03-17-2003, 05:02 AM
[blue][size 2]Kent,[/size][/blue]
[blue][size 2]I used to have one on my former 350A and it was a great help. It wasn't mapping, but I would set a waypoint at the mouth of the marina and at the day's end I'd just head to that waypoint. The first time I ever used it was at Lake Powell. I stayed out fishing late with my kids and knew I was going to have a hard time finding my campsite. But I retraced my steps and it lead me exactly to my camp.[/size][/blue]
[blue][size 2]When fishing I mark a fish icon each time I catch a fish, then I turn around and troll back through all the marks--connect the dots. I also use it on open water to troll in patterns and not cover the same unproductive water twice.[/size][/blue]
[blue][size 2]You can get handheld units with tiny displays or combo GPS/sonar units. Or units that sit next to your graph on the console. If you don't get a mapping unit, you can save a lot of money. Or you can buy one with mapping software that includes bottom contours on certain lakes. The fancier you get the more confusing it becomes as there's a lot of growth and little standards.[/size][/blue]
[blue][size 2]Choose one that you find easy to use, that fits your budget, and that has the features you want for the activities you'll use it for--fishing, hiking, driving, etc. Most agree that the Garmin units have the most intuitive interface.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 2]Here's some links for online bargain sites, though play with [blue]them hands-on before ordering...[/blue][/size][/#0000ff]
[url "http://www.affordablegps.com"][#0000ff][size 2]www.affordablegps.com[/size][/#0000ff][/url]
[url "http://gpscity.com"][#0000ff][size 2]gpscity.com[/size][/#0000ff][/url]
[url "http://www.gpsnow.com"][#0000ff][size 2]www.gpsnow.com[/size][/#0000ff][/url]
[blue][size 2]I used to have one on my former 350A and it was a great help. It wasn't mapping, but I would set a waypoint at the mouth of the marina and at the day's end I'd just head to that waypoint. The first time I ever used it was at Lake Powell. I stayed out fishing late with my kids and knew I was going to have a hard time finding my campsite. But I retraced my steps and it lead me exactly to my camp.[/size][/blue]
[blue][size 2]When fishing I mark a fish icon each time I catch a fish, then I turn around and troll back through all the marks--connect the dots. I also use it on open water to troll in patterns and not cover the same unproductive water twice.[/size][/blue]
[blue][size 2]You can get handheld units with tiny displays or combo GPS/sonar units. Or units that sit next to your graph on the console. If you don't get a mapping unit, you can save a lot of money. Or you can buy one with mapping software that includes bottom contours on certain lakes. The fancier you get the more confusing it becomes as there's a lot of growth and little standards.[/size][/blue]
[blue][size 2]Choose one that you find easy to use, that fits your budget, and that has the features you want for the activities you'll use it for--fishing, hiking, driving, etc. Most agree that the Garmin units have the most intuitive interface.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 2]Here's some links for online bargain sites, though play with [blue]them hands-on before ordering...[/blue][/size][/#0000ff]
[url "http://www.affordablegps.com"][#0000ff][size 2]www.affordablegps.com[/size][/#0000ff][/url]
[url "http://gpscity.com"][#0000ff][size 2]gpscity.com[/size][/#0000ff][/url]
[url "http://www.gpsnow.com"][#0000ff][size 2]www.gpsnow.com[/size][/#0000ff][/url]