Street Finder

By D Dunbar in GPS. January 24, 2007

Although the world is full of TomToms and other all singing/dancing multimedia rich GPS navigators lately. There's still a lot to be said for the older, smaller and less advanced GPS receivers like the eTrex.

Running from just two AA batteries (approx 18 hours battery life) the eTrex is a well designed item, bright yellow so it can be easily spotted when dropped in the mud - don't worry it's completely waterproof - and at four inches high and two inches wide (weighing in at just 6 ounces) it will easily fit into the palm of your hand. Buttons are located on either side allowing one handed operation that won't obstruct the screen.

These navigators are designed for rough outdoor use. Accuracy isn't amazing at just 4 metres ( using 12 channels ) and mapping is crude due to its small, mono, low resolution screen. It does store up to 500 waypoints though, enough to guide you round any bleak moor.

The Etrex GPS Navigator

This cheap GPS system is ideal if you want a basic system to mark your position on hikes outdoors without the worry of damaging (due to dropping or even getting rained on) an expensive GPS PDA.

Features :

* Global positioning system (GPS) receiver continuously tracks and uses up to 12 satellites

* Calculates current and average speed, time of sunrise and sunset, trip distance, and more

* Automatic track log--10 saved tracks let you retrace your path in both directions

* Tough waterproof case

* Runs for 18 hours on 2 AA batteries

* Compatible with optional Garmin MapSource software for downloading trip and waypoint data (not map compatible)

Related Links : Garmin | Garmin StreetPilot | Best Sellers

Related Articles : Garmin Streetpilot I3, Garmin Street Pilot C550 SatNav, Garmin Forerunner 101, Garmin Nuvi 300