Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by juststarting » 20 Sep 2016, 1:59 am

I have a Garmin eTrex 35 Touch + maps. $528 from Johnny Appleseed in St Kilda. It's pretty good, purchased last year.

I am not sure about water proof, but most certainly moisture/water resistant.
Rugged, have been dropped a couple of times - no issues. I put an anti-glare screen protector on it (mostly for bumps, not glare).
The screen is excellent.
Haven't lost signal (I log all walks, so I know if there would be a drop out when I export the track) yet.

Garmin's Basecamp software is good, takes a bit of getting used to, but it's the same with everything. The software lets you take your track and export it to Google Earth (the app, not maps). Or you could use Basecamp to roughly plan a trip with waypoints and then move them to Google Earth for a more detailed research/wise versa.

The screen size I think is a bit too small, but it does the job just fine, especially if i setup waypoints, e.g. car, check-out-spot-1, etc. Hard to explain, but you get used to it pretty quick. The issue is that most of us are used to smartphone screens, but after you look at it for 20 minutes it's fine.

Battery - takes two AAA, not rechargeable and cannot be charged in device either way. Realistically they last for around 16 hours of use, reliably, I swap them out later. I keep a spare pack in the bag. they could last more, probably but I reload every 16 hours.

Gotchas: it beeps when you touch the screen when it's in 'locked screen' mode. Make sure to disable sound entirely.

Overall I am happy with it.

Alternatively, this is moving into $700 territory - Garmin Rino. I've been using them lately (borrowed) and I love it. Does everything eTrex does + 80 channel radio (configurable) + tracker. The tracker is useful if there are a few of you using the same device. You register with each other and can see where everyone is on the map, movement, etc.

(N.B. both devices have backtrack functionality - compass, way points, highlighted walking path, etc.)
===========

HEMA - they are reasonably detailed now. On a smartphone, you need to know the area you are going into, you then sort of pinch roughly 50km x 50km or 100km or whatever area you think you'll be in and tell the application to download the detailed map for that area. After that you only need GPS signal, no mobile. I have it on my phone (can use on all devices after you pay for it), but I generally have it on a 7" Android tablet in the car, if I get really lost. I never had to fall back on it though, but had it running and works okay.

Not sure about bush bashing on foot though. Can suss it out next time I am out (next weekend, if I remember).

===========

Backup, when alone, always have a compass and paper map of the area + DPI s**ty s**ty maps that I mark up with a pencil, so I can superimpose them over a map for normal humans.

===========

DIY
Another member posted a how-to here somewhere, I can find a YouTube video of something similar if you are interested and like tinkering. Essentially, you get (I don't recall application name) application X - get topographic maps for the area or Australia and then superimpose DPI map with slight transparency, so you can see your movement and hunting borders at the same time.

This cannot be done on Garmin or HEMA (emailed them couple of month ago about this - they said no)

===========

If you want to check out either, DM me, happy to show you HEMA and Garmin + basecamp or whatever.
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by on_one_wheel » 06 Oct 2016, 7:22 pm

Supaduke wrote:
on_one_wheel wrote:This thread has reminded me that I've been thinking about it for too long.

I've bitten the bullet and bought a Bushnell Hunt Track.

When it gets here I'll have a play and post a quick review in this thread.

The attachment Screenshot_2016-09-19-13-15-15.png is no longer available


Would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the hunttrack. Very mixed reviews, some glowing , some scathing. The scathing ones seem to often be by people with not much clue though. Seems like a good price and exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for.


Ok my Bushnell Hunt track has arrived.

First impressions
Feels very light, all plastic construction, fits nicely in the hand.
4 buttons 1 usb port
Looks reasonably well sealed with a tight o ring style seal in the battery cover and sealed rubber buttons.
The battery cover has a coin slot turn buckle latch at the top and 2 small clips / tabs at the bottom.
The 2 small tabs look like the weakest link as they might be vulnerable to breakage if dropped. a A decent cover may be beneficial if your tough on tour gear.

So far I'm happy for the money.

Give me a day or two and I'll put some batteries in, get online for setup and give further reviews on it's operating system and user interface.

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3 aaa batteries inserted and easily turned on
Within 2 minutes I have a accurate compass working and a easy menu all without reading the instructions :lol:
Very logical operating system so far

Screen resolution is a little crude

Auto timeout looks to be set at about 5 minutes.
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.... ok time to read the instructions. .....
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by Supaduke » 06 Oct 2016, 9:18 pm

Nice one, look forward to hearing how well (or poorly) it works
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by Supaduke » 06 Oct 2016, 9:35 pm

juststarting wrote:I have a Garmin eTrex 35 Touch + maps. $528 from Johnny Appleseed in St Kilda. It's pretty good, purchased last year.

