phsxc

Hi, I was thinking about getting a new GPS and was wondering if anything would be better than the Garmin GPSMAP62stc especially something from another manufacturer. I have a Dakota 20 and the screen on it is terrible - very dim even at it's brightest. I also got a new computer and was unlocking maps to it and it lost it's operating system during that and I had to pay $75 to have the operating system re-installed which really pissed me off and has soured me big time on Garmin. I would like to find one with: 1. Auto-Routing (with ability to choose fastest, most direct and via bicycle, car, foot, etc..., avoid highways, stuff like that). I don't think the 62stc does auto-routing witout buying additional software which is pretty lousy for such an expensive unit and I want to avoid Garmin's unlock BS like the plague. 2. Paperless Geocaching 3. Nice bright screen 4. Uses AA batteries 5. Topographic maps 6. Unlimited or high number of saved tracks 7. Handheld 8. High Sensitivity Chip (i.e. won't loose signal in the woods) 9. Buttons over touch screen or touch screen that works well, even with gloves 10. Bright screen 11. Don't have to buy street maps/topo maps seperately - NO MAP UNLOCK BULLSH*T I use my GPS for a lot of things including travel (hence auto-routing required), geocaching (paperless is so much better) and also for making maps of trails in our area. Thanks, Brad

I'm sorry if this is covered in another post, but when I try to search I just get an error, so ... here goes... I have a Garmin Nuvi 500 and a lot of times, when I search for Geocaches, it just shuts off. I have a video demo'ing this situation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwzQ0BzpAO0 Anyone know why this might be? Thanks, Brad

When I got to geocaching.com, type in a zip code, find bunch of caches, check one (or more) and try to download waypoints to a file, I get the error below. I don't see anything on the announcements page and none of the other pages look like a good place to report this, so, since this has SOFTWARE in the group title I'll post it here. Here's the error I get: Server Error in '/' Application. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Column 'PublisherId' does not belong to table Table. Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code. Exception Details: System.ArgumentException: Column 'PublisherId' does not belong to table Table. Source Error: An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below. Stack Trace: [ArgumentException: Column 'PublisherId' does not belong to table Table.] System.Data.DataRow.get_Item(String columnName) +121 Groundspeak.Web.CustomWpt.Geocache.ReturnLocFile(DataSet dsCacheData, Boolean ShowSubscriberCaches, Int64 NumResults, Boolean IncludeUnapproved, Boolean IncludeArchived) +419 Groundspeak.Web.CustomWpt.Geocache.ReturnLocFileToHttpContext(String strWptCollection, Int32 DataSource, Boolean ShowSubscriberCaches, Int64 NumResults, Boolean IncludeUnapproved) +122 Geocaching.UI.geocaching_nearest.ReturnLocFile(String strWptCollection) +247 Geocaching.UI.geocaching_nearest.Page_UserLoggedIn(Object sender, EventArgs e) +170 Geocaching.UI.WebformBase.IsLoggedIn() +1060 Geocaching.UI.geocaching_nearest.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) +254 System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +67 System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +35 System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain() +755 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:1.1.4322.2300; ASP.NET Version:1.1.4322.2300

How do you put a .GPX file out on a web site so it doesn't display the XML when you click on the file name? If you go to: http://www.berkshiresports.org/index.php?ID=phsxc and left-click (ignore my directions that say to right click on it) on the link: PHSXC_Course.gpx When you do - it displays XML in your browser. I would like left clicking (the normal thing to do), to bring up a file->save as *.gpx kind of dialog box like it probably would if I ZIPPED up that file... but I don't want to ZIP it. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks, Brad

Hasn't happened again, but I just bought a handlebar mount. I want to take my GPS mountain biking on my handlebars. Hope that doesn't jar the display out of whack, but we'll see. I also hope it doesn't shut off like my Garmin Legend did. I think the battery contacts weren't tight enough to handle the jarring.

If I was happy with 512MB, would this be the correct card to buy for a Garmin GPSMAP 60CSX? http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?...av=&browse=&s=1 Thanks! Brad

Actually, it was nothing like that.. On every screen I went to every thing - numbers, boxes, letters, icons, etc.. were all stretched and pointing at like a 45 degree angle and some stuff was skewed off the screen, like it was hard to read all the data on the trip computer because some of it was pulled off to the left. dadgum I wish I took a screenshot.

