Re: [Paddlewise] GPS & Mapping Software

Mark,

I've used GPS for about 3 years now (gosh, its like an AA meeting).

I've never used Chartview ... I've been thinking of buying a charting program.  

I mainly use GPS for a speedometer, and to let me know the distance back to the dock, and to record my daily distance for my logbook.  I've set up routes for my old Garmin GPS 38 (which is dead now) and my new Magellan ColorTrak, but I have never actually used the routes on the water.  I just have not found routes to be worth the trouble to set them up.  Personally, I would not make the choice of GPS models based on routes.  It is easy enough to have the points programmed and use "GOTO" to go from WESTP1 to WESTP2 to WESTP3 ...

Now, it would be a horrible death on this group if I did not add that I always carry a map and always have both my deck compass and my pocket compass with me.  I don't count on battery operated electronics as the primary means of getting back home safely (though GPS as one element of your safety gear is very worthwhile).  

jerry.




At 11:54 PM 07/12/2000 -0400, MJAkayaker_at_aol.com wrote:
>I have made a tenative decision to buy a Magellan 315 GPS and Chartview 
>Planner mapping software.  They will be used strictly for kayaking (at least 
>for now I do not know how else I might use them).  The decision was based 
>mainly on the fact that a friend has used this combination for several 
>multi-week/multi-location trips and has had very good results.
>
>I picked the Magellan 315 over the Garmin E-trex due to its ability to store 
>multiple routes.  On trips I generally paddle at 4 or 5 different locations 
>so having multiple routes stored before I leave home seemed like something I 
>would need.  I did not like the layout of the Garmin GPS 12 as well as that 
>of the Magellan.  However, I have not had a chance to spend as much time with 
>the Garmin as I have with my friends Magelan 315 so I might be missing some 
>of the Garmin's extra features.
>
>I have no experience with mapping software so I selected Chartview Planner 
>based on my friends recommendation.  As I understand it, for $100 it comes 
>with north american maps (maybe not all of Canada and Mexico) that are 
>suitable for generating waypoints for most all coastal trips. I think he has 
>planned and downloaded routes in the Great Lakes, Georgia/Carolina coast, 
>Florida/Everglades and Texas with the basic package. Additional Nautical 
>Chart quality electronic maps are available as CD-Roms for particular areas.  
>I just want to do general planning at home before I leave and download 
>waypoints to the GPS.  I will take paper charts with me on the trips.
>
>Am I missing anything I might want to consider before making this purchase.
>I have tried to get information at a couple of GPS websites, but I just kind 
>of get overwhelmed with all the information they have.
>
>Thanks for your help.
>
>Mark J. Arnold
>MJAkayaker_at_aol.com
>
>***************************************************************************
>PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
>to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
>Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
>Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
>Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
>***************************************************************************
> 

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************