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Author Topic:   GPS - handheld - Which one?

ChocLabWhaler posted 07-23-2002 05:31 PM ET (US)
Forgive me for not searching previous posts. I'm too hot from a long day at work...
I want to buy a handheld GPS for use on the Nauset around the Chesapeake, Maine and bushwhacking on foot in Maine. Magellan Platinum/Marine or Garmin eTrex. Or, is there something better/better value?
CLW
Duncan posted 07-23-2002 05:42 PM ET (US)
Just don't buy the one I've got....bottom of the line eTrex (yellow and cheap)
Thing takes forever to acquire satelites and EATS batteries. I don't know if the better ones are more efficient on batteries or not. See if you can get an adapter to run it off your boat battery.
soggy bottom boy posted 07-23-2002 06:54 PM ET (US)
Have used the Lowrance Global Map 100, which I think is only available as old-stock right now, and like it. Waterproof, easy to use, etc. In a totally different price range is the Garmin 176 and 176C. A lot more than a handheld unit, more like a 'portable'. I've heard good reviews on all Garmin products.
Soggy.
Whaler15 posted 07-23-2002 07:56 PM ET (US)
I have the Garmin GPS3+ and like it. It is very portable and has many accessories available. With the Garmin CD Mapsource, you can easily create weighpoints, print out maps (not real detailed) then download form PC to GPS. This allows you to keep individual files of weighpoints for differnt areas so you don't have to have all weighpoints loaded all the time. I paid about $300 for mine a year ago but I think you can get them for about $250 now. The CD is about $60.
Andy Holmes posted 07-23-2002 09:10 PM ET (US)
Ditto. GPS III is a great unit.
I've had mine for over three years, no problems.
JBCornwell posted 07-23-2002 10:54 PM ET (US)
I have used the Garmin GPS38 and GPS12MAP with excellent results. I still use the GPS12MAP regularly. I don't believe either is still available, so I would go for the GPS 176 or 176C.
Red sky at night. . .
JB :)
triblet posted 07-24-2002 12:34 AM ET (US)
I've got an eTrex Vista for hiking and and
running the car nav software on my laptop.
It will run about 8-12 hours on a set of
rechargeable batteries. But the screen is
way small for boat nav.
Duncan: what firmware do you have in your
eTrex Classic? I recall that there was a
a firmware fix to improve
battery life. Firrmware upgrades are free
on Garmin's website.
Chuck
Dr T posted 07-24-2002 01:30 AM ET (US)
Ditto on the ETrex Vista. The use of the small screen for navigation is an acquired skill. I get about 12 hours from a set of alkaline (non-rechargeable) AA batteries. The moving map display is nice, but a bigger screen is even nicer Unfortunately, you will never get all of the features of a Garmin 530 in a handheld.
tds
anniegalloway posted 07-24-2002 08:08 AM ET (US)
We got a Garmin GPSmap76S and love it (so far). The best price I found on it was from TVNAV.com.
It's new and accessories seem to be difficult to find at West or Boater's World. I'm looking for the external speaker/mic headset.
Annie
jameso posted 07-24-2002 08:17 AM ET (US)
Garmin Map 76, larger screen and it floats. I loaded most of the GA coast and the FL panhandle in it's 8m of memory.
Jim Armstrong
anniegalloway posted 07-24-2002 10:45 AM ET (US)
geez....I'm sooooooooo embarrassed. Ummmm...the speaker/mic headset is for the handheld ICOM MIV.
I really do know the difference between the GPS and the VHF. Shoulda had another cup of coffee before posting.
Annie...going back to lurker mode
Landlocked posted 07-24-2002 10:46 AM ET (US)
My vote is for the Magellan. I have a map 410 and love it. We have the merridian at work and it works great - expandable memory, WAAS ready, plenty of built in maps, easy to use, and optional coverage including topo maps available. We have the topo's. They work great but the installation software is a little cumbersome. We've checked it against our survey grade instruments and its been less than 5 meters off consistantly.
Ll.
GAwhale posted 07-24-2002 11:28 AM ET (US)
My Dad gave me a MAGELLAN GPS Blazer for Christmas. It was on sale at West Marine for $70.
It also eats batteries.
Three Thoughts:
1.) carry extra batteries
2.) get a GPS which is hard wired to the boat
3.) glad I have a compass
This is way off topic:
A sailboat from the Jubilee Yacht Club in Beverly, MA was returning home after completing a two and a half day round the clock race to Nova Scotia.
