Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Budget GPS?
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rdgbwca |
butthead: " Garmin ETrex 20x Thanks for posting this. Do you own and use this model? |
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Richwon4 |
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rdgbwca |
Richwon4: Since you are open to using a phone for this, I will share the results of my research that started on this website. bwca thread about gps phone apps tutorial about back country navigator I have downloaded and used back country navigator in the past to map a paddle excursion. The key is to download the maps ahead of time. The biggest concern I would have over a multi day trip would be the battery life. I upgraded my phone last November. Presumably I could use my old cell phone as a gps. I have done it before. However, one of the main reasons I upgraded was because my phone would not hold a charge any more. In my experience nothing drains the battery of a cell phone faster than searching for a tower when none is in range. If you are going to have your phone along anyway, why not get a gps app and download some maps for offline use. |
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butthead |
rdgbwca: I do not, but have set up 3 ETrex 20's for other folks. Maps, waypoints, some routes, and minor hands on directions in use. I use a GPS 62st, second I've owned, sold the first to a member. Also owned all GPS's made and sold by DeLorme, still occasionally use a PN40+ and PN60. butthead |
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butthead |
Smartphones, often recommended but the actual cost --- never mentioned. What if it's lost or damaged? No one mentions the price/subscription cost vs time of ownership, cost of replacement (insurance?). Smartphones will work and do so well. But I never considered them "budget" items. The stand alone ETrex 20x is fully GPSr functional, maps, custom maps, tracking, routing, field notations stored on unit. Mated with a BirdsEys map download subscription for $30 will get all the North American topo maps you can download in a years time. It is the lowest cost due to it's screen size, lack of camera and wi-fi/bluetooth connectivity of more expensive models. butthead |
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Richwon4 |
JATFOMike: "Do you have a smart phone? There have been a couple recent discussions about the use of a smart phone as a gps utilizing app.s like GAIA which are popular in the backpacking community......I am looking into doing that myself. Most of those apps operate off satellites vs. cell towers...as far as power, you can bring a couple of pocket chargers which would get you thru the week.... This would clearly be the most economical way of doing it. I have N avionics on my phone but I did not know and I am not sure these or similar apps or even if my phone will run off of these apps via satellites as opposed to towers. From my experience locally when I have no cell towers near by I have nothing on my phone. Which means I have no interactive maps ect. |
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Richwon4 |
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mirth |
Also, agree with Butthead. He's basically the GPS guru around these parts. Cellphone GPS can be ok if you're alright with the potential cost of replacing a damaged phone, also you'll need to recharge it during your trip. One set of lithium AAs will keep my GPS on all day, each day of my trip when we're on the water for the duration of the trip. I have a eTrex 30 which was a replacement for a Vista HCx that I thought was lost on the way home from my 2016 trip but then turned up behind the sofa a year later. Keep an eye on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay for used units. Other than surface wear they don't really degrade over time and with proper care can last a long time. |
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Richwon4 |
RTurner: "Richwon4: "I actually own the old etrex Vista hc. It was great when it worked. "Hi Rich...any idea where I can get an SD card for an etrex vista? I picked one up really cheap at work a couple of years ago and then found out that Garmin doesn't sell a card for it anymore." |
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Mickeal |
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JATFOMike |
Mike |
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RTurner |
Richwon4: "I actually own the old etrex Vista hc. It was great when it worked. "Hi Rich...any idea where I can get an SD card for an etrex vista? I picked one up really cheap at work a couple of years ago and then found out that Garmin doesn't sell a card for it anymore. |
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deepdish71 |
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