Best handheld GPS ?

I have a Garmin Vista HCx GPS that is useless for finding brush piles. I can mark one or enter a waypoint and it will not return to the spot using the electronic compass feature. When you get to about 200 feet, the compass arrow will start pointing in every direction- very frustrating. I have called Garmin and done all their down loads and fixes with no better luck.

SO, tell me what your experience has been with a GOOD handheld GPS with an electronic compass feature. I guess I am going to have to purchase one soon. I have hearde that the Garmin gpsmap 62 is a good one.

Has it go to be a handheld?? Now a days you can get a portable Humminbird with GPS for around the same money. Just a thought.
With that said, I have heard the gpsp 62 is good unit. I have a gpsmap 60cx that does a good job, use it mostly when carrying someone fishing and using their boat.

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Has it go to be a handheld?? Now a days you can get a portable Humminbird with GPS for around the same money. Just a thought.
With that said, I have heard the gpsp 62 is good unit. I have a gpsmap 60cx that does a good job, use it mostly when carrying someone fishing and using their boat.

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How close will it get you to a waypoint? Does the electric compass arrow work like it is supposed to on your unit? I am looking at the Garmin gpsmap 78 sc or the gpsmap 62s. I just want to make sure it will get me within the 30 foot circle that they advertise coz mine will not do it at all. Thanks for the input.

I have used a Garmin 72 and a 76S for years with no problems. Both units are very accurate, the accuracy is always 7 feet or below. I never use the compass page, I always use the map page with the pointer and distance to next options.

I use the Magellan cheap exployer(sp). I have approx 600 stake beds, no problems. I keep about 60 on a gps. Another thing I like about magellan is you can number your matts, and also give them a name. I keep a certain area of the lake on the same gps. Another area on a different one, and so on. Each area is named something different. For example one area might be named after different birds, thus the bird matts. cigerette matts, bible matts, state matts, tree matts, etc. Easier for me to remember a good matt I want to fish by a name than by a number

I have an older iFinder by Lowrance. It works very well. I don't use the compass though. I always leave it on map mode and mark my spots. As I get close to them I slow down and watch my sonar unit for the crib. Deeper the water the easier they are too find again, cone on the sonar unit gets bigger the deeper the water.

Can you change the Coordinate System on your GPS? Which system are you using?

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Originally Posted by goblerblaster

I am looking at the Garmin gpsmap 78 sc or the gpsmap 62s.

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gb did you ever get your Garmin handheld GPS? I just purchase a 78sc and wanted to see if you purchase one? I am now in the process of learning what this will do. Just as Rees stated I wanted a portable for when I am on another boat and as a back up to what I have on my boat. Have yet to see if this will be beneficial of not.

I have a garmin 78 that works very good, the label handheld had me fool for a while, as long as I held the unit in my hand it gave me various readings and headings. Laid it down and woollaa it started to work, so I bought a ram mount and my trouble went away. My guess is it has to be stationary to get and give good readings.

Now thats so strange ... Handheld unit that cant be held in hand? I got to play with it and become more literate with all this electronic stuff. Maybe by doing so I can fight of Alzheimer's for just a bit longer.:yikes Did you get one of the lake maps for yours? Seems the way the make things these days (darn Bean Counters) you cant fully use things right out of the box anymore. They always have some add on that you need to purchase with then allows you to fully utilize the things.

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Originally Posted by chulai1968

I have a garmin 78 that works very good, the label handheld had me fool for a while, as long as I held the unit in my hand it gave me various readings and headings. Laid it down and woollaa it started to work, so I bought a ram mount and my trouble went away. My guess is it has to be stationary to get and give good readings.

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You forget to take off you Rolex?:dono

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Originally Posted by Rees Guide

Has it go to be a handheld?? Now a days you can get a portable Humminbird with GPS for around the same money. Just a thought.
With that said, I have heard the gpsp 62 is good unit. I have a gpsmap 60cx that does a good job, use it mostly when carrying someone fishing and using their boat.

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I also have the Garmin 60 csx--Very good handheld. It has a long battery life. It has a micro sd slot to add detailed mapping. I use it primarily for crappie fishing. I consider it very accurate. I would recommend it.

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Originally Posted by Cane Pole

You forget to take off you Rolex?:dono

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Timex is my watch of choice, take a licking and keep on ticking

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Originally Posted by joey

I also have the Garmin 60 csx--Very good handheld. It has a long battery life. It has a micro sd slot to add detailed mapping. I use it primarily for crappie fishing. I consider it very accurate. I would recommend it.

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Joey, IS it hard to see the way point you put on it? Can you rename them? Did you get any map sd cards for it. If so which one and does it give good detail (topo). If no how is the map that is on the hand held. THanks

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Originally Posted by Knot2Bad

Joey, IS it hard to see the way point you put on it? Can you rename them? Did you get any map sd cards for it. If so which one and does it give good detail (topo). If no how is the map that is on the hand held. THanks

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Sorry for late response--the GPS fits in the palm of your hand, so it's not a big screen but big enough I think--it has zoom capabilities so you can zoom all the way down to 20 ft--very helpful if you want to get exactly on your waypoint.

Yes you can rename them--you can also manually enter coordinates

Yes I did download the garmin detailed maps--I can't remember the name but it was for the se United States--I believe the basemap is not very
Detailed but what I downloaded has a lot of detail

I have a Delorme and they are pretty good. Puts me on target every time, removable storage (SD cards) and internal storage, manually enter waypoint names and gps coordinates, accepts navionics chip, and probably a few more features that I don't know about. When I found this unit all stores pretty much had a set price at $399 and I found what I believe was a mistake on the walmart website at $150. Needless to say, I immediately made the purchase. The base mapping is very generic (blue = water and green = land) but they do include certificates for free map downloads.