Garmin eTrex Vista Handheld GPS Navigator

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The eTrex Vista combines a base map of North and South America, with a barometric altimeter and electronic compass. The compass provides bearing information while you're standing still and the altimeter determines your precise altitude. The Vista is also designed to provide precise GPS positioning using correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). This product will provide position accuracy to less than three meters when receiving WAAS corrections.The eTrex Vista also boasts an internal memory capacity of 24 megabytes, which allows it to accept downloaded mapping data from Garmin's MapSource CD-ROMs, including Fishing Hot Spots. A silver case gives this unit a high-tech look. New to the product design, Garmin will include marine aids to navigation in addition to the base map. These navigational aids can be pre-loaded into each unit from the factory.It is compatible with most Garmin MapSource products including BlueChart marine cartography, MetroGuide, and Fishing Hot Spots. Accepts up to 24 megabytes of downloaded map detail.
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Technical Details

- WAAS-Enabled
- Same Features As Grm0025600 Etrex Legend Plus A Built-In Barometric Altimeter & Electronic Compass
- Compass Provides Bearing Information While User Is Standing Still
- Altimeter Determines Precise Altitude & Provides A Graphic Profile Of User¿S Trip
- Contains 24 Mb Internal Memory For Storing Detailed Map Data
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 "When it works..." 2009-02-18
By R. Stephenson (Chesapeake, Va)
Everything about the Etrex works; right up to the point the screen fails. And this did not just happen to me, it also happened to two friends of mine. Bottom line I have owned several Garmin products and been quite pleased but the Etrex is not reliable.

 "Display sux" 2008-10-06
By D. Buehler (PA, USA)
The display is dim & hard to see/read. Back light is not very bright. Tried replacing batteries (twice) still no improvement in the display. Returned the unit one day after receiving.

 "Garmin Etrex Vista" 2008-04-06
By Shawn N. Flynn (california)
Garmin eTrex Vista Handheld GPS

Bought it for a road bicycle, and I love it! Bought it with the bicycle mount. Received it and started using it the same day. It has a million features, so it takes a bit of reading to setup all the options. Oh...you have to buy MapSource to fully utilize the unit. I tried the cheaper method of uploading and downloading to the unit. Could not get to work with Google Earth Plus, I did get to work with other 3rd party software. But I finally coughed up the $100 bucks (almost as much as the unit) and bought MapSource North America.



Now I was cooking was gas! Uploading, downloading, mapping, graphing, analyzing my ride. It is incredible all the information that can be gleamed from the interface with MapSource.



Now that I have used it for a bit, I love it even more. You can plan routes, or not. Use the tracks you created, later. The graphing on the altimeter is wild! The maps are incredibly detailed. I could go on and on about all the features, for the price this unit is the BOMB.



I had a sneaky suspicion that I might need to buy the software. So I chose the Vista. However, I am so pleased with the unit that I wish I had bought the colored more sensitive(GPS wise) higher end model.

 "Too simple" 2008-01-27
By A. Gandini (Canoas, RS, Brazil)
It is a good receiver, but its operational system is too simple and slow to use. But for the price, it worths.

 "Great Value for Family Geocaching" 2008-01-13
By L. Haskell (Orinda, CA USA)
Well priced & worked very well the first two times we used it. Easy to figure out, even my kids used it.


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Garmin Windshield Mount for eTrex GPS Units (010-10361-00)

Buy Cheap Garmin Windshield Mount for eTrex GPS Units (010-10361-00)

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Got a funky, contoured dash that won't allow you to mount your eTrex level? Solution: suction cup mount. Stick mount to the inside of the windshield or window and snap eTrex into place. Bracket is jointed, so you can adjust to your heart's content and get the unit out of direct sunlight.
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Technical Details

- Works with eTrex, eTrex Camo, eTrex Summit, eTrex Venture, eTrex Legend and eTrex Vista
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 "Good bracket, but not perfect." 2009-02-06
By David Woodford (Washington)
This bracket has a lot of adjustability, except you cannot swivel the bracket so that the GPS is rotated toward the driver if the bracket faces straight toward the back of the vehicle. Instead, I had to mount the bracket slightly angled, then rotate the vertical rotation of the GPS so that it's straight vertical. Also, the back plate provided with the bracket does not fit my Venture CX, though I have the adaptor provided with the GPS itself, so I don't need the plate provided. I like that it's compact, compared with the one I use with a Magellan Meridian, and that it doesn't seem to need water to keep it attached securely, like the Meridian's bracket. The Meridian bracket, though, will allow me to attach it quickly, and doesn't need an extra piece to secure it to the bracket, but snaps right in, which the additional piece required by the Venture makes the Venture less comfortable to carry when I get out of the vehicle to head to the cache.

