How BIG are your Digits?

[heinzir]

I am looking for a cheap (under $50 on ebay) hand held GPS to use as a knotmeter. I don't need it for navigation or for use as a chartplotter; I have several others that I'm happy with. But my knotmeter transducer often gets clogged with weed bits and stops working. I have an old grey scale Garmin GPS III+ that has a page that displays only two items (speed and course) in nice big digits that I can see easily. But the display is fading out, so I need to replace it. I want to be able to attach it to the bridge deck or side of the companionway with Velcro and still be able to read it from the tiller.

I picked up a Garmin Streetpilot Colormap (similar in size and looks to the 298/498 chartplotter?) for real cheap but the speed display on the trip computer is too small. How big are the displayed digits on your units? (No jokes please!) Post pictures if you can . Thanx

[CalebD]

I still like our old Garmin GPS 72 (or is it 76?) for read-ability. Looks a lot like this one: Garmin GPS 72H - Marine, hiking GPS receiver - LCD - 120 x 160 - monochrome

I'll be a douche-bag and point out that GPS does not really substitute for a knot meter but rather gives speed over ground (SOG), not your knots through the water. But since you live in MN and unless you are sailing on a river you wont have anything like a tidal current to deal with the GPS does indicate your relative hull speed through the water.

Further confessions: I don't even set up my under hull impeller driven speedo anymore for the same reason(s) and we race our T27' on the Hudson which has both river current AND tidal currents combined, up to 2 knots. It is more important to know how much headway you are making and you can deduce the effects of the current.

Good luck in your search.

[heinzir]

Thanks Caleb,

The display and button layout on your Garmin 72 look a lot like my GPSIII+. The pictures in the link only show the satellite navigation page; does it have a page that only shows one or two functions in larger digits? I need to be able to read it from 6 ft away and my eyes ain't what they used to be.

[CalebD]

Heinz,
My 53rd B'day is tomorrow so I know what you mean about the eyes not being what they used to be (I am using magnifying glasses to read and type this).
I'm pretty sure you can customize the info shown on each page; I've just never done it. I never understood why I needed an altitude readout on some of the pages since I use the GPS only on the boat. Some of the display pages could stand to be simplified and I'm pretty sure they can be - if you can read the fine print in the owners manual.
Best of luck in your search.

[tommays]

On the 72h you can do a from one to six data points depending on how much you want to see and the big ones are about 1/2" high

[MacGyverRI]

Originally Posted by CalebD

Heinz,
My 53rd B'day is tomorrow so I know what you mean about the eyes not being what they used to be (I am using magnifying glasses to read and type this).
.

Did you know that pressing the CTL and + keys at the same time on most browsers makes the font size larger? CTL and - makes it small again.

[heinzir]

Thanks! I just turned 60 last week. I just discovered today that the Garmin Nuvi automotive GPS in both my cars have a trip computer that displays the speed in reasonably large digits. All I have to do is tap the mph reading on the map display. Too bad they aren't waterproof.

[heinzir]

I found a Garmin III+ on ebay for $20 in perfect working condition. It has the big digits for both speed and heading that I want and also can be used handheld or mounted vertically or horizontally. I'm a happy camper!!

[QuickMick]

gps essentials is a free droid app and has a lot of neat functions.

GPS Essentials - Android app on AppBrain

[heinzir]

If I could only find a waterproof droid for $20!!!