Cheap but Good GPS

[vertico]

Hey all, looking for a cheap handheld GPS ranging from around $200 to $400 was wondering if anyone has a personal opininion or experience with one which was very good at putting you right on the spot
thanks

[caveman]

hi vertico i use a garmin gps 12 and don't seem to have to many probs with using it i use it out hunting and fishing

[Kerry]

The GPS 12 is still available/sold but is getting on in years as far as technology goes and has been basically superceded by newer models.

There's not really one that is any better (at this level) than another as far as accuracy is concerned. The main differences will be things like memory, screen size etc and user functionality more so than simply the position itself.

One will have no trouble finding something suitable in the $200-400 range.

Cheers, Kerry.

[whiteman]

They all put you "right on the spot" (within 3 meters). I've got a Garmin 12 and it has most of the features I need but as I get older, I am having a great deal of difficulty reading the screen - and the backlight function stopped working many months ago. To fix this problem in the short term, I purchased a pair of Mako polarised sunnies with a prescription bit in the bottom (all paid for by my health fund which is a good lurk!). In the long term, I'll go colour chartplotter.

Hand-held GPS technology, particularly for the screen and battery, is years behind what's available for mobile phones. But like Kerry says, you will find something for a low price but make sure you can connect it to your PC!

[bugman]

I'll back up what others have said about the Garmin GPS 12. It's a good compact little unit. Just one problem - they don't float.
#[smiley=wut.gif] [smiley=bigcry.gif]

[Kerry]

They all put you "right on the spot" (within 3 meters) ....

3 metres ??? nah can't go along with that one. Accuracy isn't bad right now but one shouldn't be expecting to be within 3 metres "right on the spot" all the time, don't work like that.

I wouldn't like users to think that is the accuracy they should expect.

I'd go with generally less than 10 metres MOST of the time and even 7 metres a lot of the time BUT expect more than 10 metres some of the time.

The system spec is less than 13 metres (~43 feet) 95% of the time and that is Signal-In-Space accuracy so by the time a user gets their position, technically it should be more than that figure. However the system has been very stable with around 28-29 satellites compared to the 24 (down to 22 with the worse 2 not used) the specs are framed around.

Cheers, Kerry.

[klyons]

I see today that Supercheap Auto is advertising a 12 channel handheld gps for $249. 20 routes,156 waypoints per route.
Cheap but no idea what brand or if any good. Anyone seen one?


Kev

[jaybee]

Question here is (What is Cheap But Good) No such thing in my considered opinion. You want good, you pay top price. Simple as
cheers
joe.

[aido]

hi klyon,
i was over at super cheap auto today, the gps was branded as fortuna,
initially looked good, the usual plotter, highway and nav displays. made in
taiwan using the sirf chipset (as used in the current navman range??) 12ch.
the memory seemed to impress, thousands of waypoints and 32 thousand track
points!!!.
the front panel is all display, and though i didn't see one powered up, the demo display depicted was a blocky image that did not impress. the pixels did not seem to merge, rather each was surrounded by blank space (hard to explain, but it did look cheap.
it had the mode and function buttons on the sides, which did not fit comfortably in my hand and not ergonomic. it seemed to be more suited to single handed use but i was not comfortable with it.
the display price was $299 but the sale brouchure was $249.
the unit outputs nmea v2.2 and pc link via usb transfer/power cable, that was $20 extra.
it did not mention marine use, and it's probably not sealed, the control buttons especially looked like moisture entry points.
i think i'd look at the cheap magellan unit at dick smith, or a garmin if i was in the market for a handheld.
this super cheap unit would make a nice source of data for a pda chartplotter system i had in mind though. but thats another story.
on gps errors, seems that the degredation (sa) is off for good. the only difference between military spec now is the error caused by refraction in the ionosphere, they correct this with the 2nd frequency that we can't receive (L2). so my good book says we are looking at 30meters 95% of the time, and
15m 50% of the time. like kerry noted.
3 meters might be with an expensive differential beacon receiver system but that is definately not the vast majority. supposedly surveyers are getting centimeter accuracy, but they may be using a ground beacon or pseudolite.
the sooner they locate a pseudolite at brisbane airport for landing approaches the better. i reacon we might then all be getting 3 meters all the time. i wish.

[klyons]

Aido

Wasn't actually looking for a gps at the moment but thanks for the review

Kev

[davo]

I've got the Garmin 12 and it's excellent in fact I have all Garmin electronics on both boats and they are great. My mate has the little MLR handheld and for about $100 less than the Garmin has had no problems and his included a lot more accessaries than mine. MLR is backed up by OceanTalk which is Raymarine etc.. so there not a dodgy brand.

[Kerry]

MLR was a French company, which is now part Thales Navigation, which also owns Magellan.

Has nothing to do with Raytheon or Raymarine.

Cheers, Kerry.

[caveman]

what do you do for a crust kerry as you seem to know your stuff with the gps's

cheers gary

[Kerry]

what do you do for a crust kerry as you seem to know your stuff with the gps's
# # # # # # #cheers #gary

I suppose one could say I use GPS, at all levels.

Cheers, Kerry.

[Smithy]

From the outset let me point out I think Garmins are very overated. I have used 45s, 12s, 12XLs, 126s, 128s and 235s. I think the Eagle/Lowrances are the best value for money around. Look around and you will find the Lowrance IFinder for $299. 1000 waypoints, 1000 event markers, 10,000 plot points, 10 saveable plot trails and 100 routes. What more could you want in a GPS not much bigger than a mobile phone.

[caveman]

how easy r they to use smithy as the megelan arent as easy as the garmin to operate

[Smithy]

Bloody easy. Best user friendlyness I have come across. Better than Garmins. Also have a Magellan Tracker here at work. Not to bad but the Lowrance/Eagles are better. I am also not sponsored by anyone in anyway - these are just my personal observations.

[Kerry]

Once past the "appliance" thinking and actually sit down read (and understand) the manual most are plain easy.

The traps come for some who don't fully understand the particular unit they are using and there's some units that do certainly have the odd trap.

Most manufacturers make the manuals available on line, which is a good source of information and comparison when looking at specific models.

As for specifications well that entirely comes down to what a particular person requires or in most cases thinks they require. So many different ways one can look at particular models and capabilities for many many different reasons.

I don't see any critical importance in simply say the number of waypoints as maybe compared to the physical screen size AND the resolution in relation to that screen size.

What suits some won't suit all and it really comes down to an individual users requirements and sometimes that might take into account things like being "vision impared" etc.

Cheers, Kerry.