Looking for a new GPS

[mountnman]

My wife has once again asked me the near impossible question of what do I want for Christmas. I thought about it for a while and think that I would like a GPS, just so I can maybe confirm my position, etc.

I have been looking at the Garmin eTrex H (which is in our price range of under $200), and never actually having owed a GPS before (not even an in-car one), I was wondering what it actually does?

I can sort of figure out that it can leave like a 'breadcrumb' trail so you can trace your steps, but what else does it do? Can it tell you your position in GDA94/WGS84? Or longitude and latitude?

[ILUVSWTAS]

Yes. It tells you your position on any map providing you have the datum set correctly. Also leaves a breadcrumb trail as you said.

The Etrax is a very basic unit, you can also set waypoints for track starts or points of interest, but I think that is about all those units can do. It is not a mapping unit.

[Lizzy]

Hi Mountnman,
Will get Mic to bring ours to work & show you- I think that is the one we have
Lizzy

[tastrax]

I would also grab this file (the Etrex Manual).

http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/eTrexH_OwnersManual.pdf

That will give you an idea of its capabilities and how easy/hard it is to operate.

[mountnman]

Thanks for the replies. At this stage I only need (want ) a basic GPS. Just to tell me where my position is so I can confirm on a map (I tend to always figure out I've gone further than I really have!)

Thanks for the link tastrax, I'm browsing through it now. And Lizzy! Very nice to actually meet you the other night! That would be very helpful if Michael could bring in yours.

[tastrax]

One thing to consider - often the base models dont have an microSD card in them. This means you generally cant load other maps. I also find a card useful when on longer trips as you can set it to record your track automatically to the card - it even creates a new file each day - very handy later on when you are checking where you have been.

any with the x in the name have the sd cards (I think)

[mountnman]

I managed to borrow a GPS unit to have a play with (thankyou thankyou thankyou), and I'm a bit stuck! I downloaded the manual and it doesn't help me either. When it finds my position, it displays in in coordinates, ie E150° S34° ... in hddd°mm.mmm' and WGS 84. I know where to change this setting (I'll change it back when i'm finished ), but I want it to display eastings and northings, like 270000mE and 6152000mN, which would be what my grid references on my map are! Which setting should I use to display that? Or am I doing something wrong?

[Liamy77]

i own and use the etrex h (and before that the lower sensitivity model)
it can be linked to a laptop etc via USB or serial port with a cable, for mapping, but has no map storage itself. If i bought a fancier model i would probably have gotten the 60csx i spose, but as i still carry a map n compass i saved the $ and am really happy with it. BUT don't bother with the older low sensitivity model (the new "H" model has "high sensitivity" printed just above the LCD screen) through various aftermarket programs you can create your route on a map in the laptop and down load the route into the unit. feel free to ask me more if you want

[Liamy77]

I managed to borrow a GPS unit to have a play with (thankyou thankyou thankyou), and I'm a bit stuck! I downloaded the manual and it doesn't help me either. When it finds my position, it displays in in coordinates, ie E150° S34° ... in hddd°mm.mmm' and WGS 84. I know where to change this setting (I'll change it back when i'm finished ), but I want it to display eastings and northings, like 270000mE and 6152000mN, which would be what my grid references on my map are! Which setting should I use to display that? Or am I doing something wrong?

if it is the etrex h - set it to "UTM/UPS" in "setup" - "units" - "position format".
also it might be worth setting a "test mark/waypoint" up at a very definate point on your map (such as a bridge for example) and seeing just how accurately you have set up your GPS... better than finding out later on you should be 200m on the other side of a river or something!?

[Liamy77]

i currently use a laptop at home with google earth(free) and memorymap for my bush maps, GPSbabel GUI(free) to convert the track formats and mapsource to download em into the gps. i sometimes make & print a custom made map or route card in photoshop and the local printers/minilab as a back up with the gps waypoints and route marked on it ... i got a usb to garmin serial cable from ebay that also powers the gps.but i dont carry the cable or laptop on the walks... hope this helps

[mountnman]

if it is the etrex h - set it to "UTM/UPS" in "setup" - "units" - "position format".

Thanks Liam, that's EXACTLY what I was after!!!

[Liamy77]

if it is the etrex h - set it to "UTM/UPS" in "setup" - "units" - "position format".

Thanks Liam, that's EXACTLY what I was after!!!

your welcome