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| Garmin eTrex Legend Mapping Handheld GPS | 
 enlarge | Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
List Price: $199.99
Buy New: $99.99
You Save: $100.00 (50%)
New (68) Used (3) Refurbished (1)
Avg. Customer Rating:  280 reviews
Sales Rank: 584
Format: Cd
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Tracks: 10
Batteries: 2
Native Resolution: 160x288
Size: Legend
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 6 x 3
Array:
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: 100025600
Model: 010-00256-05
UPC: 756759030187
EAN: 0753759039929
ASIN: B000058BCQ
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great Basic GPS for Historical & Genealogical Research January 25, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Great Basic GPS for Historical & Genealogical Research
One of the strengths of GPS technology is the myriad uses of a hand held GPS device, ranging from hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, camping, and a host of other outdoor applications. Many hunters and fishermen also enjoy the many features of a good GPS device. I have even used my device to report nesting pairs of eagles and pollution sites.
While I also use my device for these other activities, I also use my GPS frequently in my historical and genealogical research. Selected examples include reporting (or finding) the precise location of a gravestone of interest in a very large cemetery; accurately reporting locations of gravestones or small family cemeteries that are located well off the road and in some cases completed overgrown with thick brush and coverage; using waypoint features to pin the boundaries of very early deeds or historic locations; doing field surveys of historic or family sites; translating historic locations back and forth between maps, aerial photographs, and actual boots-on-the-ground field surveys, and many similar applications. In one of my own applications, I have accurately reported the sites of over 79 grist mill locations dating from the late 1700s, and well as a number of very remote Civil War entrenchments. Many of these sites are now only accessible by kayak, canoe, or hiking in, and GPS makes finding theses sites a snap.
The Garmin eTrex Legend is a very affordable, nicely featured GPS unit for first-time users for not only a very wide range of traditional outdoor recreational activities, but all of the historical and genealogy applications I have listed.
*I liked the durable, compact, waterproof design; the easily understood menus and controls; and the fairly easy to read map displays. It feels great in my hand, and the battery life is very good.
*A major selling feature for me was 8mb of memory to hold plenty of waypoints, routes, tracks and such, as well as the ability to download a reasonable number of USGS topo maps or other mapping software. (Advanced users will need more storage)
*Users doing historical or genealogical research will want to download topo maps in order to achieve the full potential of this device.
*The unit comes with a handy lanyard and belt clip pouch, but I also bought a windshield mounting device, and also a mount for the handlebars on my mountain bike.
If you are a first time user without needing advanced features, this is a great GPS for not only your routine recreational use, but also for the historical and genealogical applications I listed above.
This was my GPS of choice for years and I highly recommend it to first time users. I moved up to a more advanced model with more technical features (60CSx), but I still carry my Garmin eTrex Legend in reserve and as a loaner for my field research partners.
CHT in Virginia
 Decent GPS, connectivity is crippled January 22, 2008
I had this unit for about a week, and the GPS functionality worked great. My main complaint is the connectivity. It comes with an RS232 serial cable, which is ancient. If you want to use this with a Mac, or a PC without this connector, a $20 adapter is necessary. With that in mind, you might as well spend an extra $35 and get the eTrex Venture HC. It has a high sensitivity chip, USB connectivity, color screen, 3 x memory, geocaching mode, etc.
Garmin is brilliant in differentiating their products just enough that makes you want to spend $35 for the next model up. In my opinion, they purposely crippled the connectivity on this to make the more expensive model within reach. RS232 serial is ancient, and I don't believe it's any cheaper for Garmin to produce this unit with RS232 over the 12 year old standard mini USB connector. It's their prerogative to sell what they want at the price point of their choosing, but I would not recommend this unit. Pony up $35 more and get the Venture HC.
Great for the beginning Geocacher January 14, 2008
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
First let me say that although I have purchased 8 Garmin eTrex Legends, I use the Garmin Colorado 400t. So why all of the Legends?
I love Geocaching! And like many of the things that we love, we want to pass it on to others. After tons of research I have chosen the Legend as the perfect GPS for beginning Geocachers. I have given them to friends, family and Boy Scout troops. Yes, there are GPS receivers on the market with more features, but at a much higher price.
