RE: [Paddlewise] GPS

James,

I'm new here to this list and I live in Houston, but I use my GPS for
kayaking, trail running, and road travel.  It will do exactly what you are
asking down to as close as about 15 feet of accuracy.  I have a Garmin Etrex
it's yellow and about the size of 2 snickers bars side by side. It is water
resistant (ie: I have had it under about 3 feet of water max for several
minutes and it still workes fine.  cost is about $110 at Acadamy or you can
find them online.  Also you need a PC cable ~$45 (I recomend the
PC/cigerette lighter cable so you can use it for both communicating with
your PC and as a power cord in your car. ) and you will need mapping
software ~$75 if you want to upload/download waypoints and routes to your
GPS.  I use Garmins US Roads and recreation CD, but Delorem sells a cd that
is cheaper and others I know like it.  And it has a backlight which has come
in handy for a kayak race I did at night.

You can skip the pc cable and mapping software if you just want to know
where you started, what route you have taken so far (and follow it back
exactly) distance traveled, max speed, elevation, how to get back to your
start, or repeat a previously traveled track (a route taken previously that
you saved in your gps for later use).  But I highly recomend the pc cable
and software.

You can pull up the river on the mapping software, find areas you might like
to stop or visit, make waypoint marks or create a route to follow and
download to your GPS.  Actual roads and rivers won't be downloaded to your
gps like a map, but the points and routes you definied will be.  There are
more expensive (mappable) GPS systems that can download actual road maps.

Then you can go home after your travels, upload your saved tracts from the
gps to the pc, and save it for future reference or download.  You can even
copy and paste the map with your tracts and waypoints and paste into a
graphics program so you can share it with others on a web page or such.

The only thing I could think of being bad for your situation is if you have
the gps tucked in a dry bag or out of view of the sky, you might not get a
satelite signal.  I mounted mine on the deck of my kayak and I've never had
a problem. But even in your dry bag, pull it out turn it on, and if you
marked your starting point it will tell you the distance and most direct way
(as a crow flies) to your destination. 


Roy
=:-)
on on!!
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	James S Smith [SMTP:jssmith_at_link.com]
> Sent:	Thursday, April 26, 2001 10:06 AM
> To:	(E-mail), paddlewise
> Subject:	[Paddlewise] GPS
> 
> Being relatively new to kayaking, I am constantly learning new tricks
> and getting advice from more experienced kayakers ( the few I have found
> in the DFW, TX area).  Having just recently stumbled across your list, I
> thought I would get some advice on GPS systems.  I kayak down the Laguna
> Madre and want to make a two week trip in July.  My problem:  I have a
> hard time estimating where I am and distance to finish/turnaround
> point.  I hear GPS is good and bad for this.  Anyone have advice on
> economical "working" unit that might give me a clue?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> James
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