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Garmin eTrex Venture HC | 
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| Brand: Garmin
Category: CE
Buy New: £97.99
New (11) Used (1) from £97.99
Rating:  6 reviews
Media: Sports
Fragile: No
Batteries: 2
Batteries Included: Yes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0
Dimensions (in): 0 x 0 x 0
MPN: 010-00632-01
Model: 010-00632-01
UPC: 753759072889
EAN: 0753759072889
ASIN: B000UNDLQ2
Release Date: September 13, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Product Description
eTrex Venture HC is an essential for any outdoor excursion. It features a high-sensitivity GPS receiver for peak performance in any environment and includes 24 megabytes (MB) of internal memory, a detailed basemap and crisp color screen. Enjoy Clear Reception With its high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled GPS receiver, eTrex Venture HC locates your position quickly and precisely and maintains its GPS location even in heavy cover and deep canyons. The advantage is clear whether youre in deep woods or just near tall buildings and trees, you can count on Venture HC to help you find your way when you need it the most. Add More Detail eTrex Venture HCs basemap contains lakes, rivers, cities, motorways & major roads, railway lines and coastlines. Venture HC also includes 24 MB of internal memory, so you can load waypoints and routes from the included MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager software and add map detail from Garmin's entire line of optional MapSource mapping products. Its 256-color, sunlight-readable display makes it easy to distinguish map details even in bright sunlight. eTrex Venture HC: Lock onto the great outdoors.
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| Customer Reviews:
ETrex Veture HC December 26, 2007
Mr. Robin F. Lord (Cheshire UK)
72 out of 72 found this review helpful
For several weeks I have been considering purchasing a satnav specifically for walking. I had been unable to find one in any store and so been unable to see exactly what I was buying. In desperation I settled for the Garmin Venture HC.
Using a map and compass is fine, and can never be totally replaced, but several times recently I have managed to get comprehensively lost. In theory with a couple of landmarks, a map and a compass it should be easy to work out where you are, in practice it is not so easy, landmarks can be hard to comeby or even not available (visible) at all.
The ability of the eTrex Veture HC to give a grid reference to 5 digit accuracy vertical and horizontal with WAAS correction (whatever that is) means that your map position can be fixed to within 10ft. That is quite enough to locate your position on any 1:25000 OS map.
The ability to track your exact location and to back track if necessary is more than useful. The built in odometer, compass and clock means that you can keep track of distance travelled and time spent with absolute accuracy.
As yet I have not invested in the detailed maps, but as OS maps are costing 7.99 a time (my current collection therefore valued at about 200) and are easily damaged by repeated folding and refolding I am coming to the conclusion that at 150 the full set of 1:25000 maps may well represent a good investment, and the waterproof versions cost almost twice as much.
Having done a couple of walks using the eTrex, firstly locally where I know exactly where I am, and then a walk round Macclesfield forest and up Shutlingsloe I have been very satisfied with my purchase.
Realising that the HCx model can take an external memory card and how much memory maps take I suspect that the additional cost of that model would easily be jusified. The HC has only 24Mb available. However the facilities it offers I think are well worth the cost and that is why a rate it at 4 Stars.
 Excellent on its own, amazing with additional Garmin maps March 22, 2008
Stephen Murphy (Leeds, UK)
59 out of 59 found this review helpful
There are a few reviews of this unit knocking around, though none answered the questions I had when I was looking to buy. So having bought & used now, I thought I'd try and give the sort of review which would have helped me.
Firstly, the unit itself. Build quality is excellent - tough, weather-proof and durable. The unit is fairly small (about the size of a compact digital camera), though the colour screen is a good size and is easily readable. The high-sensitivity nature if this particular model means that it picks up satellites within 20 seconds of a cold-start, even in areas of cover (under trees etc). The accuracy is within about 10 feet. Menus are easy to use - anyone who is able to figure out how their mobile phone menus work will be able to figure this out without looking at the instructions. Battery life is very good - takes a couple of AA batteries which last for ages (still on my first set!). Also means you don't have to mess around with chargers etc - just chuck a couple of spares in your pocket if you're worried!
Secondly, using the unit. There are a number of comments about the basemap in other reviews. It is basic - mainly just motorways, A-roads, large water masses and towns. This is not like your car sat-nav - though it's not supposed to be. I'll be using the the unit when I cycle from Leeds to Liverpool along the canal. The canal isn't on the basemap, but it will give me an idea of where I am in relation to the towns I will pass through or near. For walking/hiking, the unit is easily used with an OS map - the unit will give you your co-ordinates which you can then find on your paper map - simple. The units also has a number of other nifty features - it will track your progress automatically - and at the end of a trek (or during), will tell you how long you've been walking (& how long you spent standing still!), how far, average speed, top speed, etc and will show you on the unit your 'path' of where you've been.
Some walking websites also have downloadable GPS co-ordinates for their recommended walks - you can transfer these onto the unit so it will give you a route which you can follow as you go - helpful if the walk description isn't that good!
The unit however, becomes a whole different thing when you use it with the Garmin Mapsource Topo maps, which can be bought separately (and which I have bought and used). Much is made of the cost of these maps (about 100 for entire UK), but they're still cheaper than buying all the paper OS maps. The maps give you so much more detail on the unit screen (which you can zoom in-zoom out as you wish)- streets in urban areas, but paths, minor roads, railways, rivers, contour lines, etc in the 'wilds' - basically all you need to know exactly where you are/where you're going without an OS map. The Mapsource software also lets you plot walking routes on your PC which you can then transfer, with the maps, onto your unit.
