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Looking at GPS units...All input is appreciated

vikingmeatwad

By vikingmeatwad
in Ice Fishing

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Bob Horn Mentor

Bob Horn

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I have the Garmin map 176. I was talking with Garmin the other day and this unit is going to be discontinued, so don`t buy it. It`s been good to me. It`s got me of the lake in many of whiteouts. The guy at Garmin recomened the 276 or one of the smaller units with a digital (I think)compass.

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Sportland_Bait Rising Star

Sportland_Bait

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I just picked up a couple of Lowrance H2O units. I really like them so far. They are very easy to use. The only drawback that I have seen is that they don't accept the Lakemaster mmc chips. Unless I have something messed up? But overall a very nice unit for the price.

Jason Erlandson

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Walleye Widower Contributor

Walleye Widower

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Buy a Garmin! My job is a GIS/GPS mapping specialist for the fed gov't, I manage 150 GPS units in the state of MN, we needed a affordable way to use GPS w/ differential correction, 3-4 ft accuaracy, but you dont need that. The actual handheld part of the GPS is a Garmin GPS Map 76 w/WAAS and let me tell you it is nearly indestructable, 100% waterproof and it floats (I tried and it does). With WAAS enabled I can usually pull off 10ft accuracy in N. MN, and WAAS is getting better all the time. The e-trek series are nice and have all the features but the screen is too small in my opinion. If you can do it buy a 76 series (there is a rebate right now) for the larger screen. With any Garmin that accepts MapSource software you are able to load a 1:100000 scale topographic basemap. What I do is get Lake Master or HotSpots maps if LakeMaster is not available and type in all the GPS points for that lake and name each point in MapSource and transfer points to the handheld, it is a lot faster then trying to do it on the handheld and you are able to organize your GPS points by lake, hunting area and load or unload as needed, that way you dont have 500 points on GPS. If you need any more info let me know... tongue.gif

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Walleye Widower Contributor

Walleye Widower

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I think its pretty cool as long as your buddies have one, the only draw back is the small screen size, while fishing you have it laying somewhere in the boat and it sucks to have to pick it up to look at your point or track (trolling line). I can lay my GPS map76 on the floor the the boat and still see where I am going, I have enough to do keeping the boat in a straight line in rough water.

They have 3 different models, I would get the one that accepts MapSource data (RINO 120 or 130)for the reasons I stated in the above post. The 110 only accepts points of interest and who really cares about that. It would be pretty cool to be able to "beam" your postion to your buddies, especially if your on the spot, dont have to broadcast your postion to the whole lake, may as well wave a blaze orange net around.

I dont know if you hunt in MN, but if you do it is illegal to have a two way communication device while "taking game" so I dont know what would happen if you told the CO you were only using it as a GPS, just something to consider.

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vikingmeatwad Proficient

vikingmeatwad

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Quote:

Buy a Garmin! My job is a GIS/GPS mapping specialist for the fed gov't, I manage 150 GPS units in the state of MN, we needed a affordable way to use GPS w/ differential correction, 3-4 ft accuaracy, but you dont need that. The actual handheld part of the GPS is a Garmin GPS Map 76 w/WAAS and let me tell you it is nearly indestructable, 100% waterproof and it floats (I tried and it does). With WAAS enabled I can usually pull off 10ft accuracy in N. MN, and WAAS is getting better all the time. The e-trek series are nice and have all the features but the screen is too small in my opinion. If you can do it buy a 76 series (there is a rebate right now) for the larger screen. With any Garmin that accepts MapSource software you are able to load a 1:100000 scale topographic basemap. What I do is get Lake Master or HotSpots maps if LakeMaster is not available and type in all the GPS points for that lake and name each point in MapSource and transfer points to the handheld, it is a lot faster then trying to do it on the handheld and you are able to organize your GPS points by lake, hunting area and load or unload as needed, that way you dont have 500 points on GPS. If you need any more info let me know...
tongue.gif

thanks walleye, my buddie works for the state and does some stuff with gps also. Said the same thing of gps. I hope to get the waas working on southern mn, metro and the big lakes so I can find my spots again.

have a great weekend everybody!

