# GPS systems



## Craig Snyder (May 7, 2012)

I'm looking to replace my handheld Garmin, (from xmas 1999), with a new one. I'm sure they have improved a lot in the past hmmm.. 13yrs. I have to admit I never fully utilized my old one. It was bought long before I got into SAR work. It was primarily used for "bread crumbs" when I was hiking with my young son in case something happened to me. (and yes..he was also trained to read a map and use a compass as well.). I also use it sometimes for a compass and navigation but not much. Used it to confirm map locations mostly. Mine was greatly affected by weather so I've mostly used the old fashioned compass for SAR. I never had maps down loaded on mine.

I'm sure the newer ones are probably more reliable and better in the weather. I'd like one that I can of course load maps onto. I'd really like to improve my knowledge and use of these beyond the basics that I used my old one for.

Does anyone have any personal recommendations?

Craig


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

Well I have heard the reviews on the 62csx replacement for the 60csx have been so bad that the 60csx is selling for more than they did a few years ago. Nice unit. Very good at getting a signal in heavy cover with the quad helix antenna . Our team uses 60cx and csx units purchased in 2008 and they are still working great and very reliable/sturdy/waterproof.

I helped a friend find and buy a newer Colorado touch screen, though and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of signal that unit got and it comes preloaded with maps and you can buy the topos. Very intuitive interface. But I still like the 60Csx screen in direct sun as well as the buttons work better with gloves than a touch screen.

I bought 24k topos for the entire SE USA for $129 and there are no license restrictions on how many times you can load the maps on a micro SD card or computer for personal use.

For air scent, well the Astro is a fully functional mapping GPS as well as the dog unit - I would consider that if I was buying one for myself. Definitely DC30 or DC40 collar, nothing older.

If you know where you are going in advance you can also put aerial imagery on them with a photo subscription and there are free maps (aerial topo available) not through garmin....I just used what Garmin sold and really like the Base Camp SW. (see below)

Definitely get one with the electronic compass and altimeter; worth the difference in price because when you use it for navigation it helps easier than having to hold a compass and a GPS. 

Garmin also has base camp software which is a nice utility to use for printing maps and interfacing with the GPS. Even though we use Maptech TNP for our search maps, we regularly use basecamp as the interface because it allows us animated replay of maps as well as point by point editing, a feature not available in maptech. So we take the tracks into base camp, do the editing and save as *.gpx files.

Another neat thing is you can make an enclosed track of your search area and send it to your GPS so you can see where you are relative to the area in real time. It is pretty sweet to look at the topo and where you are on the GPS and tweak your coverage to make sure it is complete.


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## Meg O'Donovan (Aug 20, 2012)

I'm also interested in reading info/advice/ideas on GPS for SAR. Common conditions here are dense bush/tree cover, steep mountains & valleys. Happy New Year in advance to all of you reading this.


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## Craig Snyder (May 7, 2012)

Thanks Nancy!

I'm leaning towards the Garmin Oregon 550 right now. It seems to have most of what I want and the recent reviews seem to indicate they have most of the initial software bugs straightened out now. I've seen prices below $300 for it to. I want the 1:24,000 topo maps which have to be downloaded so it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to pay more for the 550t tah comes preloaded with 1:100,000 maps since I doubt I'd use them much.

This has the geo camera, barometer and 3D compass which is nice too. They also have the ability to load local maps like online state park maps. Which is a plus. 

I hadn't thought about the Astro. I don't know why as I've looked at them before. Duh.... I'll go look at them again.

Thanks!

Craig


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I have heard good things about the Oregon series. Agree 100k map worthless.

Check with the team on mapping SW. I know that TN/TNP can be twitchy about working with multiple types of handhelds even within a brand line..has to do with license restrictions..gah.....(but base camp or a dump utility making gps files can take care of that - never stopped us) -- as can the folks downloading your data.

We are demanding that everyone on the team know how to download tracks and waypoints to our base computer as a minimum skill though. (as well as land nav with both the GPS and traditional map and compass)


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