In car GPS

I use GPS for search and rescue, so I have probably a dozen. Last year I
wanted one with the voice directions for my car. I figured that like all
other GPS units, the prices would drop substantially. So, I chose to get
the cheapest one I could - which was a Garmin. In order to give it less
features than the more expensive ones, it only has addresses and no latitude
or longitude input.

This is fine most of the time - but I had occasion when I wanted to go to a
latitude and longitude or UTM. It is relatively easy to do that. Almost
any topo mapping program will have street address embedded in the program,
so you can take a laptop and use "find" to enter the location and that will
be marked on the map. Then, you can move the cursor to the nearest road on
the map and it will give you the address of that property even if there is
no house for miles around.

You then put the laptop away and drive to an address on the cheap voice
animated gps.

I am not saying this is the best or easiest way, but it is cheap.

A few other related GPS comments. We use handheld GPS units for searching
in Oregon. We have lots of tree canopy and under these trees, GPS units do
not work well. We have found that the Garmin 60CX and related Garmin "X"
units using what they call SIRFStar III technology (a low noise preamp I
think) works better than any other handheld when the view to the sky is
obscured. Of course this would not apply to flying sailplanes or if you are
out in the open.

If you are using car GPS units and have trouble with satellite reception,
you can purchase an inexpensive remote amplified antenna in a little black
ice cube that fits on the roof. That can help.

And, newer handheld GPS units get substantially more battery life than the
old ones, using 2 penlights instead of 4. If you still have an old GPS, it
might be time to move up. New ones have built in or downloadable topo maps.

Colin