LOOKING TO BUY NEW GPS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS???

[brocka]

In response to your quote about the external antenna getting better satellite reception and quicker position in dense forest, I would be interested to test this in the field. The 450 had acquired my signal and was very accurate in thick trees last Saturday. I wonder how much better the external antenna really is. Selling point maybe?

I have the internal antenna model above (older generation), and a partner has a GPSmap version (maybe a prior version than the one linked).  I get fast fixes when in the clear; not so much in heavy trees, or it loses satellites more easily in heavily forested areas.  Right alongside me, the partner's maintained satellite fix more robustly.  It's anecdotal, but my next unit, if mine ever dies (6-8 years old?), will be one of the Rhino models.

That's interesting, Thanks for the feedback! There is soooo many choices out there these days that the best advice for someone, I think, is to find something that is appealing to you and if it works then stick with it.

[elkoholic1]

thanks to everyone for there opinions and feedback i appreciate all of it i agree the best info is word of mouth from people who actually have hands on experience with a product!!

[brocka]

thanks to everyone for there opinions and feedback i appreciate all of it i agree the best info is word of mouth from people who actually have hands on experience with a product!!

Let us know what you end up with!

[elkoholic1]

will do !   

[Cascade_fisher]

I use a Rino 530 HCX which is great. Nearly all of the people I hunt with use Rinos as well and with the hands-free mics it makes it very usable even for bird hunting and bs'ing.  I fully agree with not leaving it on all the time and having the AAA battery pack (everything I carry uses AAA so if need be I could power any one device from another's batteries). You need to learn how to turn the radio and/or the GPS off to conserve battery power. It last for a couple days but I don't like it to go dead so I tend to power down systems or altogether.
I also have a regular compass (Silva Ranger) that I am good at using so it is not my only means to navigate - besides the mirror on the compass is my signal mirror and get crap out of my eye assistant.

[carpsniperg2]

Rhino's are sweet!

[pianoman9701]

Rhino's are sweet!

One of the coolest thing about Rinos is that when there's someone else with one, whether they're hunting with you or not, they show up on your map every time they key the mic.

[Miles]

Rhino's are sweet!

One of the coolest thing about Rinos is that when there's someone else with one, whether they're hunting with you or not, they show up on your map every time they key the mic.

One of the reasons why I don't like them.   I really don't want advertise my location to every joe blow out there on the mountain.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

provided they are on the same channel, then you get that.  Go off to your own channel and you are fine.  Or you can turn off your GPS broadcast with the radio also....

[Miles]

Good to know...


The other reason I don't like them is because my friend has one and it just EATS up the batteries.   I carry around a small GPS and can go a whole season on one set of batteries.  He's always complaining that his is low on batteries, or he can't use it because it's going to die soon.   

[CAMPMEAT]

Shop online before you spend too much money at the store. I have a Garmin 60csx. That's what the DNR uses from what my friend says that works for them. Must be good...

[halflife65]

following...

[Arrowhead]

60CSX.  Nothing more to say.

[Skillet]

60CSX.  Nothing more to say.

+1.  Love mine.  Light and easy on batt's.  The Garmin Topo maps are pretty darn good for the money, too.  The only thing I don't really care for as much is the hassle of manually entering lat/long waypoints.  But, that's only a one-time deal.  Mine goes with me anytime I'm fishing or hunting, hiking, etc.

[dscubame]

Rhino's are sweet!

One of the coolest thing about Rinos is that when there's someone else with one, whether they're hunting with you or not, they show up on your map every time they key the mic.

One of the reasons why I don't like them.   I really don't want advertise my location to every joe blow out there on the mountain.

You can turn the locator function off which mine is off religiously.  On the flip side I scan a great deal if I know there are other hunters in the area as usually they do not have the locator turned off and I like to know were others are for more than a few reasons.