Around 8/23/2005 1:44 PM, LD wrote:

Unless they've changed their minds recently, I'd stay away from Garmin
handhelds (if you plan to use external power because they will shutdown if
they become disconnected from the external source). Check out some of the
units for ease of use. I think they're all good but some menus might seem
more logical than others. Also, the Garmin Etrex has buttons on the side
which is fine for handheld use but if you want to mount it in a cradle on a
boat, you can't see the buttons! Finally, be sure it's waterproof. Some of
the Lowerance units are not.
LD

My eTrex stays on if the external plug gets unplugged, because I leave
the batteries in it. The buttons on the side are no problem for my
RAM-Mount since it has cutouts for all the buttons and the external
connector:
http://65.102.174.119/rammount/produ...r=RAM-HOL-GA5U

The eTrex series are mostly basic as far as features go, but they're
well-built and (most important for me) waterproof.


--
~/Garth - 1966 Glastron V-142 Skiflite: "Blue-Boat"
"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing about in boats."
-Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

"Coz" wrote in message
news:VX1Pe.9508$Hk.4198@pd7tw1no...
On the internet, the best prices seem to be at tigergps.com - they have a
navman, um, 5500 or something - that has a rebate until the end of august
that makes it very affordable....

"*JimH*" wrote in message
...
Any recommendations for a low cost handheld or fixed mount (with internal
antenna) GPS?


I recently made a purchase at the gps store. Prices were low and the service
was good. Arrived quickly - No complaints.

thegpsstore.com

On Sun, 21 Aug 2005 16:40:32 -0400, "*JimH*" wrote:

Any recommendations for a low cost handheld or fixed mount (with internal
antenna) GPS?

What's low cost?


Later,

Tom

Email decoder:

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A year and a half ago I was in the market for a new GPS with WAAS to replace
my Garmin 12XL (which was a great unit, from a company, with very responsive
customer support). I heard and got confirmed from Garmin that "their
customers were complaining that when left in a vehicle with a power adapter
and the power went away when one turned off the engine, the batteries were
drained". So, they designed the handhelds (at least the 72 and 76 series)
to shut down shortly after an external power source was removed. As to the
buttons, I strongly prefer to see the buttons, especially in a bouncy 21'
boat in the Gulf of Mexico. I borrowed a friend's eTrex for a week or two
and decided I didn't want it, but to each their own! If you don't use a
cradle and can memorize the buttons and you don't use an external power cord
then it's a non-issue. As I said, "they're all good".
LD

"Garth Almgren" wrote in message
...
Around 8/23/2005 1:44 PM, LD wrote:

Unless they've changed their minds recently, I'd stay away from Garmin
handhelds (if you plan to use external power because they will shutdown
if
they become disconnected from the external source). Check out some of
the
units for ease of use. I think they're all good but some menus might
seem
more logical than others. Also, the Garmin Etrex has buttons on the
side
which is fine for handheld use but if you want to mount it in a cradle
on a
boat, you can't see the buttons! Finally, be sure it's waterproof.
Some of
the Lowerance units are not.
LD

My eTrex stays on if the external plug gets unplugged, because I leave
the batteries in it. The buttons on the side are no problem for my
RAM-Mount since it has cutouts for all the buttons and the external
connector:
http://65.102.174.119/rammount/produ...r=RAM-HOL-GA5U

The eTrex series are mostly basic as far as features go, but they're
well-built and (most important for me) waterproof.


--
~/Garth - 1966 Glastron V-142 Skiflite: "Blue-Boat"
"There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing about in boats."
-Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

I must have talked to a different guy when I had a problem. I called them
said my 12XL wouldn't pick up any satellites and I had a clear wide open
sky, he told me to send it bk (a month or two out of warranty) and they sent
me a new unit. Magellan cs is also spotty--I've had good and bad
experiences.
LD
"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 21:06:25 -0400, "LD" wrote:

A year and a half ago I was in the market for a new GPS with WAAS to
replace
my Garmin 12XL (which was a great unit, from a company, with very
responsive
customer support).

My two experiences with their "customer support" sucked.

In one case, one of the knobs cracked on a depth finder and when I
called them to get a replacement, they told me I needed to go to the
boats manufacturer and order it through them - they didn't do private
sales.

The second one involved technical support and in that one they really
sucked - I knew more about the unit than the "tech" did.

I wouldn't buy anything by Garmin ever again.


Later,

Tom

Email decoder:

Remove onetwothree, replace with info,
Remove four, replace with swsports,
Remove com, replace with org.