Reviews > Navigation and Map Gear > GPS > Magellan SporTrak Topo 2003 > Jack Corrigan > Initial Report

Personal Biographical Information:

Name: John (Jack) Corrigan

Age: 40 years old

Gender: Male

Height: 5 feet 10 inches (1.8 meters)

Weight: 175 pounds (79 kilograms)

Torso: 20 inches (51 centimeters)

Email: jack@jackquest.com

Region: Fredericksburg, Virginia (Spotsylvania County)

Report Date: 12FEB2004

Background:

I have always been one to do the outdoor thing as compared to the organized sport thing. It started as a youngster in the Boy Scouts and continues today as an adult. The majority of my experience has been in Pennsylvania but I have hiked, camped or paddled in New York, California and even Alaska. I am also currently a volunteer search and rescue canine handler. Although search and rescue doesn't always result in an overnight or multi-day trip, I am required to be prepared, equipped and trained for it. Training a search dog results in many hours of trekking through the outdoors.

My "style" is best described as recreational camping, mid-weight backpacking (2-3 day treks), day hiking, flat water paddling, hunting and canine search and rescue activities. My last extended (more than 1 week) outing was the summer of 2001, as a volunteer for the Armed Forces Eco-Challenge in interior Alaska. I also include two of my four dogs in most of my outdoor activities.

Product Information:

Manufactured By: Thales Navigation (Magellan is a trademark of Thales Navigation)

Manufactured Date: 2004

Manufacturer URL: http://www.magellangps.com

Listed Weight (batteries installed): User Manual-6.0 ounces (170 grams)
Product Packaging/Website-6.1 ounces (173 grams)

Delivered Weight (batteries installed): 6.0 ounces (170 grams)

Note: Weighed on a digital 0-25 pound postal scale.

Additional Product Information:

Accuracy: 10 feet (3 meters)- Tracking up to 12 satellites to locate a position and using Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS).

Power Source: 2 AA alkaline batteries (included) or 9-18 VDC with power cable (not included)

Size (length x width x height): 5.5 x 2.1 x 1.3 inches (14.0 x 5.4 x 3.3 centimeters)

Memory: 108 MB built in nationwide United States topography
16 MB additional for "detail" topography downloads from Magellan MapSend Topo CD-ROM

Note: Detailed specifications/characteristics are available in the user manual and on the website. This short list contains the characteristics that I would consider basic information for a hand-held GPS receiver.

Field Information:

Location:

For the most part, the proposed testing locations will be in the Mid-Atlantic region, primarily northern Virginia and northeastern Pennsylvania. Base Camp VA (home) is conveniently located near many local, state and federal recreation areas. In addition the Appalachian Trail and Shenandoah National Park are only a few hours away. Base Camp PA (cabin), which is located in the Endless Mountain Region of Pennsylvania is also located near state parks and state forest areas, as well as lesser known trail systems such as the Loyalsock Trail.

Now that I am living in Virginia trips to our cabin are less frequent, maybe once or twice every three or four months. But Shenandoah National Park, Prince William Forest, Washington National Forest and Jefferson National Forest are now regular trekking spots.

Description of Location:

The terrain of the proposed testing locations is varied, and ranges from flat low grass and lightly forested regions to mountain "elevations" of 200 to 3500 feet (60 to 1100 meters). Trail systems range from established foot paths to undeveloped logging roads and even the occasional bushwhack.

Weather Conditions:

This test series (initial report through long term report) will be conducted from approximately February through July.

I am not as familiar with the weather in Northern Virginia as I was with the weather in Pennsylvania. I am anticipating hot and humid conditions continuing into early fall, extended mild temperatures into early winter with brief cold periods during mid to late winter. Then again, I'm not a meteorologist! However, I am an all season, all weather tester and will record actual weather conditions in the specific test reports.

After some weather research I will offer the following sample temperature data points for the Upper Piedmont/Northern Neck region of Virginia:

February (37°F/3°C)
March (45°F/7°C)
April (56°F/13°C)
May (61°F/16°C)
June (70°F/21°C)
July (73°F/23°C)

Product Experience:

A handheld GPS receiver (GPSR) has been on my required gear list for many years. The first GPSR was a Garmin 12XL which served me well and I still use it today. Garmin stopped providing updates and I wanted to move into a WAAS enabled and map display capable GPSR, so I added a Magellan Meridian. I use a GPSR in the field with recreational and search and rescue activities, as well as at home with a personal computer and mapping software.

The Magellan SporTrak TOPO (with v 5.00) arrived packaged for retail sale and in excellent condition. A PC data cable, wrist strap, MapSend Topo CD-ROM, two AA batteries, user manual, quick startup reference guide, registration information and an accessory brochure were all included in the package. I was a little disappointed that a simple basic no frills carrying case was not included. It should also be noted that the user manual is actually for the SporTrak series, specifically the MAP and PRO models. There was a one page supplement for the TOPO which only references the detailed maps available from the MapSend CD-ROM.

The SporTrak TOPO is very comfortable to hold. The buttons are easy to operate (with a bare hand) but the symbols used for each button function take a little getting used to. I'll miss the nice printed English words that are on my Garmin 12XL. The screen seems small for any useful map reading but the zoom ability and downloaded topography detail should aid in that process. I am curious to see just how detailed the downloaded maps are when compared to a United States Geological Survey (USGS) quadrangle. The "grayscale" appearance will also be interesting, sort of like using a black and white photocopy of a paper USGS map. Is that gray line a stream, or a road or a contour?

Using the quick startup reference guide, the SporTrak TOPO was up and running in a matter of 2-3 minutes and had acquired three satellites from the comfort of my easy chair. The battery life indicator showed full power for the included batteries. The initialization process was very easy to follow both on the GPSR and in the user manual. The power up sequence has one very annoying feature, each and every time the GPSR is turned on, the user is required to agree to a personal responsibility and risk warning message. Has product liability really come to this? This annoyance should be a one time deal or even at the most after battery replacement. For the record the Meridian requires the same user action, the Garmin 12XL does not.

There are seven navigational screens available. They are the map screen, compass screen, large data screen, two position screens, road screen and a satellite status screen. The data on these screens can be customized to a certain degree by the user. Field testing should show which data is more useful for my needs. In addition, these screens can be turned on or off to suit the user's needs. The default is all the screens turned on, I find I really only use the map screen, compass screen, one position screen and the satellite status screen. Field testing should show which data is more useful for my needs.

The MapSend Topo software (v 4.20D) installed with no problems. The jacket in the CD case is also the user manual for the software. There are two installation options The first option (80 MB required) installs the program, background map, and index tables but not the detailed maps. The second option (700 MB) installs everything. I chose the first option. At its most basic level, MapSend is used to select a specific region of detailed maps for downloading to the SporTrak TOPO. There are other waypoint and track functions which will be examined during the field test period.

My test plan is to use the SporTrak TOPO to mark positions and compare accuracy to other known landmarks or USGS benchmarks. I will mark waypoints and create/navigate GO TO routes. The interface with MapSend and other PC based mapping applications will be examined. Performance between late winter testing in very little tree cover will be compared to performance later in the test period after the trees leaf out. Performance in adverse weather will also be checked.

TEAM JackQuest
http://www.jackquest.com

Reviews > Navigation and Map Gear > GPS > Magellan SporTrak Topo 2003 > Jack Corrigan > Initial Report