So who else owns a GPS unit?

I just got a Magellon Triton 2000. Still learning how to use it but very happy so far. It allows you to upload Nationl Geographic 24K Topo Maps.

Awesome news!

http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2008/01/national-geogra.html

And my nice new GPS will take maps from here also. There will be an aspect of social networking to the site also. Members will be able to upload their geo tags and tracks.

Dante,
I'll respond. I have an admission to make, I am a GPS geek...
I have a 4+ year old Garmin Vista along with the Garmin Topo Software (kinda old and crummy), and my last 2 pda/phones have had gps recievers on them..

For software on these devices I have several different programs that I like and some that I don't:
1. Tom Tom Navigator - Probably the best driving & turn by turn navigation software
2. Delorme USA Streets for Handheld and Topo USA - Excellent mapping, but not so good on the navigation side, plus you can download aerial and satellite quads, but they arent cheap (I like the that Nat Geo is going cheaper)
3. Another Navigation Software program that I cant remember right now
4. Google Maps- Free program that will find your location with the GPS and then will download maps and aerial pics over your phones data connection, pretty cool especially when it uses Google's search function
5. Windows Live - Same As Google and free, seems to have a little easier user interface, but searching is not as good

I know its pretty sad, but I have different uses for my GPS and I generally use different software for each use. If I am driving. its TomTom, if I am hiking in the woods, its Delorme; if I need to find a coffee shop somewhere near me in the city, its Google.

Anyway, this is probably more than you wanted to know..

Jamie

Good to know. I am new to GPS actually. Never had an auto based one.

Getting my outdoors GPS was a long process.

I started with the Delorme PN-20. This has the great Delorme maps and software. But the unit had the older chipset and would take forever to get a satellite fix. In heavy tree coverage or deep valleys it failed miserably. I really loved the maps on it though. It has 24K topo and satellite and aerial imagery. But you had to buy these and they could be very expensive. Because it wouldn't track my hikes in many places though it was useless to me so I exchanged it for the Garmin 60CSx.

This unit was far superb at getting a satellite fix and tracked in every location I went. This was thanks to the new SIRFIII chip set it used. But the maps and software for it sucked. The best maps they had were 100K topo. I was going to stick with this unit anyway but then I read about the Magellan unit. When REI got this unit in I went and exchanged for it again. Gotta love REI!

Any the Magellan Triton uses the same SIRFIII chip set and so far has been able to track anywhere I've gone. Magellan does have their own mapping software but I have been using the National Geographic Topo software. It's 24K maps and integrates directly to the Triton. You do have to buy these in small packs of states. I bought GA/AL/FL and NC/SC which were $40 each but this should cover 90% of my trips. I calculated both Garmin and Delorme maps would have been $500+ to get that same coverage.

The new topo.com site will also be integrating with the Triton and probably the new Garmin unit also. They will be selling quad maps for $1 per quad which will include satellite and aerial imagery also. The Triton is capable of showing all these maps.

I've had a few lockups on the Triton but now major issues. There are some firmware updates coming soon that I hope will resolve the few minor issues.

Well those who know me are not surprised I am posting in this thread. I have owned Garmin GPS units since late 2004. I currently have a 60CSx and have really enjoyed it. It is a solid unit, but the maps are lacking compared to some of the competition.

I like to record a track while doing a hike and then import that into Google Earth and then view the path that way. I save all my past hikes this way and it's fun to look through them along with the photos from the trip....just a nice added bonus.

I also like identifying nearby geographic points of interest and knowing what intermediate peaks I am crossing on a long hike and how far the next "gap" or shelter is, etc...just makes hikes more interesting to some degree.

And while I would hope I could find my way back without it, it has quickly gotten me "unlost" a couple of times when I took a wrong turn along the way. Always good to have a map and compass with you, but a GPS can definitely be very handy on the trail.

I have owned several GPS units since the late 90's and currently own two units, One is a simple Etrex and the other is a brand new bluetooth GPS unit. I also have had extensive experience with various commercial GPS models used in Marine Oil Field Exploration as far back as 1991.

