Which GPS for ..

From: GSV Three Minds in a Can (GSV_at_quik.clara.co.uk)
Date: 06/15/04 

Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2004 20:38:17 +0100

Yes, I know .. I've googled, I've read all the web pages, I've chewed
through 1001 brochures and even downloaded and read instruction manuals
(thanks Adobe!), but still ..

Want a handheld (or wrist fitted) GPS unit for walking in the UK. As far
as I can tell there are none of them which are going to have maps at any
useful level of detail ('major towns' and 'motorways' are not much
interest .. the whole point of the exercise is to not come within 20
miles of either).

Field boundaries, footpaths, ditches .. that would be useful (and is all
recorded on the Ordnance Survey 1:25000 maps), but I see no way of
putting it in a GPS receiver (short of dragging a PDA or Laptop along
with me, plus the 10lbs of batteries to run it for a reasonable time).
Is that a correct assessment? Remember I said UK (and not even National
Parks in the UK) .. for some reason GPS makers don't seem to give random
bits of the UK the same level of priority as Yellowstone Park.

So if I can't have (useful) maps, then I guess I might as well just get
the best 'basic' unit, ideally one that is waterproof, doesn't lose its
mind every time I wander under a tree, and can at least interface to my
PC to tell me where I've been when I get back to civilization (using the
term loosely).

Recommendations please. I have no particular axes to grind about
manufacturers, although I notice Garmin want to stiff me £25.95 for a PC
data cable (that's about $45 guys!), which puts their sanity into
question.
(I mean we =are= talking 4 copper wires, 9-pin serial connector, yes? At
that price I'd expect MilSpec, Gold-plated, and Gigabit Ethernet, at
least).
8>.

TIA. 

-- 
GSV   Three Minds in a Can
Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.

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