Garmin GPS Receiver

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

This review applies to many of the Etrex’s, not just the Legend. I do field work in the management of natural resources, and we’ve used a lot of GPS’s. The Etrex’s are very popular because they are small, easy to use, and cheap enough that people aren’t afraid to carry them (vs a $4000 Trimble unit). The Legend in particular gives good bang for the buck because it’s the least expensive model that displays very useful maps.

The only problem with the Etrex’s (and many other GPS’s) is that their lifespan is not all that long. We’ve had a number of units that go two to four field seasons and then start to break down. The most common failures are in the joystick and with the screen or start-up of the unit. The joystick often starts to lose the ability to move in one or more directions. You need the joystick to move through all the menus, so the problem effectively ruins your control of the unit. The other common problem is that the unit will refuse to start up, or it will start but the screen will have odd vertical lines and lose part of the display. Both problems generally get progressively worse until the unit is useless.

I don’t know how much this applies to the newer color models, which seem a bit sleeker in their construction. But they cost a good deal more.

We use GPS’s commonly but not constantly. A unit might get used once a week, but might then run all day. Field season generally lasts 6-8 months.

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

First, I am (was?) a huge Etrex Legend fan. The unit was small, cheap, and versatile.
I bought a Legend H as a replacement: same unit with USB connection and high sensitivity antenna, right?

Well, yes, except that they changed the Garmin protocol and stopped supporting NMEA.
That means you can’t use your old Garmin software, nor all the 3rd party software out there (that worked with the Legend). It seems that Garmin wants to force you to buy their expensive maps.

…However, to make it worse, only a few of their new expensive North America map products work with the Legend H.

This sucks. Beware the Legend H if you plan on connecting your GPS to a computer for enhanced map data….

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

If you are looking for a top notch unit for a lot of serious use in the woods, then look elsewhere.

This is my fourth Garmin in 14 years. When my GPSMap76CS died I had a choice; give Garmin $110 for a refurb GPSMap or buy this new. I chose this unit. I’m a casual hiker & geocacher that didn’t need a color display, compass or altimeter. They are good to have, but not necesary. I just need a unit that points me to the next cache or can get me out of the woods when the sun starts to sink a little low

So what’s great about this unit? Value. What you get for the money is impressive. The receiver is very good. Even in heavy trees I can lock up 6+ satellites. It holds a lock even when it is hanging from my neck. No wrist strap, it comes with a comfortably long neck lanyard. It has lots of features, many of which I’ll never use. It’s unlikely you’ll need more waypoints & routes than this unit has. Navigating through the screens takes a little getting used to, but is straightforward.

What’s not so great? The display is good only in decent light. It’s still visible, but in less than optimal conditions you’ll need the backlight. Also, the buttons on the Legend H can be little hard to use quickly as they are covered with thick rubber. It’s good protection, but it can slow you down when trying to do things quickly

For entering and finding a geocache, this unit is great. For marking a trailhead and landmarks to orient yourself while hiking, this unit great. But if you do these things a lot, you’ll be better served by spending some more money and getting a unit with a better display.

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

I recently purchased this to replace an eTrex Venture that started going fritzy after 7 years of hard use (multiple 10′ drops has caused the screen to partially fail).

After a week of hard use, I’m very satisfied with it. The eTrex Legend H has a noticeably better antenna then my old unit and acquires satellites faster. I even used it on several occasions to pick up signal inside heavy concrete structures, although metal (car bodies) still affects it a lot (100′+ off on average). It works very well sitting of the front dash so it has a clear view straight up through the glass similar to the old unit, just not on the middle console or back seat. They have also updated the interface a little bit and its better then it use to be (compared to the old unit), but still not 100% intuitive. Spending 5 minutes with the quick start guide mostly fixes that problem though.

Case Design:
The usb only cable is an amazing change over the older eTrex serial plug versions. Even with a usb-to-serial adapter and drivers my mac won’t see the old units whereas this new unit had no problems being seen with GPSBabel, Quantum GIS (open source), and the downloadable Garmin software on both Snow Leopard and Windows 7. The case design is exactly the same as the old eTrex models, so I’m assuming the IPX7 “waterproofing” still reacts the same. It easily survives pouring rain, but DO NOT dunk it in streams and rivers; it permanently dies when totally submerged.

Usage:
This unit is best used as a simple recreational unit. I use it for geotagging photos, geocaching, tracking running/cycling routes, times, and speeds, and the occasional gis project. It DOES NOT have any real built-in maps other then the US interstate system, so you have to bring your own paper version or have access to google maps or something similar. That can be a real challenge for the uninitiated. Optionally you can purchase downloadedable maps from Garmin, but they tend to be overpriced. This is NOT a car navigation unit. Sure, you can use it as such with a map and it’s wonderful for hiking, but you’re better off with a TomTom of Nuvi for car navigation.

I said I’ve used it for gis, but it’s not really designed for it. It’ll get you coordinates within 10 feet on a good day and clear terrain so it’s perfect for simple things like creating trail maps and rough estimates of land area. This is definitely not a unit for serious architecture, construction, real estate, or surveying projects. You’re better off using a high-end Trimble or Sokkia unit, or better yet, hiring someone for that type of accuracy.

I have no use for the games, so didn’t even try them. The games are a new addition compared to the older eTrex models. It would be nice if Garmin included a non-gps compass like the new Legend HC has, but without the $40 higher price. Overall, it’s just an upgraded version of the old eTrex series with a much better antenna. Its handy, easy to use, has a decent battery life, and is reasonably rugged. For it’s price it’s a great little unit.