I am not sure about water proof, but most certainly moisture/water resistant.
Rugged, have been dropped a couple of times - no issues. I put an anti-glare screen protector on it (mostly for bumps, not glare).
The screen is excellent.
Haven't lost signal (I log all walks, so I know if there would be a drop out when I export the track) yet.

Garmin's Basecamp software is good, takes a bit of getting used to, but it's the same with everything. The software lets you take your track and export it to Google Earth (the app, not maps). Or you could use Basecamp to roughly plan a trip with waypoints and then move them to Google Earth for a more detailed research/wise versa.

The screen size I think is a bit too small, but it does the job just fine, especially if i setup waypoints, e.g. car, check-out-spot-1, etc. Hard to explain, but you get used to it pretty quick. The issue is that most of us are used to smartphone screens, but after you look at it for 20 minutes it's fine.

Battery - takes two AAA, not rechargeable and cannot be charged in device either way. Realistically they last for around 16 hours of use, reliably, I swap them out later. I keep a spare pack in the bag. they could last more, probably but I reload every 16 hours.

Gotchas: it beeps when you touch the screen when it's in 'locked screen' mode. Make sure to disable sound entirely.

Overall I am happy with it.

Alternatively, this is moving into $700 territory - Garmin Rino. I've been using them lately (borrowed) and I love it. Does everything eTrex does + 80 channel radio (configurable) + tracker. The tracker is useful if there are a few of you using the same device. You register with each other and can see where everyone is on the map, movement, etc.

(N.B. both devices have backtrack functionality - compass, way points, highlighted walking path, etc.)
===========

HEMA - they are reasonably detailed now. On a smartphone, you need to know the area you are going into, you then sort of pinch roughly 50km x 50km or 100km or whatever area you think you'll be in and tell the application to download the detailed map for that area. After that you only need GPS signal, no mobile. I have it on my phone (can use on all devices after you pay for it), but I generally have it on a 7" Android tablet in the car, if I get really lost. I never had to fall back on it though, but had it running and works okay.

Not sure about bush bashing on foot though. Can suss it out next time I am out (next weekend, if I remember).

===========

Backup, when alone, always have a compass and paper map of the area + DPI s**ty s**ty maps that I mark up with a pencil, so I can superimpose them over a map for normal humans.

===========

DIY
Another member posted a how-to here somewhere, I can find a YouTube video of something similar if you are interested and like tinkering. Essentially, you get (I don't recall application name) application X - get topographic maps for the area or Australia and then superimpose DPI map with slight transparency, so you can see your movement and hunting borders at the same time.

This cannot be done on Garmin or HEMA (emailed them couple of month ago about this - they said no)

===========

If you want to check out either, DM me, happy to show you HEMA and Garmin + basecamp or whatever.


Etrex 35 sounds good but a bit more than I want to spend. Will do some more research on maps. Compass I will get. Hunting on private property we always knew where we are and didn't need all this stuff. It's been a learning curve.
I did some orienteering when I was a scout but I'm a bit rusty. Thanks for the info JS
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by on_one_wheel » 07 Oct 2016, 7:45 pm

Supaduke wrote:Nice one, look forward to hearing how well (or poorly) it works


So far it's looking good.

Basic operation

To tag your current location takes about 5 seconds with as little as 2 or 3 presses of buttons.

Turn it on, select the icon you want to save your location as ,(camp, vehicle, tree stand, deer) and hold MARK ..... done.

You can turn it off at this point

To get back to that location. .. turn it on, select the same icon that you saved your starting location as and follow the arrow.

It can store 20 additional locations if saved as numbers 1 to 20.

Easy as sihtting in bed and kicking it out with your foot !

It dose fancier stuff. .. I'm getting my head around that soon.

I'm having trouble registering it online which means that at this stage I cant use the HuntTrack software on a computer ... probably because I'm hopeless with computers.
TBH. I'm not really too interested in the extra fancy things it can do when plugged into a computer at this point.
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by franc » 11 Oct 2016, 1:29 pm

WayneO wrote:Next to my boots, its the first thing I pack when going into the bush.


Given up on hunting in thongs? :lol:
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by juststarting » 11 Oct 2016, 2:38 pm

on_one_wheel, how is the battery life on it? Hours, days, etc?
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by SteamedHam » 12 Oct 2016, 11:36 am

I've got a Garmin GPSMAP 64S. It's expensive and i'm certain I only use about 10% of its capabilities, but it locks onto GPS/Glonass almost instantly (even indoors with the curtains closed, which is a bit scary) I bought the AU topographical map, which is handy. It comes with a 12 month free subscription to 'birdseye' satellite imagery, like someone posted earlier isn't as good as it sounds, things can be pretty blurry, and clouds tend to ruin it :lol:
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by Turkle » 13 Oct 2016, 10:15 am

Glonass?
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Re: Opinions on HEMA maps and GPS

Post by juststarting » 13 Oct 2016, 10:20 am

Turkle wrote:Glonass?


European positioning satellites, afaik.
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