Handheld GPS

[Pain103]

So, I'm interested in opinions or reviews of handheld GPS units. I'm looking for one eventually to put in my pack I use when having to search terrain for evidence/bodies. Primarily ease of use and be able to mark points of interest like spots where certain items were located and be able to give those coordinates to aircraft or other people. Any help on where to start would be appreciated. I don't even know if this is a feature but if I could use it to track path already covered would help.

[Garufa]

Is hunting for bodies something you normally do?

[Darrell]

I own an ancient Garmin hand-held GPS and it still works very well. It's quite basic in that there is no topography or landmarks actually in the unit (ancient!).  But I can mark my truck when I get out of it, head out into the woods, and can easily find my way back to the truck again. If I find an interesting body I can mark it and name it and go back to find it another day. I know the newer units are FAR more capable, and whatever you choose is going to work well for you.

I bought another GPS made specifically for dirt bikes. Again, no built in maps, but it lays a "track" that allows me to explore a network of trails and old logging roads without having to remember ever turn I've made.

Whatever GPS you decide on, you're going to like it. I'm pretty comfortable in the woods with a compass, but there havebeen times when I've come back out to a road that I know my truck is parked on, but don't know which way on that road the truck lies. The GPS entirely removes that uncertainty. And you can mark a fishing honey-hole, too.

[Alleycat72]

Why don't you have a thermal drone? It has everything you need. 

[Omega]

15 hours ago, Pain103 said:

So, I'm interested in opinions or reviews of handheld GPS units. I'm looking for one eventually to put in my pack I use when having to search terrain for evidence/bodies. Primarily ease of use and be able to mark points of interest like spots where certain items were located and be able to give those coordinates to aircraft or other people. Any help on where to start would be appreciated. I don't even know if this is a feature but if I could use it to track path already covered would help.

Most Garmin units that mention Geocaching will have all the features you need, I have four units, the two with GMRS radios are pretty good, and they can send positions between the two radios.  My units are a bit older but they still function fine, and I loaded the TOPO maps interlaced with the roads and trails map for utility reasons.  

[Pain103]

22 hours ago, Garufa said:

Is hunting for bodies something you normally do?

I investigate homicides and missing persons as some of my job duties. Not a recreational activity. 

[Pain103]

22 hours ago, Alleycat72 said:

Why don't you have a thermal drone? It has everything you need. 

We do have some drones assigned to various personnel, but I don't know that you would get much heat signature from certain things we are looking for and the canopy coverage in some of these counties makes using a drone ineffective as searching by foot.

[Alleycat72]

47 minutes ago, Pain103 said:

We do have some drones assigned to various personnel, but I don't know that you would get much heat signature from certain things we are looking for and the canopy coverage in some of these counties makes using a drone ineffective as searching by foot.

Absolutely you'll get a heat signature. Sometimes for weeks. It depends on the time of year and what critters are around, but I've detected a body up to three weeks. I did know it was there and the thermal was ground based. Look at videos from these people. 

https://www.dronedeerrecovery.com/

They are looking for deer, but you get the point.