I started to look for a GPS, took a look in West Marine. I am baffled. So
many models.

For a coastal guy, along the coast of New England, what GPS is good. Is
there a last year model that maybe I can find on ebay.

And what is up with the software.

GPS ,,, ?????????????????

this is for a small sailboat.

Lester Evans wrote:
I started to look for a GPS, took a look in West Marine. I am baffled. So
many models.

For a coastal guy, along the coast of New England, what GPS is good. Is
there a last year model that maybe I can find on ebay.

And what is up with the software.

GPS ,,, ?????????????????

this is for a small sailboat.

These comments refer to handhelds, if you're thinking of a larger
fixed-mount type one, they won't apply.
For years I have used and recommended the eTrex Legend as a good
compromise between features (mainly mapping) and affordability. But
just recently I moved up to and am very happy so far, with the
waterproof lowRance iFinder H20 Color, which is not too much more to
purchase (about 200 on the street vs. around 140) and features a bigger
beautiful COLOR mapping screen which makes a big difference; I also
like this unit's compatibility with inexpensive, plug-and-play memory
chips for greater detailed maps without having to connect to a computer
or mess with any connections or software; the Garmins (more popular for
now but I think these new Lowrance's might give them a run for their
money!.. if you want to expand the Garmins' basemaps you have to buy
more expensive cd-roms and are limited by the amount of memory in the
unit (I was able to squeeze most of the east coast onto my Legend's 8mb
using their MapSource cd-roms; their BlueChart cd's are fancier but
much more expensive and only compatible with the higher-end units) but
now have detailed charts of the whole US on my Lowrance just by popping
in the chip which I bought for about 60 bucks). TO get color screens
on the Garmins you have to move up to either a GMPMap76C or Etrex
Legend C, both of which are well upwards of $300 and don't have plug-in
memory cards.

richforman

You have to ask yourself a few questions: do you want it builtin or
portable? Do you use paper charts and only want the gps to get your
bearings, or do you want to navigate entirely with a chartplotter?
Would you use it mainly as a front end for a computer? Do you want a
unit that would be useful in a car?

I tend to use the GPS more for backup than as the primary navigation
tool, so an older unit is just fine for me. If I felt flush I would
get a GPSMAP 376C, which can be used in the car and receives weather
radar.

If you want to save money, pick out your favorite at West, and then
search the Internet. Garmin has a "minimum advertised price" but they
are discounted, so its worth checking around.


Lester Evans wrote:
I started to look for a GPS, took a look in West Marine. I am baffled. So
many models.

For a coastal guy, along the coast of New England, what GPS is good. Is
there a last year model that maybe I can find on ebay.

And what is up with the software.

GPS ,,, ?????????????????

this is for a small sailboat.

My husband has been using a garmin GPS12 for years. It is a basic older
monochrome handheld unit. We now use it as a back up for our fixed
mount standard horizon GPS. I would recommend a Garmin unit. Hand held
of small fixed mount. I have found their units very user friendly. They
also have a good warranty. When looking around, know that West Marine
has a price match guarantee. You just have to bring them either the ad,
print out, or quote of a new item. West Marine also has a Product
Protection Program. You can get up to two years after the manufacturers
warranty. Plus, it is always nice to walk out with product in hand then
wait for it in the mail.

boomerswims wrote:
My husband has been using a garmin GPS12 for years. It is a basic
older monochrome handheld unit. We now use it as a back up for our
fixed mount standard horizon GPS. I would recommend a Garmin unit.
Hand held of small fixed mount. I have found their units very user
friendly. They also have a good warranty. When looking around, know
that West Marine has a price match guarantee. You just have to bring
them either the ad, print out, or quote of a new item. West Marine
also has a Product Protection Program. You can get up to two years
after the manufacturers warranty. Plus, it is always nice to walk out
with product in hand then wait for it in the mail.


A number of US Ebayers advertise brand-new GPS models on the UK Ebay site
and are doing good business because of the dollar/pound situation. I bought
a GPS MAP60CS (Garmin) from a retailer in San Diego for what seemed a
ridiculously low price, 2 day delivery, brand new, and it had European maps
ready installed. My point in posting is that you don't just get secondhand
Garmins on Ebay, but new stuff too, and I am sure the prices will be
discounted for US buyers. Worth a look.

mys Terry ,, I found this one on ebay.
==========================
The GPSMAP 76 is designed to provide precise GPS positioning using
correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System. This unit
features a built-in quad helix antenna for superior reception and can
provide position accuracy to less than three meters when receiving WAAS
corrections.
The GPSMAP 76 has an internal memory capacity of eight megabytes. In
addition, it comes with a built-in basemap of cities, coastlines, lakes,
rivers, interstates, and interstate exit information and a database of
nautical navaids.