Both my current GPS units will interface with my PDA or PC and Jamie has the best solution in using the right software for the right GPS application. Google maps is by far the best use of finding locations based on your current map location. I am using Microsoft MapPoint (PC) and can use PocketStreets (PDA) for navigation and will be trying TomTom soon on my PDA. MapPoint is an excellent program that does everything I need. For Marine navigation I have been using OziExplorer but might see if there is any good new software on the market compatible with my digital marine charts. For hiking I almost always just use the etrex because it's light and simple and does the job.

Hiking Safety - Make sure you take a waypoint at the parking lot, also useful to take waypoints at specific points of interest so you know exactly where that peak was, or where that hidden side trail is hiding. You then can always orient yourself back towards your takeout if you get lost. I normally don't run my GPS for a full hike to ensure if something happens on the way in I have enough batteries to get out.

Cautionary Notes on Mapping with GPS:
I would like to caution users of GPS units in mapping your hikes in the backcountry, using simple tracklogs to determine where you went and how far is in many cases extremely inaccurate. Tracklogs unless properly programmed will cut off many corners of trails and not give you an accurate representation of the path you took. The software you have built-in to your GPS unit should hopefully have MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS methods of triggering a log point, Time and Distance are almost always options but you need to select a sufficiently SMALL increment to approach the true path traveled, I would suggest a distance of <50' and a time of <30> 5 deg. To get a true distance the ONLY true accurate method of calculating is to use Elapsed time * Average Speed, making sure you reset your GPS either at the beginning or middle of the hike and checking at the end of the hike. This method will use EVERY GPS FIX to calculate your rate of travel which is many times the number of log points you have and all inconsistencies due to the accuracy of the GPS are nullified due the the random distribution of points.

Steve P.

The first unit I bought way back in the last century was a Garmin 95 unit. This was an aviation unit.

Then I bought the Garmin GPS III Plus for use in the automobile, dash mount. It didn't do well with batteries and was best used with the outside suction cup remote antenna.

A number of years back I purchased one of the Geko 201 units to keep track of where I was hiking. Then, I got into Geocaching and found out this unit just wasn't up to the task. So, after much research, I purchased a Garmin GPSMAP 76. This unit has a quad-helix antenna. I have some problems in the deep woods when Geocaching, but I can live with it, till it dies. It has map coverage on our side of the globe. I have places logged in down in Bonaire, NA. When flying down to Bonaire, I put it next to the window and it acquired in less than 45 seconds! Can your's do that?
It's also the grey scale model. Color would be nice and the newest technology too. My unit floats and I have dropped in the lake. I use a Gilson antenna when using the unit in my trucks. Battery life is good too.

I also have a Garmin GPSMAP 182 that I use on my boat. It uses the MapSource software that I load up into a card. This is lake and ocean navigation charts. I use a Gilson antenna here too. They're great!

Guess you notice that I like Garmin products? Well, they have the best customer service that I have found in few companies. They are here in the USA. I have a Fish Finder that I purchased with the 182 unit back in 2003. The screen went blank. I sent in for repair with a check. It was years out of warranty. They replaced the unit and sent my check back! What other company does that? Who do you think I'll buy from in the future?

Don't get lost........

By the way, here are a few sites from which you can download gpx files of trails and waypoints. It seems like what is out there is rather limited at this time, but I'm sure that will change in the next few years.

I think Trimble Outdoors and Backpacker.com have the same database of hikes...they have a good amount of GA and NC ones, including most segments of the AT:

http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/TripSearch.aspx
http://www.backpacker.com/destinations/category/146

This site is more limited and mainly has national parks, etc...just noticed there is a file for the Inca Trail too...

http://search.travelbygps.com/

This one is associated with Garmin and is very hit-or-miss as far as finding what you are looking for, but I've gotten lucky with it a few times...

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/network/digest/view.mb

If anyone knows any other good online resources like these, please post them.