I'm considering getting a GPS and am unsure what to get.  I envision my usage will be for driving navigation and the occasionally outdoor hunting/hikeing activity. Obviously I'd like to keep cost down if I can.

Any recommendations?

I've got a Magellan GPS315, which is OK, but it has no internal map. I bought the datasend CD for it and loaded up every town in it into the unit. From US Cav, you can get road maps which have the MGRS grid system, so it works out OK, I guess. I guess the total cost for the unit, mounting bracket, computer cable & CD was about $225, give or take. For just a basic unit to tell you where you are, it does alright for me.

I just bought a Garmin Vista w/ the mapping software. So far I like it other than the price! I have owned dome non mapping Megallans in the past. The map capabilty is definitly worth it.

Jamie

Check this board, flasht has a really good one at a very good price that i would buy if i didn't already have one.

How about the ones that clip onto something like a palm pilot, are they any good?

check out the garmin e series

I love my Garmin GPS III Plus.  The internal mapping is awesome and the real time data kicks butt!  Speed, altitude and horizontal position are updated every second.  And, yes, it is just as accurate as the speedometer of your car (maybe more so).  You can download virtually any kind of map you want to it.  It simply has too many features to list here.

The ONLY thing I don't like about it is the relatively small storage capacity.  It's really not a problem though.  I went on a hike last spring and the GPS III Plus held a LOT more area of the downloaded topographic map than I would ever want to walk!

It is worth the money if you will use it and not just through it in a drawer like some people do!

BBURN

I've owned numerous GPS units, Garmin, Magellen, etc.   My favorite for price/performance is the GPS II+.  I own a III+ but find I rarely use the mapping capability built into it.  What I like about these units:
[list]
[*]Detachable Antenna[/*]
[*]External Antenna(Active as well) available[/*]
[*]Rom is upgradable with a PC[/*]
[*]Use vertically or horizontally[/*]
[*]Parallel Receiver works well for fast acquisition[/*]
[/list]

Naturally I use my handheld GPS for hiking and hunting but I have many other uses for it as well.  I carry it with me when I'm flying a plane for backup navigation.  I also have it hooked into my Ham radio for use with APRS.

Sir:

I recommend the Garmin brand. I have been using a GPS12 for about three years.

Instead of purchasing the Garmin/PC (serial)connector you can make your own for less money:

http://www.pfranc.com/projects/g45contr/g45_idx.htm  

This website is kind of a "shareware" hardware.
You order it, receive it and then pay for it.

With the Garmin you can download from the web their latest software and upgrade your GPS. Use this feature at your own discretion. I was able to upgrade once. The second time it froze the GPS. I sent it back and three weeks later I had a new one.

Using the same connector the GPS may be connected to a laptop.

I have connected it to my laptop. Using the Street Atlas software I have been able to navigate with it in my car.

The following site has probably all the answers you seek or might consider asking..

http://joe.mehaffey.com/

Regards

ACK