This unit has eight megabytes of internal user memory for storing optional
MapSource®- detailed maps, including marine cartography. This memory is
preloaded from the factory with worldwide cities (populations greater than
200,000) and nautical navigation aids such as lights, buoys, sound signals
and day beacons. The GPSMAP 76 is also preloaded with tide data for the
United States.

An extra-large display measuring 1.6"W x 2.2"H gives users a clear view of
information, while a waterproof case means the GPSMAP 76 will keep working
well even if it's been submerged in water. Even more amazing, this unit will
actually float if accidentally dropped in the water.

==

Is this the same one you use? It says 8 meg of memory. You have 21 meg
listed in your reply.. the asking price is $300. But , it is a "make an
offer" item. That means I can offer xxx amount. Whether the seller
accepts? Who knows.

How do you load the charts ( you called them Blue Charts ). If I am reading
this right :: first I buy the unit. The unit will work, sort of. But, in
order for the unit to show good charts on the screen I must buy some
software which is called Blue Charts. I guess I buy the software for say an
area I will be boating in and load it into the hand held GPS and then the
GPS will show a more detailed chart on the screen. And the unit will show
me where I am..



Is this about it?



Lester



"Mys Terry" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 16:49:00 GMT, "Lester Evans"
wrote:

I started to look for a GPS, took a look in West Marine. I am baffled.
So
many models.

For a coastal guy, along the coast of New England, what GPS is good. Is
there a last year model that maybe I can find on ebay.

And what is up with the software.

GPS ,,, ?????????????????

this is for a small sailboat.



You can find better prices than West Marine. Try defender.com. The
prices shown on the website are not the actual discount price they
will cahrge you. To see the real price, you add the item to your
shopping cart, and at the checkout, it shows you the price. You can do
that without actually buying the item.

I have two Garmin GPS's, and I like both of them. The smaller one is
the GPSMAP76s, which is a monochrome display handheld unit. It comes
with basemaps loaded, but it really becomes much more useful when you
buy the Garmin Blue Charts for it. They have MUCH higher detail and
information. It has 21 MB of memory which means it will hold a
surprising amount of charts. I have the entire Long Island Sound, plus
a few street maps of places we sail too, so we can find our way around
on land, too. The street maps take a lot more memory than the blue
charts. runs off two AA size batteries, and you can use NiMH
rechargeables, or plug it into a cigar lighter socket with an optional
$20 cable. I run mine on rechargable batteries, and I have a charger
on board that charges 4 batteries at a time in an hour hooked into the
boat's 12 volt system.

(They also make a model very similar to the 76 but with a color
display.)

The other unit is the GPSMAP276c, which is slightly larger, but still
small enough to be used as a handheld. It has a really sharp color
display. The display is quite a bit larger, and the unit can be loaded
with a lot more (mine came with a 128 mb memory card) charts and
street maps too. It's a big step up from the GPSMAP76s. Again, the
bluecharts really are half of the magic. This unit uses seperate
memory cards, so you can have a set of cards covering different areas
if you want to travel from Maine to South America or whatever.

I use one of these both on the boat and on land and like the unit a
lot.

Here is the mount I made to keep it handy near the wheel:

Http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/Strider0601.htm#GPS

--

Roger Long



"Lester Evans" wrote in message
news:82Mfg.6768$o%3.3028@trndny07...
mys Terry ,, I found this one on ebay.
==========================
The GPSMAP 76 is designed to provide precise GPS positioning using
correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System.
This unit features a built-in quad helix antenna for superior
reception and can provide position accuracy to less than three
meters when receiving WAAS corrections.
The GPSMAP 76 has an internal memory capacity of eight megabytes. In
addition, it comes with a built-in basemap of cities, coastlines,
lakes, rivers, interstates, and interstate exit information and a
database of nautical navaids.

This unit has eight megabytes of internal user memory for storing
optional MapSource®- detailed maps, including marine cartography.
This memory is preloaded from the factory with worldwide cities
(populations greater than 200,000) and nautical navigation aids such
as lights, buoys, sound signals and day beacons. The GPSMAP 76 is
also preloaded with tide data for the United States.

An extra-large display measuring 1.6"W x 2.2"H gives users a clear
view of information, while a waterproof case means the GPSMAP 76
will keep working well even if it's been submerged in water. Even
more amazing, this unit will actually float if accidentally dropped
in the water.

==

Is this the same one you use? It says 8 meg of memory. You have 21
meg listed in your reply.. the asking price is $300. But , it is a
"make an offer" item. That means I can offer xxx amount. Whether
the seller accepts? Who knows.

