Gene:
Right now, I am still using my Garmin GPSMap 60CSX that is close to 20 years old. Today’s equivalent would be one of units in the 65 or 64x series. I haven’t upgraded because other than a few minor benefits and a bigger screen, my old unit still does the job. I also have been hopelessly waiting & hoping for Garmin to add “categories” to the software in the handhelds like they have in their Nuvi series of automotive GPS units.
The last time I checked, handhelds don’t have “category” sorting so I’ll stick with my 60CSX. FWIW – With categories, I could organize my waypoints by a myriad of criteria like for example, wild trout streams, species of trout, special regulation type, when it is open or closed to fishing at a certain time of year, proximity to camping, you name it. Then when I am looking through a list of potential spots, I don’t have to scroll through as much stuff to find things of interest. I have a Nuvi in my car and in that, I can have my waypoints categorized. That is a huge time saver if I am looking for something specific, but I can’t use the Nuvi in the woods…
I have the Garmin City Navigator & Topo 24K maps loaded in my GPS that allow me to use the GPS for navigation and it gives me turn-by-turn directions. I use the Gamin Base Camp software and the same maps in my PC to create, manage and organize my waypoints AND CREATE MY OWN routes to places, versus letting the GPS do it for me. When I go fishing, I load my routes, tracks & waypoints into the unit and off I go.
Regarding routes, I can’t tell you how many thousands of times, letting the GPS create a route would have proved a disaster, especially if you want to go a specific way to avoid certain roads, problems or if the GPS map is wrong, WHICH HAPPENS. I use my GPS to get me vacation destinations and I can tell without a doubt, there is NO WAY the GPS would route me the way I go. By creating my own route and loading it in, I avoid that hassle. It’s like the old days of going to AAA and getting them to plan a route.
Trust me, even Google Maps are wrong until somebody reports the error and they get around to fixing it. All routing devices rely on satellite coordinates to get you from point A to point B, which are displayed on a map used to create the route. If the map is wrong, the routing device will send you the wrong way. A few years back I reported to both Google & Garmin that neither had the recently opened Exit 87 – Route 903 on the I-Northeast Extension I-476 on their maps. That would have meant anyone using a phone or a GPS to get to Jim Thorpe or Hickory Run would have been sent the old long way…
I also have the ability to create custom waypoint symbol shapes that I color code depending on the type of stream it is. That really helps a LOT when you are looking at 100 dots on a screen and you can tell at least SOMETHING about them by the color or shape.
I get folks desire to use their phones for everything and when they come out with a toilet paper app, I guess they will have reached nirvana. However for me, the flexibility of a GPS, the ability to use regular alkaline batteries that are long lasting and easily replaced, a built in electronic compass, it’s waterproof and the superior antennas in a handheld GPS including GLONAS satellite tracking, means I will get a signal in the deepest forested canyon I fish…
…and I get back out to talk about it.