Pros:

Compact

Adjustable

Easy to install securly without having to moisten the suction cup.

Cons:

Needs a vertical rotation ability so that it can face the driver.

Additional piece needed to attach the GPS.

Not perfectly compatible with Cx series GPS units.

 "Great product" 2008-11-10
By Robert Routson
So far I have really enjoyed having this mount. Before I would just lay the GPS on the dash. This is a great improvement. There is alot of adjustment to allow for just about any angle. I would recommend mounting close to the dashboard to provide additional support.

 "For -CX models, get RAM Mount instead" 2008-10-18
By Brian Wiese (Baltimore, MD United States)
If you have a -CX based eTrex (legend or vista) model, the cover plate will not fit due to the grove that is built in to accommodate the micro SD card. Instead, I recommend getting a RAM mount: RAM Mounting Systems Handlebar Mount for Garmin eTrex Venture C, Legend C, Vista C, Venture CX, Legend CX, Vista CX

 "Garmin windshield mount" 2008-09-19
By Psibeta1088 (St. George, UT USA)
I am an avid geocacher and use this with my Garmin GPS. It works great. Just clean your windshield with some windex, moisten the suction cup and attach! It holds my GPS securely and allows me to look at my GPS without interfering with my vision.

 "Works well but pricey" 2008-08-30
By Photoangler (Northern Illinois)
I recently purchased an eTrex Vista HCx and since it doesn't fit my dash mount for my 60Cs I needed another mount for my car. I purchased the windshield mount after reading positive reviews here.



My impression after a month or so is that it works fine. I put it on and haven't removed it. It still holds solidly and with surprising little shake. I'm hoping the exposure to sunlight doesn't eventually render the suction cup brittle and useless but so far so good.



I didn't rate the holder five stars because it is too expensive, it should cost about 1/2 or even 1/3 the price.




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Garmin eTrex Vista H Handheld GPS Navigator

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The Vista H will include a high sensitivity receiver and will also support USB interface enabling high speed map downloads. An electronic compass and barometric altimeter are also included with the Vista H. The Vista H includes 24 MB of internal memory which will enable free space for downloading new map data. Software will include Geocaching capabilities with a14 hour batter life.
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Technical Details

- High-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver in a rugged waterproof case for peak performance in any environment
- Built-in basemap shows lakes, rivers, cities, roads coastlines, marine navigation aids and landmarks
- USB interface for faster map downloads; 24 MB of internal memory offers plenty of room for plenty of room for maps, waypoints, routes and saved tracks
- High-contrast, backlit 2.4-inch LCD display; four-way cursor for smooth, one hand operation
- Includes an electronic compass for continuous bearing information and a barometric altimeter for precise altitude
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 "Nice unit, but poor documentation and worthless basemap" 2009-07-17
By Reviewer
Being new to GPS, I was excited to see what all I could do with this thing and how to make it do it. Unfortunately, the instruction manual is very vague. Many of the menu features are not even listed and the functions are not explained. It's basically, "to get to here, press this button". How about some examples? If you already are familiar with GPS, I suppose this would be fine, but it has been countless hours of experimentation to figure out some of the funtions.



Also, the basemap that comes with this is very basic - just major roads. There are also limited maps that you can purchase for this, and in fact I don't think the Garmin site accurately lists all that are available (I would think that the Vista H would support all the maps the Vista supports, but the site says no). Expect to pay $120 for a map disk. I'm thinking the 100K topo map would be the best since it shows detailed streets and items of interest in parks. It's pretty lame as a topo map though from the demo on the Garmin site.

 "Solid GPS unit for the price" 2009-05-22
By Michele Mattix (Sedona, AZ)
I bought this GPS unit to prepare for a Garmin GPS class I was asked to teach. I own several GPS units and I am a GPS/GIS professional focussing on training and consulting. I usually restrict my GPS usage to professional grade mapping equipment (Trimble, specifically) but I recently branched off into the world of recreational GPS to expand my training offerings. I've used the eTrex series GPS before and this Vista H unit is another nice addition to the line-up. Let me say that if I were buying an eTrex to use as my sole GPS unit, then I definitely would have opted for the color screen (Vista HC or HCx). The color screen adds a lot more bang for the buck.



