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#1
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Marine GPS
If you were going to get a new GPS system this winter, which one would
it be? Is it worth getting a marine version? Is color worth the drastic extra cost? |
#2
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Marine GPS
I bought my first GPS this summer, right after buying my first boat and I
was in the same quandry you are. The short answer is I put a lot of thought into it and settled on a Garmin GPS 72. The long answer follows: It's a high quality unit but low cost because it's stripped of all but the essential technology. Here's how I arrived at that conclusion. It's a solid 12 channel GPS, WAAS and DGPS capable if you want to go there. It doesn't have a lot of extra fancy bits but what it does have is high quality and won't be eclipsed by technological advances for a while. If the WAAS signal is encoded "do not use" then this unit will not use it (my understanding is that all Garmins are like that). If you don't understand that then you should read up on WAAS, it's a developing technology and a bad signal or a test signal can decrease your accuracy. I wasn't in the mood to spend hundreds for something that "sorta worked" or was "pretty good", I wanted to be able to tell exactly where I was exactly when I wanted to know it. Clear readout, customizable information, big enough to see at a glance, no screwing around. And I didn't want to have to upgrade it in the next couple of years. I don't *need* WAAS accuracy but when it comes online I'll gladly accept an extremely accurate fix on my position. I looked at the fancier ones but they either sacrificed quality to add less useful (to me) features or were terrifically expensive if they maintained the quality. They're also very small and for me too confusing to read easily. If you don't spend the big bucks you get those tiny little greyscale maps that I can't make heads or tails of. I'm going to have a laptop with digital charts on board anyway. I'll also use the laptop to work and watch DVDs (laptops can be DC friendly), and this GPS unit can feed its data into my computer and voila, big ass colour chart plotter for the price of a cable. For those more rare times I actually need a real-time chart plotted course. Also I bought a full set of paper charts, which you should have too, so until next year and the laptop I can just navigate the semi-old fashioned way. So it all depends on your needs and your budget. If you have money then get the GPS Map 176C, it's way cool. My friend has one and I navigated us through some shallows outside the channel, it was quite the nifty little deal. In my case all I really needed was a solid GPS receiver to feed my computer and so I spent my money on the best one I could get and minimized my expenditures on the extras. Here is a link to the Canadian site where I bought mine. If anyone is interested their service was fantastic. I wish they sold more stuff I needed because I was very impressed with them. I had questions that weren't covered in their ad copy so I e-mailed and they e-mailed me right back with the answers. Very impressed. http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/garmin/72.htm |
#3
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Marine GPS
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#4
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Marine GPS
Also, FUGAWI Marine ENC software is available, (www.fugawi.com) which
runs on the iQue. This gives you much more waypoint, track and route functions than are natively available in the iQue. Also, you can load in the new (and FREE!) NOOA ENC charts to the iQue (albeit in rasterized form) as well as any other non-Garmin nautical chart such as Maptech or Softchart. What's best is you also get the software for PC and Pocket PC - all in one package for les than $200. (Agree about the battery life of the iQue though...) - John I've just started using the spiffy new Garmin iQue 3600--a PDA with an integral WAAS GPS. It also takes the Garmin Blue Charts. I've found the iQue to be very usable, with a clear color display and instant redraws. I'm not going to give up the GPSMap76, though, for several reasons. First, the 76 is waterproof and floats. Second, its functionality is still superior to that of the iQue--working with waypoints, routes and tracks is easier. And it has very good battery life compared to the iQue--15 hours on two AA NiMH, compared to about 3 hours with the iQue. I could do away with many of the disadvantages of the 76 by just running its signal through a laptop, but I'm just not ready to schlep that much equipment aboard just yet. HTH, Joe Parsons |
#5
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Marine GPS
For chart-plotters, I really like the Garmin stuff. I have a 2006C, and
have had the opportunity to use a high end CMAP system. The Garmin lets you zoom in as far as you want, and marks anything where you go past the available maps as "overzoom". CMAP systems give you crosshatch in a similar situation. At times, this feature makes the real-world usability of the Garmin Bluechart system much greater, IMO. I also have a Garmin GPS-76. It is a very rugged and accurate unit. It gets a position lock very quickly, and has survived numerous dunkings in sal****er with no apparent ill effect. Just make sure you spray a little rust preventative in the battery compartment after dunking. That is the only part of this model that is not waterproof. Dave "Dionysus Feldman" wrote in message ... If you were going to get a new GPS system this winter, which one would it be? Is it worth getting a marine version? Is color worth the drastic extra cost? |
#6
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Marine GPS
Garmin 2006C or 2010C with a Garmin Legend as a backup.
Why? Garmin allows you two systems with the Blue maps purchase so you can manage and backup your waypoints on a laptop and keep your charts updated as well. I have a 48' boat and going aground cost 5x the price of the GPS units. BTW... don't trust any charts 100%...I have found many errors with ALL chart brands especially in the islands. Dionysus Feldman wrote: If you were going to get a new GPS system this winter, which one would it be? Is it worth getting a marine version? Is color worth the drastic extra cost? |
#7
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Marine GPS
Something by Garmin, yes, and yes.
-- Keith __ "Today's greatest labor saving device is tomorrow." - Tom Wilson "Dionysus Feldman" wrote in message ... If you were going to get a new GPS system this winter, which one would it be? Is it worth getting a marine version? Is color worth the drastic extra cost? |
#8
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Marine GPS
I am a big fan of Garmon products. both the greyscale and color 830
units are what I use on all my charter boats. The "chips" for the local area give excellent details and depths. Price about 70 for the greyscale and 1000 for color. You can see color better during the day. Capt. Frank Hopkins http://www.home.earthlink.net/~aartworks Dionysus Feldman wrote: If you were going to get a new GPS system this winter, which one would it be? Is it worth getting a marine version? Is color worth the drastic extra cost? |
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