Boat Forum / Cruising / October 2005

I take it that by portable GPS you mean Handheld.

I have purchased the Magellan Meridian Gold. It now sells for about $260.00
CDN.
Check Wal - Mart and GPS City for updated pricing.
Also visit the website of Magellan and Garmin for more detailed
specifications.
I find it well suited for the day and night time marine navigation.
I have also used it for land traveling.
The viewing screen is 1 3/4 X 2 3/16" the largest of it kind.
The drawback with this generation of GPS are:
1. The AA batteries only last for about 6 - 8 hours
2. The PC cable is a 9 pins serial port. Today's PC do not have that serial
port. You will need an adapter from serial port to USB costing around
$30.00/60.00 CDN.
3. The build - in map/chart have to be updated regularly by buying a new
version costing from $100.00 to 150.00 CDN. It not too bad for marine use,
but for land every time a new road of bypass is build the map has to be
updated.
The new generation of Magellan GPS made in 2005 includes the following
improvement:
1. Lithium Ion battery that are rechargeable without removing them from the
GPS
2. PC connecting cable to USB port.
3. Software to download and upload waypoints from PC/internet much faster.
The drawback of this new generation is that, at this time, the size of the
viewing screen is small and the body small enough to carry it in your shirt
pocket.
This new generation of hand held GPS  appears to be aimed at a larger market
like  Geocaching, walking, running, hunting, fishing and the like.