In the middle of nowhere they came across a small motorboat almost out of fuel. The occupants waved down the sailboat and asked for directions to a port in New Hampshire. The sailboat dropped sails and towed them home. The motorboat was heading toward open ocean.
Highwater posted 07-24-2002 03:08 PM ET (US)
I am trying to find a GPS that will connect to the computer via the USB port. All of the ones I have looked at use a serial connection. My computer does not have a serial port and I don't want to get yet another gadget to convert serial to USB. Any ideas? David
Landlocked posted 07-24-2002 03:27 PM ET (US)
Both of the magellan units I use have the serial port. There is a simple pigtail adapter to convert to USB if you want. Not expensive.
Ll.
David Pendleton posted 07-24-2002 07:21 PM ET (US)
What kind of computer doesn't have a serial port?
Dave
Lagged posted 07-24-2002 07:51 PM ET (US)
labtop, imac.
David Pendleton posted 07-24-2002 08:46 PM ET (US)
You've got me on that one. You're the second person (besides jimh) I know that uses the enemy hardware.
I can't be much help, I'm afraid.
Dave
ChocLabWhaler posted 07-25-2002 07:44 AM ET (US)
Pilots are steering me towards the Garmin V handheld or desk-top. Anybody got one of these? Do I really need this much? Is "BlueChart" really that much help? Alot of Maine guides have the little eTrex's or Magellans. Most do not like the Magellan units. Those with the eTrex's say they are great on foot but they would want bigger in a boat. More ideas?
CLW
whalerron posted 07-25-2002 08:31 AM ET (US)
I bought a Garmin GPS 12. (This unit doesn't have stored maps in it but I didn't want mapping. In my mind, that's what charts are for.) It lets you build routes, store waypoints and do traceback. I have used it all over the Chesapeake and it is a great unit. I have a Minot whaler with a console top that is at about knee height. With the GPS sitting in its mount and me standing at the boat wheel driving, I can see the display clearly. It is waterproof to the submersible standard. I use the rechargeable Nickel Hydride batteries and the unit runs all day on a set of those. The interface is intuitive and easy to use. I highly recommend this GPS.
-ron
tomol posted 07-25-2002 04:55 PM ET (US)
Handheld models are great because of their versatility but they require at least one and often two hands to operate them, which can be a problem when you're pounding around in a Whaler.
To get around this, I originally mounted mine to the console (Garman sells a stand for the model I use: GPS 76), but it was kind of far for my aging eyes to read and it cluttered an already small space.
Now I've got it mounted to an arm affixed to the top center rail of the console. It holds the GPS closer to my face and can easily be moved out of the way or removed when I don't want it there.
I had to piece the thing together. The arm mechanism didn't come with a rail-mount ball, so I had to buy the rail-mount ball as part of a package separately. And to complicate things, West Marine wouldn't sell me the ball unless I bought an entirely different (and to me useless) mounting device that it came with. They wouldn't break out the part I wanted from the prepackaged assembly.
Fortunately, the base of the ball at other end of the arm where it attaches to the GPS has screw holes that fit perfectly with the Garmin stand.
All in all, it was a hassle, because the folks at West Marine couldn't grasp the concept. But, it was worth it. The arm articulates in three places (at each end of the arm and the Garman stand itself), so it's out of the way, it's easily adjustable and removable and it's exceptionally easy to navigate with.
Nate
Fishcop posted 07-25-2002 05:45 PM ET (US)
CLW,
I have used and currently own several hand-held GPS units. All have similar features and perform as intended. It sounds like you need a GPS to use inland and on your boat. Garmin GPS MAP 175 is bigger than the etrex and similar uints, but has the ability to accept G-Charts that are more detailed than the basic GPS base maps. I believe that the GPS MAP 175 is being dropped from the Garmin line and is available at discounted prices from marine wholesalers and sites like Ebay.
Check around and I am sure you will find a good deal on one of the units.
Andy.
ChocLabWhaler posted 07-25-2002 06:39 PM ET (US)
eBay actually is a big help. I might be able to get what I want REAL cheap! Thanks for your ideas. Garmin, here I come.
CLW
skeepyjack posted 07-25-2002 09:25 PM ET (US)
Take a look at Garmin etrex legend (or Vista if you have $$), you can load the Map Source for land (land travel),water way (for occasion boating), and Blue Chart (for serious boating) on CD (not a cartridge). This etrex already implimented WAAS, so the accuracy is within 3 feet. And if you have a laptop and one of these softwares above. you can turn your laptop to a big GPS Waas chart-plotter (their softwares already build in a tracking system). Happy boating.
