So I've already worn out one set of double A's with my new GPS. Heck, I made it to the grocery store yesterday and back without getting lost. My neighbors think I've lost it. I keep going around and around the house, up and down the street, down to the school, jump in the car and take off only to return 3 minutes later and walk to Waypoint # 1 at the head of the driveway. I found my way to Waypoint 3, a.k.a. "The Bridge", without looking up. I drove to the woods(19.78 miles round trip) and marked a tree for a stand, then found my way to Waypoint # 5(my truck) without getting lost. I backtracked home to within 1.25 feet of Waypoint # 1. I'm a GPS'ing fool. My wife says I'm just a fool.[][&:] Anyway, I'm really going to like having this do dad. It will really come in handy in NY where I'm way off the road and tend to follow my nose which has lead to certain terrain features being "Misplaced" in fresh snow a couple times. It's really handy and easy to learn all the screens. I've made and deleted tons of waypoints, tracks etc. Last night I plotted a waypoint on the GPS map where I thought a point was. I walked to it this AM. I was astounded to find my eyeball calculation on flat ground was within 50 meters of where I wanted to be in this swamp. Now I have the exact spot marked...but it's good to know the thing works.

One question, do all these models give you the reading when you start of "Accurate to within XXX feet) It's usually like 20 or so. I thought they were more accurate than that. When I backtracked to my house waypoint it was within 1.25 feet.

Anyway, it's fun. I've already been touring the hunting woods in Booneville, NY from 400 miles away. One question on Garmins Topo Mapping. Is the software you buy the same as that on the websites. I mean when I scan the topos on the website they're not anything like a real topo to me. They don't have the vegetation, small ponds, fields and open areas or anything that a National Geological Topo Map has. They're really stripped. Is the $100 topo map software REAL topos or stripped down versions?

The accuracy indication is stating that the system estimates your are within "X" feet of the exact position reported. If you backtrack close t the same time to a waypoint you have saved, the position reported will be almost exactly the same. This is because within a short amount of time, the errors introduced into the system are about the same - satellite positional error, signal reflections, timeing, etc.

So, even though the position is reported as almost the same, you are still only within "X" feet of the actual position vs. what was reported.

Without using a WAAS ensable GPS receiver your accuracy is typically within 10 meters (33 ft). My unit (not WAAS enables usually shows somewhere between 15 and 20 ft. estimated accuracy.

Waypoint #6........

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David, I am with you on this one. I picked one up just prior to bow season this year. No more "bright eyes" to find my stand. I really like how easy it is to use. Now I wonder how I ever got along with out it!

All right, keep this kind of banter up, and you're gonna give me the bug to get a new toy!

OK... we'll be quiet so we don't get you all hyped up. Seeing that picture BadshotBob posted gives me an idea. I can always mark in those spots and not step in it.

David, I got my topo software today from Magellan. I am pretty un-impressed with it. I was expecting (being that I bought the TOPO software) that it would look like a Topo map, like on topo zone. I am still in the "figuring out" stage, so maybe its there, and I havent found how to do it yet. Glad you like your new toy, I'll be doing the same thing shortly.

David, which make and model are you using? I'm considering one myself.Do those garmin etrexs work well anyone?Man are they cheap,but they don't have map capability I dont believe.

CB

Heck i've had one of those 'toys', as my wife calls it, for 7 years & I don't leave home without it!!!!! Brampton Mike [8D]