Garmin 64st goes on sale 8/9/19

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jmr40

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https://www.cabelas.com/product/Garmin-GPSMAP-reg-st/1813418.uts?slotId=1

Just a heads up. From time to time people ask about which GPS unit to buy. This is the one I recommend. Not the most expensive, no fancy bells and whistles, but a solid unit. The usual price ranges between $250-$350, but I see them marked down to $200 quite often.

The price is still listed at $250, but I got a sale flyer in todays mail and starting NEXT Friday, the 9th-25th they will be $199.97 at Cabelas and BPS. I'm betting that only applies to stock on hand and they may only have a few units in stock at that price so I'd not wait till the 25th.

If you're not familiar with using a GPS they are pretty useless out of the box. To really use them I advise buying some mini SD cards and downloading detailed maps onto the SD cards for your region. I can find free maps for most of the USA, but you may have to pay for some. I had to pay $80 for Colorado before hunting there but so far I have about 12-15 states downloaded for free.

A good source for free maps

https://www.gpsfiledepot.com/
 
Good unit. I am running a 62s currently but have been running gps units since before they turned of Selective-Availability. Nearly all my units have been Garmin, they are rugged excellent units.

Be sure to enable WAAS the improvement in accuracy is appreciable.
 
The 64 is a slightly newer version of the 62 and they have a 66 now that may eventually replace the 64. The units are virtually the same. There are some minor differences in the 64's too. Mine is the 64s, this is the 64st, and there are some other 64's with other letter suffixes. It has to do with newer generations and some come preloaded with some maps. But you still really need to download detailed maps to get the best use.

The 62, 64, and 66 units are push buttons which is older technology and they have external antennae. But supposedly they are more reliable than the more expensive touch screens and the external antennae is supposedly better if trying to get a signal in heavy cover. I also have an Oregon 600 which is a touch screen. I've used in in Florida swamps and cannot tell any difference. They are more expensive, and I haven't seen one at a reduced price since I bought mine. It is a slightly more compact unit, with a slightly bigger screen since the antenna is internal. But it does the same thing.

They make a Montana which is basically the same unit as the Oregon, only bigger. Some have built in 2 way radios and other features like cameras, but those can get into the $700-$800 range, and as a GPS don't do anything the others won't do.

They also make a smaller, less expensive Etrex series. My only experience with one of those wasn't positive. And when you can catch the 64's on sale they are the same price
 
Educate me.

I had one of the early, no-map, Garmin units that I got just for the data, lat/long, altitude & speed. But what's the advantages of a unit like this over using the GPS Essentials app on my phone? Downloaded maps for when your outside cell coverage?
 
Educate me.

I had one of the early, no-map, Garmin units that I got just for the data, lat/long, altitude & speed. But what's the advantages of a unit like this over using the GPS Essentials app on my phone? Downloaded maps for when your outside cell coverage?

A dedicated GPS units have a few features that make them better than using your phone. You phone may do everything you need but dedicated units still have a few trick only they can do.

A GPS unit like the 64 has physical buttons. This is nice in really wet or cold weather where a touch screen is more difficult to use.

A dedicated GPS unit is more water proof than most phones.

A dedicated GPS unit is typical better on battery life.

A dedicated GPS unit has a much larger and better antenna. Phones use very small patch antennas where dedicated GPS units will use a patch antenna with a much much larger area and a unit like the 64 uses a quad helix antenna that works even better than the larger patch antennas. This becomes desirable in difficult situational like canyons, or thick wet or snow landed tree canopy. Most dedicated GPS units also allow for external antenna.

A dedicated GPS unit can receive more satellites. As far as I know most phone in the US can only use the US GPS satellite constellation. The 64xx series can use both US and Russian based satellites for navigation. A unit like the 66xx series can use the US, Russian, and the new European satellites. Very few phones currently are using chipset that allow reception of these other newer satellite navigation systems.

Most dedicated GPS units are capable of using the WAAS system. This is a pair of satellites in geostationary orbits (GPS satellites are at about half that altitude and have a 12 hour period). These WAAS satellites transmit data that your unit can use to make the position more accurate (corrections for the speed of the transmission through various layers of the atmosphere). With good satellite geometry WAAS can bring accuracy down to sub-meter error. I don't believe any of the phone are implementing the WAAS system most likely due to not having a big enough antenna to receive the weaker signal from the WAAS satellites.

Hope that helps more than it confuses.
 
No. That's great info.

I suspect my phone app also has limited maps stored on the phone and that in the outback it wouldn't show much, if any, cartographic info.




Curse you, THR. Another "toy" I just can't do without.
 
