GPS newbee with a few questions

Alligator · 12-28-2002, 12:12 AM

I bought my first gps three weeks ago. My unit is a Magellan Meridian hand held. I feel this unit is the most amazing hunting/fishing tool I have ever bought. With the topo loaded this unit is great in the woods but also is great in the cities.

My brother Jeff bought a Magellen NAV DLX-10 a few years back and it's still new in the box. Since I've become fairly comfortable with my Meridian, I've been learning to use his NAV DLX-10 so I can teach big brother how helpful this un-used unit could be mounted on his boat. Jeff fishes out of Hammond and goes out to sea 10 to 30 miles or so. I hear stories of him being in the ocean when the fog comes in and how scary those times can be without navigation.

Knowing you salties are the veterans in navigation here are some questions you may be able to help me with.

1. Is there a web sight that has the coordinates for the Columbia river bouys so that I can build Jeff a route using the bouys as waypoints?

2. Is this the best idea for navigating the Columbia Bar using his GPS?

3. Do you folks use a GPS route when traveling from Hammond marina to the Astoria bridge for fishing the Wa side?

thanks in advance
les

Pilar · 12-28-2002, 08:07 AM

1) Alligator, a loadable chart should have the waypoints for bouys on it already. Does the unit have a loadable chart feature?

Failing that, I have most of them in my GPS logbook and I'll be happy to share. Also you need a chart of the area to learn it.

2) The best way is to first use the GPS as a backup on a clear calm day. Make waypoints, run a route and get familiar with it when the use is not required. Then when the fog rolls in you can have a little experience and confidence from that.

3) Yes, absolutely. The CR is big water with many sandbars, rips and obstacles. Using 2) above run these routes and make waypoints under ideal conditions. Test the routes periodically under the same conditions and for practice.

There is a GPS series on the board somewhere, I'll find it and post the link.

magic box
http://www.ifish.net/ubb/ultimatebb....=000018#000000

part one
http://www.ifish.net/ubb/ultimatebb....=000019#000000

part two
http://www.ifish.net/ubb/ultimatebb....=000020#000000

part three
http://www.ifish.net/ubb/ultimatebb....=000031#000000

[ 12-28-2002, 09:22 AM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

RFA Janice · 12-28-2002, 10:23 AM

Pilar: You can't imagine how helpful your information is to all us less experienced folks. :smile: Just wanted to say thanks and happy new year. :grin:

Alligator · 12-28-2002, 02:01 PM

Pilar,

I've begun studing the information you have listed. This is very helpful.

My brother's GPS doesn't have the loadable chart capability. The unit is new but 5 year old technology. I would like to have the bouy waypoint coordinates for the CR you have saved. I can enter these in my mapsend software and creat a route to upload to my Meridian and for his I will manually key in the waypoints for route creation afterward. Any hazards marked with waypoints would also be helpful. I have a fax if that would be best for transferring data.

I will first read and learn the earlier posts you have listed and maybe all my questions will be answered.

Thanks again
Les

Mr. Fisherman · 12-28-2002, 03:19 PM

Les, I have the Garmin Waypoints and Lights software and should be able to make a route following the red buoy line if you would like it. As far as traveling across the channel Keta brings up a valid point. Large vessels cannot steer away from you and you need to be able to know they are there and avoid them. I just bought radar for my boat because I know that I will want to go anyway, this way I can at least stay out of the way. In addition to these hazards be advised that the channels and sand bars shift all the time. Care should be taken the first trip out to make sure your route is still valid. Watch your depth and set an alarm on your depth sounder to help keep you out of trouble.
I have seen several boats stuck on the sand waiting for the tide. Not fun.
Educating yourself will help you avoid those issues and you are on the right track. I'm still learning and appreciate all of the guidance afforded me by this group and others.
Good luck out there,

Ray

Alligator · 12-28-2002, 08:46 PM

Keta, your point is well taken about the ships in the channel.

Ray,
I'm not sure the Garmin routes are downloadable to my Magellan Meridian or the NAV DLX-10. But I would like the route including the bouys and their coordinates if you can e-mail them.

Les

12-28-2002, 11:02 PM

One thing to remember is that ships don't show up on the GPS.

rojo · 12-29-2002, 07:42 AM

Not trying to sound sarcastic. but how about buying a upto date chart, laying out your coarses figure out lat and longs and then just load them to gps. Everyone should know how to do this type of navigating....Roger

Miss B Haven · 12-29-2002, 08:13 AM

Chart Rojo- What's a Chart? :whazzup: I think I had one of those once, but could never figure out how to plug it in! [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]
Serious now - I need new ones. My nearshore for North Oregon Coast still shows a light ship off the CR.

rojo · 12-29-2002, 11:53 PM

Mel. Once again not wanting to knock other peoples way of doing things, I think the five or six boats sank this last year after hitting the Kelly Point wing dam would have wished they would of read a chart. One of them went so far as to tell his insurance agent that it wasn't on the chart, that guy I know never learned how to read one...Roger

Alligator · 12-30-2002, 06:47 PM

Thanks to Corrirod's post with the downloadable charts websight I got the gps coordinates for the CR bouys and have successfully entered the bouy waypoints and created a Hammond to CR Bouy route.

Thanks all for the help,,and ,Happy New Year Folks.

Les

kenai · 12-30-2002, 09:27 PM

Remember! Never rely soley on Aids to navigation, (bouys) as they go off station quite often. Also everyone has messed up entering co-ordinates so check your entered waypoints on your way out as well. Well maybe not everyone, but I have messed em up. Its good to have a route in advance but its a lot more comfortable if you've checked it.

Mr. Fisherman · 12-31-2002, 02:23 AM

And you should adjust the coordinates so you don't run into a buoy when you are following your route. Make sure to make the first run in ideal conditions and take it slow and easy.
Good luck out there and beware the ebb tide....