How do you load the charts ( you called them Blue Charts ). If I am
reading this right :: first I buy the unit. The unit will work,
sort of. But, in order for the unit to show good charts on the
screen I must buy some software which is called Blue Charts. I
guess I buy the software for say an area I will be boating in and
load it into the hand held GPS and then the GPS will show a more
detailed chart on the screen. And the unit will show me where I
am..



Is this about it?



Lester



"Mys Terry" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 16:49:00 GMT, "Lester Evans"
wrote:

I started to look for a GPS, took a look in West Marine. I am
baffled. So
many models.

For a coastal guy, along the coast of New England, what GPS is
good. Is
there a last year model that maybe I can find on ebay.

And what is up with the software.

GPS ,,, ?????????????????

this is for a small sailboat.



You can find better prices than West Marine. Try defender.com. The
prices shown on the website are not the actual discount price they
will cahrge you. To see the real price, you add the item to your
shopping cart, and at the checkout, it shows you the price. You can
do
that without actually buying the item.

I have two Garmin GPS's, and I like both of them. The smaller one
is
the GPSMAP76s, which is a monochrome display handheld unit. It
comes
with basemaps loaded, but it really becomes much more useful when
you
buy the Garmin Blue Charts for it. They have MUCH higher detail and
information. It has 21 MB of memory which means it will hold a
surprising amount of charts. I have the entire Long Island Sound,
plus
a few street maps of places we sail too, so we can find our way
around
on land, too. The street maps take a lot more memory than the blue
charts. runs off two AA size batteries, and you can use NiMH
rechargeables, or plug it into a cigar lighter socket with an
optional
$20 cable. I run mine on rechargable batteries, and I have a
charger
on board that charges 4 batteries at a time in an hour hooked into
the
boat's 12 volt system.

(They also make a model very similar to the 76 but with a color
display.)

The other unit is the GPSMAP276c, which is slightly larger, but
still
small enough to be used as a handheld. It has a really sharp color
display. The display is quite a bit larger, and the unit can be
loaded
with a lot more (mine came with a 128 mb memory card) charts and
street maps too. It's a big step up from the GPSMAP76s. Again, the
bluecharts really are half of the magic. This unit uses seperate
memory cards, so you can have a set of cards covering different
areas
if you want to travel from Maine to South America or whatever.

Mys Terry ,,, so your GPSMAP76 is an s model? And it has a bit more meg of
memory? Ok,, how much would your unit go for?

As I said, the one on Ebay is asking $300

What do you think would be a fair price? And how much does the Blue Chart
software go for?

Thanks for the help.




"Mys Terry" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:57:40 GMT, "Lester Evans"

wrote:

mys Terry ,, I found this one on ebay.
==========================
The GPSMAP 76 is designed to provide precise GPS positioning using
correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System. This unit
features a built-in quad helix antenna for superior reception and can
provide position accuracy to less than three meters when receiving WAAS
corrections.
The GPSMAP 76 has an internal memory capacity of eight megabytes. In
addition, it comes with a built-in basemap of cities, coastlines, lakes,
rivers, interstates, and interstate exit information and a database of
nautical navaids.

This unit has eight megabytes of internal user memory for storing optional
MapSource®- detailed maps, including marine cartography. This memory is
preloaded from the factory with worldwide cities (populations greater than
200,000) and nautical navigation aids such as lights, buoys, sound signals
and day beacons. The GPSMAP 76 is also preloaded with tide data for the
United States.

An extra-large display measuring 1.6"W x 2.2"H gives users a clear view of
information, while a waterproof case means the GPSMAP 76 will keep working
well even if it's been submerged in water. Even more amazing, this unit
will
actually float if accidentally dropped in the water.

==

Is this the same one you use? It says 8 meg of memory. You have 21 meg
listed in your reply..

Not the exact same model I have. I have the GPSMAP76s which has a few more
features than the plain GPSMAP76


the asking price is $300. But , it is a "make an
offer" item. That means I can offer xxx amount. Whether the seller
accepts? Who knows.

How do you load the charts ( you called them Blue Charts ). If I am
reading
this right :: first I buy the unit. The unit will work, sort of. But,
in
order for the unit to show good charts on the screen I must buy some
software which is called Blue Charts. I guess I buy the software for say
an
area I will be boating in and load it into the hand held GPS and then the
GPS will show a more detailed chart on the screen. And the unit will show
me where I am..



Is this about it?


Yes, that's essentially it. Garmin's charts for use on their GPS
Chartplotters
is called Mapsource BlueCharts.







Lester



"Mys Terry" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 16:49:00 GMT, "Lester Evans"
wrote:

I started to look for a GPS, took a look in West Marine. I am baffled.
So
many models.

