media601

I started out with a 60CS but now use a 60CSx and a VentureCX. I bought the VentureCX as a backup and for the kids to use caching. When I go caching by myself I find I am using the Venture CX more and more. Although it does not hold a lock in heavy cover as well as the 60csx it doesn't keep me from finding the caches. I like it because it is lighter and smaller. I use the lanyard to hang it around my neck when I have to walk 1/4 mile or more to the cache. The lanyard connection on the 60 series is on the side instead of the bottom of the unit and doesn't hang as well. The VentureCX works just fine in the car and is easier to get into and out of the RAM mount than the 60 series. One caveat is that the smaller screen is harder to see in the car with my aging eyes. The little thumb stick on he Venture is annoying at first but once I got the hang of it I found it faster then the rocker button on the 60 series. The only real difference between the LegendCX and VentureCX (other than color) is that the Venture ships without the mini USB cable and microSD card. I already had the USB cable for my camera and I intended to get a 1gb microSD anyway. I would highly recommend the VentureCX over the LegendCX if you already have the miniUSB cable for another device. You can get a 1gb microSD for about $45. You may already have a spare microSD card sitting around if you upgraded one for a phone, camera, or PDA. The VistaCX adds sensors for barometric altimeter and electronic compass. Some people feel these are nice to have but definately not necessary for caching, marine, or automobile use. Not worth the extra $ in my view. You can't go wrong with any of the Garmins you listed but my .02 is that the VentureCX has the most bang for the buck if you already have the cable.

I will assume the question is regarding the Garmin 60 and the Garmin Venture, and my response is get the venture CX. edited to note that the 60CX/CSx are better in tree cover.

http://www.shieldzone.com They're having a sale. I have no connection with them other than being a satisfied customer.

I live in Minnesota and choose to ignore this law because it is a stupid one. It seems to me that a weighted base would be a much more likely and dangerous projectile in the event of a fender bender. The suction mount does not affect visibility any more than my state park sticker. The GPS increases driving safety by freeing me from having to focus so much on road and POI signs. I'll report on the consequences of getting busted with an illegal safety device if and when that happens. addendum: Editing after looking up MN statute regarding windshields ----------snip----------- 169.71 WINDSHIELD. Subdivision 1. Prohibitions generally; exceptions. (a) A person shall not drive or operate any motor vehicle with: (1) a windshield cracked or discolored to an extent to limit or obstruct proper vision; (2) any objects suspended between the driver and the windshield, other than sun visors and rearview mirrors and electronic toll collection devices; or (3) any sign, poster, or other nontransparent material upon the front windshield, sidewings, or side or rear windows of the vehicle, other than a certificate or other paper required to be so displayed by law or authorized by the state director of the Division of Emergency Management or the commissioner of public safety. ----------snip----------- Apparently my comparison to the (non-transparent) state park sticker is not valid because according section 3 of the statute that too is illegal.

I'll elaborate a bit on this elaboration. To edit the symbol, cursor to the upper left corner of the screen and highlight the icon. Press Enter and select the closed golden treasure chest icon from the Outdoor section. (Use the rocker key to highlight it and then press enter.) When you use this icon the waypoint will behave properly in geocaching mode. (unless you changed the default geocaching icon) FYI--Its a lot easier to use an application like GSAK or Easy GPS and load up the geocaches via the computer. Welcome to geocaching and have fun.

You're asking for the right software--City nav v8. It does auto routing, contains points of interest (POI), etc. Map memory is all on the microSD card. The internal reserved memory is only for waypoints, tracks, and routes. You can also create custom POI and store them on the microSD card. Several people are doing this for geocaches to keep their maps free of geo-icon clutter. I have the entire 1.6gb of City Nav on a 2gb microSD in a garmin 60csx. 1gb can hold enough maps for a road trip to Florida from just about anywhere in the U.S. If you are bringing a laptop on your trip you can transfer new mapsets as you travel, if necessary. I can put most of Minnesota and a chunk of western Wisconsin on a 64mb card. Edited to note that a 2gb card should work with the VistaCX. My understanding from forum posts is that this capability for the etrex series was added in a recent firmware upgrade. I'm not 100% certain of that so check with Garmin or someone who knows more than me.

Try http://www.shieldzone.com/app_instructions/index.html too.

Back in the olden days (aka "last year") the shields did not ship with any solution. We used a drop of dish soap in 5oz water for the solution. The install video on the shieldzone site recommended dipping the whole shield in the soap and water solution. After trying the included spray solution I have gone back to the old soap/water method. I don't know if that video is still on their site or not. I use the included spray to clean the GPSr screen prior to installation, then dip the entire shield in the soap/water. The rule of thumb is, the wetter the better. Be sure to let it dry at least an hour, and preferably over night.

You can also set the page sequence to start at the compass page, not the map page. MENU => SETUP => PAGE SEQUENCE You only get the "found" button when a designated geocaching icon is used for the waypoint. The defaults are the closed and open treasure chests. Before you do a Go To, navigate up to the icon in the upper left corner. Hit Enter. Use the rocker key to navigate to the closed chest icon in the Outdoors section. Hit Enter. The closed chest icon should now display in the upper left corner of the screen. Highlight the GoTo button and hit Enter. If you download the geocache waypoints from a program like GSAK or Easy GPS the geocache icon will be used automatically.

