GPS units - please help this simpleton

[Normanby]

Hello Folks,
I've decided it's time to invest in a GPS unit, finally.
But i'm a complete moron when comes the these thingos.
I went down to Johnny Appleseed and checked out the units, quite liked the Garmin GPSmap 276C, which looks like this:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID ... featureTab

Can someone please explain to me, in simpleton terminology:
Is a unit this good overkill for trailer sailing?
Is $1200 (including maps) too much?
Will it hook into my Hummungbird Depth Sounder?
Can i connect an auto-helm to it?

My Blackberry has GPS, but i doubt there are any applications that can be adapted for marine use - and a little splash of salt water is very likely to kill the thing.
I'd be grateful for some guidance.
I posted this on the TSP forum too.

Matt
Investigator 563 "Pip"
Melbourne

[BobK]

Matt,

My business involves applying GPS in aviation, so I have some interest in things GPS. I've dealt with the most sophisticated GPS nav systems available, have taught GPS navigation in aircraft and all sorts of things but I have a very basic model in my boat.

I use a Garmin GPS60, which you can get for about $229 if you shop around. Waterproof, long battery life, mount available. NO MAP.

I use it for navigation by entering my own pre-planned routes, which are constructed from waypoints derived from maps or Google Earth. Once you construct a route using the Garmin software that comes with the unit (Mapsource) you can view it in Google Earth to check the route (did you enter the waypoints correctly?, any hazards, sandbanks etc.,) and then printout the route details (tracks/distances) and a map view from Google Earth. When you get back from your trip you can download the actual tracks and print them out. If you look at my post on the forum you can see our printout for our trip to the Whitsundays.

A map version is available, but I'm not so keen on using the maps to navigate. Would be nice at times, but the display is small on the GPS60 so you'd want to go to a larger screen. Anyway I prefer to "navigate" and use my GPS as the tool. I still carry those quaint bits of paper called MAPS.

It all depends on what you want from your GPS, but this one meets my needs and I'm quite happy with the GPS 60. Hope that helps.

Bob

[Yara50]

I bought the small hand held, waterproof, Garmin Legend on the internet from the US for about $180. It works well as a speed indicator, and (with the correct cable), plugs into my VHF radio to provide a location for the DSC system.
For the sort of sailing we do, that is probably enough.

Incidentally, I often admire pics on the net from Google earth, however can someone please explain how to capture these pics in order to post them on here? At the moment we would need it to be in jpeg format, but all I can do is cut and paste into MS Word.

[snoopebj]

I have posted GPS links on the technical board/ useful links/ navigation aids.
The garmin e-trex h unit - cheap and cheerful is enough for my needs. (I also like the feel of real maps and charts protractors etc -call me old fashioned.)
Besides, Murphy dispenses his usual rough justice on anything more complicated out at sea in my humble experience.
Good luck Matt

[Ozzie]

Ian

With google maps I take a screen grab and then dump the TIFF file it gives into photoshop and resave and resize it as a JPEG. I'm on mac and normally with any screen graphic you can simply drag it onto the desktop but on G Earth the cursor becomes the little hand to move around with which means you have to use this 3 step method.

Used a PC at work for yonks and I think the screen grab loads onto the clipboard doesn't it? Do you have a Photoshop style App you can paste into then?

Anyway this is the result Pulbah Is LM

Ps Best overnight anchorage top long beach top northwest corner