hand held gps???

[chuckwagon]

H2O is what i am using! Not having it for me is like not having a flasher. Check out the Outdoor Pro Store ... they have good prices on them and the lake master.

[slurpie]

Ive only used an Expedeiion C but they are nice. Have'nt heard much good with the Endura line but time will tell.

[Wimbie]

I just got the Nuvi 500. Can't afford the lake chip yet, so just using coordinates from maps. It is my first gps so still figuring out all the functions, but I like it so far. Was on Mille Lacs this past weekend and was snowmobiling to a couple different spots, did'nt have it plugged in and was gone for a couple hours and still had over half battery life to it. If you want to use it in your boat, just get a plug-in wired for the car charger.

Also, the pics on the websites for Garmin and Lakemaster are taken from the Nuvi 500, so you can see what it looks like there.

[Wimbie]

Forgot to mention, it was cheaper on Amazon then most other places. Don't buy off the big auction site, as the warranty won't be recognized and you won't get the first free map update. And Gander Mountain has the Lakemaster chips for around $85 dollars right now.

[fishnowworknever]

Just switched from the H20c to the Garmin 76CSx. I love the additional lakes, the screen size is a little bit smaller than the H20c but I'll get used to it. The added features and sensitivity of the 76 is way beyond the H20.

+1 for Garmin

+1 for purchasing off Amazon (no shipping and no tax)

[hoggs222]

I've got an H20c and it does everything & more than I'll ever need it to do.

[broman]

Get an H20 if you love the hidden "lose satellite lock after a couple of years" feature.

[fishnowworknever]

I've got an H20c and it does everything & more than I'll ever need it to do.

The ONLY reasons I picked up a new GPS is because I had some gift cards to be used, and I was [PoorWordUsage] my H20 wouldn't pickup a signal in the woods.

Other than that, the H20's are awesome, the screen is nice, big and bright too.

Hoggs:

Where did you get your dog in your pic?

[broman]

It wouldn't pick up the signal in the woods?!? That's like saying that my cell phone is great, except I can't use it to make phone calls.

[duck patrol]

i have the garmin 400T with the lake master chip and i love it. it works well for both fishing and hunting it also works well out in the mountains

[Indiana Mike]

My H2Oc no longer acquires a signal and is useless. It will be a long time before I purchase another product from Lowrance. I also have a Garmin 265W primarily for use in the car. I plan to buy an AC/DC converter/charger and the Garmin compatible 2009 LakeMaster Minnesota, MicroSD Card for about $100. I guess I will loose all of my saved waypoints from the Lowrance but at least I will have a GPS to use on the water.

[jimmyjames76]

My H2Oc no longer acquires a signal and is useless. It will be a long time before I purchase another product from Lowrance. I also have a Garmin 265W primarily for use in the car. I plan to buy an AC/DC converter/charger and the Garmin compatible 2009 LakeMaster Minnesota, MicroSD Card for about $100. I guess I will loose all of my saved waypoints from the Lowrance but at least I will have a GPS to use on the water.

Not sure if it's worth it, but I think I would wait for the 2010 chip. I think lakemaster usually releases them around this time of year?

[hoggs222]

I got her from a rescue in Ohio. It's a black mouth cur.

[croixflats]

Originally Posted By: Indiana Mike

My H2Oc no longer acquires a signal and is useless. It will be a long time before I purchase another product from Lowrance. I also have a Garmin 265W primarily for use in the car. I plan to buy an AC/DC converter/charger and the Garmin compatible 2009 LakeMaster Minnesota, MicroSD Card for about $100. I guess I will loose all of my saved waypoints from the Lowrance but at least I will have a GPS to use on the water.

Not sure if it's worth it, but I think I would wait for the 2010 chip. I think lakemaster usually releases them around this time of year?

When I talked to Garmin 2010 update likely will not come out till around July. And LakeMaster has not even sent Garmin any new info as of a couple of weaks ago. Thats a long time to wait specialy not knowing if the updates are worth waiting for.

[MN Mike]

Indiana Mike,

If your H2O 'works' meaning you can still read the screen you should be able to export your waypoints to a SD card and if you have a SD card reader on your computer or printer, then use a free program like Easygps or GPSTrackmaker to convert your waypoints off of the SD card and upload to the Garmin.

I struggle with exporting from the Lowrance ( I don't do it that often ) but once I have it on the SD card, it takes maybe 2 minutes to put them into the Garmin.

Mike

[Indiana Mike]

MN Mike,

Thanks for the tip. I only get to fish in Minnesota a couple of weeks a year. My waypoints have been saved over the past several years and I would hate to loose them. I will definitely check out the export to SD.

Regards,

Indiana Mike

[Twins Guy]

mcgurk-the endura line from lowrance will accept both lakemaster or navionics micro sd cards. the lakemaster chip is not yet available (supposed to be march release although i think lakemaster has a free upgrade offer on their HSOforum if you buy a chip now). the navionics micro sd chip for the midwest region or whatever they call it is available. i spoke with the gentlemen at Josephs sporting goods in roseville and they have the navionics chip and endura line to play with/demo if you want to see them in action.

i am having a hard time deciding (for my first handheld) between garmin and the endura line. i do a lot of wilderness tripping/paddling/camping which makes me lean garmin but for fishing would prefer to use a navionics chip which the garmins don't accept so I would have to go lowrance (includes the one lake in WI I fish often and I think has better maps of BWCA lakes)

hth

tg

[Ed Carlson]

Unless the chip you have is the New 2010 Nav chip and your also running a HDS unit, the chip will be different for the Endura and for the sonars in the Lowrance line prior to the HDS Series. Both in software language and in physical design, as they now use the Micro SD in the Endura. Any past issues of Nav mapping chips will not work.

[Grainbelt]

I also have the Garmin 76csx w/lakemaster chip. A buddy of mine has a lowrance w/lakemaster chip. My Garmin shows the contours of many more small lakes than the Lowrance. Anyone know why? One would think the data Lakemaster gathered would be the same on both chips.

[croixflats]

Garmin uses another source, another mapping company, for acquiring lakes contours then adds that info to Lake Masters info.

[Ed Carlson]

Remember if you buy a Garmin data chip or DVD, or direct download, lets say in June of 2010, than if any new mapping updates come out in X-amount of days ...I think it is 90 day...than the update is free. After that it is pro-rates and will cost you a fraction of the cost to update it.

[hamms-scooter]

Big store in rogers has h20c for $169! heck of a deal! mine was $269 plus chip this would pay for the chip of your choice. I run the lakemaster.

[pulleye16]

the big "C" store also has the new Dakota 20 series BUNDLE for $299 right now. It incluses the unit, protective cover, and 100k topo map. Very good unit and a very good deal.

[Sith T.]

Are you sure that is the H2Oc for $169 and not the regular H2O? I got mine at another big box store for $265.

[Norm1980]

The Garmin Dakota series handhelds are they new for 2010??

if so are they replacing the lower level oregon series handhelds or no??

I was looking at the oregon 300 on amazon and they said a new product is available ie the Dakota 20?? help??