Garmin has done a good job with these little units. The Vista is small, light-weight, and quick to respond. The new high-senstivity (that's what the 'H' stands for) receiver locks onto satellites very quickly. The internal compass and altimeter work very well and are easy to calibrate and turn on/off. On the negative side, something I find to be true for all of the eTrex models is that the operating system a bit clumsy to learn and I usually need to spend a good 5 minutes re-orienting myself to it when I use the eTrex in the field. I find that the buttons on the unit are not intuitivey laid out so it is hard to remember which one does what. Once I'm in the flow of using the eTrex, however, I can navigate through the pages/settings fairly easily -- it just requires those first few minutes of reaquainting myself each time. I would definitely recommend a bit of training before you use the unit -- especially if you plan to collect tracks. A common problem that Garmin users have is that their track log shows a long, continuous line on the map that connects -- with a straight line -- your new location to your last one. This can leave a long straight line on your map if, for example, you used the unit in Phoenix on your last hike and are now starting it up in Los Angeles. It's all about managing the track log.



The unit costs under $200 which is a great price. I like that I can collect points and lines (waypoints and tracks) that I can then add to Google Earth (directly) or to ArcGIS. The workflow for adding to ArcGIS is a bit convoluted as the GPS file format has to be converted first and that requires third-party tools. There are many of them out there, it's just a matter of trying them out and finding what works for you.



As a GIS professional, I find the Garmin model of buying base map data unuseful. The eTrex comes with a very basic base map. If you want more detail (topo maps, for example) then you must purchase these from Garmin. The base map you buy is only good for 1 GPS unit. So if you own multiple eTrex, for example, you must purchase the same data multiple times. In the world of GIS, once you acquire data -- such as topo base maps -- then it is yours to use as you want. With Garmin, you are not free to load your own data onto the GPS unit.



For the sake of comparison, I usually use my Trimble Juno SB unit for GPS hiking. This unit costs more (starting at $750) but it offers a professional workflow. This is not something that is important to most hikers, but it can make a world of difference to those using GPS for search and rescue, fire management, etc. The Juno is designed to collect GIS-ready GPS data which means you can collect points, lines, and polygons as well as attributes then export the data directly to shapefiles. Best of all, you can load your own data onto it -- imagery, existing shapefiles, CAD, and other file formats. The unit might cost more initially, but you are free to load whatever data you can acquire onto it and it allows you to quickly bring your GPS data into a GIS without having to manually enter attributes. You get to collect all of your user-defined attributes in the field while logging your GPS positions.



I would definitely recommend this unit as a basic mapping GPS unit though I would suggest spending a bit more to get the color screen. Also, if this is your first foray into GPS, invest in some basic training -- it will save you a lot of frustration and help you get the most out of your GPS unit. You can usually find a half-day Garmin training class by searching around the state parks and community college non-credit programs -- there are also online training courses you can find by doing a Google search.



Happy trails!

www.GeoMattix.com


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Garmin eTrex Summit HC Handheld GPS Receiver

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GARMIN eTrex Summit HC Hand Held Receiver w/ Built in GPS Patch Antenna. New high sensitivity GPS receiver. 24 Mbyte of internal memory for storing detailed maps. WAAS enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver. Built in GPS patch antenna. Display: 1.3 in W x 1.7 in H, 256 color, high resolution, transflective TFT /176 x 220 pixels.Electronic compass displays accurate heading while standing still. Barometric altimeter with automatic pressure trend recording. LED backlit display and keypad. Battery life: up to 32 hours typical use using two AA alkaline batteries.Includes a built in Americas autoroute basemap with automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits and tide data /USA only. 500 user waypoints with name and graphic symbol; 20 reversible routes, 50 points per route. Position formats include Lat/Lon, UTM, Loran TDs, Maidenhead, MGRS, user grid, and more. Audible alarms for anchor drag, arrival, off course and clock. Large numbers option for easy viewing, dual position display mode. Trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed and more. 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks /500 points each/ let you retrace your path in both directions. Elevation computer /Summit HC/ provides current elevation, ascent/descent rate, minimum/maximum elevation, total ascent and descent, average and maximum ascent and descent rate. Built in celestial tables for best time to fish and hunt, plus sun and moon calculations. Fully compatible with MapSource products including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. TOPO 24K, U.S. TOPO and US Inland lakes. Waterproof, IEC 60529 IPX7, /Submersible 1 meter at 30 minutes
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Technical Details