For a coastal guy, along the coast of New England, what GPS is good. Is
there a last year model that maybe I can find on ebay.

And what is up with the software.

GPS ,,, ?????????????????

this is for a small sailboat.



You can find better prices than West Marine. Try defender.com. The
prices shown on the website are not the actual discount price they
will cahrge you. To see the real price, you add the item to your
shopping cart, and at the checkout, it shows you the price. You can do
that without actually buying the item.

I have two Garmin GPS's, and I like both of them. The smaller one is
the GPSMAP76s, which is a monochrome display handheld unit. It comes
with basemaps loaded, but it really becomes much more useful when you
buy the Garmin Blue Charts for it. They have MUCH higher detail and
information. It has 21 MB of memory which means it will hold a
surprising amount of charts. I have the entire Long Island Sound, plus
a few street maps of places we sail too, so we can find our way around
on land, too. The street maps take a lot more memory than the blue
charts. runs off two AA size batteries, and you can use NiMH
rechargeables, or plug it into a cigar lighter socket with an optional
$20 cable. I run mine on rechargable batteries, and I have a charger
on board that charges 4 batteries at a time in an hour hooked into the
boat's 12 volt system.

(They also make a model very similar to the 76 but with a color
display.)

The other unit is the GPSMAP276c, which is slightly larger, but still
small enough to be used as a handheld. It has a really sharp color
display. The display is quite a bit larger, and the unit can be loaded
with a lot more (mine came with a 128 mb memory card) charts and
street maps too. It's a big step up from the GPSMAP76s. Again, the
bluecharts really are half of the magic. This unit uses seperate
memory cards, so you can have a set of cards covering different areas
if you want to travel from Maine to South America or whatever.




Terry & Skipper, Clearlake Texas

Mys Terry wrote:
On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 02:04:20 GMT, "Lester Evans"
wrote:


Mys Terry ,,, so your GPSMAP76 is an s model? And it has a bit more meg of
memory? Ok,, how much would your unit go for?



No idea for the present best deal. Look around. The s model has a few features
beyond the extra memory. The most valuable being a flux gate compass.


As I said, the one on Ebay is asking $300

What do you think would be a fair price? And how much does the Blue Chart
software go for?



I think the blue charts for one area is about $140. One area can cover a pretty
large area.

Don't pay that though, for either. On Ebay I got a new GPSmap76c, the
color version for under $300, and a one region Bluechart for around
$100, also new on Ebay.

I see a new 76CS just sold for $304 on May 28th.

--
Stephen

-------

For any proposition there is always some sufficiently narrow
interpretation of its terms, such that it turns out true, and
some sufficiently wide interpretation such that it turns out
false...concept stretching will refute *any* statement, and will
leave no true statement whatsoever.
-- Imre Lakatos

Mys Terry wrote:
On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:20:33 GMT, "Dennis Pogson"
wrote:

boomerswims wrote:
My husband has been using a garmin GPS12 for years. It is a basic
older monochrome handheld unit. We now use it as a back up for our
fixed mount standard horizon GPS. I would recommend a Garmin unit.
Hand held of small fixed mount. I have found their units very user
friendly. They also have a good warranty. When looking around, know
that West Marine has a price match guarantee. You just have to bring
them either the ad, print out, or quote of a new item. West Marine
also has a Product Protection Program. You can get up to two years
after the manufacturers warranty. Plus, it is always nice to walk
out with product in hand then wait for it in the mail.


A number of US Ebayers advertise brand-new GPS models on the UK Ebay
site and are doing good business because of the dollar/pound
situation. I bought a GPS MAP60CS (Garmin) from a retailer in San
Diego for what seemed a ridiculously low price, 2 day delivery,
brand new, and it had European maps ready installed. My point in
posting is that you don't just get secondhand Garmins on Ebay, but
new stuff too, and I am sure the prices will be discounted for US
buyers. Worth a look.


A word of caution is in order. If you buy a gray market GPS, it may
not have the basemaps and firmware for the part of the world you are
in, and it also will not have any warrantee. Garmin knows serial
numbers, and if you get one through a less than legit source, you
could end up with a paperweight. Same goes for buying the mapsource
Bluecharts. If the code that comes with the CD has already been used,
it won't work to unlock the disk.

You can certainly find good legit deals on ebay, but you need to be
very cautious.

I guess it happens often enough that Garmin has warnings about it on
their website.

That implies that Garmin control not only the price at which retailers sell
their products, but also with whom they are allowed to advertise. Is this
legitimate in the US? Surely sellers with their own websites can compete
with each other? Do Garmin regard Ebay as a flea market?