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

I just got the Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator because I didn’t want to break the bank (I’m a student) and I want good features. It still is fairly new to me (less than a month at the time of this review). I didn’t know beforehand there were games on this model, so that was a surprise.

Likes: The screen showed good in sunlight. I didn’t really need to use the backlight, and therefore probably extending battery life. Fits nicely into my hand compared to an older GPS (different brand)I usually borrow from school. The weight is perfect even with batteries in it, no problem wearing it around my neck. Picked up satellites inside car as well (not the main purpose my buying it). Rocker (joystick looking bit) responds well, hope it holds up as the older model of this was known otherwise.

Dislikes: Haven’t found any yet. Haven’t figured out the games on this, may be a wastes of space and battery. (May add here if I do find dislikes). Slight issues with garmin website in installing USB driver (not sure if it was internet issue, but it also happened while I was updating MapSource)

Haven’t given it a five out of five because haven’t used it for my research project as yet.

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

This review is specific to the Garmin Etrex Legend H model.

I’ve known about Geocaching for years, but wanted to finally start doing it. Bought this unit because I really just needed an inexpensive and simple GPS unit that would point me to a specific site where the Geocache is hidden.

This is not a unit you’d want for road navigation, but more for general outdoor use.

Pros:
1. For what I wanted, this unit does exactly that. Enter the coordinates and it points the way and gives you distance.

2. The screen is black and white, and does not need any illumination while out in daylight. Makes for good battery savings. It does have a back light for when it gets darker.

3. It’s light and is water resistant, though I hesitate to test that feature.

4. Seems to be pretty accurate. When pulling signals from 4 satellites, generally gets me to within about 20 feet of target. When acquiring 6 or more satellites, 5-7 feet is more the norm. I once had it tracking 8 satellites when taking the waypoint, and then 8 again at another time when finding that waypoint, and it put me virtually in the same exact spot I was standing the first time.

Cons:
1. Except for major highways and major roads, there is no maps built-in. No topo maps. No road maps, etc. Furthermore, I’ve been to the Garmin site, and there don’t seem to be any additional maps to buy, except ones that cost more than the unit itself did. Maybe I’m just not looking in the right place. If that’s the case, my complaint is the Garmin site is not very helpful.

2. My connecting to computers via USB has been iffy. My Windows XP machine just plain didn’t recognize the device. My Windows 7 machine recognized it the first time, but took forever to recognize it the second time.

3. It’s compass is strictly GPS driven. If you are standing still, there is no magnetic compass feature. To be fair, I knew this going in, but it would have been nice to have.

4. Not the most intuitive controls. Definitely took a read through the manual and some experimentation before I understood what each menu item did.

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

First, I got my new Legend H to do what I wanted. After opening the box, it took me about 3 hours (non field time) spread over 3 days (with field time) to show trails on GoogleEarth and download a data set in a free program recommended by UNH CoopExt. I never met a computer that was not stupid and have read too many instructions written by people who forget what it is like to be a real new user.

Yes the manual is not very wordy. Those who understand GPS units will probably consider it to be an adequate quick start guide. ATTENTION NEWBIES: expect to spend some time playing before really trying to use it. For example, the USB connection on an XP machine. The manual says to download software from [...] (period) and plug in the cable. On the web you then learn (or ignore) that you must download the USB drivers for Garmin products, in addition to the Legend software. And they leave out that you should reboot your XP computer after installing the drivers. I had to reread everything several times and then remember (after 45 minutes) the primary solution to every computer problem: turn everything off and back on. That did the trick, it communicated.

The most recent reviews about the Legend H helped make up my mind. The eTrek H was about $90 at Walmart. A cable to connect it to my computer’s USB was going to be $15 – $20 . The Legend I got via Amazon was $116, including cable. So for $10 more I received: a higher res screen, 500 more waypoints, simple maps and area calculator and 24 mgs memory. The unadvertised surprise: it only took 2 days to get to me with free shipping!

Yes the screen is hard to read sometimes but that could be my eyes and contrast settings. As for the buttons and menu system, you will react in a crisis how you train. Moral of the story: make all your mistakes and develop your best practices while walking around a place you know, well before you really need it. I was at my budget limit, I am sure another $200 would solve those issues.

I am happy and now will start looking for some web based free instructions about tracks, marks and waypoints. Plus I am going to follow some of those other reviews about other free software products to turn my data into another learning curve.

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

The Legend H is my first GPS receiver of any kind. If that’s you situation, be prepared to spend quite some time on the web or in the library researching how to use this unit because the Garmin supplied ‘manual’ isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. And don’t expect to find any help on Garmin’s web site either. A brief example: The Legend H is WAAS-compatible so naturally you’d enable WAAS. But if your Legend can’t see one of the two WAAS satellites (mine hasn’t yet), the accuracy of your Legend is reduced. No mention of this in the manual; there’s no index entry for WAAS.

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

I bought this because it was a good value and it has all the features I need for a reasonable price. I liked it so much, that I just recently bought it for a friend. Its perfect for hiking because of its compact size and durability – there are much nicer handhelds out there…but this is the best for the money.

This review is from: Garmin Legend H Handheld GPS Navigator (Electronics)

This is my second ETrex – the first was fine but eventually wore out. I use it basically for an antenna for a laptop Garmin nautical nav program but also take it on the road when driving. The display is so dark compared to my first it is virtually unreadable without the backlight. The first was not this way. Disappointed…