GPS recommendation

The mapping functionality is exactly what enables you to achieve those objectives.

I use a Garmin GPS12 these are very basic but will tell me where I am , I run Oziexplorer in the 4x4 so it does all the work and the garmin just supplies the location , You can down load the data from the GPS to Ozi later at home even if you dont run the full moving maps you should pick one of these up cheap , have a look at ebay

The Garmin etrex is a pretty basic unit, and would do what you want, I picked up a second hand unit for about $125 a year or so ago, and keep it as a spare in the day trip bag. My mate has had one for years, since they first released them, he went round Oz for 12 months with it, and had no probs what so ever. He only recently bought a later model with the mapping function, but could do with out it no worries.

Hi BBails,

It is pretty hard to go past the Garmin Etrex or Garmin Geko. They are pretty cheap, durable, reliable and pretty easy to hook up to a laptop.
I brought mine from an online marine shop and the prices were pretty good. Here is the link:
http://discountmarineworld.com/shop/

Good Luck,
Brett

Brent

Presume you want to use it in a vehicle whilst on trails...

If so, the eTrex is very sensitive to the line-of-site to the sky for satelites. The more slope you have on the windscreen the better. Have tried an etrex on the dash of a Patrol (good), Hilux (OK) and Defender (poor). Reception degades further in forest (when I most need it).

Contemplating one that supports an external antenna. You used to be able to get re-radiating antennas for the likes of the eTrex, but apparently they are extremely hard to get in Oz now.

eTrex would be great for what you want. If you have a Johnny Appleseed store where you live go see them - very keen prices. Agree with Rod re loss of satellites under heavy overhead foliage. Apart from that works fine from the dash of an 80 series. We bought the cigarette lighter attachment and I installed a second socket so that it doesn't turn off when I turn off the motor.

I have bought 5 Magellan Meridians from the US and even had one repaired under warranty by Magellan in Perth.

The last two Golds I bought were about $680 landed for the pair (airfreight, 2 golds, a windscreen mount and two pwr/data cables).

Can't beat that.

Load up discoverAUS (Use the change to buy it locally) and away you go. Mapping GPS are the way to go.

When you get your GPS try geocaching.

Dave

Brent,
Both Garmin & Magellan are good, well-known brands.
There are 2 types of GPSs - mapping ones and basic ones.

Mapping ones (like Magellan Meridian) are more expensive and can display a map on screen. If you buy in Oz, you will get an Australian Basemap, which is OK to get the general idea of where you are. If you buy from the US (much cheaper) you will get a US basemap. It is possible to change this for an Oz one, but you will have to quietly ask around on the forums, because no-one will risk legal action by blatantly posting a copyrighted map.
To get more detail, you will need to buy detailed map software, which you can run on both your PC and on the GPS.

Basic GPSs do not display maps, they show your position with numbers and enable you to record a track and mark waypoints. You can upload these to your PC, but you need something to upload them to. Navigation software (eg OziExplorer) is available to do this - it costs $130, but there is a free trial available on their website. But, you still don't have any maps to display where you went, or where you plan to go. There are some free ones around, but a good deal is the set of Natmap Raster Maps which cover the whole of Oz at 1:250,000 for $90.

More expensive GPSs come with SD memory cards, which enable you to store large amounts of data.

So to summarize:
You can buy a basic GPS, which will tell you your position (and where you have been), and you can plot this onto paper maps. If you want to do more, you will need to buy navigation software and digital maps. A bonus of this method is that you can (in a vehicle) connect a laptop to the GPS & run a "moving map", which will display the map on the screen of the laptop, together with a "You-are-here" arrow.

Or you can pay more money for a mapping GPS which will give you a basic map, and you can run "moving map" without having a connected laptop. To get a more detailed map, you will have to buy one, which will incorporate the navigation software, such as Mapsend's "Discover Australia Streets and Tracks".

When I bought my first GPS, no-one told me this basic info - just bragged about makes & models.

Hope this helps.

DaveO

I use the Magellan Meridian Gold that I bought in a Traveller Value pack from Olbis Communications in Brisbane. Great Value for the pack as you get the GPS Reciever with the Oz basemap, Vehicle Suction Bracket, PC and 12 Volt Cable and the DiscoverAus Mapping software with a preloaded 256mb memory card all for $865.00 and best of all it is under Australian warranty unlike the EBay specials. Plus you can use the DiscoverAus on your Laptop as a moving map and they have the new Topo software coming out soon so you can have topo on your GPS and on your computer. Check them out at www.olbis.com.au.

Roger