Using GPS

[Cornbelt]

Anyone here use a GPS for patrol/travel duties? My fiancee' just picked me up a Garmin touch-screen. I've used it twice for work related travel and I am -very- impressed.

It does have an occational mapping error, but for the entire United States, that isn't bad. :) Anyone here use a GPS for patrol duties?

[krellum]

I have one that I use when I go off the map...i.e. when the topo I'm using "runs out" and I'm on a trail or logging road that doesn't exist (polite way of saying "when I'm lost" :)).

Actually, I also use it to set waypoints for incidents/scenes that I respond to in the middle of nowhere, like poisoned critters at X, dead elk at Y, etc. I haven't had to reference any of this stuff in court yet, but I use the GPS to document it just the same.

k

[AG1811]

I just bought this GPS from Best Buy the other day. It was the best thing I could have done. On Monday my partner and I were attempting to locate an individual in the middle of NJ. Long story short, we get an address in northern Jersey. Now I can't find my way around this state at all (neither me nor my partner are from this state). I plugged in the address and I was there with in 20 minutes. If I did not have the machine, I wuold have had to go back to my office and map quest the damn thing and that would have taken me an extra hour. It was loke magic.

This particular one was also voted Time magazines gadget of the week not to long ago. I bought the one with the maps already loaded. Definitely worth the expense in my book.

[Sgt Jon]

I have been making use of the Garmin FRS/GPS combo, the radio end only works for about a 1/2 mile up here but the map is great, even for roads out in the middle of nowhere.

Looking at the TomTom unit, they have em at Best Buy for about $650, a bit of an investment but I think it will be my x-mas gift to myself; likely use it on and off duty... the roads in DC are a pain to learn and if the transfer comes through it will help a ton.

Thought about using it like a GIS system and mark accidents, crimes and the like for later reference.

[Cornbelt]

I haven't had an opporitunity to play with a TomTom. When I was at BestBuy buying my Garmin GPS C330, they had that and a Magellean. I didn't like the setup on the Mag, but the Garmin was pretty sweet. And besides, being Time's gadget of the week helped. :)

C330 isn't as good for off-roading as its primarily designed for road travel, but if thats what you need (like I do), its an awesome little toy.

Of course, it is wise to have a paper map, just in case. :)

[FedRich]

Most of the time I use GPS, it is hard wired to the boat. These are large plotter type units with electronic chart display. Obviously very useful when 30 + miles offshore.

I am often an end user of GPS coordinates (Lat/Long) provided by state or Coast Guard officers. Since this info is used in cases, a verification/accuracy check must be conducted at the beginning and end of a patrol, much like with radar speed measuring units. Coordinates are plotted using electronic chart software and included in case packages, especially for closed area cases.

Would be nice to have a handheld unit, but need one that has both nautical charts and streets and highways.