"GARMIN 45" GPS?

[Swede811]

I have an older Garmin 45 GPS. Is it outdated with todays technology or will it continue to do the job for me. Will it be as accurate as the neew ones. Is it compatable with the new WAAS System?

[Tom B]

It is not Waas enabled, but as long as you know how to operate it, there is no reason to replace it.

Tom B

[Thumper]

I have a Garmin 45 and it is a capable unit. I have no need to replace it.

[fishguy]

It's a good unit, but it is slower than most "fast" boats and can confuse most users. it's a good unit though and not worth replacing. if so--do not spend more than $120, even the cheap units are far more advanced than the 45.

[retire55]

Swede811:

Yes, the Garmin 45 is based on older technology. Whether it can do the job for you depends entirely on your specification of that job. It won't be as accurate as the newer models (but perhaps you don't need the extra accuracy). You might find the article below intersting from a comparison perspective.

http://www.gpsinformation.org/dale/tech.htm

[Swede811]

Even though the technology is older, are the sattelite signals stronger now? I used to be off by as much as 150 feet on some days.
jiggs

[Road King]

The satellites or signal has not changed. The government did disable "SA" selective availability which in effect added an error factor in the signal causing less accuracy. The problem with the Garmin 45 and older units is that they use older technology chips in the unit which are 8 channel serial receivers. They can receive a signal from a maximum of 8 satellites and they can only receive one signal from one satellite every second so it takes much longer to compare each of the signals and calculate position and speed. The newer units are 12 channel parallel units so they are looking for up to 12 different signals at the same time which is much more efficient. The older units still work but are much slower, less accurate, have fewer features, and will lose a signal more often. If you have an older unit, you can continue to use it if it suits your needs or use it for a backup. I would not recommend anyone buy an older GPS like the 45. In my opinion it is like buying an 8 track player.

[Swede811]

Sounds like if I want the accuracy of the new ones I need to buy a new one and retire my 45 to backup duty. I posted a new thread inquiring into which model would be a good replacement -- hoping for some helpful tips. Thanks for the info.