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zelek Collaborator

zelek

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WW: You should look at getting a RAM mount for that Garmin GPS 76 in your boat. I use one for my GPS 72 and just screwed it down right next to my Lowrance--works great!! It's the perfect height, you can tilt it anyway you want and it won't get stepped on!!

I orderd mine from Bass Pro Shops but I think they're available at most any good sporting goods store.

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Bob Horn Mentor

Bob Horn

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Crappieman, the guy I was talking to at Garmin said they were being discontinued. Garmin has a free update for the unit. WARNING: If you do the update download (memory card)your waypoints and any info you want to keep. The update WILL ERASE ALL of your waypoints, I found out the hard way.

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andy j Proficient

andy j

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They best units right now for the money is the Garmin Map76. It is a nice mapping unit that you can download to with 8 MB of memory for downloading. With the $50 mail in rabate it is $200. The standard Etrex is getting out dated, but the price is still the same over the last few years. If you want to spend less then $150 go with the new Magellan Expolorist 200. It is small and compact like the Etrex but It has a nice built in base map, the only disadvantage of this unit is that you can't download to it. It runs for $150 and is worth the extra $50 compariing it to the Etrex. The Lowrance I-Finders are good units for the money also and they are all mapping units that you can download to.

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Guest

Guest

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I bought a I-Finder H2O and am learning to use it. Not to bad since Iam not real smart with these things. Lots of map options from lakemaster and navionics. Will do every thing that I need it to do and then alot more.

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M.T. Bucket Rising Star

M.T. Bucket

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Your original post said you didn't want to spend too much. The 76 map will run you at least $350 new. If you want to spend less than half that and get virtually the same unit, go for the Garmin 72. You lose a few of the bells and whistles that few people use, but the only real difference for anything I've ever done recreationally is the amount of memory - 24 megs vs. 8 megs, if my memory serves me - and the ability to upload maps into the unit--count on spending more on the software to do so if you go this route. Probably the only people who need more than 8 megs if they don't buy the background map software are people in Walleye Widower's line of work (I've done plenty of GPS mapping at work myself).

My advice, spend $150 or so and get a 72 (easy to learn--I made an easy to use cheat card for showing people) unless you're willing to spend $350+ on the unit and you want the background maps (don't know what the software costs...).

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Bob Horn Mentor

Bob Horn

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DI, there is an update for the 76 but it`s from 2003 and you may have the newer software. Go to the Garmin site and look under updates and downloads and see what version your useing. REMEMBER THAT ALL OF YOUR WAYPOINT WILL BE REMOVED ON AN UPDATE, save them somewhere.

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PolarBond Rookie

PolarBond

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I have a new Garmin 76CS with the LakeMaster maps loaded, and was trying it out on Mille Lacs this weekend. The ability to see depth contours while on the lake is what interests me, and this package appears to do that well. I was in one of the bays north of Isle, and could see when I was on 9ft, 12ft...27 ft, etc. Checking actual depth showed that the map was correct - this is a nice feature that I think more of us will be using on our GPSs from now on.

There is always something better, though. A local resort owner showed me a big-screen Lowrance unit from his boat that he carries in the winter. It had the ReelBottom chip installed, and he had 1 ft contours. This revealed more about the lake bottom - points, sharp dropoffs, etc. For Mille Lacs, the ReelBottom seems to be a superior map. This resorter places his rental houses without checking depth - the map in this particular bay is right on. The LakeMaster map was also correct in it's depth, though you won't see those points and sharp dropoffs.

I haven't seen a map on the handheld Lowrance units, though, so I can't say how well they display. I believe they are cheaper than the Garmins. Also, Lowrance maps are on chips. The Garmin uses CDs that you download to the unit. I prefer the CD method, but this may be a matter of taste.

Price paid: Garmin 76CS $435, LakeMaster CD $189.

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jbjr Enthusiast

jbjr

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I have the Garmin GPSV it has worked Great, I have used it only on land so far . I hope to get lake maps for the Alex area before opener.

If I was looking to buy in the near future I would go color. Only because I have heard that it works much better in sunlight.

jbjr

100 posts and still a NEWBIE..............

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