"GPS II Plus bounces back"  

Recently I was out in the field marking the position of some groundwater monitoring wells. I was leaving, and in the process of putting everything away, I left my GARMIN GPS II Plus on the top of my vehicle. I forgot it was there and drove off. A few miles down the road, going about 55 mph, I heard something tumble off my roof luggage rack.

I looked back in my rearview mirror and saw, to my horror, my GPS II Plus bouncing down the asphalt pavement. I saw it bounce at least four to five feet off the pavement two or three times, cartwheel several times, and then slide to a stop. Fortunately, there was no other traffic. I returned and picked it up, expecting to find a dead unit.

The removable antenna was gone, nowhere to be found. But the unit still powered up, with a few nicks on the case. I replaced the antennae a day or two later and everything worked perfectly. I did need to replace the AA batteries because the g-force of the impact was so strong that the little dimples on the plus polarity of the batteries had been crushed.

I must congratulate you on producing such a sturdy device. I am impressed.

R.H.

"GPS II Plus passes ejection test" 

I am a pilot attack instructor in the South African Air Force and make use of the GPS II Plus as an instructional and navigational aid. I have made a bracket for the GPS which is attached to a strap and fastened around my left leg near the knee during flight. Unfortunately, I was recently involved in an incident in which I experienced a compressor stall which resulted in me having to eject from my aircraft. I was taken to a hospital for treatment where I remained for some time, but my GPS II Plus was found lying in a field the next day, still working as advertised and only missing its antenna. I therefore successfully ejection-tested your product, which passed with flying colours. Thanks for a great product.

G.L.

"GPS II Plus in off-road event"  

Three members of our local Land Rover group recently headed south of the border to Baja to watch the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road event. After camping one night at Laguna Hanson, we decided to head south toward San Felipe and cut back north across Laguna Salada. Laguna Salada is a (sometimes) dry lake roughly 60 miles in length running north to south. It lies between Mexicali and La Rumarosa. At the north end is the main highway between Mexicali and Tiajuana, roughly seven miles from the United States border.

Our group reached the last military (anti-drug) checkpoint in late afternoon. We turned off the main road and headed west to the dry lake. I had navigated this expanse many times in daylight in the past, but it was now 3 p.m. and the sun would set today at 4:30.

Sure enough, it began to get dark, and all visual cues soon disappeared. I called up the waypoints set on previous trips and forced myself to ignore my senses which were trying to make me drive west (into the mountains) instead of north. Due to reduced visibility, we averaged only 30 miles per hour when normal speeds were up to 60 mph on the flat lake bed. There was no moonlight due to a low cloud cover that moved over the area that afternoon. The soft green glow of the GPS II Plus and the bright blaze of the Hella 3000s pointed our way north.

Two and a half hours later, we could see the lights from the highway ahead and we all gave a sigh of relief! Thanks again GARMIN for another exciting and safe weekend adventure.

G.S., T.B., and M.F.

"GPS II Plus good company in gator country"  

Just wanted to take a few minutes to let someone at your company know how happy I have been with my GPS. This summer, a friend and I planned a canoe trip down the entire length of the Pee Dee river. One of the items I picked up beforehand was the GPS II Plus. I have to say, it was a worthwhile addition to our supplies. Used in conjunction with a good topographic map of North and South Carolina, I believe it allowed us to travel greater distances every day. For anyone unfamiliar with this river, there is a general lack of suitable camping places along the way. By knowing exactly where we were, though, along with our average speed, we were able to tell when we were closing in on prime camping grounds. We did not fully appreciate this until about the fifth day of our trip, when we entered 'gator country. Paddling in the company of alligators puts a whole new twist on what you consider an acceptable camping spot.

We were able to set daily distance goals for ourselves and, thanks to the GPS, we would know when our speed was faltering or when we were spending too much time stopping to fish and gawk at wildlife along the way. We saw so many things that I never imagined I would see in the wild. Some of the highlights were Bald Eagles (we logged at least 50 bald eagle sightings), river otters, and alligators.

In the end, we made it to Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina, in eight days. I think without the GPS we would have easily added two days to the trip. We were especially grateful for the extra days, since Murrel's Inlet is only minutes away from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where we got an oceanfront room and enjoyed a couple of days of much deserved rest and relaxation, after eight hard days of paddling.

Anyway, thanks at least in part to the GPS II Plus, the summer canoe trip was a complete success. Since my return, I take my GPS nearly everywhere with me. You never know when you might find yourself lost. I only wish I had had one of these 20 years ago so I could have marked all of my grandfather's secret fishing holes and favorite hunting spots. Thanks for the great product.