[Coral-List] need GPS recommendations

[Todd Barber]

Hey Steve,

I am a strong believe if it is not broken, don't fix it....BUT you might
consider an upgrade to the Garmin GPSmap 60CSx which you can buy new from
under $225 bucks.

Trying to accurately record coordinates on a wrist slate while wearing a
mask at sea is not the easiest of tasks even for a pro and with the number
of digits of precision that can now be recorded at a minimum there could be
rounding errors and most likely over the years of recording numbers at least
a few would likely to have been recorded incorrectly or accidentally
transcribed wrong.

One beauty of the above unit is you can just push two keys (Mark then Enter)
to quickly record the location and a record number (which you can use your
slate to make a backup using that record number).....if I were following a
turtle for example I could just keep hitting mark and enter as I followed
and you'd not only get the turtle location but also it's path!

When combined with a camera you can take pictures and points as fast as you
can snap a shot and that's really great if you have to record a lot of data
in a short period of time and as all of us that work in the sea know
collection time is often limited by weather, boat availability and a host of
other reasons.

By the way, the newer sensitive antennas REALLY are better....and the
mapping functions are a nice bonus.

Just my two cents worth....I don't have any special interest in Garmin.



Thanks,

Todd R Barber
Chairman, Reef Ball Foundation
3305 Edwards Court
Greenville, NC 27858
252-353-9094 (Direct)
941-720-7549 (Cell & Goggle Voice)
toddbarber Skype

www,reefball.org (Reef Ball Foundation)
www.artificialreefs.org (Designed Artificial Reefs)
www.reefbeach.com (Reefs for Beach Erosion)
www.eternalreefs.com (Memorial Reefs)
www.reefball.com (Reef Ball Foundation)



On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 8:05 PM, Steve S <wpbdiver at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> Hi Sarah,
>
> I have been using an original Garmin eTrex (circa 1999-2000) for several
> years while doing a sea turtle survey project via snorkel. It's basic,
> rugged and waterproof (although not for submersion) and it's what I already
> owned when I decided to start recording GPS coordinates of the turtles I
> see. I simply need to see the coordinates, nothing else.
>
> I put it in a Pelican 1010 case and attach that to my dive flag, which is
> towed behind me. The rubber lining in the bottom of the case keeps it
> buoyant so the GPS faces upright in all but really choppy seas (which you
> probably wouldn't be snorkeling in anyway). When I spot a turtle, I pull in
> the line to read the coordinates and mark them on my wrist slate.
>
> If I don't place the GPS in the case just right, water often leaks in and
> the only problem I've ever had was with condensation obscuring my view of
> the coordinates (if the water was cool and the sun was hot). When the GPS
> takes a bath in salt water, I just clean it thoroughly when I get home.
> Until this thing dies, I won't be changing GPS units.
>
> However, the original eTrex (yellow) was discontinued in 2007 and replaced
> by the Garmin eTrex H, which is supposed to have the same specs, but higher
> satellite sensitivity. I'm only speaking about the original Garmin eTrex.
>
> You can get the eTrex H and the Pelican 1010 case for about $110 retail
> (combined) from the manufacturers, but a quick Google search could probably
> save you at least $20 per unit (combined) if you shop around.
>
> If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I'm happy to
> share info. Believe me, I've been working on my project for almost eight
> years and I'm still using the same gear because it works.
>
> Steve S
>
> On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 11:41 AM, <freeds at pdx.edu> wrote:
> >
> > > Dear Coral-Listers,
> > > Can anyone recommend an easy to use, durable, handheld GPS unit?
> > > The units are carried in the water while snorkeling. We use a
> > > combination of waterproof cases and bags to protect them, but there is
> > > occasional leakage. We use the units to mark our research sites out on
> > > the water, so we just need to be able to see the coordinates of our
> > > locations, no maps or fancy features necessary.
> > > We need something that can handle some water contact and that has a
> > > TRULY watertight battery compartment- the compartments in our newer
> > > units corroded despite being 'water tight'. We also need the unit to
> > > withstand normal wear and tear of frequent battery changes and
> > > button-pressing, which our newer units did not either. I have a single
> > > unit that is about 12 years old; it has held up great and has outlived
> > > the newer ones we tried (Garmin 72H). We would appreciate any
> > > recommendations on waterproof bags or hard cases as well.
> > > Sincerely,
> > > Sarah Freed
> > > Environmental Science and Management
> > > Portland State University
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> > >
> > >
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