The Universal Bluetooth GPS Receiver wirelessly adds highlyaccurate GPS to devices, allowing them to be used with apps that require GPS, including apps for aviation.GPS Visualizer is a free utility that creates customizable maps and profiles from GPS data tracklogs waypoints, addresses, or coordinates.Moving Map. Moving Map programs have a wide application in Navigation beyond automatic routing with voice guidance in a vehicle.The needs of hikers, marine users.Garmin Ltd. shortened to Garmin, stylized as GARMIN, and formerly known as ProNav is an American multinational technology company founded by Gary Burrell and Min.Tomtom Marine Navigation Maps Download' title='Tomtom Marine Navigation Maps Download' />Garmin GPSMAP 7.GPS Tracklog. Hands on with the Garmin GPSMAP 7.The Garmin GPSMAP 7.GPSMAP handheld line in over four years.The reason for it taking so long is that Garmin had a huge hit with the 6.Colorado series, followed by the touch screen Oregon line.These new units brought the ability to add custom maps and aerial imagery, paperless geocaching, and high resolution screens, but the latter made them less than bright although the latest model, the Oregon 4.But patience has its rewards and Garmin did well not to rush things.With the 7. 8 and the forthcoming 6.Garmin has married the best features of the 6.Oregon line. Before we get into the details, lets look at some closelyRelated models.Garmin GPSMAP 7. 8s display.With transflective TFT screens, the greater the pixel density, the less light that can be reflected back to the user.In order to maintain the bright screen found on the 6.Garmin left the resolution 1.Screen size remains unchanged too, at 1.The 6. 2 and 7. 8 series do enjoy an increased range of colors that can be displayed 6.The result is a bright display, not quite as large or as high resolution as the Oregon series, but with much better visibility in a wide range of conditions.I definitely noticed the lower resolution, but these are the tradeoffs you make.Also of note, speaking as the owner of an Oregon 4.I really didnt miss the larger screen.Shown above and below are sun and shade photos, without backlight.It is difficult to capture screen visibility on film, but I would call these two displays comparable in a wide range of conditions.Garmin GPSMAP 7. 8s interface.Garmin hit a home run here.They did an excellent job taking the best aspects of the Oregon interface and making it work on a non touchscreen unit.I think it is actually better than the Oregon except for when it comes to text entry, where the touchscreen excels.This new interface makes it much quicker to navigate main menu items.A Page Ribbon menu appears when you press the Page or Quit buttons see image at right.Just like on the 6.The Page Ribbon menu item that appears is the next screen in the sequence.After a second or two, that screen will automatically open.Or you can press Enter to go there right away, or continue pressing Page or Quit to advance to other pages in the sequence stop on one and it will open.Page Ribbon items and their order can be customized.I prefer this interface to the old style, but you may not.In that case, you can set the unit to a classic style menu and get the old 6.Page Ribbon. A Classic profile comes pre loaded, Shown below are examples of the Setup menu in classic left and list right styles.For boaters. The 7.One other marine feature worth noting is that the Find button doubles as a Man Overboard MOB button hold it down to set a waypoint and begin navigating to it.The GPSMAP 7. 8s accepts a wide range of Garmins inland and coastal charts.Though ostensibly for boaters, the 7.Quite a few folks like the buttons above the screen, rather than below.So dont be scared off because it is for boaters layout and form factor are more personal preference issues.Newer features on the Garmin GPSMAP 7.The 7. 8 series inherited a number of features from the Colorado, Dakota andor Oregon series.These include the ability to utilize Garmin custom maps and Birds.Eye aerial imagery, a tri axial compass, new customization options, advanced track navigation, wireless data transfer and paperless geocaching.None of these were available on the 6.Ill explore each in more detail.Portions of the following are adapted from my previous reviews of the Dakota and Oregon series.Custom maps and Birds.Eye imagery. Garmin custom maps allows you to put just about any map image on the 7.Found a PDF park trail map onlineAdd it to your GPS The imageat left below shows a custom map a USGS topo raster image.You can read more about this feature by checking out my posts on Garmin custom maps.Garmin also recently announced their Birds.Eye aerial imagery program, a 2.GPSMAP 7. 8s. Since I had a review unit without a Birds.Eye subscription, Im showing a Jefferson Memorial aerial image using Garmin custom maps, but hey, you get the idea.Tri axial compass.Having a tri axial compass means you dont have to hold the unit level while navigating.The downside is that the calibration process is more complicated than that for a two axis electronic compass.Its the same procedure that is used on the Dakota 2.Oregon x. 50 series heres a brief video I shot of it.The compass should be recalibrated every time you change the batteries in the unit.Customizing the Garmin GPSMAP 7.The 7. 8s offers lots of options for customization.I highly recommend you take the time to set up the following.Page sequence You can customize the page sequence by choosing Main Menu Setup Page Sequence.This will allow you to select which pages appear in the page sequence and their order.The Page and Quit buttons move forward and backwards respectively through pages.I usually put the map screen as my first page and the trip computer last this way I can toggle between them with the page and quit buttons.Profiles The 7. You can switch profiles by going to Main Menu Profile Change.Or create a new one by going to Main Menu Setup Profiles.Select the new profile to give it a name.Any changes you make in menus or other settings will be retained in that profile.So start changing things Want track up when geocaching and north up when biking No problem.How about a separate profile that just shows USGS topos or aerial imagery The possibilities are nearly endless.Data fields You can change data fields on just about any screen that has these simply press Menu Change Data Fields.Dashboards Instead of data fields and in some cases in addition to, you can select a dashboard for the map, compass and trip computer screens.Choices depending upon page may include automotive, stopwatch, small or large data field, recreational, compass, geocaching or elevation plot.Ive included screenshots showing the last four below.For the trip computer and compass pages, you access this via Menu Change Dashboard.For the map screen, choose Menu Setup Map Data Fields Dashboard.Track navigation With the GPSMAP 7.Waypoints are automatically generated for the high and low elevation points, start and finish these and any user waypoints along the track are added to the route.Im a heavy user of track navigation.If I head out for a trail Ive never traveled before, I do a search online for tracks favorite search terms are.One advantage of this new track navigation feature is that, unlike typical backcountry route navigation, youll get an estimate of actual trail distance rather than as the crow flies mileage.Screenshot at right.Paperless Geocaching.The 7. 8 series is set up for full paperless geocaching support, meaning you can see the description, logs, and hint, and you can log your attempt find, DNF, etc.Speaking of which, full access to these features requires a premium membership at geocaching.Shown below, clockwise from top left closest geocaches, geocache description, map with geocaching dashboard, recent logs.Wireless data transfer.The GPSMAP 7. 8s is capable of wireless data transfer with other compatible Garmin units.You can transfer waypoints, tracks, routes and geocache summaries paperless caching details cannot be transferred.Other features of note.Most of the following arent that new, but they are worth mentioning anyway Route, Track and Waypoint management.The GPSMAP 7. 8 series has excellent route, track and waypoint management tools, including Waypoints The ability to project a waypoint, average location, set proximity alerts, and to reposition a waypoint at your current location.Tracks You can choose to hide or show multiple tracks on the map, view an elevation plot, and give them a custom color 1. 5 Steps Dru Hill Mp3 Download . The image at the right shows a track in red a record of a previous trip.The color of the active track may also be changed.Theres a good thread at the GPSMAP wiki that delves more into track archiving and storage.Routes You can view a map of the entire route, edit the route, reverse it and view an elevation plot.Ability to utilize free maps.One of the most awesome things about Garmin mapping units is the huge number of free maps available.
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