Peter posted 07-25-2002 09:42 PM ET (US)
I belive Garmin's GPS 175 will be phased out in favor of the GPS 176. I've got a 175 with a G-chart and its a great unit, particularly if you can get one cheap. All GPS units eat batteries so your best bet is to get the cradle and power cable and hard wire it to the house power if you have that.
If I were buying a hand held today I'd go for the Blue Chart compatible Garmin 176 gray scale model. When comparing the 176c color unit next to its cousins the 182c, 2006c or 2010c, it didn't seem bright enough to me for use in sunlight.
SuburbanBoy posted 07-25-2002 11:44 PM ET (US)
I had a GPS V and will probably get another. Garmin just released the latest version of the software. In fact mine just arrived. Too bad I don't still have it. I forgot to take it out of the car one night, and well... It was quick to acquire, and easy to use. I did not try the internal routing feature, instead routing on the PC and transferring to the GPS V. Make sure the model contains the latest version of the software.
sub
triblet posted 07-26-2002 03:10 AM ET (US)
It's not just Imacs that don't have a serial
port. Most of the low-end laptops don't.
No need for one for most folks -- they have
builtin modems.
The USB converter is one option, another is
a PCMCIA serial card. They are hard to find,
but do exist. A buddy of mine's wife is
a court reporter, and they have some SW
where they need two serial ports, one for
the wierd court reporter keyboard, and a
second one that sends the transcript in
real time to the attorneys laptops. The link
to the attorneys is only used for BIG cases.
With the USB dongle, do some research, the
GPS newsgroup has had some reports of some
dongles not working with some GPS software.

Chuck
Highwater posted 07-31-2002 09:44 AM ET (US)
One problem with the eTrex series is that you cannot connect it to a 12-volt source (cigarette lighter) and to a computer at the same time (it uses the same port).
whitewater posted 07-31-2002 10:11 AM ET (US)
I have a non-mapping handheld now. What a pain. On longer trips I am always flipping through the charts. Get a mapping GPS. Garmin makes some good ones (176?) and you can upload changes to the unit for improved functionality.
DanT posted 07-31-2002 10:36 AM ET (US)
Highwater, I think Garmin makes a combination cable that includes both the PC and 12V connection.
rwest posted 07-31-2002 01:04 PM ET (US)
Most any of the units mentioned such as Garmin 76 or III or 12 series are good on small boats as well as running in a car or afoot.No problem with my Garmin 12 hitting satalites quickly and seems to be really accurate with charted positions such as buoys and lights. As to downloading, I am a Mac person and the serial port on a Mac is not the same as a PC serial port. I have a friend witha PC who downloads stuff from my GPS. Not aware of an adaptor that goes from Mac serial to PC serial.
Highwater posted 07-31-2002 01:44 PM ET (US)
Belkin makes a product that converts serial to USB, allowing you to connect serial devices to any Macintosh made in the last three years. See http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Product_Id=102007 .
Thanks for the tip about the Garmin splitter, DanT. I just bought it (Garmin part number 010-10268-00) and it works perfectly.
jhill posted 07-31-2002 01:47 PM ET (US)
I have a garman 48 which is no longer made so you can get a great deal on one. I have it hardwired to my Montauk so batteries are not a problem. It also hooks up to my laptop when I am in my big boat. error only about 8-10 feet generally.
andiamo posted 07-31-2002 04:16 PM ET (US)
I am also struggling with which GPS unit to get. I demoed a Garmin 176C and while the price is right it is not bright enough to use in sunlight (might be good enough in fog). It is interesting to read the reviews of this product on the West Marine site.
The other unit I am thinking about is the Standard Horizon 150c but it is a lot more money. I may just save my money and buy black and white (but which one.......?)
T_Bro posted 08-01-2002 07:39 PM ET (US)
I got a Garmin Map 76 for use in my 13' supersport around Martha's Vineyard. I bought it at West Marine for around $320 (sale) and got a blue chart for $109. Downloaded all of Cape Cod maps into the ample 8MB memory and used it very easily. Chews through batteries as well. However, batteries are cheap and allowed me to avoid the brain damage of wiring the GPS into the electrical system.
Allowed me to navigate in unfamiliar waters and avoid rocks and shoals. Easy entry of waypoints made marking the hot spots very simple. Not a large screen, but bigger than e-trex and magellan.
