All things GPS (recommendations, tips, etc.) - merged

[Armymedic]

I just picked on up as my tour gift.

Anyone else got a Rhino?

What do you think about it?

 

[EW]

Sorry Mate,

Don't have one, but I have seen them in use.  Hope you got a set of two not just a single unit.  Two of them are just soooo much fun.  Certainly a major leap from the Radio Shack walkie talkies of my youth.

A couple of observations I've made are that while the GMRS frequencies offer a much greater range than the FRS freqs (the Rhine 130 has both FRS and GMRS freqs) I would not use the GMRS frequencies unless your FRS reception is poor.  FRS freqs use less power than GMRS freqs (FRS .5 Watt and GMRS 1.0 Watt for the Rhino).  Sticking with FRS longer will lengthen your battery life.

Sad note is that while the 130 has 8 GMRS radio freqs which are for repeater use, the repeaters have not been authorized in Canada yet - to my knowledge.  A good website on the GMRS story in Canada that is worth a read is at:

http://www.cnp-wireless.com/ArticleArchive/Wireless%20Telecom/2005Q2WT%20GMRS.html

If you have two you can plot the other radio's location on your Rhino (and vice versa).  Kind of fun for a family trip involving more than one car, or for hiking in the woods.

It has a digital compass feature, which might come in handy, but based on personal experience with digital compasses (I've had one on my Magellan in Bosnia/Haiti/Afghan) I never like the thing for shooting bearings, I always bring a good old "analogue" compass 

Hope this helps, and enjoy your new tool/toy.

 

[renfley]

they are a great GPS, the FRS range is not so good though...

 

[Armymedic]

I am liking the GPS on my rhino, still having to learn how to use it properly. As for the range...I have kids. For now if they are further then 3 kms away, then there is a problem. Mostly we use FRS for shopping and trips to amusment parks, where my wife and I may be seperated. I'll look to buy another in a yr or two as the price comes down.

 

[theoldyoungguy]

i just bought an Etrex GPS and am trying to figure out how to set it up to give me grids that are used on our military maps. by looking at the instructions im assuming i have to configure the position format, and map datum options somehow. can anyone with an etrex GPS help me out on how to format it... keeping in mind ill be using this mainly in WATC if that makes a difference?

 

[George Wallace]

In your "map datum options", what are your options?

 

[Kat Stevens]

main menu
setup
units
map datum >MGRS

You're there

Also....
Main menu
setup
heading
North reference> Grid

 

[theoldyoungguy]

In your "map datum options", what are your options?

theres a huge list of possible options, i currently have my options set at...

Position Format
MGRS

Map Datum
NAD27 Canada

Distance/Speed
Metric

Elevation/Vert.Speed
Meters

any suggestions on what i can do to properly set this so i can use it in accordance with CF maps?

 

[Kat Stevens]

Set map datum to WGS 84

 

[theoldyoungguy]

thanks for your help it is GREATLY appreciated, and it will be even more appreciated when i use it on ex in 2 weeks.

thanks again

 

[Kat Stevens]

One last thing.  Don't just blindly run off into the toolies without knowing your GPS is setup properly.  Do some short course navs around the base before you head out...Wainwright gets VERY confusing after dark...

 

[TCBF]

It sure is, I'm there.  ;D

Carry a compass, too.  Compasses don't need batteries.

Just before we went to Kandahar in 2002, I bought an Etrex - $199.00 plus the hated GST.  My wife said "There goes the food budget", but the pathological liars with red armbands and yellow wagon wheels took all of our hazardous Cargo LSD batteries from our GPSs.  They said they would "Be there when we got there," but, since I was on the lead C5B, I doubted them.

Good thing.

The first several OPs around the airfield where staked in with Garmins and Magellans.

We got the LSD batteries three weeks or so later.

Tom

 

[theoldyoungguy]

oh im awesome with a map and compass. on an ftx ok course, the course officer picked me to be navigator. and im always bang on when doing nav. always been told i kick ass at nav. i just bought this to save time. just because im good at something doesnt mean i like doing it

 

[theoldyoungguy]

also i plan on using it in conjunction with the map and compass. GPS can get f****d up, map and compass never lies.

 

[Armymedic]

Speaking of..

I got the Rino 130, with topo maps set. I was wondering if there is 1. a good online source, and 2. a good book, for referencing all the different map datums, grid measurements et all that everyone uses for nav.

I was looking at a geocaching site and can't get my maps and data to work with the various datums and locations they use.

 

[Kat Stevens]

You need to find out which map datum the cacheing sites are using.   WGS 84 is the default for most Garmin units: World Geological Survey 1984.   Every map printing company uses a different datum for their information.   Somewhere on the sites you are looking at, they will tell you which datum they are using.

Try gpscity.com for lots of good info....an Alladin's cave of GPS stuff

 

[Armymedic]

been to GPScity, but will dive deeper.

Any other good references?

 

[Kat Stevens]

There are 2 programs you can download:  Easy GPS, and Expert GPS.  Sorry, no link, but Google finds them pretty quick.  Lots of handy tools in there.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Here's another one of my fave sites, loaded with great info:
http://gpsinformation.net/

 

[Armymedic]

great link, thanks.