Help Me Choose a GPS Unit!!!

[dipbait]

I have a lowrance H20. Im not real good at electronics and this thing drives me crazy. Its just to dang complicated .

 

[3_hard_boiled_eggs]

the best one i have and i have about 5 is the one in my cell phone. its got maps you can download from the net. also since i carry my phone with me all the time i got a GPS with me all the time.

sorta like a knife if you don't have it in hand what good is it?

Nokia N97

 

[fishshooter]

Off the top of my head, I'd say because

1) No external antenna
2) No SIRF 3 chipset
3) Not nearly as rugged.

Disclaimer: I have an original Vista (mono) and replaced it with the 60CSx just before the "H" versions of the eTrex came out. I have heard that the H chip is a vast improvement over the original, but still not as sensetive as the SIRF 3. Had I waited, I might have jumped on a Rino with an H chip, but I have been very pleased with the CSx.

Not everybody will necessarily appreciate or require the ability of the CSx to lock and hold a signal in very demanding terrain. I know that several here resent the GPS as making it "too easy" and lulling unprepared people into dangerous situations, but in areas where I travel off trail, much time is spendt under the forest canopy, and without a GPS, I would spend a lot of time with no point of reference.

-- FLIX

The newer "H" series eTrex utilize a Mediatek receiver that, even with their internal patch antenna, are as sensitive as the Sirf III/Quad Helix setup on the 60CSx. With the new chips, I think the decision between the Vista HCx and the 60CSx would be based on size and user interface. I prefer the Vista for both. As for as ruggedness, I haven't managed to break either, and the Vista has seen a lot more drops and dunks, even in salt water. I also have an older Vista Cx, it has held up really, really well physically, but can lose signal in dense cover. I still use it, especially on the water where signal loss isn't much of a problem. The 60 CSx holds 1000 waypoints versus the Vista's 500, other than that, I think the Vista HCx is a better unit, for me, and is what I usually carry hunting and hiking. I was playing with them the other day, I found in addition to transferring info to Google Earth, they will also connect to Google Maps. This is nice because Google Maps has all the public property (National/State/Water Management Forests) shaded in green, around here at least. I used the Vista HCx the other day to scout out and mark a couple hunting/camping spots and then transferred it over to Google Earth.

I also used it the next day trying out a new boat while. Each dot on the tracks represents a click-able data log that gives you all sorts of info at that point, speed, heading, etc. Transferred over to Google Earth, you can find stuff not marked on topo maps, like places to get through the swamp to these sloughs to the east of where I was. Take the points back to your map software and it will put them in the GPS so you can find your way to stuff like this you find on the satellite images.