If you are new to Geocaching or are looking for a GPSr for someone who is, the Garmin eTrex Legend gets my recommendation!
Fast and Secure Even Right Before Christmas January 12, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Ordered for my son right before Christmas and it was there in a
couple of days. Thank you. I would definitely order from here again.
Garmin Legend January 11, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Before I begin, I would like to describe the way in which I got this to interface with my computerand TOPO USA 2008. Connect to serial port and run 'hyperterm' give it any name and set the properties to 4800 baud, flow control to none. Set your serial data format on the garmin to NMEA from the main menu, go to setup, then interface. If you get something that looks like basic programming language, you are good to go. For example, if you get lines starting with something that looks like $GPGSV it is a good connection. IF you got a serial in to USB out adaptor cable and you get nothing but random characters, check your USB driver on the Hardware manager in System tab of the Control panel. It may not work with windows XP or just be corrupt. This will not let you 'find device' in GPS software. Be sure to reset the serial data format to GARMIN or HOST when done to work with map sofware. If hyperterminal says that there is another program using the telephony device (com 1) what you need to do is shut down any pda sync software or as I found out your UPS software that even if connected to a usb port may still be connected using com 1. You can use "process explorer" (seperate software) that can help you find whats using com 1 up in the Find->processes and DLL's box. Type 'Serial0' (serial zero) and search. Go to task manager and shut it down. If that doesn't work, just shut down everything that says owner EXCEPT explorer. Topo usa should now see the gps in the 'find device' box. After it found it the first time, I have not had any more connection problems on subsequent bootups. :)
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When I got this, I was mostly interested in that it had tracking coordinates (panning of the map) for use in finding locations out in the desert near Ft. Hancock, TX. I find that out of the box it was not very detailed other than the interstate and some larger roads but no help away from them as it displayed a blank. One thing I would like to have is that the unit have bigger number display of the numerical coordinates either on the map screen or in the navigation screen where the user is able to select various functions such as coordinates, bearing, heading, max speed, etc. Unfortunately, if you choose 'coordinates' for two of the large fields, you get two small coordinate displays instead of seperate N-S, E-W seperately which could be bigger and easer to read.
Using the map screen, while using the selected panning function accessible by clicking on the 'list' next to the X button up top, the numbers are very small but take up only about 1/5 of the top of the screen. I would also like the unit to be able to change the orientation sideways to have a wide screen rather than tall so it could have room for larger numbers.
As is out of the box, it is good if you are using it for hiking as you can simply get overhead shots of the land and get coordinates of the POI and you can enter them manually into the garmin using the joystick unless they are very many. Its like using your keyboardless phone to text one letter at a time. It looks similar to the screen pictures of lower end magellan units as seen on the box with only a waypoint and your present position. This is of course for visual reference of the screen picture only. The resolution is better of course. There is no display of rivers and lakes due to the small fixed memory (8mb) which is definately a minus as you can't expand it with external cards and can be a pain to figger out why it won't connect to the computer sometimes. Some say the TOPO USA software is also very pricey but its needed if you want any kind of detail in your map. Out in this area, it will show a limited amount of dirt roads and some of the ranches. I have not figgered out how to add some not shown for a more detailed map. It does however, show detail on elevation quite well.
Now, for city use, it again is very limited out of the box showing major highways and avenues. If you want greater detail down to the street you are at, the TOPO USA does show this level of detail. However, it can look a little cluttered in such a small space with streets and LARGE labels. The elevation is now displayed with much detail.
It does seem that now that I have about 5 Mb of maps ranging from Anthony Tx, down to Van Horn Tx, that it takes a little longer to acquire the gps satelites.
One thing I have not figgered out or if its possible is if this unit can be synced with a camera for geocoding.
Again, some features I would like to see in such units is the ability to turn the display 90 deg and have a watch like strap available for this model for use on a motorcycle, larger coordinate display in the navigation menu, and most of all, a less complicated interface that does not require "special" cables that makes it an exercise in frustration.
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