I just saw the pictures/reviews of the new Garmin Edge 500 and it looks pretty neat insofar as it provides just the basics you want from a GPS. However I cannot work out if you can get a Grid Reference from it?
Anyone on here know?
they all will give a grid ref as far as i know
edit - i'm just going on past experience though as every garmin unit i've used so far (not sure about the car ones) will give an OS grid ref
Wel teh edge 205 will only give lat/lon not grid ref, don't know about the newer ones?
Yep thats what I thought. Basically I want a little unit that will give me a grid reference on demand, for those where the hell am I moments which sometimes happen when in heavy woodland.
Seems to me that there is a definite hole in the market for something like that.
the 605 and 705 will do it i believe
[i]the 605 and 705 will do it i believe [/i]
I don't think they do neither do / did the 205/305 series.
I would be fantastically happy yo be proved wrong on this though, as it is a right royal pain in the arris!
Basically I want a little unit that will give me a grid reference on demand, for those where the hell am I moments which sometimes happen when in heavy woodland.
eTrex H?
The review in a recent Singletrack mag was incorrect in saying the 705 won't do a grid ref. You can get a grid ref out an Edge 705, or at least you can on mine which has the latest firmware installed.
Set it to "British National Grid" in the settings, then on the mapping screen prod the nipple up and a text box will pop up with your elevation and 10 figure grid reference. QED.
The Edge 305 I had before would only give lat/long; no idea about the Edge 500, hadn't even heard of that until this thread.
The Garmin Edge 500 only came to light at the Eurobike 2009, its designed more for training than navigation purposes.
''Sharpen your cycling performance with Edge 500, a lightweight GPS-based cycling computer for performance-driven cyclists. Loaded with data, Edge 500 tracks your distance, speed, location and elevation with high sensitivity GPS. Add an ANT+™ compatible heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor or compatible power meter for a finely-tuned analysis of your ride.''
The Edge 705 definetley gives a grid ref, for Irish OS anyway. There's quite a list for all the different mapping coordinate systems throughout the world within the Edge 705. But no idea about Edge 500. As above, just discovered it existed when reading this. Seems to be pricey, you culd pick up a 705 for around the same price at the minute.
Would be amazed if it didn't do OS grid references, even my 6(?) year old Garmin Gecko does.
[i]you can on mine which has the latest firmware installed[/i]
Excellent - sorry, I missed that. Now there is definitely no reason to take 2 bottles into the shower 🙂
Looks as though the 500 is a replacement for the 305 rather than the mapping 705. Its a decent price too - at least it looks that way from the RRP on the Garmin site.
Cheapest I can find the Edge 705 is > £300, so the 500 for around £200 still sounds the best bet *if* it hands out a grid reference.
I will check out the eTrex H now, anyone used one of them? and if so how do you get on with it
rich - if you don't need the HR monitor then the edge 605 will do fine and will give grid references.
Not bothered by that literally want something to give me a grid reference, and may'be track where I have been.
I will look at the 605 as well then.
I've just replaced my 205 with a 605, it does indeed give OS grid refs, and with OpenStreetMap mapping and contours on it's ace!
so with the 605 do you need to buy the additional map overlays or are the ones shipped with it OK?
open street map is free, the supplied one is rubbish
i bought city navigator for mine and, ahem, aquired uk topo maps.
there is also a free cycling specific map set
What is this open street map of which you speak?