what GPS do you use and what you recomend?

[lux kid]

im want to start doing a few winch comps and nav events in the next few months.
so im after info about what GPS unit's ppl use and what ppl think of them?

are they easy to learn and use?
what sort of costs?
what the ppl that run the outback challange run?
i read some where that some have "ploting" what is this?

im in melb. can any one recomend someone to talk to. some one that wont just try to sell me random unit.

[CWBYUP]

For a weekend GPS I have been looking at the Magellan Cross over.

It seems to do everything I want and "looks" like it will be easy to transfer POI's and track easily to the computer.

That said I thought you would need a completely different style GPS for Cliffhanger, OBC etc.

[ssfabricator]

im buying one off ebay trakmate 350h you can save any tracks you explore $160

[GQ Bear]

PM Rudi (navrun). He's a GPS guru. He'll guide you in the right direction (ha ha). He also runs the navruns, cliffhanger and Pirahna Pursuit. There's a pursuit in November, good start into winch and nav comps.

I use a laptop running oziexplorer, but not practical in comps. There's also the 7-in-1 7" flip screen jobs which run windows CE and can run CE versions of oziexplorer, these are very good setup properly and can be found quite cheaply on ebay.

I think the one mostly used in comps is a magellen something?? Someone will know and post eventually.

[Emo]

I use a PDA that runs both Oziexplorer and Tomtom. The screen on my O2 Atom Exec is a bit small but a bigger screen PDA like an Ipaq HX4700 would be pretty good. I've found a PDA (Dell Axim 51v) that actually has VGA out capability so I'm currently looking for one of them and I'll hook it up to one of the 10 inch touch screens that you get on eBay.

[bogged]

What is your budget??

[lux kid]

my budget is probly around $800

[GQ4.2]

I bought a Magellan FX324 complete for $500 they are very simple to use when entering nav points

[MissDrew]

I bought a Magellan FX324 complete for $500 they are very simple to use when entering nav points

That would be my pick. You`ll have to watch ebay to get one. If you take your time you`ll get one for under $700, even under $500 if you get lucky.

[dogbreath_48]

I bought a Magellan FX324 complete for $500 they are very simple to use when entering nav points

Yep, i think that's about the only one available with a numeric keypad? (essential for quickly entering data)

I wouldn't recommend oziexplorer/laptop setup etc for winch comps - personally i think it's more trouble than it's worth even for navigation events. I use a Garmin 176C for navruns etc, which i find great apart from the lack of a numeric keypad (but at least the directional pad is big and easy to use)

-Stu

[The Fish]

I picked up a Garmin 2006C Chartplotter from US Ebay and cost me $700AUD to my door

In my opinion, with a little experience on an FX324, the color Garmins Chartplotters are better than the FX324 due to better screen resolution, no delay when entering data/changing screens, faster refresh rate and easier software functions.

The only downside to the Garmins is the mapping detail but not important in OBC's and Cliffhanger and when it comes to Pajero, NavRuns etc would rather use a paper map in tandem with the GPS anyway.

That's my 2 cents worth

[SHIFTY]

fx324 would be great they are easy to use and for someone starting out would be the way to go.

[lux kid]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 57895&rd=1

some one on mud rhino. suggested on of these.

any body use one? or have any good info on them.

it has a number pad and colour screen and suits my budget.

it there any advantage to a remote antenna?

[The Fish]

That's a pretty good price and they don't have an internal built in antenna so you need the remote one

[T_Diesel]

im in melb. can any one recomend someone to talk to. some one that wont just try to sell me random unit.

Johnny Appleseed in St Kilda Road, St Kilda seem to know what they are talking about. Their website is http://www.ja-gps.com.au.