Get Lost!
Written: Feb 27 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lots of features and customization, position averaging
Cons: Does not replace backup nav tools
The Bottom Line: The Magellan 315 is a great value, and has many customizable features. It is a great entry to mid-range GPS for recreation and outdoor activities.
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| 3rdalarm's Full Review: Magellan GPS 315 |
I have considered purchasing a GPS unit for some time. I thought it would be handy for mountain biking, hiking, occasional boating, and for Search & Rescue operations with my volunteer fire department. After reading some articles about geocaching, I decided to purchase one. Geocaching (www.geocaching.com) is a “treasure hunt” where people hide small stashes of trinkets on public land, and post the GPS coordinates and hints on a website. People with GPS receivers can plug the coordinates into their GPS units and seek out the stashes, with the concept that: if they take anything from the stash, they should leave something else behind.
The website makes some recommendations for purchasing a GPS receiver. The two base models they recommend are the Garmin eTrex and the Magellan GPS 315. Both are very similar in capability. I decided I did not need features such as road map display, as available on some advanced models. While the eTrex was a bit more “ruggedized” and waterproof, I chose the 315 because I liked the higher antenna, control layout, and position averaging features.
The Magellan 315 is lightweight and very portable. It is powered by 2 AA batteries, which last about 12-15 hours (less if you use one of the two levels of backlighting). The battery compartment seals nicely with a screw-on, weatherproof cover and lanyard. The instruction manual is very thorough, and the unit features a “simulation” mode for instructional purposes. Optional accessories include external car antennas, power adapters, vehicle mounts, serial port cable, and software to edit routes and waypoints. Controls are simple and include buttons for POWER, BACKLIGHT, MENU, MARK, GOTO, NAV, QUIT, ENTER, and a 4-way pad. The display is 104x160 pixels, and is very readable, especially with the backlight. It receives 12 parallel channels (which I understand is a good thing). I purchased it on sale at Best Buy for $149.00. The eTrex was about $125.00
The unit has 15,000 major and minor cities in memory, and 500 user definable and editable waypoints/landmarks. It can store 20 routes with 30 legs each. It features sun/moon position, automatic averaging of position, fish/game calculator, sunrise/sunset times, altimeter, odometer, and trip meter.
Upon startup, the unit displays available satellites and signal strengths. With an unobstructed view of the sky, it takes about 15 seconds to a minute to establish a basic position, and about 2 minutes to finish averaging. There are 9 configurable navigation menus. The POSITION screen displays the coordinates of the current position, elevation, date, time, speed, distance, heading, and a compass ticker. The compass dial screen nicely shows the sun/moon positions, heading indicator, waypoint indicator, bearing, distance, heading, and speed. The scalable map screen is also very helpful, tracing your route as you move and displaying landmarks/waypoints from .1 miles to 200 miles. The speedometer gauge is also scalable.
GPS coordinates, speed and distance displays are very configurable to different coordinate systems, English, and metric units. The menu information displayed is also configurable. This unit would be just as useful on the water as it is on the trail. In fact, one very handy feature is called that “MOB” or man overboard marker, that drops a waypoint and plots an exact course to it from your current position.
So, if you are looking for a feature-packed, customizable, and reliable entry-level to mid-range GPS receiver, I strongly recommend the Magellan GPS 315. If you plan on using GPS for driving, you might want to save up for a more expensive unit that maps streets, but the 315 is great for general outdoor recreation and navigation. In terms of geocaching, I have successfully located several caches with my receiver. It took my about an hour to become comfortable with the capabilities of the unit.
NOTES:For those who are not familiar with the limitations of GPS receivers, a few things are worth noting. First, and foremost, a GPS is a great tool, but should be used in conjunction with backup navigational devices. It is no replacement for a backup magnetic compass and topographic map (www.topozone.com). The internal compass requires time and momentum to update and orient itself, especially after you stop or make a sudden turn. Always carry spare batteries and some sort of signal equipment if you are going off the beaten path. Hike with a buddy. Don’t bury your nose in the GPS screen and forget that you may be walking on steep terrain or into a nest of snakes. Also, the altimeter, while nifty, is not especially accurate. Finally, be aware of things like park boundaries and hazards. Most caches are located a short distance off a road or trail, but at least one I sought was mistakenly placed on private property. It was an honest mistake by the person hiding it…I’m just glad the large, unfriendly rottweiler was on a tether.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
3rdalarm
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Location: Baltimore, MD
Reviews written: 79
Trusted by: 31 members
About Me:
Data Specialist, Professional Volunteer Firefighter/EMT/Water Rescue Team Leader
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