Anyone use the Garmin Oregon,Montana or Dakota GPS?

delete

 

The types he's asking about are for off the roadways. Handheld hiking types.

 

my bad

 

Be careful about the bi-directional ones, that add traffic data or download new maps automatically; some of these have been discovered to send your personal data back to the mothership.

 

Any clues? I am new to this GPS wizzbangery

I picked up an old "working" Garmin etrex GPS from a thrift shop for A$6. Instead of starting a new thread...thought I'd tack my post onto your thread Qig.

It came "as is" with no manual (which i have been able to find in .pdf format online) and unfortunately no power or data transfer cables. The date has been set on display for 22 Jan '06. It seems to have trouble locating satellites...battery power is ok...so it is getting all the juice it needs.

Do i have to download data off internet to update this leather bound steam powered thing???

I suspect that cables are going to cost many more times more than just the paltry A$6 I paid for what is presently just a yellow battery box....some interesting lcd graphics but can't change date/time and other basic start up coordinates

 

Nor sir, I have not taken the plunge with this type of technology. Still doing it the hard way.

Hope this help though.

Garmin Oregon 450 Reviews

Garmin Oregon 450T preliminary review - Bushcraft USA Forums

Garmin Oregon 450 - GPS receiver - hiking - flash 850 MB - 3"

Garmin Oregon 450 vs. Edge 800 - Mountain Bike Review

 

Heyas, saw your question and thought Id chime in a bit.

I have been running a Garmin Dakota 20 (my first woods type GPS) and I am very pleased. Its extremely accurate. Holds a ton of way points, has free maps (if you look around) and is easy to use.

Con is its hard to see in the sun. You have to cup your hands to see it but its not any worse than my smartphone.

The 20 fits well in a surplus molle grenade pouch. It fits like it was made for it.

I guess another con might be it wasn't as intuitive of an interface as I would have imagined.

All in all its a powerful little GPS and a handy tool.

 

Most of the newer GPS's take a mini USB as a connector to the computer, I just picked up a Garmin 450 and uploaded a free topo map to it for our spelunking area. It worked just great.

 

I bought a Dakota 20, and at first loved all the features. Eventually, it was a good thing it was orange and waterproof, because I chucked it across the tundra.

(I regained my composure, found it, and sold it)

I HATE touch screen in device like that. Between gloves on and off, wiping water droplets off, screen fogging up, gloves back on and off... etc. I finally got exasperated with it. Sure, all the features are nice, but not when you cant use the damn thing.

If something like that is going to have a touchscreen, it needs to have big buttons as backup.

 

Sounds to me,like you got a broken one.
Mines the same model,same mnf yr,has never been updated,and works great.
Matt