GPS
Posted August 19th, 2003 @ 10:17pm by Erik J. Barzeski
I'm considering getting a GPS receiver so that I can do things like track my speed (when kayaking or even travelling on my scooter), determine what course to take to get back to my launch point, and so on. However, very few work with the Mac, so I'm considering MacGPS Pro. It will work with one of the front-running models I'm considering, the Garmin eTrex Vista.
I've never owned a GPS before, and I'm very much trying to apply the KISS principle to the whole kayaking thing, but a GPS is as much a safety tool as a toy. We'll see.
Donate Life
Posted 20 Aug 2003 at 12:22pm #
A friend of mine has the eTrex Vista and I'm also considering getting one. The only part about it I don't like is it has a low quality patch antenna (with no external antenna port) while most other handhelds have a superior quadra-helix antenna. Other than that though, I've found it has the best feature set of any other handheld GPS (and most compatible with the Mac).
Posted 24 Aug 2003 at 6:43pm #
I first considered one of the eTrex models based on the size. As I did more research it was clear that the size came with a penalty (or two). The antenna is an issue. Even with a quad antenna (as on my Magellan Meridian) you can lose signal. Also, the screen size can make a difference in ease of use. I have a review on my site of the Magellan and links to GPS sites. I unfortunately lost my Meridian Marine model fishing at Ft. Desoto one night. I replaced it with another Meridian model that has less built-in memory and less detailed database. I got it for less than $120 online ( a special) and I have no doubt it serves me better than the eTrex. It is a little larger but I have had great results. It also has the option of using the SD card for BU as well as easy editing on my laptop (a Mac user also) with a card reader. I have had good results with GPSy on the Mac but have not used it recently.