Does anyone know if the Foretex 301 will allow me to upload gps waypoints and another person download them into their gps device?

Thanks.

Yes - but you'll need a PC interface cable and a PC with the Garmin software.

Thanks Jake.

if you have garmin's mapsource software

you'd use it to connect to your foretrex and download the tracks, waypoints and routes

then you'd delete the tracks and routes leaving only the waypoints

then save the file as something like pgpwaypoints.gpx file

thius .gpx file can be sent by email as an attachment

the receiver could then load the .gpx file to pretty much any gps that had a computer connection as .gpx files are supposed to be the new standard for gps transfers

if you don't have mapsource there are many other freeware programs that can do much the same thing

Thanks Eric. I'm planning to use "Garmin Connect", but this is all new to me.

Any idea how accurate the speed is for the Foretrex?

speed readings are generally very accurate on gps as long as they have a good lock on the sats. eg they are generally MUCH more accurate than car speedometers (zero to +10%) which rely on tyre size, eddy currents, cables etc.

but they can sometimes give some wacky results, like 500mph, when you startup in a new area. however once settled down with a good lock and open skies they are the best

after all the top units are used to measure changes in the earth's surface of less than an inch around volcanoes and fault lines etc

I had the 201 and it worked also with usual freeware. Problem was the pin... so it is no on the seabed.

Cheers,

Klaus

Hmm, that's good to know! This one has a velcro thingey to wear around the forearm. I was going to mount it on the boom. Maybe not.

on the boom you should be fine. the problem with the pin is when you put your hand on the deck or some other position where your hand is bent 90 degrees to your arm. It puts stresses on the pin as the unit is bent between your arm and hand and the pins just pop out. Presumably your boom will remain straight (hopefully) so it should be safe on there.

You can always use the patented Tawd Hart insurance policy and aqua-seal (liquid nails) the strap to the back of the 201 housing.

Well...at least he didn't use duck tape.

As long as the 201 doesn't get to wet they are fine. In conditions were its being blasted with water, which happened to my boom mounted units, they failed.

I have yet to find a waterproof gps, even velocitek speedpucks, which I use now, get a bit misty inside and require regular dissassembly and drying out.

On the plus side with the foretrex most of them come back to life after a drowning, one of them it took over a year to dry out enough to work, but it does.

Darryn
Mosquito
Bullet
1782

none of my 201's ever died to water exposure. I have lost two in the drink though because of the pins and then one time the velcro strap just came off my arm during a launch at daytona beach.

I got the 301. It arrived today. Hopefully, the bugs have been worked out.

Years ago, a friend had trouble with his expensive "yachting chronometer" (wrist watch), falling off his wrist and disappearing into the drink. So, he cut a section off the arm of a defunct wet suit, cut a hole in it so he could read his watch and slipped it over his wrist and watch. He was able to push all the buttons just fine and had no more problems. Maybe I'll try something like that, except on the boom.

That is a very good idea Pete. Wonder why I have not come up with that idea? I am going to make a VHF radio mount, Video Camera mount and GPS mount out of my old wetsuit.

Hopefully you'll post some picture? Details get the best of me.

So, I'm finally getting around to the Foretrex 301. All I've been able to determine so far is that I must buy a download from Paretologic. It's only $30, still, does this sound right?

https://buy.paretologic.com/safecar...&uid=0&buttonTrackingID=18597837

What?! No! If all you want to do is share GPS coordinates, there are a plethora of FREE software applications available that will talk to your GPS. EasyGPS is one such product amongst thousands.

You don't need to buy software.

thanks Tad. I owe you a beer.

.....I would say at least $30 in beer.

GPS Action Replay can be used to replay your entire track on a pc and even on a webpage..like google earth...but also has sailing specific indicators/features.