Walking Around GPS ?

[Big7]

Does anyone know of Garmin? or somebody like that makes a hand- held GPS hopefully with a SAT MAP and TOP MAP in addition to real time coordinates display. Couple hundred bucks is what I'm looking to invest. Not thousands.

I guess it would have to be satellite rather than cell so it would pick up in the mountains or boondocks.

Thanks.

 

[slow motion]

Took my boys on an elk hunt several years back. They would use GPS on their phone even when they couldn't get a cell signal. Don't know how that worked except I said had to download the map first for the area. There's probably something a lot better now. Don't know how it worked then or how it will work now. Maybe this helps,

 

[BeerThirty]

Does anyone know of Garmin? or somebody like that makes a hand- held GPS hopefully with a SAT MAP and TOP MAP in addition to real time coordinates display. Couple hundred bucks is what I'm looking to invest. Not thousands.

I guess it would have to be satellite rather than cell so it would pick up in the mountains or boondocks.

Thanks.

They were probably using this: https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app/east

This app is becoming extremely popular amongst hunters who hunt on public lands. But it seems to have a lot of perks for other purposes too.

 

[basshappy]

Does anyone know of Garmin? or somebody like that makes a hand- held GPS hopefully with a SAT MAP and TOP MAP in addition to real time coordinates display. Couple hundred bucks is what I'm looking to invest. Not thousands.

If $600 and change is within budget consider this Garmen unit:

Garmin GPSMAP® 67i | Handheld GPS & Satellite Communicator

GPSMAP 67i is a handheld GPS and satellite communicator with two-way messaging, SOS alerts, location sharing, and a battery life of up to 165 hours.

www.garmin.com

 

[BeerThirty]

If $600 and change is within budget consider this Garmen unit:

Garmin GPSMAP® 67i | Handheld GPS & Satellite Communicator

GPSMAP 67i is a handheld GPS and satellite communicator with two-way messaging, SOS alerts, location sharing, and a battery life of up to 165 hours.

www.garmin.com

Wow, that things is absolutely loaded with features. I wonder how well it works off the coast?

 

[1eyefishing]

IMO- the phone apps have made those hand-held units obsolete.
Even when there is no cell coverage.

 

[1eyefishing]

Two way messaging is a game changer, tho.

 

[johnnyk2000]

I’m with basshappy on this one. I use my handheld garmen a lot. Saves on the phone battery. If I drop a waypoint as I am walking I can transfer it to onx later if I want.

 

[livinoutdoors]

Yeah the cell maps are good now. Ive got an older garmin thats basic. Just pins and trails. Keeps me honest.

 

[Gator89]

I’m with basshappy on this one. I use my handheld garmen a lot. Saves on the phone battery. If I drop a waypoint as I am walking I can transfer it to onx later if I want.

I know one can only carry so much, but I would not venture far from civilization without a back up battery phone charger.

You can get one of these from Amazon for $25.

Portable Charger Power Bank 26800mah, Ultra-High Capacity Safer External Cell Phone Battery Pack Compact with High-Performance Cells & 2 USB Output, Smart Charge for Smartphone, Android, Tablet & etc​

 

[Yelpu1]

Does anyone know of Garmin? or somebody like that makes a hand- held GPS hopefully with a SAT MAP and TOP MAP in addition to real time coordinates display. Couple hundred bucks is what I'm looking to invest. Not thousands.

I guess it would have to be satellite rather than cell so it would pick up in the mountains or boondocks.

Thanks.

I still take a Garmin as a backup, but my go to is a smartphone with onX hunt s d Gaia apps. The sat. maps have way better resolution on phone.

A phone with a larger screen, plenty of memory and good battery life helps. You can extend usage time with battery bank.

I’ve owned 4 Garmins over the last 30 years, but would take smartphone hands down. Learning to use it will put you light years ahead of others on new public land properties.

 

[Big7]

I still take a Garmin as a backup, but my go to is a smartphone with onX hunt s d Gaia apps. The sat. maps have way better resolution on phone.

A phone with a larger screen, plenty of memory and good battery life helps. You can extend usage time with battery bank.

I’ve owned 4 Garmins over the last 30 years, but would take smartphone hands down. Learning to use it will put you light years ahead of others on new public land properties.

Yes. I like a few of the phone apps and reasonably fluent with a couple but some places I go looking for new places on public land don't get a cell signal.

Places I have leased were no problem because I had time to learn them, make trails, etc..
I'm looking for a way to cover ground and either go to interesting places found on a SAT MAP or be able to easily return to any good places I stumble upon by marking way points.

Kind of like marking way point in a big lake or on the open ocean. i.e., punch in GPS Coordinates and drive or walk right to the point without cell coverage.

 

[1eyefishing]

Phone apps don't need a cell signal if you download the maps first.
Put the phone on airplane mode (if you don't have a cell signal anyway), and the battery will last exponentially longer.
I carry a small extra battery that will fully charge my phone four times.

 

[Big7]

IMO- the phone apps have made those hand-held units obsolete.
Even when there is no cell coverage.

How do cell driven maps work without cell coverage?