- High-Sensitivity, WAAS-Enabled GPS Receiver Provides Peak Performance In Any Environment
- Built-In Basemap Includes Lakes, Rivers, Cities, Interstates, National & State Highways, Railroads & Coastlines
- Barometric Altimeter & Electronic Compass
- Usb Compatible For High-Speed Map Downloads
- Features A 1.7-InchH X 1.3-InchW Screen With 256-Level Color Tft
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 "Great unit for the cost!" 2009-09-12
By K. Rietmann (Portage, WI)
Granted, there are better units on the market with more features, but I wasn't looking for a $600 model that could do it all. I was looking for a basic GPS unit for a gift for my husband that we could use to start geocaching. I wasn't looking to invest $600 in a unit without even knowing if my husband would enjoy geocaching... but after finding out that he does, and using this unit for many excursions into random fields and wildlife areas- we are REALLY happy with the value for such a great unit! My father has used to for geneology, to mark coordinates of gravesites. We bought the maps so we can use it on the road, too. There isn't turn by turn navigation, but again, that's not why I bought this unit. If I had wanted that, I could have spent more for a different model. But, I also didn't want to spend a lot on a unit. This does everything we want/need it to do, and for the value it has some really cool functionality. It was easy to figure out how to download the cache data into the unit. We're very happy!

 "works o.k., but not what expected" 2009-09-08
By J. Butler (oregon)
Being my first GPS, I expected a lot from this unit-fueled by all the rave reviews, no doubt. The satelite pickup seems O.K., but not "lightning fast". I bought the topo cd so I could download maps and was immiediately dissapointed in the limited memory of the unit. It would be nice not to have to download maps every time I go somewhere different.



It works O.K., but I don't find it very "intuitive", the buttons aren't labeled. I bought this because it got good reviews and was worried about getting something with a touch screen. I should have got the nuvie or the oregon. I bought it expecting 2009 technology- it isn't.

 "Good for bike riding" 2009-07-31
By Simple Simon (Fairfield, NJ USA)
I purchased this so that I could use it on my bike to take bike trips. This with the topo maps works really nicely. It is best to purchase the bike connections from garmin because there are different diameter handle bars and usually only the smaller handle bar holder is offered. The Garmin web site explains that better than amazon. but this GPS is priced right and does everything needed to be a great bike computer.

 "very poor installation process for Garmin software" 2009-06-15
By M. A. Carletta
I'm still trying to install the "Trip & Waypoint Manager" software that comes with this unit. The installation of the software required that I first read the manual, which required, in the middle of installation, that I download Adobe Acrobat Reader. The Adobe Reader installation required that I restart the computer, which caused the computer to lose its place in the "Trip & Waypoint Manager" software installation. So now the Manager software tells me that I need to uninstall it, and reinstall. I realize that many computers already have Adobe Reader on them, but mine does not. Very poor planning on Garmin's part.



The rest of the installation also requires an internet connection.



The Summit itself seems fine so far, but, of course, I can't use some of the features without installing this software.

 "Great Deal! Garmin Etrex Summit HC" 2009-06-10
By G. Oldfield (Riverside, CA)
I ordered this Garmin Etrex Summit HC and have begun using it for geocaching. It works for me!


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Garmin Bicycle Mount for eTrex and Summit (010-10267-00)

Buy Cheap Garmin Bicycle Mount for eTrex and Summit (010-10267-00)

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1.Secure handlebar mount.2.Fits up to 1-inch diameter bar.3.Also great for motorcycles and ATVs.4.Convenient and easy to use.5.Includes hardware and instructions .
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Technical Details

- Product Type - GPS Accessories
- Shipping Weight - 1.00 pounds
- Also great for motorcycles and ATVs
- Convenient and easy to use
- Includes hardware and instructions
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 "Great" 2009-09-14
By Roger D. Mills (Ruskin, Florida, USA)
Handy device. I use it several times a week. Very happy with all aspects of service.

 "Works as it is supposed to work!" 2009-09-08
By featheredprop (Somerset, PA)
I've owned a Garmin e-trex Legend for years, but recently wanted to mount it to my bicycle. This mount was quickly and easily fixed to the handle bar. The quick-release of the GPS is handy, allowing me to remove and re-attach the GPS. This was certainly worth the purchase!

 "doesn't fit Garmin eTrex Legend Cx" 2009-08-28
By David E. Hauber (Troy, Ny USA)
I purchased the bicycle mount for my Garmin eTrex Legend Cx and it doesn't fit! The back is made for some other model.

