OkieRambler

Hi folks, Have been playing with the Garmin 76CS for a bit now, seems really nice and does what I need so far. Am ready to start using it more in my vehicle (97 jeep grand cherokee) and have seen positive comments about the RAM mounts. Am wodering where you all have positioned your receivers for usability while driving (want the autoroute functionality) and which specific mount you had the best luck with. Am planning on the GPS geek 9' antenna and 12v power adapter to keep it running when not in the woods. Thanks as always for your input (and any pictures?)

No they don't Kerry, According to customer service at Garmin (when asked about the 76CS in particular) they stated that all coordinates internal to the GPSr were stored in WGS84 coordinates, and were changed upon display to whatever system the user selected. I am not sure if this is true or not for their other receivers . . .

CitySelect 6 it will be, thanks for the input. Now I just have to get the case for the 76CS, external power plug / interface to APRS, external Gilsson antenna, cradle holder, . . . geesh! This is like restarting my GPS hobby. Can't wait to see how this does with the topo software and the CitySelect too!

Wanted to ask the good folks here which software is most appropriate for automobile use with a Garmin GPSmap 76CS. I finally got mine in, and am ready to expand the basemap (though it seems reasonable, even showing a fair number of streets in my town). Will also be wanting the Topo 100k software (much of my trekking will not be in National Parks, so no 24k for me ) Anyone suggest Metroguide over CitySelect? I think the current version of CS is what I am leaning to, but pro's or con's of either route are welcome. Also, where would you all suggest for the lowest price on (new) software (from a reputable dealer) ? Thanks much, I always enjoy browsing the posts here.

Jan. 2005 - price is still low on the GPSgeek web site. Going to pick a couple up, one for auto, one for woodsy walking with the 76CS.

Did you ever find out if the magnets affected the 60CS compass? I am imagining the magnets at either shoulder-top or head-top level, and the GPSr near a belt level. (watching the GPS, and walking into more branches!) Is the Gilsson you are using the mcx model with the 90 degree / right angle connector, or the 180 degree straight model? Am curious what folks went with, and why. I am enough of a fool to go for a separate antenna to semi-permanently place on the jeep, will determine the length of run using a string for that. But wanted to know whether the 3' cord was enough for handheld use, or if you went for the 9' and coiled the excess. (the amateur radio appliance operator in me just is not into adapters or excess cable, when I can avoid the line loss . . .)

Glad to see that folks have chimed in with their experiences. I will try out the everready "Energizer" lithium AA cells, they seem to work well in some of my other gear, and are definitely lighter in weight than many other batteries. As other have mentioned, normally they are just too expensive for casual use, but I plan to use them during events (where I can't stop and pick up spare batteries, let alone recharge the nimh variety). For "normal" use I plan on the Maha "powerex" 2300 cells, and probably will get the c-401FS charger. I imagine that I'll get some use from the 12v recharging there too, when the lithiums aren't needed. As noted in other posts, these lithium cells do not tend to taper off gently, they stay pretty strong until just before the end. It's pretty evident in the DL-123 cells in some surefire flashlights I use, as well. (good power, then maybe 5 minutes of reduced light, before nothing . . .) I have found the lithium cells to last longer than standard alkalines, we'll have to see how they fare in a 76CS.

Good to know that the 76CS gets a good lock under a variety of conditions. I will probably get a good external antenna for it anyway, just to get the maximum number of satellites I can. Call it geek factor I plan on powering it from the vehicle when in the vehicle, so I'm not too concerned about the external antenna using up power, though efficiency never hurts. I will now try to narrow down some accessories for it . . . Metroguide or City Select for city driving? Topo for woodsy things, I only see one choice there . . . and an external antenna. For routing in my truck, I don't think the 8' Garmin cable on their external antenna will be enough radio habits die hard, and I'd like to mount it fairly centered on the roof, towards the center of the ground plane. I may have to get a good mount for it yet, I'd like it to be sort of in my 'driving' field of view in the truck, but not really in the sun too much, etc. I'll keep researching, and reading your opinions here <grin>

Glad someone is chiming in on this. I normally would not use the lithiums, for activities in my area (I am planning on using a set of the 'new' MAHA rechargeables. But I thought that having a 4 pack of AA lithiums in the car might come in handy at some point. The extra cost is generally not worth it to me, except as JohnnyVegas pointed out, the lighter weight can help (some of us aren't so young anymore ) But I've noticed in some lights I use, the same battery curve. High power and the same light output, right till they are almost dead, and then they tend to drop off really quickly. I'm guessing this was a possible culprit also.

Thanks for the input on this; anyone have any recommendations for an external antenna that they are using with these units? I'm not sure if the accessories are interchangeable, but I am going to try out both the 60CS and 76CS before I buy. I do not -need- the extra memory of the 76, but if I can get it during the rebate period, both appear to be around $370, before accessories and software. Thanks for the replies.

Thanks for the feedback, I am sure I can mess up the caching part well enough separately <grin> I'm just focusing on upgrading my GPS for the moment. Appreciated . . .

Another theme that is popular among some of us : " 'Scientific' Wild A-- Guess "

I know that it is hard to tell 'exactly' where one might be able to receive the WAAS signal, but I would like to know if anyone in Oklahoma or Missouri is able to receive these signals, as indicated by your GPS (which model?). If you could, let me know which part of the state you were in, and how well it worked under varying cover? I've been out of the GPS world for some time, and just got restarted last month. I am doing most of my hiking, and plan to be most geo-active, in Oklahoma and Missouri. Thanks!

That is a lot of good input, thanks. I am oddly put off a bit with the buttons on the 76 being "topside", but suppose I will get used to it. I really, really wish that Garmin used a standard memory card of some sort on their receivers; it would be a no-brainer for me to drop at least a 512m card on it, as cheap as they are for even quality makes these days. Can anyone think of any downsides to the 76CS versus the 60CS, before I go plunk for an Xmas present for self? Also which of the software packages would you recommend, topo wise and car wise? What accessories have been worth it to you, for either use? Am thinking so far for mobile use a power kit, mount of some sort, and one of those high gain magnetic mount external antennas for the jeep top. For the woods, I'd love to have arbitrary 24k topo data for my hiking areas (locally the caches look pretty good, but I'd use this unit for backpacking trips as well, and not just in the national parks . . .) Is there such a compatible data set abvailable out there? Thanks for all the help folks, just trying to hold these purchase to one every 3 or 4 years, where possible

Hello, I am pretty new at geocaching, and am considering upgrading my aging gear. I still have a Magellan Trailblazer that has not had batteries in it for some time . . . I am interested in a Garmin unit, and would like it to serve double duty for a reasonable vehicle unit (got to drive to some of these caches) and for actually walking the woods of my area. I have recently used a borrowed Etrex (yellow basic unit) and see it's a bit ahead of my aging system I was looking into the Vista C, but looked a little further to the GPSMAP series, and the 60CS and the 76CS. I know Garmin markets the 76 series as "marine" based. Is there any disadvantage in using it for land based applications, and geocaching, versus the 60 CS? The primary motivation in looking at the 76CS was for the additional memory, since Garmin does not use expandable cards Any advice is appreciated; I plan to purchase some form of external antenna for vehicle use, and power it from the vehicle there (and use mapping software), and use high capacity NiMh batteries for field use.