Doesn't the satellite have to know where you (your phone) is?

Must be something about those apps I don't know about or don't understand.

Only thing I've been using phone GPS for is driving and marking things like intersections of unnamed dirt roads, dead ends, river crossings or something like that with coords.

A rudimentary way of doing this is to ask Google Assistant " what is my current GPS location"? and when that comes up, I have a false phone number I text all that kind of stuff to with a description so I can go back to that spot.

That is a horrible way to store because you can't build folders for say, "Oconee National Forest" and keep all your way points separate.

 

[1eyefishing]

And reception under forest canopy is ten times better than my old handheld units ever were.
I can't remember ever losing satellite contact on my cell app, but it was a constant problem with the handheld.

 

[RamblinWreck88]

How do cell driven maps work without cell coverage?

Doesn't the satellite have to know where you (your phone) is?

Must be something about those apps I don't know about or don't understand.

Only thing I've been using phone GPS for is driving and marking things like intersections of unnamed dirt roads, dead ends, river crossings or something like that with coords.

A rudimentary way of doing this is to ask Google Assistant " what is my current GPS location"? and when that comes up, I have a false phone number I text all that kind of stuff to with a description so I can go back to that spot.

That is a horrible way to store because you can't build folders for say, "Oconee National Forest" and keep all your way points separate.

GPS Signal ≠ Cell Phone Signal

Cell phone signal requires a connection with cell phone towers. GPS Signal requires connection to GPS satellites. If you're down between some ridges, your phone can't make the connection to cell phone towers. However, your GPS signal doesn't have to go through mountains to reach a GPS satellite or five in orbit above you.

Over the past 12 months, I've put well over 100 miles on the ground in the North GA mountains and have never lost GPS signal, even though for most of that time I had absolutely zero cell phone signal.

Your phone knows your GPS signal, so if you download the maps beforehand, the app will just overlay your position onto those maps.

It's all a question of redundancy and what you feel comfortable with... For some, having backup batteries for their cell phone is enough redundancy... For others, having a batteries and a separate GPS device gives them peace of mind. And some even buy satellite communication devices (example: Garmin InReach) so that they can text/call through communication satellites rather than cell phone towers (these require their own satellite data plans). Another option is a PLB (personal locator beacon), which is registered to the owner and can transmit an emergency signal to NOAA satellites and require no data subscription; so if you break your leg 15 miles deep in the wilderness, someone will come to rescue you.

 

[Big7]

GPS Signal ≠ Cell Phone Signal

Cell phone signal requires a connection with cell phone towers. GPS Signal requires connection to GPS satellites. If you're down between some ridges, your phone can't make the connection to cell phone towers. However, your GPS signal doesn't have to go through mountains to reach a GPS satellite or five in orbit above you.

Over the past 12 months, I've put well over 100 miles on the ground in the North GA mountains and have never lost GPS signal, even though for most of that time I had absolutely zero cell phone signal.

Your phone knows your GPS signal, so if you download the maps beforehand, the app will just overlay your position onto those maps.

It's all a question of redundancy and what you feel comfortable with... For some, having backup batteries for their cell phone is enough redundancy... For others, having a batteries and a separate GPS device gives them peace of mind. And some even buy satellite communication devices (example: Garmin InReach) so that they can text/call through communication satellites rather than cell phone towers (these require their own satellite data plans). Another option is a PLB (personal locator beacon), which is registered to the owner and can transmit an emergency signal to NOAA satellites and require no data subscription; so if you break your leg 15 miles deep in the wilderness, someone will come to rescue you.

Whoop..
There It Is !!

Just needed somebody to translate it into Redneck for me. Thanks.


Not really worried about getting "lost lost" or communications- I'd get out but I need to cover ground, point to point efficiently. I have to find some places to hunt, hopefully farther off the beaten trail than a lot of folks are willing to go.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Yes. I like a few of the phone apps and reasonably fluent with a couple but some places I go looking for new places on public land don't get a cell signal.

Places I have leased were no problem because I had time to learn them, make trails, etc..
I'm looking for a way to cover ground and either go to interesting places found on a SAT MAP or be able to easily return to any good places I stumble upon by marking way points.

Kind of like marking way point in a big lake or on the open ocean. i.e., punch in GPS Coordinates and drive or walk right to the point without cell coverage.

OnX doesn't need cell signal. It runs off GPS. Download your map, and you're good to go anywhere on earth. I love it. And most of the places I spend my time have 0 cell signal. I have a Garmin that I never use since OnX came out.

 

[basshappy]

I prefer GPS handheld and cellular phone. Strength in numbers. Plus the Garmin allows me to send messages that my phone would not in no cell signal area. Plus the Garmin has altimeter, barometer, etc. It is more extensible than my phone when there is no cell signal. I have found when using the various mapping apps on my phone the battery usage is higher than when using my Garmin.

 

[menhadenman]

Onx is what I use but there are several options now (some cheaper). I’d go that route.

But before I had a smart phone, garmin etrex is what I used. In lots of very remote places throughout the entire country. For $100 you can do a lot worse.

I still take my 90s model with me when I’m wayyyyy off the grid.

Amazon.com