My New GPS
Well I finally broke down and purchased a hand held GPS unit. Over the years, I’ve done pretty well for myself using a map and compass. I can usually figure out where I’m at and what direction I’m heading. The ability to use a map and compass is an important skill to have before you use your GPS for outdoor adventures (this does not apply if you only use your GPS to locate the nearest fast food restaurant).
The need (want) arose last year while on one of my multiday vehicle dependant adventures when I was faced with an intersection of several main logging roads that went several different directions. All I had was a forest service map of the area since I would have to carry a large assortment of topo maps to cover the amount of area I can cover in a trip. After figuring out the correct route (called backtracking) we were on our way again. A GPS would have probably helped in this sitauation (I have to justify the purchase somehow – right?). However, probably the most important justification for the purchase of a GPS is to be able to provide actual coordinates in case of an emergency.
Magellan Explorist 500 LE GPS
After doing some research (and considering my budget), I ended up purchasing a Magellan Explorist 500 LE GPS
Since this was first GPS unit, I had little expectations of what the unit will do for me other than show me my location. Once I loaded the battery pack, inserted a 1GB SD Memory Card
MapSend Topo 3D USA GPS Software
A consideration for us Mac users is that Magellan does not support Apple software with their products. So to load the MapSend Topo 3D USA GPS Software, you will need to have access to a PC (with a USB port) to load the topo maps onto your GPS unit.
After figuring this all out, I loaded the MapSend Topo 3D USA GPS Software on an available PC and made an attempt to upload a topo map of Washington state to the GPS. I kept getting errors that the PC did not recognize that a GPS unit was attached via USB. I tried everything I could think of including downloading the latest firmware for the GPS (which uploaded to the GPS just fine via USB).
Since I couldn’t figure how to load the topo maps onto my GPS, I sent it to work with my son, since he has owned several GPS units including an older Magellan GPS unit. He was able to figure out that in addition to the MapSend Topo 3D USA GPS Software, you need to install the Magellon Conversion Manager that is located on an included CD that is labeled Installation Wizard. After figuring this all out, I now have a fairly detailed topo map of Washington state loaded on my GPS.
First Impressions of a GPS Novice
Since purchasing the GPS unit, I haven’t had an opportunity to test the unit in more remote areas to see how detailed the maps are. These are my observations so far:
- Standard AAA batteries don’t last more than 4-6 hours of continous use. I could probably get more running time out of the GPS by purchasing a better set of batteries for it.
- I’ve noticed a longer time to determine my location upon initial startup since the topo maps were loaded onto the GPS unit. I’m not sure if loading multiple smaller maps would make a difference or if this is just the way it is with GPS units.
- Purchase a 12v car adapter to power your GPS unit while in your vehicle. I just received mine from Magellon and will be soon testing it out.
- If a rechargeable battery did not come with your purchase – buy one. I ordered mine along with an AC charger from Magellon for a special price of $19.99 and of course, it’s on backorder with no available ship date. At least I can power it through my Land Cruiser’s 12v power outlet.
- If you call for customer service, it is outsourced to India or another country outside the US. I had to ask the customer service rep to repeat himself several times because I could not understand what he was saying the first time.
Time for Accessories
As with any new toy, it’s not enough to leave something alone when I can buy accessories for my GPS. So as it stands now, my wish list includes a mounting device for the GPS unit, a mounting device to hold my old school Apple Powerbook G3 lap top computer, Apple compatible software so my GPS unit can communicate with my computer while driving, and topo maps on DVD for the areas I am visiting. Of course all this means that I need to increase the availability of 12v power ports in my Toyota Land Cruiser, maybe even add a second battery….does it ever stop?
Now I need to get out and learn how to use my new GPS.
Happy Trails,
Steve
I have to say, the couple of times I’ve felt a handheld GPS would really have been an asset – Lost trying to find the track up to Mt. Eolus, or trying to keep to the “trail” before the snows had melted up to Spider Meadows – my hand-held GPS, a garmin unit, was completly worthless.
Whether it’s trees, ridges, batteries that can’t take the cold, topo maps that are unusable because of the screen tradeoffs on a handheld unit, a cracked screen, one that’s flakey due to a weakened LCD connection, or one that trips off with no warning every 30 minutes due to a bad voltage regulator (ask me how I know) there’s always something about these consumer-grade units that tries to get me killed.
Having a paper map and a compass, and most importantly a sense of orienteering, is the ticket for the back country. Conversely I love vehicle units, particularly for navigation; First a StreetPilot 2620 (until it succumbed to some of the above problems), now a TomTom910, they can make everyday chores of driving very easy and straightforward.
It took me until the last time I got back from a road-trip to California to realize that I had not even taken a paper map with me, either, and if the unit had gone out I could have been in a bad spot. Luckily that was just a pavement based scenic tour – but GPS units build complacency in users, fast!