Snow and Mud GPS course

[rknight111]

Im looking into hosting a GPS course in conjuction with DiscouverGPS. It would be at a Hotel Convention room in Edmonton some time in September or October. Before I start making arrangements I wanted to see if there is any interest in this. The program would show you how to use a GPS, set waypoints, make maps, upload and download maps, and many other fuctions of a GPS. If you are interested in somthing like this please let me know.
It would probably be a one day course on a Saturday, and the costs would be very reasonable. And there would be good deals on GPS's for those who don't have or who want to upgrade.

Thanks,
RON

 

[Garryese]

Kim says she will attend if I get her there. I offered to put the coordinates in my GPS and send her on her way

Sign her up. I'll get her there, then I'll look at sleds if it is a Sat.

 

[chucker]

Hey Ron, I would attend. I have had a GPS for a few years but I can only use a few of the features. When your lost, is not a good time to try to figure these things out. Count me in.

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Count me in, same as Chucker, have had one for years but only use a few feature. Will you also be teaching us how to set that flashing clock on our VCR's as well....

 

[Summitric]

Count Me In Too, If I Can Swing It Timewise... Don't Have A Gps Yet, But Lookin' To Pick One Up Before Sleddin' Season...i'll Wait To See The Deals At The Presentation!!!???

 

[Murminator]

I would prolly be in i can do most except the downloading and uploading maps I'm just to dumb to get that right

 

[Lost]

Thanks Ron. I will attend the course have a garman but when $hit hits the snow I pull out the compass , to date I have always found my way back home much to the wife's dismay. The reality is I can always get back to the truck but upon leaving the staging area I have a 50/50 okay closer to 75/25 chance of turning the wrong way. ROADS SUCK

 

[Sledderglen]

Count me in also I do have one but only use a small section of what it can do.

 

[Summitric]

Thanks Ron. I will attend the course have a garman but when $hit hits the snow I pull out the compass , to date I have always found my way back home much to the wife's dismay. The reality is I can always get back to the truck but upon leaving the staging area I have a 50/50 okay closer to 75/25 chance of turning the wrong way. ROADS SUCK

HEY LOST, YOU REALLY NEED THE GPS WHEN OUT GROOMING OUR GREAT TRAILS AND THROUGH THE MINISTIK AREA....LOL... HATE TO SEE YOU RUN OUT OF FATTIES WHEN GROOMING AND YOU GET "LOST", EH???

 

[NosRX1]

Count me in I need to buy one and then figure it out.

 

[catmando]

Yup I'm in!
catmando!

 

[chinook75]

After having a "temporarily off course" adventure in the mountains this passed winter I went out and picked up a GPS this spring. But I haven't had the chance to really use it other than just playing around with it.

If my schedule permits I would go to a course in a heart-beat!

 

[Summiteer]

Do all the different brands work close enough to the same that they can be covered in the same course or would it be for just one brand?

 

[Garryese]

All the basic functions of a GPS are similar regardless of brand. Accessing those function is as different from brand to brand as they are from model to model within a given brand.

Once you understand what the functions do and when to use them, you just have to find that function with the GPS you have. Usually not that hard to find the page/function you want.

 

[Ministik Man]

A GPS course is a great idea for most people.
Reading the manuals and figuring out what the H-LL they are saying is confussing.

We ran a Capture the Flag - GPS event with the Outlaws and had a great turnout of 16 quads. By placing ice cream pails with markers in them the rider used preset co-ordinates to find the pails. At the start we assisted everyone with using their GPS and programming the co-ordinates into their GPS. It was amazing how much better they felt at the end of the day after using the co-ordinates in a 15 km loop and back to the staging area. They all felt they could now enter co-ordinates that we sent them for club rides.

I have used a Garmin 76S for 4 years and map every ride I do. When back home I upload waypoints and tracks and save them to computer files.

The biggest difference in GPS is "what do you want it to do"
- Just mark where the staging area is so to return to it.
----- use a cheap Garman Etrex series - small screen & light weight
- Need waypoints, tracks and computer mapping
------use an advanced Garman Etrex (Small Screen) or 76 series (large screen)
- Weather proof or Water Proof
------The Garmin 60 series are great, with large view screen but are weatherproof only, do not submerge in water and if dropped into water they sink.
------The Garmin 76 series is Waterproof (for mudding quadders) and they float if dropped into a pond or beaverdam.
- GPS & Two way radio in one
----- The new Rino line will plot tracks, waypoints and is a two way GMRS Radio. BUT by far the most important feature of this GPS is it ability to identify the location of riders. If you can talk to the other person the GPS will show their location and the name of the rider at that location.
**** Today this looks like the best GPS/radio combination for trail and mountain (boondocking) riding as it will pinpoint a rider location and speeds up finding/rescueing them.....

