Garmin GPS 76 Handheld GPS Receiver

I received the Garmin GPSMAP 76 Versatile navigator for Christmas, what a surprise, since I am technological dummy.

Out of the Box

The Garmin Receiver
The hand strap
The hookup for the computer
Quick reference pamphlet
Owners manual

Features for those that want to know Most of this information came from the box.

The GPSMAP 76 is lightweight and fits right in your hand.

High resolution picture ~~~180 by 240 pixels

The display is roughly one and a half inches wide and two inches high.

If dropped over board it floats

Stores 500 waypoints.
Stores 50 routes

Has tables built in that tell you the best time to hunt of fish.

Has WAAS {yes I wanted to know what it was too} the letters mean Wide Area Augmentation System {still doesn t mean anything, I found out that it means the satellites you can pick up. Only two satellites and you cannot use altitude. With three satellites, it shows altitude, longitude, etc.

Built in maps that show interstates, cities, States, and marine information.

Accepts maps from CD-ROM from Mapsource.

Has 12 Channel receivers.

My Experience

When I looked at this GPSMAP 76 receiver I thought wow, at least my husband won t have to stop and ask for directions. I was wrong.

If you want to know the way to go somewhere, just go to Mapquest and print out driving directions. It is easier.

The GPS is not user intuitive at least it wasn t for me. I put two AA batteries in the back of the GPS. I like the way that the rubber cover hides the batteries and lock in so they don't get wet. I would imagine this is so if it drops in the water the batteries won t be damaged.

After I got the power to it, I sat down with the book. I learned the key s that are on the front of the GPSMAP 76. There are eight keys and the antenna is at the top of the GPS. The display is backlit for a few seconds to allow you to see better but the seconds can be changed to suit yourself.

The day I decided to use it was too windy for me to go out the wind chill was about 20, so I looked through the book and found out that there is a simulator that lets you go through all the steps and get familiar with it. After trying to learn all the keys and what can be set up in the GPS, I soon learned that, it wouldn t do what I thought it would.

The United States map would come up with all the states and the major cities but I couldn t zoom in too any specific streets.

I got familiar with the things that the GPS would do and the keys and finally I was ready the next day to try it out.

The first thing that I did was turn it on and hold it up toward the southern sky {after I found out which way was south}. After finding south all I did was follow, the screen prompts and the satellites came in at first there was only two satellites. Then as I moved around the yard, it picked up the third.

I made my position in the yard a waypoint, then I could move to any area on the map and it would show the distance and the positions on the screen it is shown in altitude and longitude. I walked about half a mile and then set another waypoint. As I started back the pointer is on the GPS and all I have to do is keep going the way of the pointer, like a compass but more complicated. When I neared the first waypoint, my yard, I got a beep and a message that said I was nearing my destination.

The GPS is paged through the different screens and then each screen gave me options to set and personalize. That let me personalize it the way that I wanted.

My Conclusion

This GPSMAP 76 would be great for hikers, fisherman, hunters etc. You can get CD-ROM s from Mapsource that has the streets etc, which I could load into the GPS system up to eight MG. and that, would make it easier to use in a car.

I believe the people that would get the most use out of this, is fishermen and hikers. The GPS system has a man overboard hit that brings you right back to where the person fell in. It is waterproof and floats. The marine maps are loaded in the GPS. An angler could mark the hot spots where all the fish are biting.

The GPSMAP 76 is a nice system just not for me. It is to techie and I was left with many questions even though the manual is well written and takes you through the steps systematically.

Would I recommend it? Yes, to someone that is well informed technically. For me, I just didn t get it. I was looking for something like Onstar, and got world maps instead. You can buy and download the maps that for the area that you fish in or hike, just like the street maps.

If interested in the GPSMAP 76 receiver the web site information.

http:www.garmin.com

Thanks for reading my review.

Diane
?2005