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I''m looking to buy my first gps (handheld) - I''ll be using it on a yacht, and as I live in Japan all the US-specific details & info are of no use to me. $100-200 dollar range, will tell me speed, heading, velocity made good, where I''ve been, waypoints etc - nothing too complicated.
I have had good luck with the Garmin 48. Easy to use, has all the features that you require, inexpensive, intuitive, etc. As the 48 has been disconituned by garmin you should be able to pick one up for around $150 from the likes of West, Defender, Landfall Naviagation, etc. Good luck.
I have helped alot of people learn to use their GPS''s and as far as I am concerned ease of use is very important as is a clear display and I would buy a waterproof unit next time. I have a Garmin 45 and 48. The 48 is much superior, but it is not waterproof. I would look at the Garmin GPS 76 as it is waterproof and the buttons are on the front so you can see them. Most GPS,s I have come across are NOT user friendly except for Garmin. The 48 is great because it has a good display and is really easy to operate.
I agree with Garmin as well. I have three GPS''s, a Garmin, a Raytheon, and a Magellean. At least to me, the Garmin is far more intuitive to use and much quicker to move around to the various functions. My Garmin is an older model so the Raytheon seem to boot and acquire faster but it also has a rail mounted antennae vs the small patch anetenae of the other two. The new Garmins lock in way faster than my older one.
The only problem with the old Garmin is that although a dated, it is so convenient and so compact that although I have two other GPSs on board the I still carry it on board because I like the way it works and so I use it out in the cockpit rather than the built in system which I will probably continue to only use with the autopilot.
Jeff
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