Global Positioning System (GPS) Classroom Forum

I tried to wade through the many selections of Garmin units to see which might do what I'd like to do. There's a lot of different units out there!

But what do you recommend? I'd like to map out a large Union camp we've dug over the past couple of years. Each tent site is pretty visible. Heavy canopy in places.

Is there a reasonably priced unit that will give me about 250 waypoints and then enable me to print this out on a computer, preferably on a map of the area? This area will undoubtedly fall to construction one day. I'd like to leave something for future study.

Appreciate any recommendations or tips.

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Relic Digger

Nautilus DMCIIB
Fisher F75
Author of "Relics and Reminiscing: Diary of a Lowcountry Digger."

If I was to pick one Garmin for the job, it would be GPSMap 60 Cx or Csx.
Good size screen and sensitive receiver. Plenty of data memory. Still, under heavy canopy, you need to average waypoints for most accuracy. The longer the better...

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Andrew Kalinowski

Thanks so much, Andrew. From your wording, I get the impression you might consider another brand? Garmin's the only name I knew. If you have a different brand name you'd recommend I'm all ears and will readily look at any others.

Whatever you think's best in there, I'll give it a go.

Thanks again

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Relic Digger

Nautilus DMCIIB
Fisher F75
Author of "Relics and Reminiscing: Diary of a Lowcountry Digger."

I always had good luck with Lowrance receivers. Lowrance used to be much more sensitive under forest canopy than any of the Garmin but now, with Garmin using high sensitivity receivers, the playing field pretty much levelled out.

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Andrew Kalinowski

I like Lowrance the best. I've used them since they put out a hand held. I use a Garmin Forerunner 301 on my bike and I use the Garmin Rino GPS Walkie Talkies. I don't like navigating with the Rino though. I've always thought that the Lowrance Receivers were easier to use, I like their big screens, and like Andrew mentioned they work good in cover. I believe in them so much that I sell them now.

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Chuck
CTX 3030
Deus
AT PRO
G2
1236
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I'll take a look at the Lowrance GPS systems as well as the Garmin. I'm just not familiar with either brand, but I had heard of Garmin somewhere. The biggest thing for me is getting through the canopy. If it can do that and map this camp for me I'd be interested.

Thanks so much, guys

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Relic Digger

Nautilus DMCIIB
Fisher F75
Author of "Relics and Reminiscing: Diary of a Lowcountry Digger."

The best for recieving through a tree canopy at this time are the Garmin 60 and 76 "x" units with the SiRF chipset or the newer eTrex "H" models with the mediatek chipset. The eTrex Vista HCx is a great deal from Amazon for $238. If you just need the position data to load into you computer software, the eTrex H with no mapping on the handheld unit itself is only $86 from Walmart. It works great through tree cover or among tall buildings. It has 500 waypoints, WAAS for increased accuracy and the high-sensitivity Mediatek chipset for sensitivty through trees. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6015179

That sounds a lot like what I need, hsj. Though the camp is huge, I can get around without getting lost. I'd just like to map it out and save it for posterity. If it'd save the 200 or 250 positions Ithink all the tent sites would be covered. Then it'd also be interesting to see it printed out as to where everything lays within proximity of each other. Thanks a lot!

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Relic Digger

Nautilus DMCIIB
Fisher F75
Author of "Relics and Reminiscing: Diary of a Lowcountry Digger."