g'Day all
Because GPS technology is so useful to birding, handheld units are often
discussed on birding-aus. Some discussion has been about their
affordability. If price is a consideration, I recommend buying second
hand GPS units in good condition from international sources.
My occasional work involves installing new and used PC based marine
autopilot and navigation systems. When selecting such systems for
yachts, handheld GPS units are often interfaced with the PC navigation
software.
In the past few years I have purchased several second hand Garmin GPS
units from the United States using the EBay auction site. So far, there
have been no problems with any of them. Pay from AUD$90 to $120
depending on the model selected (Garmin 12/ 12XL/ 72/ Etrex), including
postage.
When deciding upon an item on the EBay site, selecting a unit with an
"as new" description has proved to be reliable. Expensive accessories
such as PC download and power connection cables, mounts and soft cases
are sometimes included in the deal and if a users manual is not
included, it can be downloaded free in pdf format, from the Garmin site.
http://www.garmin.com/support/userManual.jsp?market=All&subcategory=All&product=All
Using United States Postal Priority Service for shipping, the freight
cost is about $14 for parcels less than 16 oz. and delivery takes only
two or three days. See the UPS site.
http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage/welcome.htm?from=home&page=0061calculatepostage.
Our improved exchange rate should provide even more favourable
conditions for buying. Hope my experience is helpful to observers on a
budget.
Regards
Ian May
Price, South Australia
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