GPS Systems and Reviews

Navigate the Waters with a Handheld Marine GPS System

Do you love to get out on the water and have been looking for a handheld marine GPS system that will help you navigate more efficiently? There are a number of units on the market today that can help you accomplish this goal, so in this article we will look at what you can expect from one of these units, as well as which are more popular among consumers and reviewers.

Under the Sea

Ever wonder what’s going on under the sea? Well you can finally find out when you get your hands on a handheld marine GPS system. It is for this reason that so many professional boaters, hunters and fishers are thrilled to get their hands on one. You can do much more with one of these devices than you could with your own eyes.

Like what, you ask?

Well first, many of these devices can tell you information about what’s going on weather-wise. And while many (hopefully most) professional boaters are going to have some type of NMEA communication already in place, it doesn’t hurt to have more information available to you, especially if you travel to another location and dock the boat for a while.

Another great function that people love about these devices is that some can predict where fish and game are located, and in what quantities. If you are a professional or amateur fisherman this can benefit you greatly because you don’t have to spend time looking in areas that are irrelevant to your purpose.

A final function that people love about handheld marine GPS units is that most offer turn-by-turn navigation on and off of the water. This means that not only can you find your way to place on the sea in no time with one of these devices; you can also find your way home in your vehicle once you dock your boat.

These are just a few of the features you can look forward to if you purchase one of these units, so not let’s take some time to look at some available products on the market today.

Available Units

There are several handheld marine GPS receiver on the market to choose from; however those listed below have better reputations on the market according to top expert reviewers in the technology industry.

Garmin GPSMAP 76CX with Color Display – This unit can be used on the land or sea and is perfect for those who love to explore the outodoors and want the assurance that they’ll never get lost while out there. It is rugged and waterproof (it can even float on the water), and comes with tons of features. For example, it is WAAS-enabled, comes with integrated auto route basemaps of North and South America and a 128 MB microSD card that allows you to load additional maps if you need to. Some other features you can look forward to from this device include turn-by-turn routing while on the water or on land, a built-in quad-helix receiving antenna, and the ability to store 1,000 user waypoints and 50 reversible rotes with up to 250 points each. It also has a backlite keypad with large number displays to let you easily view it at night, and a battery life of 18 hours so that you can function for long periods of time before recharging.

Lowrance XOG – This handheld marine GPS system is advertised as being pocket-sized, portable, sensitive and accurate. It comes with a bright 3.5-inch color touchscreen display and 2GB of built-in memory for adding maps to the already existent NAVTEQ turn-by-turn precision data. It comes with over 3.5 million points of interest already stored on the system, an out-of-vehicle navigation function, and retraceable trails and waypoint features so that you can go back to a location you’ve visited without getting lost. A few other features you’ll love from this device include a JPEG picture viewer, 1-watt loudspeaker for audio directions, an MP3 player, and SD memory card. It comes with a rechargeable Li-Ion battery and is moisture resistant, but not water proof like the Garmin unit. However, it does accept the largest choice of detailed mapping available for marine travel, so if you love options, you’ll love this device.

A handheld marine GPS system is definitely a great choice for those who spend a great deal of time in the water and need help with navigation. So make sure that before you take your next trip you find the right device for you. Then you’ll be able to surprise your friends, family or crew with a handheld marine GPS system that will provide the best navigation experience they’ve ever had.

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What is the Best Handheld GPS Unit?

It’s always fun to find a new device that you can tinker with like a toy. For some, this device might be a new watch, or a new stereo system, or even a new computer. But for those who like to get outside and have an adventure in a new area, their fun might be in purchasing some type of GPS device to help them navigate in the great outdoors. But of course, you can’t just go out and buy anything sitting on the shelf (or website). You have to be able to determine which ones are better than others. So in this article, we will look at which is the best handheld GPS unit according to the types available so that you can have a better idea of those that you might want to have accompany you on you next excursion.

What’s Available in the World of GPS?

Before you set out to buy the best handheld GPS unit on the market, it’s important to understand how many are really out there. Basically, there are a lot. There are some to be used for hiking, keeping track of your dog, biking, boating and more. So you will need to narrow down the reason you want to utilize one of these devices first – then begin to choose the one that has a reputation for being the best. To help you narrow down the options, I have created categories of popular use then listed the unit that had a top five ranking among reviewers. This way you can begin to determine which is the best handheld GPS unit based on your needs. 

Hiking – Magellan SportTrack

According to the experts, the Magellan SportTrack is one of the greatest options for those who love to get outdoors to hike along trails or in other remote areas. But it is not just good for hiking – you can also take advantage of features created for those who boat, bike, hunt or fish. It is revered for its high level of accuracy and offers nine large graphic navigation displays so that you can view all of the charting information regarding your travels in one place.

It is WAAS enabled and offers a quadifiler antenna that is able to pick up all 12 satellites orbiting the Earth at once (most devices on pick up 4 at a time). During your trek, you can store up to 20 of the routes you’ve taken so that you can easily go back and find where you hiked without having to guess. In addition, the device stores up to 500 waypoints, and 2,000 track points. And if you are hiking in a very remote area, the device can give you the Sun/Moon positions, and can even help calculate the fish and game in the area with incredible accuracy.

For Boating – EKP-IIIC Color

While it is hard to pinpoint the best handheld GPS unit for boating on the market, this device definitely makes the list. It is a great system for those who are on the water as professional boaters, or those who like to get out there occasionally. Its great features start with a high resolution TFT color display that is easy to view on a cloudy day or in the bright glare of the Sun. In addition, it offers WAAS compatibility, AvMap technology, and a C-MAP C-Card that lets you locate nearby areas and keeps you closely connected to other databases in the North, South and Central Americas.

Some other features of this device include internal land cartography for the Americas, a large 6.4” anti-glare screen with HIS display and 640 x 480 resolution, a simulator mode, auto zoom, and a fuel calculator. Overall, you can guarantee that this device will never let you get lost on the water.

For Fitness – Garmin Forerunner

There are several Garmin Forerunner devices on the market – seven to be exact. But what many people consider the best handheld GPS unit of the bunch is actually “wrist-held” which makes its use even more convenient. The Forerunner 101 was created for fitness purposes such as keeping track of your time, distance when running laps, cycling speeds, heart rate and more. It stores your stats from day to day so you can easily compare and improve, and even comes with a foot pod.

The best handheld GPS unit is probably impossible to find because there is so much competition. But this list will certainly help get you started. Just be sure that you have a type of device you’re interested in. That way, you’ll be able to find the best handheld GPS unit for your needs.

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