The shield does have a slight rippled look when viewed from an angle, but it is not noticeable when viewed straight on. Here is a nice video demonstrating the durability of the shield as well as the transparency and ripple effect. I have purchased four of these for myself and two for other people. I would not have a handheld GPS without one.

You just reminded me of a time when I was driving the Olympic Peninsula loop in Washington state. I was asking a park ranger about a certain rain forest road I saw on the map. He said, "That road is four wheel drive recommended. Do you have four wheel drive?" I replied, "I have something much better than that. I have a rental." OK, now back to the topic...

The VentureCX is basically the LegendCX shipped without the miniUSB cable and microSD chip. If you already have the cable the VentureCX is the best deal in my opinion because most people upgrade the microSD chip anyway. If you are starting from scratch the LegendCX may be the way to go. I would not bother with the basic Legend because 1) B&W and 2) no upgradable memory. I have never used the topo maps but I find CitySelect or CityNav indispensible. The above comments are my personal opinions and do not necessarily relflect the opinions of geocaching.com or anyone else.

If you are going to spend $130 for a Legend, you might as well spend the extra $20 to get a Venture Cx with color screen, mapping, and micro sd slot. Amazon has them for $204 minus the $50 Garmin mail in rebate. Be advised the VentureCX does not ship with the miniUSB cable or microSD chip. In my case that was a good selling point because I already had those things. You can buy a 1gb microsd for about $40.00 so the total outlay is still less than $200.00 if you already have the cable. Definately a good deal.

Because its there. (Ooops, wait, that's why we climb Mount Everest. I get the two confused.)

The only good reason for using a case that I can see is to protect the screen. I just use an invisible shield screen protector and forget about the case. It will fit in any mount you want. I use Ram mounts in the car and the Garmin bicycle mount.

My 60CSx Marine menu only has four Alarms that can be turned on, with distances that can be set: Anchor Drag Off Course Deep Water Shallow Water I don't see a "Speed Filter" on the 60CSx setup menu for the marine icon. My 60CSx also had the same problem. I cannot find the "Speed Filter" as mentioned...please clarify. TQ. According to the VentureCX/LegendCX manual the Speed Filter sounds an alarm when you enter an area of water that is either too shallow or too deep. Apparently the 60csx splits thisout into two choices, Deep Water and Shallow water. I don't have a 60csx in front of me so I don't know if there is an "auto" setting for those choices.

a search of the VentureCX/LegendCX manual does indeed list this setting, but it is not listed in the 60csx manual--only the four choices listed in previous posts.

You want City Navigator, currently V8 Yes it can use a 2gb but you cannot load the entire 1.6gb of City Nav onto it because of the limitation in number of map segments. This may be resolved in a firmware upgrade but for now a 1gb is your best value. Yes it will transfer just fine, but you will probably want a 2gb by then. Garmin allows you to unlock City Navigator for 2 devices, so you can unlock the Venture now and the 60csx later, but that's it.

I always delete all geocaches and found geocaches in the GPSr before loading a PQ, unless I'm certain there is no overlap. In Cachemate I either delete all waypoints or select an empty db. I also start with a fresh db in GSAK, even though GSAK will update caches with more recent info. GSAK rocks.

I don't know what the exact distance is, but once when I returned to Minneapolis from Nevada I loaded my local PQ. After the transfer the unit showed no geocaches! I did a complete hard reset before I realized the unit still thought it was in Nevada--I hadn't powered it up outdoors since my return. So, while I can't answer your question exactly, at least you can be glad you weren't me--trudging through every icon in Setup trying to reconfigure the unit.

Thanks for the link to that incredibly informative thread. I had a feeling this was covered previously but couldn't find it in a search. My 60csx is arriving manana and I cannot wait to get this feature ramped up for my trip to Vegas after Christmas. Thanks again! Vive Cache Vegas!

Thanks for that summary, Red90. Since the custom POIs are loaded onto the microSD and not the resident waypoint memory, how are they affected when a new mapset is loaded? Does the new mapset overwrite everything on the chip, including the custom POIs? Thanks in advance.

I looked into this the other day because I was interested too. According to Sprint sales support the $15.00 service only allows you to surf the net on the phone itself with a mobile browser. To use the phone as a mobile modem and connect it to your computer costs an additional $25.00/mo. Ouch. You must also have a phone with modem capability.

For automotive and canoe use a RAM mount is a must. I use one that attaches to the windshield with a suction cup (though if I lived in California that would be illegal). They are modular so you can have one component that holds the GPSr and works with several different mounting bases for the auto, canoe, bicycle, motorcycle, or whatever. custommounts.com

The only way I know how to do it is open the MapSource map set file you currently have loaded and look in the bottom left corner of the screen where the size of the map set is displayed. I don't know any way the GPSr can display this information. As for tracks, waypoints and routes, there is a set number the GPSr can hold. For instance the 60cs can hold 1000 waypoints. Look up the max numbers in the manual and subtract the number you have in the GPSr. Not exactly Google, I know. If there is a way to do this from within the GPSr, I'd love to know what it is too.