If you ask me, most people who own GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers just think of them as another fancy electronic gadget to show off to their Jeepin buddies.  In fact,  I’ve met several people who have readily admitted to not even knowing how to use their GPS!  But for those of us who are "directionally challenged" (myself included), it’s a necessity, a critical piece of survival gear, a matter of life and death!  Okay, so maybe I'm being a little over dramatic.  But I have to admit, my GPS has "rescued" me on more than one occasion. And I have come to rely on it regularly in my travels, both on the road and on the trail.

The unit I chose is the Garmin GPS III Plus, which I purchased from Defender Industries, Waterford, CT (1-800-628-8225; www.defenderus.com; orders@defenderus.com) in July 1999 for $326.  I also purchased the Garmin Map Source Roads & Recreation CD ($89), cigarette lighter power adapter ($22), PC interface cable ($32), and carrying case ($12).  I didn’t do a whole lot of research as to which unit was the best.  Rather, I talked to a bunch of people, mostly in my Club, to see what they were using and why. The overwhelming winner was the III Plus; so that’s what I got.  I’m very satisfied with it’s performance.  However, I've found that it has several limitations when used in conjunction with DeLorme’s Topo USA 3.0 mapping software. I'll discuss these limitations later.

The purpose of this page is not to compare the GPS III Plus with other GPS receivers, nor is it intended as a replacement for the user’s manual that comes with the receiver.  Instead, it’s a "how to actually use your GPS III Plus on the trail" type of page, with special emphasis on how it interfaces with DeLorme's Topo USA 3.0 software (which I purchased from 4x4Books for around $100.  Topo USA 3.0 consists of seamless maps of the entire United States on 6 CDs.  I’ve learned NUMEROUS things about the interface between these two products through trial and error; therefore you won't find a lot of this stuff in either of the user manuals!  Hopefully this information will save you some time and get you using your GPS for something more useful than saying, "Hey, lookie here everyone!  This here little triangle is where we are!"   ;-)

For each new trail that I ride:

Click on any of the buttons above for detailed instructions on exactly how to accomplish each of these tasks.  At first, the process might seem overwhelming and you may wonder if it’s worth all the effort.  But with practice, it gets easier.  While you are learning, I recommend that you print out all of these instructions and carefully follow each of the steps.  After tracking a few trails and creating your own routes, you will find you won’t need to refer to the instructions at all anymore.

BTW, one thing I  didn't purchase with my III Plus, was the mounting bracket.  I just applied one half of a Velcro strip to the bottom of the GPS, and the other half to the center of my dash.  I added a mini bungie cord for just a bit of additional stability.  It works great!  

Click on picture for larger view, then "back" on your browser to return here.

For more information about the Garmin GPS III Plus and DeLorme's Topo USA 3.0, visit their web sites at http://www.garmin.com and http://www.delorme.com, respectively. 

Click HERE for Garmin's "GPS Guide for Beginners"

[ Home ] [ For Beginners ] [ Glenn's Jeep ] [ Trails ] [ Jeep Humor ] [ Gears ] [ Check Engine Light ] [ GPS ] [ Tech Tips ] [ Jeep History ] [ Tow Vehicle ] [ Camper ] [ Motorcycles ] [ Links ] [ What's New ] [ Disclaimers ]