I use the Garmin eTrax Vista handheld and I love it. I have purchased over 300 worth of extra software maps for it as well.

I have it hanging around my neck with the lanyard and clipped to my life vest while on the lake.

I purchased the rechargable NickleMetalHydride Batteries along with one of those 15 min charges that can charge up 4 batteris AA at one time.

Yesterday I found a Video on how to uses the Etrax Legand GPS at the local Walmart on sale for only $2. After reviewing the video I learned more about my GPS than I already knew.

Pro for the portable Etrax units are many. About the only con is the small screen size. Sometimes I wish I had a larger screen.

I use my GPS in my truck to see where I am at on the road. I have the Mapsource MetroGuide North American V6 CD and it's very accurate and shows all the local roads in my area. It's much more accurate and upto date than any other road map digital software that I have ever used in the past. I also have the Garmin Mapsource Fishing Hot Spots CD v 4.00 and have the unlock codes for region 9 and 10. Each of those cost $100. Today the unlock codes will unlock a lot more of the maps area and lakes on the CD. In the past there were ten regions and each one cost 100 bucks for each regions unlock code. Today they have fewer regions and so each region covers more lakes and area. It's too bad we can't share unlock codes with each other. :(


I use my gps to make spots that I find on the lakes I fish. When I am fishing and see a brush pile or stump or submerged tree and catch a fish off it I put a new waypoint on my gps for that new spot. I then save from my gps to my computer for safe keeping.

I can use the PC to show the mapsource maps on the computer screen and even make new routes on the computer and then download those new routes to the gps.

The Vista has 24MB of internal memory for storing maps. I only use 10% of that and have KY Lake, Patoka Lake and all of the roads of Southern IN and NW Kentucky stored in memory at this time. Heck I may even have Rend Lake in ILL on there too.

I paided over 300 bucks for this Vista unit when it first came out. I have the cable that came with it that allows you to connect the gps unit to the computer and I have a power cable for when I need 12v power from my truck's cigarette lighter or the boat's cigarette lighter. I also have the small holder that mounts on the dash of my truck. That allows you to quick mount the gps on the dash and move it around 360 deg or up and down to any position to make it easier to see.

The unit has a built in backlight that can be adjusted to stay on for 1 min 2 min or for all the time. You turn the light on and off with a quick push of the power button.

The find button allows you to find and navitate to any waypoint and or route quickly and easily. I didn't know that button existed until last night when I view the new Video.

Check out GPS Outfitters for their Video Guides on using the Garmin etrex Legend or Vista GPS units. You will learn quickly how to use them. It's a lot easier to see someone do it in the video than to have to read the boring manual. And if you can find them at Walmart on discount it's well worth two dollars.

Regards,

Moose1am