Christmas Shopping List
My wife informed me a couple of days ago that she want a Christmas Shopping List because she hoped to get her shopping done before Thanksgiving. I know that I do not need to put socks and shorts on the list. I also do not want to blow the budget out of alignment.
A while back there were a number of post regarding rangefinders. A hunting partner told me about a bunch of guys who were out testing the Nikon 440 sold at Wal-Mart and other locations and a couple of Bushnell rangefinders. The guys setup a number of targets and measure the distance with a tape. They then tried out the rangefinders. When the testing was done my hunting partner said he like the Nikon better because it was easier to read in bright sunlight.
Based on his input I added the Nikon 440 to my list because she can pick it up at Wal Mart.
I have tried to use my gps as a rangefinder. When using Topo software in gives me a general idea of the distance, but far from the accuracy I want. I tape a data card to the stock of my deer rifle. It has data out to 400 yards. A 400-yard shot is a tough shot. Either there is an up canyon or down canyon wind to contend with, the lack of a good rest, and an educated guess of the range. I have an old Weaver scope with the Rangefinder cross hairs. The problem is the fifty year-old scope fogs up, so it is now used to punch paper on a .22. My Weaver V7 with the Dual X cross hair came with a paper saying there is 13” between the heavy portions of the cross hairs at 100 yards. My V9 is 10 inches at 100 yards. I need to do some digging to see if I have the same data for my other scopes.
I did add a couple of other non-electronic items to my shopping list: A 3x9x38mmor 40MM scope, and a new daypack.
I am happy with my gps situation right now, having the Garmin GPS Map 76CX and the Garmin GPS Map 76C, along with the combination gps-fishfinder on the boat. If you are looking for a gps this Christmas I suggest a mapping gps unit for the hunter and fisherman. For me a unit with a lot of memory or expandable memory rates high. In order Garmin, Magellan, and Lowrance are the leaders in the recreational gps market. Garmin alone has over sixty percent of the market. If you buy an off brand you may have problems finding help. Every few months I make a trip to a big box electronics store and less often to a hip outdoors store. I have found the knowledge level of the sales people low or non-existent.
LOOKOUT! I have found a number of old Magellan gps units for sale at the Big Box Sporting good stores, and the small gun shops which are two and three generations old. These models have been discontinued four or five years now. These businesses are asking full price for them. Do some checking, technology has changed, and you can get an updated model for the same price or less.
My Garmin GPSMap 76C has been discontinued. It is a good unit but it is not as good as the current GPSMap 60Cx or the GPSMap 76Cx. I have seen a price drop for the GPSMap 76C. While it is popular with boaters because it will float, it is not as sexy as the GPSMap 60Cx. The GPSMap 60Cx and 76Cx are better then the older 60C and 76C because of the new chipset, and the expandable memory. A careful shopper can save some money on the older models. If the saving is less then fifty dollars bit the bullet and buy the new model. I have run my 76Cx a lot in the last few months, and with its expandable memory and update chip it is worth the extra cost. These units have a good base map, but Garmin’s MapSource software adds enjoyment to the package.
I also recommend the old reliable Garmin Legend for the budget minded shopper. When it was introduced the price was around $230. It can be had for $129 this Christmas. It has a good Basemap and has 8MB of memory. If one is using the Topo software it will cover a couple of the smaller Eastern States with room to spare. I packed a Legend from the Pacific Ocean to the Eastern Rockies. When I ran out of the Topo Maps I had loaded the base map still got me around in Wyoming and Montana. This unit has reception limits in the cement canyons of a city or the tall Redwoods. When mounted on the dash and attached to my laptop the unit guide my granddaughter and I on school field trip over one hundred miles away. I gave this unit to my son who snow boards different ski areas in the winter. It is rugged, lightweight, and has good battery life.
From the spec’s it appears the Magellan eXplorist 210 would fit the same niche.
GPS technology is rapidly changing. Replacement gps satellites have recently be launched. The more powerful transmitters will improve the reception of current gps units. In addition a second channel has been added to the satellite transmissions. This will result in new gps models being offered. I need to do more research on the subject. A couple of questions come to mind, (1) will some current models receive the second channel with a software update, (2) are there models currently being offered that will receive the second channel.
As my hunting partners grow older we do take advantage of the FRS/GMRS radios. So a pair of Garmin 530 Rhino radios would be nice. But the price puts them out of reach.
This year we used three brands of radios. One set was cheaper and did not have privacy tones. It would work with the other radios when tone protection was not used. I prefer not to have the radio on full time. Have set check in times and turn the radio on after hearing a shot from a location a hunting partner is suppose to be.
The Garmin 530 Rhino radios would be great because they pinpoint your partner’s radio. Far better then a verbal description. Descriptions of being uphill in the fir stand maybe hard to pin down in the middle of the forest.
