Completely confused about GPS

[mnypitboat]

First of all, I have done a search and I even more confused. OK, so I have narrowed my search down to most likely the Lowrance Elite 4 or 5. However, I have no clue which map I need, or if basemap will work for me. It seems like when I do a search for these units, there are about 15 of them, all with differant prices and no reall clear reasons as to why there is such a differance.

I primarily boat in Florida on the intercoastal, the St Johns River, and some lakes. We vacation on the West coast of Florida, and we are planning a trip to the Keys this summer(which is why we are buying one now). That is about it. We do very little fishing, but having that capability on the GPS is nice. We currently have a Garmin 160 fish finder, which I cant figure out how to use, so we only use it for depth and water temp. LOL.

Please help me decide. Can I just get the basemap or do I need some other map? Those that have either one, would you suggest the larger 5, or do you suppose the 4 will work for me?

Lastly I need a simple to use unit that I can put in restaurants and places to visit on the water, and be able to navigate to them.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

What the detail is on the base map will determine whether or not you need any other maps. Obviously if a base map doesn't cover the area you boat in you will need area specific maps. You need to go to a dealer that handles the models you are interested in and see what they cover.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

What the detail is on the base map will determine whether or not you need any other maps. Obviously if a base map doesn't cover the area you boat in you will need area specific maps. You need to go to a dealer that handles the models you are interested in and see what they cover.

OK so I am confused. So there is NO maps loaded at all? So I turn it on and basically have an overpriced fish finder? I was at a dealer, and they basically tried to sell me everything on the wall. I honestly do not think I need all they say I do, and from past experiance, I think those guys must work on comission. I have been sold all sorts of stuff that I neither needed, nor have I ever used, because they said I needed it. So, I guess that is why I am asking here before I go lay down the cash for something I dont need again.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

You are planning on using a GPS primarily for navigation with occasional fishing from your question.

My two FF combo units, one is an Elite 4, have a GPS map that shows where you are on the water and the shoreline. If you get off the water it shows some roads (trailer only - LOL). The maps you are referring to are for fishing and show sub-surface detail which isn't needed for pure navigation and are not cheap.

A cheap car GPS would work for getting to restaurants/attractions if the Lowrance doesn't. Just don't follow the directions and mute the thing. The voice will drive you crazy telling you where to go. Use it as a locator rather than a director.

Call Lowrance about restaurants, etc. is my suggestion.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

You are planning on using a GPS primarily for navigation with occasional fishing from your question.

My two FF combo units, one is an Elite 4, have a GPS map that shows where you are on the water and the shoreline. If you get off the water it shows some roads (trailer only - LOL). The maps you are referring to are for fishing and show sub-surface detail which isn't needed for pure navigation and are not cheap.

A cheap car GPS would work for getting to restaurants/attractions if the Lowrance doesn't. Just don't follow the directions and mute the thing. The voice will drive you crazy telling you where to go. Use it as a locator rather than a director.

Call Lowrance about restaurants, etc. is my suggestion.

Most restaurants on the water have coordinates listed on their websites, so that isnt a problem. I wouldnt mind being able plot routes ahead of time. Plug the ones I find online in and wander around otherwise.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

If I put in a waypoint and tell it to navigate to the waypoint it gives me straight line navigation from where I am. I don't get turn by turn directions. So I just go in the right general direction until I'm close. I don't bother plotting a course. It knows where I am and tells me where the end point is. I work out the middle as I head to the end point.

 

[jhebert]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

Can I just get the basemap or do I need some other map?

I don't see any confusion about GPS in this discussion. The topic seems to be about the value of purchasing upgraded digital chart cartography that is bundled by the manufacturer with a chart plotter. I will offer this advice on that topic:

If boating is confined to one area or region that will typically be covered by one set of premium digital charts, there is probably not too much value in buying a upgrade in the bundled cartography that covers the entire United States of America. Buy the least bundled cartography with the chart plotter, and then buy premium cartography for only your area or region.

If your boating is likely to take you to many widely spaced areas or regions of the United States, buying the embedded and upgraded chart cartography for the entire United States of America will have value. You will have a useful chart for almost anywhere in the USA.

The premium embedded cartography bundle usually only adds about $100 to the purchase price. For that you will get a very substantial amount of chart cartography embedded in the chart plotter. If the boat stays in the same location all the time, the value of all the other chart data is never realized.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

I don't see any confusion about GPS in this discussion. The topic seems to be about the value of purchasing upgraded digital chart cartography that is bundled by the manufacturer with a chart plotter. I will offer this advice on that topic:

If boating is confined to one area or region that will typically be covered by one set of premium digital charts, there is probably not too much value in buying a upgrade in the bundled cartography that covers the entire United States of America. Buy the least bundled cartography with the chart plotter, and then buy premium cartography for only your area or region.

