GPS units
03 Jan 2010 19:05 #813
by Errol
Im looking at getting a hand held gps, Ive been looking at the Garmin Dakota 10 (that sort of price range. I dont know much about them (normally use a map and compass). Any advice? Also, how do the maps etc work. I was told the Dakota 10 comes with maps for southern Africa but not the Drakensberg?
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04 Jan 2010 16:59 #821
by zen101
Have a look at the newer Garmin Oregon range , most garmin "outdoor" GPS's have a worldwide basemap included which is pretty useless.
The Oregon is complete touch-screen and water/shock proof and has served me well so far.
(issues regarding average back-light performance has not affected me)
You will have to load the Africa Topographic maps separately (bought from your local camping store or online) , the above model can take street and topo maps simultaneously so can serve in Automotive mode/ Geocaching/ hiking etc..
They have 850MB onboard memory, you can extend this by adding a mini SD card.
Don't forget the legendary GPSMAP 60CSx model - its also a safe choice if you can still get one as these are previous generation.
Cheers
The Oregon is complete touch-screen and water/shock proof and has served me well so far.
(issues regarding average back-light performance has not affected me)
You will have to load the Africa Topographic maps separately (bought from your local camping store or online) , the above model can take street and topo maps simultaneously so can serve in Automotive mode/ Geocaching/ hiking etc..
They have 850MB onboard memory, you can extend this by adding a mini SD card.
Don't forget the legendary GPSMAP 60CSx model - its also a safe choice if you can still get one as these are previous generation.
Cheers
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04 Jan 2010 19:06 #824
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Yep, as mentioned above, the key is buying the topographic map, this will cover the Berg and Lesotho. I've been using an old faithful eTrex Legend Cx all these years and don't have experience with the newer Garmins that are now available. I won't upgrade until the 3D stuff becomes available and more meaningful for the Berg and Lesotho - currently my GPS still does everything I need it to.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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28 Jul 2010 18:09 #1523
by anthony
Plouw,
I have a garmin 60csx, it really is a bullet proof model unfortunately it does not come cheap, but it will be the last GPS you bye.
The things to look when buying a GPS for hiking.
-amount of way points that can be stored
-amount of proximity points that can be stored
-if it has a barometer
-the battery life
-how much active route can be stored
-how many routes can be loaded
-how robust the unit is
-how much internal memory or a removable SD card
Hope that helps a bit.
I have a garmin 60csx, it really is a bullet proof model unfortunately it does not come cheap, but it will be the last GPS you bye.
The things to look when buying a GPS for hiking.
-amount of way points that can be stored
-amount of proximity points that can be stored
-if it has a barometer
-the battery life
-how much active route can be stored
-how many routes can be loaded
-how robust the unit is
-how much internal memory or a removable SD card
Hope that helps a bit.
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29 Jul 2010 10:32 #1524
by gollum
I use my cellphone's (Nokia N79) built-in GPS and it works fine in the Drakensberg (it also joined my backpack on its spiritual journey down Leslie's Pass which you witnessed, so I guess it's pretty durable as well!
).
It has very nice software for tracking routes. Storing waypoints is a bit of a hassle but I don't mind. And it's only limited by the capacity of the SD card you choose to use.
But a dedicated GPS device is probably better.
It has very nice software for tracking routes. Storing waypoints is a bit of a hassle but I don't mind. And it's only limited by the capacity of the SD card you choose to use.
But a dedicated GPS device is probably better.
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30 Jul 2010 11:21 #1525
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
I think the basic purpose of a GPS is to navigate towards waypoints that you've either collected yourself, or which has been uploaded from a computer. The same goes for tracks. You can get very affordable models that do this just fine. All the fancier stuff is in addition. For more meaningful navigation add a topographic base map (one which you can load onto your computer too - this allows you to plan your route beforehand too, even if you don't have any real GPS data).
The newer models have some funky stuff, nice touch screens, 3D map capability (Berg maps have yet to catch up), topographic shading etc etc. But I've been using a Garmin Legend C for several years and will stick to it until it breaks, or until the fancier 3D maps become more meaningful and useful for the Berg and other places. I'm not sure if they still sell Garmin Vista HCx's but that one always had good marks in my books. But if you do go for a simpler model, I can't say for sure if you'll wish you had something better within a few years..I'm not sure how fast map technology is going to change. That's something you may want to run by a knowledgeable sales consultant.
The newer models have some funky stuff, nice touch screens, 3D map capability (Berg maps have yet to catch up), topographic shading etc etc. But I've been using a Garmin Legend C for several years and will stick to it until it breaks, or until the fancier 3D maps become more meaningful and useful for the Berg and other places. I'm not sure if they still sell Garmin Vista HCx's but that one always had good marks in my books. But if you do go for a simpler model, I can't say for sure if you'll wish you had something better within a few years..I'm not sure how fast map technology is going to change. That's something you may want to run by a knowledgeable sales consultant.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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