 "This mount doesn't work on the newer vista gps" 2009-08-16
By Richard H. Gehrke (Umpqua Valley Oregon)
The mount itself is an excellent item however, if you do not have the screw in adapter for the back of your Vista GPS x model it will work. the problem is that the extra room that the slot for the memory card takes prevents the back cover from fitting correctly. I am sure you could notch it out to fit but that would compromise the seal. It also would not look nice as the cover is smaller than the unit itself. I was fortunate to have the screw adapter for both of our units. Plan on heading out on the bikes to geocache after church tomorrow.

 "Perfect for eTrex Venture HC" 2009-06-25
By Adam Fontaine (Brooklyn, NY)
I used this mount with the Garmin eTrex Venture HC, the back cover fits securely onto the unit, although you will notice it is slightly narrower than the original cover. The handlebar attachment comes with two rubber pieces I used the thinner one due to the thickness of my handlebars but the larger piece will accommodate a thinner handlebar. I noticed another reviewer mentioned it did not hold the gps in place. One thing you have to be aware of is that the tab on the back cover clicks into place once you slide it onto the handlebar mount. I took it out last night on a rough downhill trail and the gps stayed in place. If you have the eTrex Venture HC this is the mount you need.


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Garmin eTrex H Handheld GPS Navigator

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GARMIN eTrex H Hand Held Receiver with Built in GPS Patch Antenna. New high sensitivity GPS receiver. WAAS enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver. Built in patch antenna. Display: /128x64 pixels, FSTN, 4 level gray scale. Electro luminescent backlighting. Battery life: up to 22 hours using two AA, alkaline batteries. Permanent user data storage; no memory battery required. Water resistant, IEC 529, IPX7 /Submersible 1 meter at 30 minutes. Dedicated zoom in/out keys for map page. 500 user waypoints with name and graphic symbol. 20 reversible routes with up to 124 waypoints. Hunting and fishing calculator to plan for optimal times of day. Resettable trip computer. Automatic track log; 10 saved tracks let you retrace your path in both directions. Waterproof, IEC 60529 IPX7, /Submersible 1 meter at 30 minutes.
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Technical Details

- High-Sensitivity, WAAS-Enabled GPS Receiver Provides Peak Performance In Any Environment
- Lightweight & Waterproof
- High-Contrast 2.1-InchH X 1.1-InchW Screen With Bright Backlighting
- User Can Operate Etrex H With 1 Hand Using 5 Buttons Located On Either Side Of The Device
- Stores Up To 500 Waypoints For Easy Retrieval & Up To 20 Routes With Up To 125 Waypoints Per Route
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 "Good starter GPS" 2009-08-30
By Kier
This is our first GPS. Got to try out Geocaching. Since we didn't know if we'd like it or not, we didn't want to spend the money on a more expensive unit. All in all - we love it. It is accurate in our are up to (about) 15 feet, would be nice to have a more accurate unit, but we knew about this when we bought it. I would recommend for anyone who wants to try out a GPS unit.

 "Handy Garmin" 2009-08-23
By W. Aubrey (Mayfield, NY USA)
Have used the Unit in my kayaks and found it to be convenient, accurate, and useful..Recommend to anyone needing to keep track of their position and/or details of their trip.

 "Great for beginning geocacher" 2009-08-10
By K. Altar (Southern California)
I bought this unit a little over a month ago and it's great! I bought it to start geocaching and use it to mark the coordinates of the location I leave my car when hiking. Easy to use right out of the box, took only 20 minutes to locate satellites, I've heard of some taking hours but it wasn't true for me. I just placed it in my kitchen window. The battery life is great for geocaching, I haven't had to replace them in the month I've been caching.



I would recommend this product for geocaching, it's "cheap" enough to allow children to take the lead on a hunt and rugged enough to roll around the back the car or at the bottom of a bag/purse/tote bag.

 "A Great Point-to-Point GPS" 2009-08-02
By M. Picardal (San Diego)
I bought this primarily for hikes into backcountry so I could follow my "breadcrumb trail" and find my way back. For this it is perfect. I also will use this in conjunction with map and compass, the H will give me my exact location and I can orient myself to where I want to go. Having a GPS with the maps in it is great, but I would never totally depend on a mapping GPS alone; it is still electronics and dependent on batteries and it can go down on you when you need it. You go out into unknown wilderness areas often, you better learn how to use map and compass; it isn't difficult.



Figure out your real needs; either spend the $$$ and get a complete GPS or get the basic H; the models in between are mostly garmin product differentation strategy...