There are comments in other reviews saying that this unit, because it doesn't have a memory card, is unable to be used with the Mapsource maps. Rubbish. The internal memory size does limit the size of maps which you can transfer across, but to give you an example, the internal memory has enough space to hold detailed Topo maps to cover about four fifths of the Lake District National Park - quite some area. Maybe not good enough for anyone walking along distance (Pennine Way, etc), but certainly more than enough for the day-walker.
I hope this helps. In short, excellent item when used with paper OS maps, and a wonderful, amazing unit if you splash out and use with the Garmin Mapsource Topo software.
Garmin eTrex Venture HC February 11, 2008
S. Turner (Jersey, Channel Islands, UK)
30 out of 31 found this review helpful
I needed a solid, accurate and inexpensive GPS for geocaching so, after some pretty comprehensive research I eventually decided on the Garmin eTrex Venture HC. Nothing at this price can compete for the number of features and easy of use, especially as many more expensive units don't have a colour screen or are as accurate. All readings to date have been within 10 feet or less plus I've never lost a signal yet, even indoors!
I was a complete beginner when it arrived but within minutes I was quite comfortable with the features and system navigation. My only (minor) gripe here is that the manual and quick setup guides aren't as clear as they could be. Don't be put off, just start using the device and you'll soon work it all out.
It's small size is very handy - about the same size a compact digital camera - and build quality is very robust. The supplied software is easy to use making uploading routes and waypoints simple. PC only though, so I have to use my wife's laptop instead of my Mac PowerBook or just manually input any information I might need.
All-in-all extremely impressed and I would recommend this unit to anyone.
BaseMap awful March 12, 2008
P. Davison (London / UK)
11 out of 14 found this review helpful
I just bought an "Etrex Ventura HC" to use as an aid for hill walking.
I specifically bought one with a map that shows rivers and lakes (as advertised in the product description above), but when looking at it, the Basemap is too incorrect to even consider using this device.
According to the basemap, the river Thames stops before arriving at London, and there are apparently no rivers or lakes in the lake district.
Very good satalite reception and excelent if you want to know where you are and are using regular maps, but the inbuilt is not suitable, and this model is not designed to use the advanced maps.
This item is being returned.
 TOTAL CONFUSION April 28, 2008
Mr. Anthony Blyth (JERSEY. CHANNEL ISLANDS)
8 out of 19 found this review helpful
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A MAP AND COMPASS MAN WHO CAN TELL FROM THE MAP ALMOST EXACTLY WHAT THE ACTUAL GROUND WILL LOOK LIKE SO BUYING AN ELECTRONIC SATELLITE NAVIGATION DEVICE - IN THIS CASE THE GARMIN eTREX HC - WAS THE RESULT OF A WIN ON THE GRAND NATIONAL AND THE THOUGHT THAT THE NEXT TIME I FLEW TO ENGLAND I COULD TRY IT OUT ON DARTMOOR. I LIVE ON THE ISLAND OF JERSEY.
I FOUND THE INSTRUCTIONS TO BE TOTALLY CONFUSING. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT WHEN A COMPANY SELLS A PRODUCT THE INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE CLEAR, CONCISE AND SO WRITTEN THAT ANYONE CAN UNDERSTAND THEM. NOT SO IN GARMIN'S CASE I AM AFRAID. ALL I WANT TO KNOW IS:-
1) HOW DO I PLOT A COURSE FROM A TO B.
2) HOW DO I ENTER THE INFORMATION INTO THE MACHINE
3) HOW DO I FOLLOW THE COURSE ON THE MACHINE
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEIR INSTRUCTIONS IS A MIND BOGGLER. HOWEVER WROTE THEM WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO IMPART INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHERS. I SPOKE TO A MEMBER OF STAFF OF GARMIN ON THE PHONE WHO WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL BUT I STILL FOUND THE INSTRUCTIONS EXASPERATING. OF COURSE YOU ALSO HAVE TO BUY THEIR DOWNLOADABLE MAPS IF YOU WANT TO GO ANYWHERE IN ENGLAND AT A COST OF 135.00!!
WHEN I WENT TO THE WEBSITE THAT THE GARMIN MAN TOLD ME ABOUT I TRIED TO GET TO A PICTURE OF DARTMOOR. ALL IT SHOWED WAS A GREEN AREA WITH NO WORDING OR NAMES. THE GENTLEMAN TOLD ME THAT THEIR MAPS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ORDNANCE SURVEY AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SCALE AND SYMBOLS.
BY THIS TIME I'D HAD ENOUGH SO IT WENT BACK INTO THE BOX AND IS NOW IN THE LOFT WHERE IT WILL BE FOUND AFTER I'M LONG GONE. STICK TO THE REAL METHOD OF NAVIGATION - THE MAP AND COMPASS OR FIND A COMPANY THAT MAKES INSTRUCTIONS BOTH READABLE AND A JOY TO UNDERSTAND.
IF YOU LIVE IN JERSEY, BY THE WAY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT ON LAND UNLESS YOU USE LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE. THE BRITISH ORDNANCE SURVEY DOES NOT APPLY HERE AND "DIGIMAP" THE COMPANY WHO DO THE 1:25000 MAP OF JERSEY USE A SERIES OF NUMBERS FOR LAT AND LONG THAT WERE DECIDED BY THE STATES OF JERSEY. NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OTHER GRID SO EVEN UTM / UPS IS NO GOOD.
ANYONE WANT TO BUY AN UNUSED GARMIN eTREX HC IN THE BOX? NOW WHERE'S MY COMPASS?
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