Works well for me.
T-Bro

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Author	Topic: GPS - handheld - Which one?
ChocLabWhaler	posted 07-23-2002 05:31 PM ET (US) Forgive me for not searching previous posts. I'm too hot from a long day at work... I want to buy a handheld GPS for use on the Nauset around the Chesapeake, Maine and bushwhacking on foot in Maine. Magellan Platinum/Marine or Garmin eTrex. Or, is there something better/better value? CLW
Duncan	posted 07-23-2002 05:42 PM ET (US) Just don't buy the one I've got....bottom of the line eTrex (yellow and cheap) Thing takes forever to acquire satelites and EATS batteries. I don't know if the better ones are more efficient on batteries or not. See if you can get an adapter to run it off your boat battery.
soggy bottom boy	posted 07-23-2002 06:54 PM ET (US) Have used the Lowrance Global Map 100, which I think is only available as old-stock right now, and like it. Waterproof, easy to use, etc. In a totally different price range is the Garmin 176 and 176C. A lot more than a handheld unit, more like a 'portable'. I've heard good reviews on all Garmin products. Soggy.
Whaler15	posted 07-23-2002 07:56 PM ET (US) I have the Garmin GPS3+ and like it. It is very portable and has many accessories available. With the Garmin CD Mapsource, you can easily create weighpoints, print out maps (not real detailed) then download form PC to GPS. This allows you to keep individual files of weighpoints for differnt areas so you don't have to have all weighpoints loaded all the time. I paid about $300 for mine a year ago but I think you can get them for about $250 now. The CD is about $60.
Andy Holmes	posted 07-23-2002 09:10 PM ET (US) Ditto. GPS III is a great unit. I've had mine for over three years, no problems.
JBCornwell	posted 07-23-2002 10:54 PM ET (US) I have used the Garmin GPS38 and GPS12MAP with excellent results. I still use the GPS12MAP regularly. I don't believe either is still available, so I would go for the GPS 176 or 176C. Red sky at night. . . JB :)
triblet	posted 07-24-2002 12:34 AM ET (US) I've got an eTrex Vista for hiking and and running the car nav software on my laptop. It will run about 8-12 hours on a set of rechargeable batteries. But the screen is way small for boat nav. Duncan: what firmware do you have in your eTrex Classic? I recall that there was a a firmware fix to improve battery life. Firrmware upgrades are free on Garmin's website. Chuck
Dr T	posted 07-24-2002 01:30 AM ET (US) Ditto on the ETrex Vista. The use of the small screen for navigation is an acquired skill. I get about 12 hours from a set of alkaline (non-rechargeable) AA batteries. The moving map display is nice, but a bigger screen is even nicer Unfortunately, you will never get all of the features of a Garmin 530 in a handheld. tds
anniegalloway	posted 07-24-2002 08:08 AM ET (US) We got a Garmin GPSmap76S and love it (so far). The best price I found on it was from TVNAV.com. It's new and accessories seem to be difficult to find at West or Boater's World. I'm looking for the external speaker/mic headset. Annie
jameso	posted 07-24-2002 08:17 AM ET (US) Garmin Map 76, larger screen and it floats. I loaded most of the GA coast and the FL panhandle in it's 8m of memory. Jim Armstrong
anniegalloway	posted 07-24-2002 10:45 AM ET (US) geez....I'm sooooooooo embarrassed. Ummmm...the speaker/mic headset is for the handheld ICOM MIV. I really do know the difference between the GPS and the VHF. Shoulda had another cup of coffee before posting. Annie...going back to lurker mode
Landlocked	posted 07-24-2002 10:46 AM ET (US) My vote is for the Magellan. I have a map 410 and love it. We have the merridian at work and it works great - expandable memory, WAAS ready, plenty of built in maps, easy to use, and optional coverage including topo maps available. We have the topo's. They work great but the installation software is a little cumbersome. We've checked it against our survey grade instruments and its been less than 5 meters off consistantly. Ll.
GAwhale	posted 07-24-2002 11:28 AM ET (US) My Dad gave me a MAGELLAN GPS Blazer for Christmas. It was on sale at West Marine for $70. It also eats batteries. Three Thoughts: 1.) carry extra batteries 2.) get a GPS which is hard wired to the boat 3.) glad I have a compass This is way off topic: A sailboat from the Jubilee Yacht Club in Beverly, MA was returning home after completing a two and a half day round the clock race to Nova Scotia. In the middle of nowhere they came across a small motorboat almost out of fuel. The occupants waved down the sailboat and asked for directions to a port in New Hampshire. The sailboat dropped sails and towed them home. The motorboat was heading toward open ocean.