 "Defective unit? I'm afraid to try again..." 2009-07-06
By annielaurie (Saint Paul, MN)
Well, after finally getting the hang of this not-very-intuitive unit to do some geocaching with my son, I have become increasingly frustrated with its unreliable accuracy. Sometimes we are 20+ feet from a cache, according to the GPS, when we manage to find the cache on our own. The worst thing that I've noticed, though, is that we can be standing completely motionless and the directional arrow will wave in all directions and the distance to destination will change by as much as 10 or 12 feet. Is this common? Why does this happen?

Others' reviews have been much more positive and I'm wondering whether I'm expecting too much from such an inexpensive GPS. I am returning but not exchanging. Bummer...


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Garmin eTrex Legend HCx Personal Navigator

Buy Cheap Garmin eTrex Legend HCx Personal Navigator

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GARMIN eTrex Legend HCx Hand Held Receiver w/ Built in GPS Patch Antenna. MicroSD card slot allows for storage of optional MapSource detail /MicroSd card not included. WAAS enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver. Built in GPS patch antenna. Display: 1.3 in W x 1.7 in H, 256 color, high resolution, transflective TFT /176 x 220 pixels. LED backlit display and keypad. Battery life: up to 32 hours typical use using two AA alkaline batteries. Includes a built in Americas autoroute basemap with automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits and tide data /USA only. 500 user waypoints with name and graphic symbol; 20 reversible routes, 50 points per route. Position formats include Lat/Lon, UTM, Loran TDs, Maidenhead, MGRS, user grid, and more. Audible alarms for anchor drag, arrival, off course and clock. Large numbers option for easy viewing, dual position display mode. Trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed and more. 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks /500 points each/ let you retrace your path in both directions. Built in celestial tables for best time to fish and hunt, plus sun and moon calculations. Fully compatible with MapSource products including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. TOPO 24K, U.S. TOPO and US Inland lakes. Waterproof, IEC 60529 IPX7, /Submersible 1 meter at 30 minutes.
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Technical Details

- High-Sensitivity, WAAS-Enabled GPS Receiver Provides Peak Performance In Any Environment
- Lightweight, Compact & Waterproof
- Built-In Basemap With Automatic Routing Capability
- Features A 1.7-InchH X 1.3-InchW Screen With 256-Level Color Tft
- Connects To Computer'S Usb For High-Speed Map Downloads
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 "Feels Like the Sweet Spot Between Price & Performance" 2009-08-10
By Paul Helling (Escondido, CA USA)
I've been using the HCx Legend for about a month now and I've been very, very pleased with it. I use this unit mainly for hiking and backpacking; anywhere from well established trails in state parks to the deep back-country of southern California. This is not a unit I would suggest for use while driving. Maybe in the hands of your navigator, sitting shotgun, but this not a drivers GPS unit in my opinion. For hiking, and some casual Geocaching, it's been an excellent companion and tool.



Some of the things I really like about it are, for one, that the buttons are located on the side of the unit near the top. This becomes particularly relevant when the unit is actually in use IN your hand. Your fingers are at the top, the display is at the bottom and you can manipulate the buttons without your hand blocking the display. This may sound like a minor thing, but it's not.



Another thing I've come to appreciate is it's relatively small size and... well... "roundedness". The Legend doesn't have one of those protruding antennas which, for some reason, always seems to be a problem for me somehow; always poking something or taking up space. The Legend is small, round and "pockets" easily (yes, I'm using a noun in the verb tense, deal with it; you know what I mean).



Let's see... What else to say about this unit. Well it's got WAAS. Believe me, you want that in a GPS unit. It acquires satellites quickly and I've never been at a loss for a good, solid signal (very confidence inspiring when you're deep in the back country). The color display is nice, details are easy to read and work with. The little thing that looks like a button on the top left of the units display is actually a tiny joystick, or mouse, that you use to move the pointer on the display and/or make menu choices by pressing down (much like a mouse-click). I find this a niftier solution than using buttons or a scroll-wheel sort of thing. Battery life seems pretty good to me using either alkaline or NiMH (I prefer to use the latter) and there's a setup option where you can choose which type of battery you're using in the device since the two types of batteries have different discharge profiles. Sweet that it also accepts SD cards for additional map storage. I found I can use 4GB SDHC memory cards without a problem (Kingston to be specific) despite the manual saying only 2GB or smaller cards would work. With a 4GB card I can have 24K TOPO maps for all of southern California and the entire US, Canada and Mexico street maps. That's a lot of maps!



If you like to go geocaching this unit should get your consideration. Lots of options specifically for geocaching in particular. I can easily upload cache locations right off geocaching dot com, modify the entry if I need to, add a quick note and be off 'caching in no time.



