Portable GPS sytem

[ronnilu]

Which handheld GPS system is the best. Costco has a Magellen for $599...anyone have one & how do you like it???
mikey & ronnilu

[Joyce H]

We have the Magellan Roadmate and have been extremely happy with it. Easy to use and ready to go right out of the box. After a little over a year we ordered the updated version to bring maps up to date. Even someone like me who knows little about computers was able to update with no problems. Has been great for not only finding travel directions, but have used the Points of Interest for finding some great restaurants, post offices, libraries, etc when we were in a new area.

[richfaa]

You can do GPS for a lot less than that IF you already have a laptop. We have the Garman GPS 18 receiver.It is about as big as a hockey puck, can be mounted on your roof or stuck to the windshield and connects directly via USB to your laptop. Everything else the same. Advantage ,a lot bigger screen. I think the cost of the receiver was @ 100.00 and I am sure there are other manufactures.Check out www.garman.com for starters, also has voice prompts and many other. features

[Parrothead]

We have the DeLorme Earthmate GPS that plugs into a laptop. Comes with software and it is really neat. Cost was around $120. Voice, easy to read maps, etc. We used it for the first time going to and from the rally. It is really interesting to see what town you are going through and what is around you. Since we were traveling in the mountains it was also fun to check our elevation. It has a lot of customizing features including a color choice to make it easier to see in the bright light you have in a vehicle. Would highly recommend it.
Happy trails...........................

[GordonR]

Ditto Parrothead's comments. I've used a couple versions of Earthmate over the past few years. I've found it particularly valuable on business trips when I have to rent a car in a strange area. I take the laptop anyway and the little yellow antenna fits easily into my briefcase. One particularly useful item in the software (for when towing the Monty) is that you can add a draw layer showing low clearances along the route!
Gordon

[Dave e Victoria]

We have the Garmin 2620 and really are quite happy with it. It is a little more expemsive than the magellan but has gotten better reviews. One thing to be careful of on any of these units or routing software is the route it gives you may not be the one you would take. We are setup with truck route preference. However, going into the campground in Pacifica CA from the east I selected shortest route. It routed us down a 19% grade. While we made it (downshifted to 1st gear) it is not the route I would have preferred.

The other thing to watch out for is "eyes in the cockpit." It is easy to get distracted from driving duties by these devices. There is a tendency to relax your pretrip planning because you have this cute little helper only later finding yourself having to study the thing enroute. It helps if your navigator assumes these chores.

[315RLS]

Have a Garmin GPS18 for my laptop and Garmin 60CS for handheld. Really like the 60CS but use it for a lot of other things than street navigation.

[Treecounter]

We currently have a Magellan Gold GPS and will be using it with the laptop and Microsoft Streets and trips. This will be the first trip with this system. We used a Humming Bird GPS with the laptop and S&T on other trips and worked great. Of coarse when we got home last spring we bought S&T 05. NOw they come out with 06 with voice promps have heard good things about it.

[Gonfishin]

We are using the 06 version of Microsofts Streets and Trips. So far I really like it.

[Parrothead]

One advantage of GPS systems if you have DirecTV or Dish Network is you can get the exact longitude and latitude of where you are. It is much more acturate than using zip code for this info. Campgrounds are often on the outskirts of cities and the zip code centers on the main part of a city. I tested it at our stick house because we are about 6 miles from downtown. There was a difference, about the amount we had to move the DirecTV when we set it up.
Happy trails........................

[alanzuck]

We have the Garmin 2620 and we love it. As the saying goes, "I don't leave home without it!" It is very easy to use, once you have used it once or twice. It has never gotten us lost, and we have used it extensively. It is more expensive than the Magellan, but, with what I have read about the Magellan, the Garmin is well worth the difference in price.

[WildBigBill]

Richfaa: The url is www.garmin.com not garman!

[richfaa]

quote:Originally posted by William H. Vallee

Richfaa: The url is www.garmin.com not garman!

OOppss.....

[uhftx]

Everything and anything you need to know about GPS units

can be found here http://gpsinformation.net/

This web site is run by: Joe Mehaffey, Jack Yeazel, Dale DePriest, or the respective authors.

[Parrothead]

Gordan
Where did you get the low clearance info?
Happy trails.................

[Charlie]

Someone posted a link before on the low clearances....

http://www.aitaonline.com/Low%20Clea...w%20Clearances

The address above shows Texas, but when you open the page all states are listed.

[Parrothead]

Thanks Charlie just added it to my Montana folder.
Happy trails....................

[Starchmill]

I have the Garmin 2610 and love it. It has taken my all over the country, and I also use it to get to work and back each day. I work in Boston so depending on the traffic, the drive can be tricky. With the Garmin, I can get alternate routes easily, and avoid the headaches.

[kdeiss]

I have had a Garmin 2610 for two years. Use it every day on the job.Also when towing the 2955. Would not be with out it.I purchased on a recomendation of a friend and not sorry,

[mobrownies]

My wife said that the $75 we spent on the Delorme GPS to go with our laptop was the best investment we have ever made. We use it almost everyday we travel. It is not perfect, but close enough.

We also have a Sport Trac Pro by Magellan for about $150 that works great for hiking, biking and geocaching.