Author Topic: What hand held GPS is a good buy?  (Read 1703 times)

Offline $ignmoney

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What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« on: Jul 10, 2010, 12:23 AM »
I want to buy a new hand held GPS and was looking for feed back on what one is a good buy.Heard some are battery hogs. Likes and dislikes,etc.  Thanks

Offline michianafisherman

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #1 on: Jul 10, 2010, 04:36 AM »
I HAVE ONLY USED THE H2O. I WOULD SAY THOUGH THAT THERE ARE BETTER MODELS OR NEWER STYLES OF GPS HANDHELDS AVAILABLE. START BY HOLDING THEM IN YOUR HAND AT THE STORE AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE CONTROLS WITH SOME HELP. IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE, IT MAY TAKE YOU LONGER TO USE IT TO ITS POTENTIAL. I HAD TO WORK A LONG TIME TO MAKE MINE DO WHAT I WANTED. I HAVE A CARD I BOUGHT SEPARATE FOR 100 BUCKS. IT HAS 18,500 LAKES FOR MICHIGAN ONLY. I USE IT TO FIND THE HUMPS AND FOR TROLLING IN THE SUMMER. NOT ONLY CAN I RETURN TO A SPOT, I CAN DRILL A HOLE AND KNOW HOW DEEP IT IS WITHOUT CHECKING. NOT PERFECT ALWAYS, BUT IT SURE GETS YOU CLOSE. HOPE THIS HELPS WITH YOUR DECISION.
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Offline topher7694

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #2 on: Jul 10, 2010, 08:32 AM »
I bought a DeLorme PN-20 handheld online....read the book, tinkered with it for about an hour and was up and running....the one I got came with the Topo map software for the entire U.S.    I really like it.  It takes about 20 hours of continuous use to wear the batteries out though..

Offline IceNomads

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #3 on: Jul 10, 2010, 11:19 AM »
The H20 is a good starter for the price.
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Offline jpicks

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #4 on: Jul 10, 2010, 11:27 AM »
I do alot of geocaching too, and I have the garmin GPS60CX.  I dunno about down where you are, but I got it for a steal of a deal from walmart for $225 CDN (regular around $400). 

Offline TIBS

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #5 on: Jul 10, 2010, 11:53 AM »
I have a Garmin Rino 120, I like it because it has 2-way frs & gmrs radio built in as well as GPS.  It's only black and white, but it works for me.


Offline Sven936

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #6 on: Jul 10, 2010, 12:12 PM »
I have a H2O also with the lakemaster chip.  Real good starter unit and it can be a battery hog, especially if you leave it on in jeep overnight.  Ohterwise I will be upgrading this next to a newer lowrance. 

Offline Wiener

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #7 on: Jul 12, 2010, 06:16 AM »
I have a Lowrance XOG with the Lakemaster chip.

I really like it and have had no trouble with it.
It works great for the roadtrips we take, and I can use it for icefishing.


Hope this helps,

Wiener

Offline IceNomads

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #8 on: Jul 12, 2010, 01:20 PM »
I just found out on certain lakemaster chips, if you have an old chip, you can upgrade it on line, i know the LOTW/Rainy chip does this.
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Offline TIBS

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #9 on: Jul 12, 2010, 04:45 PM »
I just found out on certain lakemaster chips, if you have an old chip, you can upgrade it on line, i know the LOTW/Rainy chip does this.

Yeah, only if it's a certain age and you haven't done it once before already.  I went from Wisconsin V2 to V3 this way, but they were gonna make me pay for V4 when it came out, forget that, already paid 100 bucks, why would I go it again for a couple more maps of lakes I never fish?

Offline Relheok

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #10 on: Jul 13, 2010, 05:58 PM »
GARMIN GARMIN GARMIN!!!!!

Offline jpicks

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #11 on: Jul 13, 2010, 06:17 PM »
Yep, Garmin is pretty much the way to go (or lately the DeLorme ones too).  I wouldn't spend much time with the magellans.  If you look at any of the high end navigation units (especially flight gps units), they're pretty much ALL garmin.

Offline jasond37

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Re: What hand held GPS is a good buy?
« Reply #12 on: Jul 13, 2010, 09:43 PM »
I recently went through the same situation.  I bought a brand new Lowrance iFinder Expedition from CL.  A woman won it on a raffle and sold it dirt cheap.  I have the LakeMaster 09 chip, it is the latest one it will accept.  Easy to use and read.  Screen is grayscale, but that doesn't bother me.  It is identical to the H2O and iHunt, waterproof (resistant) and has the barometer and altitude features.  Good unit if you can find one, all the iFinder's are discontinued.  If you can find one of these on CL or Ebay for cheap IMO they are the best option.  Only downside is you are limited to the 09 chip. 

 



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