional maps?

 

[Orion]

Looking at the Garmin GPS units online, it looks like you get the base unit and core navigation capability but you have an option to buy additional maps. What is not sufficient about the base unit that requires buying & adding additional maps?

My Garmin Oregon 550 comes with the core navigation mapping for the UK and Europe which is sufficient for walking in the UK and driving elsewhere (never tried off-road on the continent). You can also purchase and load micro SD cards with more detailed regional topographical mapping for the area you are operating in - for example the whole of the GB OS 1:50k mapping is available for circa £25 on the bay of thieves. I recently used mine for a cycling trip down the Velodyssee route in France and bought the relevant micro SD for a few quid, downloaded the GPX route file from the website, and loaded it into the Garmin where it appears on the topo map - from where I could zoom in to a real time positional fix of down to 30m or less if required.