Who uses GPS receivers off-road?

 I'm often leery of heading out into unknown places off-road because I
can easily find myself...lost.

Seems like a gps unit would be a big help, and I'm curious who uses
them (besides Whelan, that is :)

Sticking them on the handlebar seems risky too, although that seems to
be the accepted practice. Will it work if stuffed into a backpack,
ready to point the way back to the truck only if needed, or do you
have to manually hit a button every few miles to leave a 'lectronic
breadcrumb?

--
Charles
'99 YZ250

 

Hi Ch Charles,

I had a Garmin 12XL for most of my Sierra and Idaho ventures and it worked
fine just sitting in the backpack.

I currently have a Magellan and think it is fine also.  But the Magellan is
kind of fixed on sampling, something like once a second.

The Garmin was lots more flexible, you could adjust the sampling and
conserve memory.

Garmin support seems to be lots better than Magellan, especially end of life
programs are like brick walls at Magellan.

Both units create tracks or routes automatically, you push buttons to set up
way points.,  Both had a trackback feature where you get a display showing
you direction.

Buy a cheap used one, don't get your knickers in a wad over the WAAS
function, it adds a little more certainty (not accuracy) to your location.
My 12XL didn't have it, my Merigold does.

Joe

XL600R

 

Thanks. But what's a way point?

--
Charles
'99 YZ250

 

A breadcrumb, I think.

 Dean H. wrote:


Yes.  You mean that modern units save a route automatically rather than
requiring you to push a button for each waypoint?  Mind-boggling if true.

When I was working there in 1990-1995 they gave me one of the units.
Its list price was $2K, ate AA batteries like they were free and it was
roughly the size and weight of a brick.  You kids just don't know how
lucky you are...

--
Cheers, Bev
===================================================================
Teamwork:  A bunch of people running around doing what I tell them.