GPS in your truck

[stackenem]

I am thinking about putting a GPS unit in my truck. What I need to know is there one out there that you can download POI into without going there first. What I want to do is to be able to download boat launches that I have never been to. Give me your thoughts on this.

Thanks
Bill

[Puma]

Sure.  I have an $80 Magellen from Costco that I do it with all the time.  I would imagine the the more fancy units can do it as well.  Not as easy as my old hand held Garmin, but it can be done.

[mikesmiph]

I can do it very easy with my handheld Magellan Triton, but it is more for hunting than driving. I use my phone GPS when I'm driving. Then all I need is the address of the launch.

[River Rat]

I bought a Tom Tom One 125 or 130 a year ago for my wife and it is ok.  My problem is that to update the maps I have to pay $75!  Oh heck, no.  Bought a Nuvi 2something from Costco last Nov and it is much better!  Well worth the $165.  It knows the traffic jams, updated construction routes, etc. without any yearly fees.  It also has Bluetooth for my phones.  You can set it for fastest route, direct-line route, scenic route (or something like that), gas saver, and anything else you can think of.  I highly recommend that unit.  I'll look for the exact model # later if you want.

Scott

[stackenem]

What I am actually looking for is a unit that you can set a POI by using gps longitude and latitude by the numbers instead of having to actually having a street address. Most boat launches don't have a street address. There are alot of boat launches that I have no idea how to get and that is why I need the GPS unit.

Thanks
Bill

[River Rat]

My Nuvi is the 265.  It is with my wife today so I apologize for not having an exact answer at the moment.  That said I'm 95% positive you can set coordinates, I know I marked one spot I was at a week ago and it logged it as coordinates and not a street addy so it would seem the reverse should apply.

[stackenem]

Thanks for all the info Scott.

[Dan]

If you enter a navigational unit into the query box on You Tube you can get all kinds of onscreen info concerning GPS units.

[huston]

The garmin 265 wt does what you are referring too. I wanted the same information without driving to the launch. You can find the launch coordinates  on the internet at google maps or the mdr website for Michigan lakes. That Garmin also has Bluetooth which means has free communication.

[huston]

Also, a little bit of advise for those of us that have portable GPS units for our vehicles. It doesn't have to be on the dashboard or windshield to work. This is a way of advertising that you have one and for the crooks to see and wait for you to park and get it.

[SethV]

I have the Garmin Nuvi with the 5" diagonal.  Biggest screen I could find at the time.  Magellen how as a nice 7" screen, I would check that out.  I hate small screens.

With mine you can enter lat / lon or you can "pick" a spot on the map.  If you know about where the ramp is, you can scroll to that location, zoom in and tell it to take you to that spot.  I do that all the time, works great.

Seth

[TritonTR20]

Have a nuvi, you can pick the location from the map or save a current location. Either way it can be a point save for furture navagation.