Highwater	posted 07-24-2002 03:08 PM ET (US) I am trying to find a GPS that will connect to the computer via the USB port. All of the ones I have looked at use a serial connection. My computer does not have a serial port and I don't want to get yet another gadget to convert serial to USB. Any ideas? David
Landlocked	posted 07-24-2002 03:27 PM ET (US) Both of the magellan units I use have the serial port. There is a simple pigtail adapter to convert to USB if you want. Not expensive. Ll.
David Pendleton	posted 07-24-2002 07:21 PM ET (US) What kind of computer doesn't have a serial port? Dave
Lagged	posted 07-24-2002 07:51 PM ET (US) labtop, imac.
David Pendleton	posted 07-24-2002 08:46 PM ET (US) You've got me on that one. You're the second person (besides jimh) I know that uses the enemy hardware. I can't be much help, I'm afraid. Dave
ChocLabWhaler	posted 07-25-2002 07:44 AM ET (US) Pilots are steering me towards the Garmin V handheld or desk-top. Anybody got one of these? Do I really need this much? Is "BlueChart" really that much help? Alot of Maine guides have the little eTrex's or Magellans. Most do not like the Magellan units. Those with the eTrex's say they are great on foot but they would want bigger in a boat. More ideas? CLW
whalerron	posted 07-25-2002 08:31 AM ET (US) I bought a Garmin GPS 12. (This unit doesn't have stored maps in it but I didn't want mapping. In my mind, that's what charts are for.) It lets you build routes, store waypoints and do traceback. I have used it all over the Chesapeake and it is a great unit. I have a Minot whaler with a console top that is at about knee height. With the GPS sitting in its mount and me standing at the boat wheel driving, I can see the display clearly. It is waterproof to the submersible standard. I use the rechargeable Nickel Hydride batteries and the unit runs all day on a set of those. The interface is intuitive and easy to use. I highly recommend this GPS. -ron
tomol	posted 07-25-2002 04:55 PM ET (US) Handheld models are great because of their versatility but they require at least one and often two hands to operate them, which can be a problem when you're pounding around in a Whaler. To get around this, I originally mounted mine to the console (Garman sells a stand for the model I use: GPS 76), but it was kind of far for my aging eyes to read and it cluttered an already small space. Now I've got it mounted to an arm affixed to the top center rail of the console. It holds the GPS closer to my face and can easily be moved out of the way or removed when I don't want it there. I had to piece the thing together. The arm mechanism didn't come with a rail-mount ball, so I had to buy the rail-mount ball as part of a package separately. And to complicate things, West Marine wouldn't sell me the ball unless I bought an entirely different (and to me useless) mounting device that it came with. They wouldn't break out the part I wanted from the prepackaged assembly. Fortunately, the base of the ball at other end of the arm where it attaches to the GPS has screw holes that fit perfectly with the Garmin stand. All in all, it was a hassle, because the folks at West Marine couldn't grasp the concept. But, it was worth it. The arm articulates in three places (at each end of the arm and the Garman stand itself), so it's out of the way, it's easily adjustable and removable and it's exceptionally easy to navigate with. Nate
Fishcop	posted 07-25-2002 05:45 PM ET (US) CLW, I have used and currently own several hand-held GPS units. All have similar features and perform as intended. It sounds like you need a GPS to use inland and on your boat. Garmin GPS MAP 175 is bigger than the etrex and similar uints, but has the ability to accept G-Charts that are more detailed than the basic GPS base maps. I believe that the GPS MAP 175 is being dropped from the Garmin line and is available at discounted prices from marine wholesalers and sites like Ebay. Check around and I am sure you will find a good deal on one of the units. Andy.
ChocLabWhaler	posted 07-25-2002 06:39 PM ET (US) eBay actually is a big help. I might be able to get what I want REAL cheap! Thanks for your ideas. Garmin, here I come. CLW
skeepyjack	posted 07-25-2002 09:25 PM ET (US) Take a look at Garmin etrex legend (or Vista if you have $$), you can load the Map Source for land (land travel),water way (for occasion boating), and Blue Chart (for serious boating) on CD (not a cartridge). This etrex already implimented WAAS, so the accuracy is within 3 feet. And if you have a laptop and one of these softwares above. you can turn your laptop to a big GPS Waas chart-plotter (their softwares already build in a tracking system). Happy boating.