If your boating is likely to take you to many widely spaced areas or regions of the United States, buying the embedded and upgraded chart cartography for the entire United States of America will have value. You will have a useful chart for almost anywhere in the USA.

The premium embedded cartography bundle usually only adds about $100 to the purchase price. For that you will get a very substantial amount of chart cartography embedded in the chart plotter. If the boat stays in the same location all the time, the value of all the other chart data is never realized.

That really didnt answer my question. Gander Mtn has a great deal on an Elite 5 DSI combo with basemap. What is the differance between that and, lets say, Gold, which I see at West Marine for way more? Even the salesman at these places do not seem to have a clue. From reading about 40 differant descriptions, it appears that those upgrades are mainly for fishing. I do not do a lot of fishing, and I could do an upgrade to Navionics Gold at a later time if I find that I need to. So what, other than fishing maps, am I missing if I get the Gander deal at nearly $200 off? Is basemap a normal GPS without the detailed fishing cartography or am I going to power the GPS up and have a very expensive fish finder?

 

[sightsrv]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

I wont be much help at all. Be honest got sick of looking for gps stuff. Reviews have seen of insight usa cards and base maps bundled stuff comes with plotter have been more bad than good. Some bundled software might not cover where your at. Am told some only covers a short distance inland, dont have detais and features of say a navionics after market card. So I went with the folks wound up buying a navionics card. They had the bundled stuff and wasted money they say. Ya dont use a finder much get a gps only unit. Thats what I did. Bought a elite 5m gold of ebay for $384 came with a mirco sd card from navionics for my area. Screen size is 5" but could not afford a larger screen. Dont need all the bells and whistles come with other units anyway. Dont need a cpu on the boat. Just something easy to use ya know? Screen size ya knows your choice not a sale guy. Charts are the same. Its what you want not whats on tha wall. Anyway not much help but thats the route I went.

 

[jhebert]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

Is basemap a normal GPS without the detailed fishing cartography...?

You need to disassociate cartography from the Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS is a system of satellites up in the sky. You do not buy a GPS. You use the Air Force's GPS for free.

Cartography is used with a chart plotter. When you buy a chart plotter you get the option at the time of purchase to have a lot of cartography included with the chart plotter in an embedded form. That chart information is built into the chart plotter. It is not on a chip. It cannot be migrated to some other chart plotter. It is forever linked to the device in which is has been embedded.

Most chart plotters can also load cartography from memory cards. Chart publishers sell their charts on memory cards. The data is encrypted in a way that prevents you from duplicating it. You can move these cards among many chart plotters, as long as the brand of cartography is compatible with the chart plotter.

There is no way for me to predict if a particular brand and model of chart plotter comes with sufficient information on the base map to suit you. Or if the upgraded embedded cartography represents something of value to you. It is also typically impossible to preview the data included on the bundled cartography in any way other than actually trying out the device, loading the cartography, and looking at the data it provides.

I already mentioned the general case situation: if you only go boating in one region, there won't be a lot value in buying up-graded embedded cartography for the entire United States of America.

There is also another twist: the upgraded embedded cartography sometimes comes in two versions. One version concentrates on ocean coastal areas; another version concentrates on small inland lakes. Again, you have to decide what works best for you.

All I know about you is that you are in Florida and do most boating close to home. I'd buy the least amount of embedded cartography and use the savings to buy one good memory card with excellent cartography for my local region.

Another variation in the digital chart cartography is the amount of hydrologic data they show. Some charts do not show a great deal of information about depth. Other charts show very detailed information about depths, including depth contour lines and chart shading. Typically, the more information you get on a digital chart, the more you pay.

As for non-navigation data like information about shore facilities, this is another variable. Some digital charts include a great deal of added data. For example, they might contain aerial photographs of many harbors, they might have details about facilities on shore including telephone numbers. There is no particular standard or way to judge what is included. Every chart publisher has different information.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Completely confused about GPS

OK I went ahead and bought the Lowrance Elite 5DSI combo with basemap. Guess I will answer my own question soon enough, when it gets here. I saved about $200, and I can buy the Navionics Gold for $150, so either way I am ahead of the game. I have a few months before the Keys trip to tinker. I know my way around here, so it will be a good test. Most of the waters I am in are considered coastal, even though they are rivers, so we will see.