Finally found a handheld GPS that reads in feet up to 5,279 feet. A Megellan Explorist 610. Has been working great for recon work. I store one way point then tell it to take me to that point as I walk away toward the next. It will tell me how far I am from the first point in feet. Works better than a hip chain as I do not have to walk a perfect straight line.
It also has a pretty nice camera. Cool feature is that it stores the pictures with the Lat/Long as part of the name. Will never forget where that picture was taken.
Half way sign was named N4499927-W08535303 about 275 feet to far toward Equator. 
Summer has arrived at N4508665-W08536642 Love this job.
I sat the GPS on top of the monitor well for a way point and then stored picture with the way point. Not accurate enough for this job, but is going to work great for morel mushroom hunting! That's Grand Traverse Bay. (Great name for a bay, IMHO)
They are good pics. I use my iPhone for the same sort of thing.
Look pretty much like my set up... without the orange legs and water...
Scott - This scene may be familiar
Little Traverse Bay 2005
Thanks! I followed your threads searching for the handheld, I need one like that myself.
My son is going to the college in traverse bay this fall (freshwater studies program). Any tips on the college or town? We have to visit for orientation in a few weeks. Went through last summer for a brief visit and it's a beautiful area.
Duane
Good find!
I will look into this, that was a big gripe of mine with the handhelds, not being able to navigate in feet.
Not being solo now and having a crew that can pull the cloth tape, its not a biggie, but I will surely look into it.
Thanks,
Randy
It's pretty crazy in the summer as the tourist out number the locals 4 to 1. T.C. gets crowded and the hotel prices double from winter. Take a drive NE or NW out of town and it's very nice. Sleeping Bear National Park is a must visit.
I went to NMC, if that's where he is going, for a few years then transferred to Ferris for Surveying Engineering. Let me know if there is any thing you need help with here.
Goof find! But I use my SONY DSC-HX100V cammera
HD cameras with GPS are also great toys. The SONY DSC-HX100V gives you the Latitude, Longitude, Elevation and Orientation of each shot. It worked good during a flight onboard of an airplane too, so I was able to record the flight planned with pictures. Plus it gives you the ability to shoot panoramas and HD videos from 30 to 60 frames per second. I have found Picasa being a good place to transfer them and see them on the map, but I'm happy with SONY's own software (PMB) that uses Google Maps as well. My only complain is that I haven't been able to research a way to print the image with the data.
great post
looks like a great little unit, especially the pre-loaded maps. I've always been annoyed that the iphone mapping basically shuts off when you need it most, like when you are out of cell phone coverage.
How is the screen clarity with the maps?
ANdy
Thanks Scott,
Yes, he is going to NMC. Maybe we can meet for a cold one when I take him out there. We have to get to one of the orientation sessions this summer. We like to use campgrounds when travelling and looks like lots of them around there. Checked out the Dunes last summer but didn't make the trek down to the water because it was late; I thought a couple people were going to have heart attacks trying to make it back up.
Check out Cabela's GPS Hunt Pro.
By Trimble
It allows you to download selected areas to the phones memory.
Layers include
Bing Aerial
Bing Hybrid
Bing Streets
OSM Streets
OCM Terrain
MYTOPO Topographic "quads"
It doesn't have navigation features, but at least you can see your location on a map as you drive.
I am happy with the screen. Best part about that is, if you hold down the power on/off for a few seconds, a screen comes up that lets you adjust the sound volume or screen brightness or shut it off/suspend. Nice and easy to find the adjustments, because I will never remember where they are in the settings menus. 🙂