Peter	posted 07-25-2002 09:42 PM ET (US) I belive Garmin's GPS 175 will be phased out in favor of the GPS 176. I've got a 175 with a G-chart and its a great unit, particularly if you can get one cheap. All GPS units eat batteries so your best bet is to get the cradle and power cable and hard wire it to the house power if you have that. If I were buying a hand held today I'd go for the Blue Chart compatible Garmin 176 gray scale model. When comparing the 176c color unit next to its cousins the 182c, 2006c or 2010c, it didn't seem bright enough to me for use in sunlight.
SuburbanBoy	posted 07-25-2002 11:44 PM ET (US) I had a GPS V and will probably get another. Garmin just released the latest version of the software. In fact mine just arrived. Too bad I don't still have it. I forgot to take it out of the car one night, and well... It was quick to acquire, and easy to use. I did not try the internal routing feature, instead routing on the PC and transferring to the GPS V. Make sure the model contains the latest version of the software. sub
triblet	posted 07-26-2002 03:10 AM ET (US) It's not just Imacs that don't have a serial port. Most of the low-end laptops don't. No need for one for most folks -- they have builtin modems. The USB converter is one option, another is a PCMCIA serial card. They are hard to find, but do exist. A buddy of mine's wife is a court reporter, and they have some SW where they need two serial ports, one for the wierd court reporter keyboard, and a second one that sends the transcript in real time to the attorneys laptops. The link to the attorneys is only used for BIG cases. With the USB dongle, do some research, the GPS newsgroup has had some reports of some dongles not working with some GPS software. Chuck
Highwater	posted 07-31-2002 09:44 AM ET (US) One problem with the eTrex series is that you cannot connect it to a 12-volt source (cigarette lighter) and to a computer at the same time (it uses the same port).
whitewater	posted 07-31-2002 10:11 AM ET (US) I have a non-mapping handheld now. What a pain. On longer trips I am always flipping through the charts. Get a mapping GPS. Garmin makes some good ones (176?) and you can upload changes to the unit for improved functionality.
DanT	posted 07-31-2002 10:36 AM ET (US) Highwater, I think Garmin makes a combination cable that includes both the PC and 12V connection.
rwest	posted 07-31-2002 01:04 PM ET (US) Most any of the units mentioned such as Garmin 76 or III or 12 series are good on small boats as well as running in a car or afoot.No problem with my Garmin 12 hitting satalites quickly and seems to be really accurate with charted positions such as buoys and lights. As to downloading, I am a Mac person and the serial port on a Mac is not the same as a PC serial port. I have a friend witha PC who downloads stuff from my GPS. Not aware of an adaptor that goes from Mac serial to PC serial.
Highwater	posted 07-31-2002 01:44 PM ET (US) Belkin makes a product that converts serial to USB, allowing you to connect serial devices to any Macintosh made in the last three years. See http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Product_Id=102007 . Thanks for the tip about the Garmin splitter, DanT. I just bought it (Garmin part number 010-10268-00) and it works perfectly.
jhill	posted 07-31-2002 01:47 PM ET (US) I have a garman 48 which is no longer made so you can get a great deal on one. I have it hardwired to my Montauk so batteries are not a problem. It also hooks up to my laptop when I am in my big boat. error only about 8-10 feet generally.
andiamo	posted 07-31-2002 04:16 PM ET (US) I am also struggling with which GPS unit to get. I demoed a Garmin 176C and while the price is right it is not bright enough to use in sunlight (might be good enough in fog). It is interesting to read the reviews of this product on the West Marine site. The other unit I am thinking about is the Standard Horizon 150c but it is a lot more money. I may just save my money and buy black and white (but which one.......?)
T_Bro	posted 08-01-2002 07:39 PM ET (US) I got a Garmin Map 76 for use in my 13' supersport around Martha's Vineyard. I bought it at West Marine for around $320 (sale) and got a blue chart for $109. Downloaded all of Cape Cod maps into the ample 8MB memory and used it very easily. Chews through batteries as well. However, batteries are cheap and allowed me to avoid the brain damage of wiring the GPS into the electrical system. Allowed me to navigate in unfamiliar waters and avoid rocks and shoals. Easy entry of waypoints made marking the hot spots very simple. Not a large screen, but bigger than e-trex and magellan. Works well for me. T-Bro