Recommended GPS Receivers?

vergere asks: "Christmas has come and gone and I've got the go-ahead from the SO to make one of those big once-a-year electronic purchases. I've decided to get a handheld GPS receiver, so I'd like to draw on the collective knowledge of Slashdot and ask for recommendations. I'd like a good set of features (nothing too basic) and mapping capability - the more bells and whistles I can get for my budget of $350 the better. I'm currently looking at the Garmin GPSMAP 76S - any user experiences with this particular model would be welcomed."

www.gpsnow.com seems to be where to buy it

[jcwren]

I've not checked every possible nook and cranny on the 'net, but GPSNow.com [gpsnow.com] has the cheapest price I've managed to find anywhere.

--jc

Garmin GPS V

[jaredmauch]

I have two of these. Work quite well, only problem is you periodically have to complain to them about map quality. Get the Deluxe package, it'll cost you about $400 last time I got one. Excellent handheld and Car (auto-routing built in, no need to calculate routes offline) use.

I also have the US topo map CDs and have used them for hiking as well. These are accurate as they are provided by the USGS and not their other map vendor (Navtech).

The 4.01 North America City Select fixed a lot of the accuracy issues, but be prepared to pay $120 every year or so for updated maps if you are going to want them.

GPS units

[Tandoori Haggis]

Another contender is the Silva Navigator.
This unit features GPS, barometer and electronic compass. Check the description and tech spec at
http://www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod171.html

Battery life with the suggested strategy is perfectly adequate for 2 weeks from to AA cells.

Note the low minimum operating temperatute.

Built in maps sound like a nice idea but some units have functions specific to certain areas only(North America) which you pay for. Some places you might visit may not be that well served by maps.

Personally I'd either go for this or one of the Magellan GPS receivers.

Good luck.

Just serial output for a laptop for $99

[hab136]

Another thing to consider are GPS "mice", so named because they're about the size of a mouse. I bought mine for $99. The one I have is here:

http://www.rayming.com/products/tripnav_tn200.htm [rayming.com].

It works great with Street Atlas, is weatherproof, and has a magnetic back. No display, no internal maps, in fact nothing but a USB cord and one blinkenlight. But if you're just going to hook it up to a laptop, this is what you want.

Garmin and Trimble make similar ones - look under their OEM/sensor sections. Some are larger and more accurate.

Garmin 60CS

[Tricot]

If you can wait for about 2 months, then a new one coming out in a month may be a better option:
The Garmin 60CS [garmin.com] has the same features as the 76S, but also has:

• Color screen
  
• USB interface (map uploads are VERY slow over a serial interface)
  
• 56Meg of map memory (vs 24 for the 76S)
  
• Longer battery life
  
• Auto-routing with appropriate maps
  

It looks like a sweet little unit. If I hadn't bought a GPS V 6 months ago, I'd seriously consider getting one myself.

-- Mitch

Magellan Sportrak Pro + Mapsend Topo - $350

[SchnauzerGuy]

First of all, you should buy a GSPr with built-in mapping. Even for simple A->B uses (like geocaching [geocaching.com]), having a built-in map is invaluable. For example, a non-mapping GPSr will tell you that point B is 1.5 miles straight ahead. A mapping GPSr will show you that there is a stream and steep canyon straight ahead, and going a less direct route will be much easier. The only downside is cost - a mapping GPSr will cost about $100 more than a non-mapping model, and if you want detailed maps, you'll need additional software (~$100).

For a mapping GPSr, I highly recommend Magellen's SporTrak Pro. It is lightweight, durable, waterproof, and has been reported to be one of the most accurate GPS receivers [gpsinformation.net] available. It uses 2 AA batteries and has about a 16 hour battery life (using NiMH batteries). It also has 23MB of non-removable memory, which is enough for all of Southern California + the SF Bay area, for example. Some other receivers have more memory or removable memory cards (e.g. Magellen Meridian), but 23MB is plenty unless you will be travelling long distances with no access to a computer to upload new maps. The unit comes with some maps built in, but to get street level and topo maps, you'll need to buy the $100 MapSend Topo CD-ROM.

The SporTrak Pro also doesn't have a lot of the more gimmicky features, like a color screen, electronic compass, and barometers. All of those are more or less useless and just drain the batteries faster.

The less expensive alternative is a non-mapping GPSr. Look for a used Garmin GPS12 on eBay, or consider its new replacement, the GPS72 for around $150.

Finally, be sure to go to GPSInformation.net [gpsinformation.net]. It is an excellent source of information and reviews, and even an article [gpsinformation.net] which recommends various GPSr based on price and your needs.