Idahogreggory

One possible explanation for the high number of black bear attacks, besides the increased encroachment into their habitat and shortage of food due to changing weather patterns, is the misconception that bears will often false charge so some believe you should not react. It is quite common for Browns to false charge but not Black bears, they either run off or commit to the attack. To each their own but I will continue to carry my pistol while in the woods, go with what you know. One of my close encounters with a cantankerous Black bear turned out just fine, well for me I now have a very nice 6-1/2 bear skin rug

I all ready have Garmin's version 3.0 Topo and Topo 2008 maps but I was wondering if anyone has either built or found any better (more accurate with better trails) Topo maps for Idaho?

I have since upgraded to CN2009 and haven't had an issue with NT. Don't know why I did with CN2008, now I am wondering if it was my SD possibly.

I have been using my Vista HCx for caching and it had been putting be dead on top of every cache we have went after. I am running 2.6/2.6 and only twice in five months has it ever locked up and required it to be turned off and back on. I have no reservation recommending the Vista for geocaching.

I believe that Chuy! was referring to the Map page on the Vista. Naturally we assumed you meant Garmin Topo 3.01 or Topo 2008 when you said "Ones I name in Garmin, even simple ones like Falls". Unfortunately I don't have any National Geographic Topo maps so I can't give you an absolute answer, but it appears that there is a translation issue between how National Geographic Topo names waypoints and Garmin. It may just be a setting like smart names GSAK.

Dale, Just installed your latest version and it looks good. Thank you.

MapSource now seems to be on my PC after the CN 2009 install. I can zoom to street level detail. Well thank you, I didn't realize that the upgrade came with MapSource. When you buy a nuvi you don't get MapSource or the maps for your computer; it was like buy CN on SD. I guess I better reconsider upgrading after all. Thank you.

sjn951, Interesting, it was my understanding that when you run the upgrade it only uploads to the GPSr and does not install MapSource and the maps on your computer. If this information is incorrect please let me know. because that is one of the reasons I haven't upgraded, that and I got it for Christmas and have only used it a total of about four times. I figured that when I get ready for my next big road trip I would probably get the up grade.

Absolutely, the Vista HCx works exceptionally well for navigation. I also have a nuvi I thought I would only use it but after having it bounce around in the jeep once I decided the Vista would be a better choice. I have my Vista loaded up with Topo 2008, CN 2009, and IBYCUS 1.3 maps.

The only reason they wouldn't work is becaue you don't know how to configure the COM port correctly in the Device Manager. I have had to use USB to Serial I/O for years with laptops becasue laptops haven't come with serial port for quite awhile and I have never had an issue once you got configured correctly without any conflicts.

Not sure I'd want to run around with a <$40 GPS in the woods, looking for a geocache, but I certainly recommend some sort of weatherproofed handheld GPS over a Palm/BT Gps. If you get caught in the rain, the Palm isn't going to be happy with you, and the other thing is you will get a lot more battery life if your GPS unit isn't also trying to transmit/receive a Bluetooth radio signal. There is definitely nothing wrong with Magellan 315! I have been using the Magellan 315 for the past 10 years in wilderness areas of Rocky Mountains with issues. The unit has been very accurate and I have never had tree cover, clouds, or terrain imped my capability of getting a good SAT lock. The only reason I upgraded to the Vista HCx this year was for the mapping capability. drabina I would have no reservations recomending a Magellan 315 for geocaching or hiking, since there is no market for them I keep mine in my jeep for a backup unit for myself or guests.

Steve; Technically you can the software is on the disk but legally you can not. It's like ibycus stated you would need an unlock code and to my knowledge Garmin only provides one unlock code per software copy. The unlock code is determined by Unit ID of your GPSr. I haven't upgraded my nuvi yet to 2009 yet, it irks me that if I buy an upgrade I still won't have the maps on my computer and if I buy CN 2009 so I can have the maps on the computer I can't upgrade the internal maps on the nuvi only install them on a SD card.

Not for the US version.

You do need a driver but most often you can find the latest by Googling the manufacture and model number of the adapter.

gr8johnson Nope you don't need to buy Garmin's serial to USB adaptor; I have Belkin adaptor that works just fine. Read post # 7 on how to setup the com port in Win XP: 3rd Party Serial to USB for Garmin

If your are talking about a storage case I use a Pelican 1060 with the do-it-yourself foam kit. It holds the GPSr, mount (disassembled), power cord, and a retractable USB cable. It's ideal to take on the plane so I'll have it in the rental car.

