GPS question

Odysseus

Hi all, I know quite a few people seem to use some form of GPS system when running to track runs etc. I was looking at the various sport Garmin forerunner's. I looking for some thing that will stop me getting lost in the desert next. As far as I know when are given a bacis map at the start no co-ordinates. My navigation is crap so I when some thing that will give me an ideal of distance and bearing. My question is should I go with one of the above or something like the Garmin Fore Trex? Link for the fore trex below.Cheers.

http://http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/military/index.asp

hunnymonster

battery life on the garmin forerunners are only about 10 hours. not sure about the recharging arrangements in the desert?;)

Odysseus

Are you planning on using anything yourself HM, its really only for day three that that I'm thinking of as it can carry on after dark. Though I would be hoping to finish it by lightlast or soon after;)

robinph

I think that the Forerunner versions will only be any good at tracking where you've been to then allow you to upload that to your PC afterwards. They don't have any mapping ability although they might have an option of giving you a straight line directional arrow to the next waypoint but I'm not sure on that.

The Edge range, cycle computer than running computer, do seem to have mapping in the newest models ( 605/ 705 ). Not sure what the battery life would be like on those though but wouldn't be all that handy for looking at whilst moving, but if you've to stop and look at a map anyway you'll proably get better battery life off one of the eTrex range with just a basic mono screen. And they are smaller and lighter than the 60CSx/ 76Csx/ Coloroado models although they do do pretty much everything on those and have fancy colour sceens.

Edit: Theres unlikely to be much use for a mapping model anyway by the sounds of it, as there won't be a map available to upload to the unit. What you do want though is to find out what co-ordinates system the map that they supply you with uses and then one of the very basic eTrex models would suit to just give you your current location in the approiate mapping co-ordinate system.

Odysseus

Cheers thanks for that robinph, I just at the research part at the moment so I'll chech out the ones you metioned.

Krusty_Clown

You can't rely on GPS alone (for some of the reasons listed above, e.g. battery life, lack of suitable Topo maps, etc.). Last week I couldn't find my GPS receiver. :eek:

Here's some useful links:
How to use a compass: http://www.learn-orienteering.org/
How to read a topographic map: http://raider.muc.edu/~mcnaugma/Topographic%20Maps/topomapindexpage.htm

hunnymonster

Odysseus, I'm still suffering from various leg and lung lesions so not doing a whole lot of anything at the moment. I just got a forerunner 305 a couple of weeks ago. It certainly looks like the business for short races but the battery life is a problem for ironman and beyond.

My partner has a bit of a background in orienteering and some of his mates are army ranger (?) types who have promised to teach me how to navigate with nothing more than a compass. To be honest I really haven't put much thought into what MdeS involves

Odysseus

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You can't rely on GPS alone (for some of the reasons listed above, e.g. battery life, lack of suitable Topo maps, etc.). Last week I couldn't find my GPS receiver. :eek:

Here's some useful links:
How to use a compass: http://www.learn-orienteering.org/
How to read a topographic map: http://raider.muc.edu/~mcnaugma/Topographic%20Maps/topomapindexpage.htm

Thanks for the links mate, your right I was planning to try get some navigation skills as well, so you given me the starting point.

Odysseus

hunnymonster wrote: »

Odysseus, I'm still suffering from various leg and lung lesions so not doing a whole lot of anything at the moment. I just got a forerunner 305 a couple of weeks ago. It certainly looks like the business for short races but the battery life is a problem for ironman and beyond.

My partner has a bit of a background in orienteering and some of his mates are army ranger (?) types who have promised to teach me how to navigate with nothing more than a compass. To be honest I really haven't put much thought into what MdeS involves

Sorry to hear your recovery is taking so long, I'm sure you will be ready in time. Hope your up and running soon.