The Legend also has a lot of cool features that are just plain sweet to have even if you don't use them every day. The only thing missing on the Legend that I can think of that some of the pricier units have is the Altimeter. The Legend has the Compass, the Tracking/Backtracking options ("bread crumbs"), the Odometer, a Proximity Alert... All the cool "bells-and-whistles" type stuff.



Map facts you should be aware of: 1) The unit ships with a VERY basic install of maps. By this I mean interstates and major through-streets and that's about it. If you want TOPO maps and/or city navigation (residential & side streets, points of interest, stuff like that) you'll have to buy, and install, Garmin map products. 2) Garmin map products are NOT cheap. You might want to research how much they get for their TOPO maps and/or City Navigator software packages if you're new to the whole GPS thing. With a little research you can also find places that offer Garmin-compatible maps that are (legally) free to download and install. The proprietary nature of GPS units and the maps they work with is not unique to Garmin either. If you go with, say, Magellan, you'll need Magellan map products; you can't "mix and match" as far as I know.



All in all I love this unit. It does it all and does it with a nice, compact form-factor. I really can't see spending more on a GPS unit. This one does so much for the price it really feels like I hit the sweet spot between price and performance.



Pro-Tip: Get a screen protector, one of those tough plastic sheets that people put on their iPods and such. The ones designed for the Microsoft Zune work well, even if a bit too small to cover the entire display, they do protect the essential part you really need protected. A set of protectors will set you back about $8 or so. That's pretty cheap insurance.

 "Excellent. Amazing battery life" 2009-08-09
By Daniel A. Seveso (Arlington, TX)
I use several GPSs, in-dash, bluetooth in my older phone, my Iphone's a Magellan 315 and a Microsoft USB GPS, and I think this is among the best in terms of speed and accuracy. Its form factor makes it ideal for hiking and backpacking trips. And the best of all, it's infinite battery life.

I put two AA alkaline batteries when I got the GPS (Energizer, which are not the best in town in my opinion), and they lasted for my initial testing, the whole 4-day hiking trip and they're still going. It's amazing. In my Magellan I used almost a set of batteries per day.

I'm sorry I don't have the exact number of hours I kept it turned on, but I'm sure it was more than 24.

The details of the waypoints are very good, including the time, and other features included in the mapping software, like you can review day by day, average speed, highlight the segment you select in the map, etc.

Not rocket science by I nice GPS/Software bundle for the price.

Note that this model does NOT have altitude profile that's nor temperature reading that are features you might want to have in a new gps. However you can create the altitude profile for your track using the waypoint data.

I'm really happy with it. I would recommend it.

 "Garmin eTrex HCx has indoor GPS sensitivity" 2009-07-22
By C. Dubash (Chandler, AZ USA)
The eTrex HCx is much faster and more sensitive than older Garmin products. I can get fixes anywhere within my house; my old StreetPilot 2610 only works 1ft from a window. It is compact and lightweight. I loaded Citi Navitagator 8 on it and plan to add topo maps for the southwest. I got a 2G SD card for $6 and and loaded CitiNav maps for the entire western US and eastern seaboard using about 900M of space. Figure that the 1G left over will be enough for my topo maps. I went to the MyGarmin website and got a Citi Navigator 8.0 unlock code for an additional unit at no cost (we had purchased it earlier for our Garmin StreetPilot). I am told the new 2009 version only unlocks one unit.



The user interface is not intuitive but after reading the manual and using it a few times it gets easy. The screen though small is bright and clear and I have no problem reading it from my dashboard. The turn-by-turn navigation works well; just like a PND, except that there is no audio. I got this unit mostly for hiking and am looking forward to taking it on the trail.

 "Garmin ETREX ledgend HCX" 2009-07-05
By Hunt and fish 72
Unit works great. It even picks up satellites indoors and does not loose them once they have been quickly acquired. Much better than the regular Etrex model that loose the satellites in heavy tree canopy or indoors. Color screen is a bonus with the ability to change color to your liking. Extra micro XD card slot allows you to put maps on the unit for a better location perspective. Many other options that I don't even use.

 "great gps unit" 2009-06-28
By Jason R. Smith
this gps is easy for anyone to run. it works great on trails with riding my bike; however its beeps for giving directions in very quiet. other then that i have no complaints about this item.


