Garmin GPSMAP 530 Review
March 15, 2009 by admin
This slim-line, freshwater GPS marine unit measures 17 x 10 x5 inches and weighs in at 4 pounds. The friendly interface makes the 530 a breeze to operate and it is ready to get to work for you right out of the box.
The Garmin GPSMAP 530 flush-mounts easily in your boat and has pre-loaded, detailed maps for inland lakes in the United States with shorelines, depths, navaids, and more. More then 300 of the inland lakes are enhanced with the extra Inland Lakes Vision features.
The 530 also features a 5 inch QVGA display with simple, straightforward buttons and menus. It is easy to learn to operate and you can even add the optional BlueChart g2 Vision SD card for some more enhanced features.
For operation outside the U.S., the 530 has a worldwide basemap with satellite images to replace the more traditional maps.
The Garmin GPSMAP 530 comes with a SD card slot which makes it easier to add more maps without having to connect to a computer.
The 530 gives you a 3D mariner's eye view or fish eye view which provides you with a 3-dimensional perspective of map information, both above the waterline and below it.
The higher-resolution satellite images assist you in orienting yourself in unfamiliar areas. The Garmin GPSMAP 530 searches through mapping data and will suggest the best passage you should take.
If you want continuously updated weather information, you can add the optional GXM 31 antenna to receive XM satellite weather which includes NEXRAD radar, and hundreds of XM radio stations right on your chartplotter. So no need to worry about being out on the lake in bad weather.
With the Garmin 530 the cold acquisition time is 45 seconds and warm acquistion time is 15 seconds. It comes equipped with a built-in antenna, a power/data cable, mounting bracket and the unit is waterproof.
