Thread: What GPS

Hey team,,

I was out hunting over the weekend and had the misfortune of losing my gps, I tried retracing my steps but no luck. At least I was rewarded with a nice wee spike for the freezer, no luck on the big boy that I saw.

I had a garmin 64,
My question is, what's everyone using these days? Pros and cons

Thanks bevan

Phone with downloaded maps. Works mint.

Android phone on flight mode, battery lasts several days

Carry a spare power pack.

I download the map images from LINZ, and use Avenza Maps to view them.

So you guys that use phones for gps can you save way points & tracks that you walk in the dark

Phone + iHike app. Yes, you can save waypoints and tracks.

Originally Posted by hunt08

So you guys that use phones for gps can you save way points & tracks that you walk in the dark

Yup. Shits all over my old 60csx.
Way better gps accuracy and screen quality

yep my Garmin 64s sits at home and take the phone.

Yes phones work OK provided you can keep the battery life up and keep them dry. Most mapping programmes on phones are of a better definition than maps on GPS's.
I still carry a 'proper' gps as well though as they are of a more rugged construction and are waterproof. I've got an Etrex 20 which is fine.

I use a Samsung Note 9 with topo maps and every area that I hunt is cached. Works amazing.. however.. my phone failed and did a factory reset on me while I was in the hills with no backup. I now carry a garmin 62 as a backup incase of failure. I do a lot of multi day solo hunts in remote areas, gotta ensure I have a backup option.

How hard is it to set up & use the phone gps vs a 64. So if you going buy a new phone (as mine only works some time lol ) & you wanted to use as the gps what phone the best I take it on the gps signal that all phones be the same I'm talking bot how easy it is to use the gps & what phones have the best battery life dose it mater bot the phone memory is.

Just use my phone with NZTopo 50s on it and have topo maps on my Garmin Epix watch also. Mainly use the phone to have a look and make plans etc while at camp and then just use watch on the hill. I usually have a pretty good idea where I am anyhow but always mark camp on my watch, works good, saved @Philipo and I when we were stumbling around on the tops in the fog would never have found camp again that evening without it

I have an iPhone XR for work, and that’s all I use since my etrex 10 died. It’s waterproof in stock form and the battery lasts for days if you keep it on battery save mode and airplane mode. You can get very small external power packs or cases with additional batteries built in to them.

I use the ViewRanger app, lets you records routes, waypoints etc, has a “buddy beacon” feature if you have cell reception, and also has an Apple Watch app if you have one of those.

Originally Posted by hunt08

How hard is it to set up & use the phone gps vs a 64. So if you going buy a new phone (as mine only works some time lol ) & you wanted to use as the gps what phone the best I take it on the gps signal that all phones be the same I'm talking bot how easy it is to use the gps & what phones have the best battery life dose it mater bot the phone memory is.

Pretty simple I download on an iPhone 5, And used Nz topo 50, nth and south islands
Worked mint on flight mode.

Good to have the maps on you so you can start planning your next mission as well