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Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver

Buy Cheap Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver

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GARMIN eTrex Venture HC Hand Held Receiver w/ Built in GPS Patch Antenna. New high sensitivity GPS receiver. 24 Mbyte of internal memory for storing detailed maps. WAAS enabled, 12 parallel channel GPS receiver. Built in GPS patch antenna. Display: 1.3 in W x 1.7 in H, 256 color, high resolution, transflective TFT /176 x 220 pixels. LED backlit display and keypad. Battery life: up to 32 hours typical use using two AA alkaline batteries.Includes a built in Americas autoroute basemap with automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits and tide data /USA only. 500 user waypoints with name and graphic symbol; 20 reversible routes, 50 points per route. Position formats include Lat/Lon, UTM, Loran TDs, Maidenhead, MGRS, user grid, and more. Audible alarms for anchor drag, arrival, off course and clock. Large numbers option for easy viewing, dual position display mode. Trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed and more. 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks /500 points each/ let you retrace your path in both directions. Elevation computer /Summit HC/ provides current elevation, ascent/descent rate, minimum/maximum elevation, total ascent and descent, average and maximum ascent and descent rate. Built in celestial tables for best time to fish and hunt, plus sun and moon calculations. Fully compatible with MapSource products including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. TOPO 24K, U.S. TOPO and US Inland lakes. Waterproof, IEC 60529 IPX7, /Submersible 1 meter at 30 minutes
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Technical Details

- High-Sensitivity, WAAS-Enabled GPS Receiver Provides Peak Performance In Any Environment
- Built-In Basemap Includes Lakes, Rivers, Cities, Interstates, National & State Highways, Railroads & Coastlines
- Features A 1.7-InchH X 1.3-InchW Screen With 256-Level Color Tft
- Usb Compatible For High-Speed Map Downloads
- 24 Mb Of Internal Memory Allows User To Load Waypoints & Routes From The Included Mapsource Trip & Waypoint Manager Software
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 "Very poor map provided" 2009-08-12
By G. Davis (Las Vegas)
The Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver itself, syncs up well and the features provided seem to work as advertised. The problem is, the map provided with the unit is less than poor. Further, Garmin charges an arm and a legg for any additional maps. Any prospective buyer should consider the costs of additional maps along with the base price of this unit in doing any comparitive shopping.

 "poor instruction/confusing performance" 2009-08-09
By Robert B. Sarver (nashua, n.h.)
the manual that comes with the etrex does not cover the unit and requires a lengthy delay to access factory help(about 20 minutes).there is nothing in the manual on down loading maps or how to delete any stored way points etc.

the entire operation is complicated to say the least. i probably was expecting the operation to resemble it's automtive counterpart in operation but such is not the case. in all it i a big disappointment.

 "Do not buy this item!" 2009-08-05
By Bobo (Wisconsin)
I purchased this item in hopes of using it on my bicycle to travel down many different country roads in my area. The explanations for what this unit does were not clear and the unit did not live up to my expectations. It comes with a base map that tells you basically that you are in North America. I already know this and wanted more detail so I ordered the Maps on DVD recommended by Garmin. These cost an extra $100. I recieved them and found I wasn't able to put them on my unit because it doesn't have enough internal memory. Of course Garmin never mentioned this.I finally called the manufacturer who told me that the unit just doesn't do what I want it to do, mainly, show me detailed road maps for when I bike around my area. I don't know if I can return this useless item but I'm going to try. I'll never buy any Garmin product again.

 "Okay." 2009-07-14
By TracyT. (Clinton, OH USA)
I bought this GPS for the geocaching mode and for that purpose it has worked out okay. It usually only gets me around 25ft from the cache, even in WAAS mode, but I have found what I am looking for - usually. The one very big downfall is the basemap is so that - a base. To get any map it will cost you $99 in the United States. I think that is hugely steep considering I already paid $128 on sale for this GPS. I've seen them for $199 on other sites. Amazon is great for deals! Also, you can't get a straight answer from Garmin's support site either. They just give you the runaround, and the directions to use the GPS are virtually non-existent. You have to pretty much just figure out everything on your own. So if you need a map, plan on spending another $99.

 "Perfect for beginners" 2009-07-12
By Alan Poynor
I purchased this GPS for my wife's use. I have a Garmin Map60C, which she feels is too complicated to use comfortably, and finds too large to tote around. The entire eTrex line is excellent, but the Venture model offers the opportunity, IMHO, for a beginner to expand their use. The memory for loading different maps was key to the decision to purchase the Venture HC. The display is bright, and easily adjusted to help conserve battery life. Scrolling through the pages is easy, particularly if you take the time to set them up. I was worried about how reliably the enter/rocker key would work, but neither of us has had any problems using it. As with any technical piece of equipment, it can't be emphasized enough: read the operator's manual, not just the quick start guide.


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