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I've used a 62st for several years, and mcb summed up the benefits well. They have good always-on battery life, are fairly waterproof, and are tough. I've dropped mine many times and have a big scratch on the screen from laying on top of it on a rock outcropping to set up a shot on a cow elk, but it keeps on ticking. It rides clipped on my hunting pack shoulder strap full time, usually lasts me two days in the field and dies on the third, but I like that I can swap in another set of rechargeable AAs and be back in business. Hunting in WY, the OnX map chip that shows land ownership data is pretty much a mandatory piece of kit (even used by the game wardens to settle disputes). With a chip in the Garmin and the app on the phone for zooming in and checking out satellite maps when necessary, you're pretty well set.

I actually accidentally left my Garmin in the snow at a kill site last year. We had packed the elk about 1 mile (halfway) back towards the truck in windy 15 degree temps when I realized I didn't have it.... Wanted to leave it behind and get back to the warm truck so bad, but wound up going back to get it because it's so important to my hunts.
 
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A cell phone can help get you pointed in the right direction if you're turned around. And for a lot of people that is all they want. I often use my smart phone to bring up much more detailed google earth data. But you'll run the battery down quick using a cell phone a lot. I can get 10-12 hours out of my GPS running constantly and a few more AA batteries don't take up much space.

When you buy the GPS you can also download Garmin Basecamp which is a useful tool. I use that to download my tracks each day and then transfer them to Google earth. It is a great scouting tool. Before hunting in Colorado last Fall I spent hours looking over Google earth scouting the area I planned to hunt. By moving the cursor over spots the GPS coordinates show up on the bottom of the computer screen. I entered some likely locations into my GPS before even leaving GA. I was able to park the truck and walk directly into good looking spots 1500 miles from home where I'd never been. Every night I downloaded my tracks and used Google earth to help scout out a different location for the next day

This is a map I saved from a hunt here in GA from a few years ago. I parked at way point 34 and walked SE to the pin before turning on the GPS. I left it on the rest of the day. I found a likely spot to return to and marked it "scout here" before returning to the truck at about mid day. I drove SW along a dirt road and hunted along the creek walking west in the afternoon.

I turned the GPS off before driving home and stopped to turn it on briefly again to check something. That is why the straight line going NW.

dawson hunt.jpg

I carry mine when hiking as well and keep a record of trails I've hiked. I find it interesting to go back and see exactly where I've been. It adds another perspective to my days outdoors.
 
Here is another use. I almost always hunt alone. This is the area where I turkey hunted this spring. I used google earth and out lined the area were I'd be hunting and printed this out for my wife. Told her that if I don't come home the truck is parked at 29, and if I'm not inside the lines I've been kidnapped.

berry.jpg
 
I quit using Garmin years ago.

Backcountry Navigator:

Available on both Android and iOs as well as watches. I have been using it on both for many years. Lots of available downloaded free topos as well as paid ones from BLM, USGS etc. I forgot what I originally paid for it but I think $25 - $30.

My current phone is a Samsung Note which has an accurate 6" touch screen with a stylus and is ip68 waterproof. Also I have one less thing to carry without a dedicated GPS. Easy 12 hrs on a charge. Works well with a solar charger. Has both GPS and GLONASS.

6831437373_51034366a5.jpg 6360017787_54d3bcb8dc.jpg

http://backcountrynavigator.com/
 
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If I were in the market for a Garmin GPSMAP 64ST I would jump on that deal. Except I already own the exact same product. Bought it from Midway USA October 7th, 2015. My grand total including shipping & NRA Round-Up came to $299. Still have the paperwork & original box here in my man cave. It's a nice unit but I'm not enough of a techno-geek to fully utilize all the features on it. Mostly just store a bunch of waypoints and measure distance from point to point and consult the map to see where I am sometimes. Just used it yesterday salmon fishing about 3 miles out into Lake Ontario on a 33 ft. Trojan to see just where we were on the lake in relation to other waypoints I had stored on it. For $199.97 I'd recommend one to anybody in the market for something like that based on my experience with one. IMG_7603.JPG
 
The 66st’s are going on sale because the 66i’s launched last month. It’s an updated 66st, with satellite communication from the InReach model line. More expensive, naturally, but certainly well worth it to many folks.
 
SO: I went on a hog hunt along the Kissimmee River in SW Fl. Loads of fun being back in the FL outback of my teenage years.

I utilized, or tried to, my phone with GPS Essentials. Left a lot to be desired. Vertical topography wasn't an issue, but streams and location of wildlife management area was. It wasn't that easy to operate and get my track either. And after only 4 hours I had almost run down my phone battery. Yes I could have carried an battery pack, but all-in-all it wasn't satisfactory experience with the phone.

So now, a Gamin 6x will be on my wish list.
 
Onx maps is a great app for smart phones. Download the local maps as needed before leaving service, and it does a great job thereafter keeping you “not lost.”

I just returned from 8 days up mountain with my Garmin 66i and onX on my phone. Admittedly, I used an Onx map chip for my Garmin too, but the functionality and tracking for both systems was great. I paid the monthly fee for unlimited texting through the Garmin Inreach which uses the iridium satellite network, which was great.
 
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