When the map page is displayed press then MENU/FIND key to bring up the menu. Select Setup Map and press the MENU/FIND key again. Now select Show or Hide the maps you want.

I am assuming you're using XP or Vista. Plug in your USB to Serial adapter an let your computer find it. Then go to the start menu and right click on My Computer, from the menu select the Manage to open the Computer Management console. On the left side of the window under Computer Management (Local) select Device Manager by left clicking it. On the right side of the window scroll down until you find Ports (COM & LPT) and expand the tree by left clicking on the + next to it. Find your adapter and double left click on it to open its' properties page. Select the Port Settings tab and set the baud rate and select the Advanced button to set the COM port number then reboot to the setting can take effect.

With the exception of bees the best know defense is making plenty of noise as your hiking and an awareness of your surroundings so you can avoid dangerous situations. Animals that are health and are not hungry will gather their young and and move on if they can hear you coming, but those that don't or follow you usually have an agenda. The other methods previously mentioned suggestions can work sometimes but they do rely on a great deal of luck or fate. In thirty years of play in the woods I have only had one animal encounter that I didn't initiate, but I have come across a few areas that had crime scene tape from where bodies had been dumped and I have seen on the news where the Forest Service has discovered large marijuana fields not too far from where I have hiked that worries more then the wildlife.

Don't worry about your pocket, kayak or canoe blocking the signal; I have my Vista HCx mounted under the dash down by the boot of the stick shift of my hardtop Wrangler and it never looses signal. I know the Vista HCx is water poof but I don't know to what depth so I would recommend a dry bag lanyard to something inside the boat.

tapar1, I hear you about the quality of Garmin's Topo maps, they do not have the resolution of Delorme's maps. However, Garmin's Topo 2008 is much better then 3.01 but still not as good as Delorme's Topo USA 2.0 IMO but that didn't stop me from getting a Vista HCx for hiking and hunting. When it came down to it for me the price was right and figured realistically how much detail can you really resolve on a small screen. What I have found so far is that the Garmin maps have more then enough detail for the GPSr any more I can't see of being in use in the field, but they lack the detail I like when I am on the computer for planing hunts so I have Delorme Topo USA 3.0 and MapSource on my computer. I do have to say I like how MapSource has integrated Google Earth. Personally for the price, durability, size, and performance I think you'll be hard pressed to beat the Vista HCx for hiking and hunting. I have been paying around $200 for GPSr since the early 90's and they are just getting faster, smaller and more features for about the same price. BTW I use to be strictly a Magellan user but when switched to the map models I liked the Garmin maps much better.

Yes. I have the Vista HCx and a nuvi 200W and I use the Vista in my Jeep all the time because of the hostile environment. Like XopherN71 said there is no voice but it beeps before the turn and give a good header across the top of the map telling you what street to turn on plus it has the same turn by turn screen as my nuvi. The only two draw backs the Vista has over the nuvi is that the screen is smaller and it is not a touch screen. If I could only afford on I would have bought the Vista since I only use the nuvi when I am on road trips. The Vista is easier to take on a plane for use in the rental car because of it's size and durability and of course it is much better for caching, hiking and hunting then the nuvi.

That is up there with with another famous Texan statement: "There are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq" Come on folks get your intel straight and don't hitch up to the bandwagon.

You would think that there would be a way to take the City Navigator on DVD and use the unlock code to register it to the serial number of the SD card instead of the GPSr; you know make it function just just like Garmin does when they sell it already on the SD card. This way you would have you maps registered to one device (the SD card instead of the GPSr) and you would have the maps for your computer. Correct me if I am wrong, but if you could do this wouldn't you still be within the EULA?

D0T-C0M, You're getting some bogus information regarding the nuvi's and topo maps. I have a nuvi200W and a Vista HCx both show the same information with Topo 2008. I too was originally going to use the nuvi in the jeep for hunting but I decided against it since inside the jeep is really a hostile environment, mechanical shock and dust. So I decided to buy the Vista for the Jeep and for hunting, geocaching was just a bonus. The screen size is great on the nuvi200W but the controls are clumbersome for in the field. This winter we took a snowcoach into Yellowstone and I had the nuvi with the 24K parks and it showed all the detail my Vista does.