So to sum up, you may be best to wait for the course before buying your own GPS to see the model that best suits you needs/wants and what software suits your needs.

Also there are several types of Computer Software ranging in free with the GPS to $200-300. Also you may have to buy Etopo (electronic topographical maps) maps that the software reads to plot tracks and waypoints onto.

And printing out of maps to what format, size and paper.

Websites:
Garmin:
Magellan: Magellan GPS
Lowrance: Lowrance - Marine, Outdoors, Aviation, Automotive and Mapping Electronics

Government GPS Site:
GPS Review site: GPS World - Home Page

I will attach one of my maps using:
- Garmin 76s
- OziExlorer computer software
- Etopo maps (Alberta & BC)

If you would like to comment or discuss models, type, differences, software please post or PM me.

 

[rknight111]

Well I guess I will start looking for a hotel to get a confernce room for the course and make sure the instructors can work with the times. This seems to be a popular topic and will be a hit..

I'll announce the times once confirmed.

RON

 

[catmando]

A GPS course is a great idea for most people.
Reading the manuals and figuring out what the H-LL they are saying is confussing.

We ran a Capture the Flag - GPS event with the Outlaws and had a great turnout of 16 quads. By placing ice cream pails with markers in them the rider used preset co-ordinates to find the pails. At the start we assisted everyone with using their GPS and programming the co-ordinates into their GPS. It was amazing how much better they felt at the end of the day after using the co-ordinates in a 15 km loop and back to the staging area. They all felt they could now enter co-ordinates that we sent them for club rides.

I have used a Garmin 76S for 4 years and map every ride I do. When back home I upload waypoints and tracks and save them to computer files.

The biggest difference in GPS is "what do you want it to do"
- Just mark where the staging area is so to return to it.
----- use a cheap Garman Etrex series - small screen & light weight
- Need waypoints, tracks and computer mapping
------use an advanced Garman Etrex (Small Screen) or 76 series (large screen)
- Weather proof or Water Proof
------The Garmin 60 series are great, with large view screen but are weatherproof only, do not submerge in water and if dropped into water they sink.
------The Garmin 76 series is Waterproof (for mudding quadders) and they float if dropped into a pond or beaverdam.
- GPS & Two way radio in one
----- The new Rino line will plot tracks, waypoints and is a two way GMRS Radio. BUT by far the most important feature of this GPS is it ability to identify the location of riders. If you can talk to the other person the GPS will show their location and the name of the rider at that location.
**** Today this looks like the best GPS/radio combination for trail and mountain (boondocking) riding as it will pinpoint a rider location and speeds up finding/rescueing them.....

So to sum up, you may be best to wait for the course before buying your own GPS to see the model that best suits you needs/wants and what software suits your needs.

Also there are several types of Computer Software ranging in free with the GPS to $200-300. Also you may have to buy Etopo (electronic topographical maps) maps that the software reads to plot tracks and waypoints onto.

And printing out of maps to what format, size and paper.

Websites:
Garmin:
Magellan: Magellan GPS
Lowrance: Lowrance - Marine, Outdoors, Aviation, Automotive and Mapping Electronics

Government GPS Site:
GPS Review site: GPS World - Home Page

I will attach one of my maps using:
- Garmin 76s
- OziExlorer computer software
- Etopo maps (Alberta & BC)

If you would like to comment or discuss models, type, differences, software please post or PM me.

Just wanted to comment on battery life of the gps radio combo,you have to carry extra batteries as they will not make a whole day of riding.I wanted to purchase them but that was a deterent!My two cents!
catmando!

 

[Ministik Man]

Just wanted to comment on battery life of the gps radio combo,you have to carry extra batteries as they will not make a whole day of riding.I wanted to purchase them but that was a deterent!My two cents!
catmando!


You are right about batteries I use 2 AA batteries every trip out
My 76S will only last 6 hours in the cold snowmobiling & 8 hours quadding
But I buy the case of AA batteries at Costco for about $15.00 so not a big expense.

 

[badmonkey]

I would be intersted in the course also. I currently have a basic model E-trex and would like to upgrade. I have figured some of it out on my own. used it to leave breadcrumbs when we went to West Yellowstone in February. 150 miles a day

 

[NosRX1]

I would be intersted in the course also. I currently have a basic model E-trex and would like to upgrade. I have figured some of it out on my own. used it to leave breadcrumbs when we went to West Yellowstone in February. 150 miles a day

How did you like west yellowstone? were you there sledding? I rode there last year and had a blast.