Hi, I was riding my bike Saturday with my Garmin GPSMAP 60CSX in the front pocket of my Anorak and when I took it out of my pocket at one point, the display was all skewed at a 45 degree angle. When I shut the unit off, it went back to normal and it hasn't done it since, but I'm very concerned. I wish I had either not reset it so I could have taken a picture, but I wasn't thinking. Has anyone else had this happen? Thanks, Brad

Hey.. still playing with my GPSMAP 60csx... I mountain biked around a loop yesterday and had my GPS in the front pocket of my Anorak the whole time, so it was down by my waist and I was leaning over it. It never lost reception. I even went through some areas with heavy pine tree cover and the unit didn't loose a fix! I really can't think of anywhere else I can go to make this thing loose reception until the leaves come out on the trees. So far - so good! Also - since I haven't bought any Mapsource CD's yet and I was using Mapsource Easy GPS, well, I noticed there is another product called Expert GPS. I downloaded it and was pleasantly suprised to find that it can automatically retrieve Topo maps OR Aerial Photography maps for you to plot your track on. That is really cool... I like this a lot! All those dadgum CD's I used to have to load with National Geographic Topo aren't needed. Nice! Yes - you do need an internet connection, but I like that better than a bunch of CD's. Anyway - I have a lot to learn, but I'm really enjoying this GPS. I do have a question though. Does anyone know if it's possible to convert a track into a route with any of this software? Thanks, Brad

Okay - I bought my Garmin GPS 60CSX on Ebay last week and got it yesterday. I took it for a walk in the woods just a little while ago and it's AWESOME! What an improvement from my old Legend. It acquired a ton of satellites very quickly. It never lost reception even though I went through thick pine trees. Then I gave it what I thought would be a real test. I put it in my jacket pocket, walked down a steep bank into a brook and back out - didn't loose the signal! When I got home, I came in the house and STILL had reception - even in the house. This unit is a major improvement - I mean MAJOR. I downloaded my track to Mapsource and my track looked very nice, even where I went out and back. On my Legend, if I went out and back on a trail, the points were never on top of each other and any maps I'd make would look like crap so this is fabulous! The only thing I don't like so far is I can't fiind a color scheme I like. Now... I gotta find a place with City Select (or Navigator and buy a big memory card - which I'm going to do anyway). Oh - I also tried out GSAK. I downloaded a file of waypoints off of geocaching.com (which I had never done before, didn't know you could) and tried to import them into GSAK and only one waypoint imported. I might have to play with this some more, I'm not sure why it wouldn't work. But - I then tried Easy GPS. I imported the file of waypoints perfectly, then downloaded them to my GPS! That is so awesome... I used to enter these by hand... This is sweet! OMG - I am so excited! I now have to go back to my one geocache and get better coords for it, then I'll try finding more around me. Anyway.. bottom line is - that SIRF chip IS WORTH IT (in my opinion). Thanks everyone! Brad

I really appreciate everyone's help. I think I'm going to go with the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSX solely due to the SiRF reception. I spend a lot of time in the woods and I think I'll regret any other decision. I was hoping someone would tell me Lowrance or Magellan were as good (or almost as good) as a Garmin X model, but I can't find any posts like that. So now, I think I'm just kind of going to search every day till I find a unit selling for somewhere in the low $400's and then pounce on it! Actually, there's some on eBAY right now for $416 I think... but I had a lead that they were on sale for $405 on www.defender.com a couple days ago (when I hadn't made up my mind), but aren't anymore. dadgum ... I guess it was some kind of special from the Miami boat show that ended on the 20th. Ugh!!!! Oh - one interesting tid-bit I got from Garmin... I couldn't figure out for the life of me what the difference between City Navigator and City Select was so I wrote to them. Garmin said City Navigator is better for units with more memory. I guess both products are just about identical except City Select breaks the maps down into smaller chunks for units with less memory. So Garmin said - You want City Select with a Garmin GPSMAP 60-series. When I get one, I'll post my impressions! Thanks everyone! You've been very helpful. Brad

I've been going through and reading other posts like crazy and found out some guy uses GSAK (which I assume is some software) to create cache waypoints and I guess Magellan's Explorist 600 lets you download all the info on a Cache, e.g., GC Code, name, hidden by, terrain, difficulty, type, size, last found and hint. From his post, it sounds like the Garmin GPS 60CSX has a 30+/- character limit for recording with a waypoint. I know everytime I go out geocaching, I have to take a piece of paper with the hints for each cache I'm going to try to hit. That Magellan seems pretty cool. Does Garmin's Waypoint Management software do anything cool like that? What I like about the Lowrance Expedition is it lets you record your voice with each waypoint, so you could enter the waypoint, record the hint and go! Also - what I frequently do is document trail routes and as I record waypoints in my GPS, I also have to record on a piece of paper what trail intersection I'm at and how far I've gone and which direction to turn next for my trail guides I make up. It sure would be nice to just be able to record that by speaking into the GPS. I downloaded a Lowrance simulator to my PC and it's screens look kind of un-polished. I also read quite a bit about Garmin's software unlock policy, which I guess lets you install the software on as many PC's as you want, but only lets you send maps to at most 2 GPS's based on some internal code in the GPS. Although this really probably doesn't matter to me, it bothers me. UGH! I just can't decide. There just is no one unit that is perfect I guess. Phew!

Darn.. I had a real problem with my Legend in the woods around here and on the Appalachian Trail. It would take forever to pick up satellites and then would loose them and I'd do this huge walk and have nothing to show for it. So - it sounds like SiRF is really important for me... Magellan doesn't list that is has SIRF. Neither does Lowrance. Just Garmin? I wish Garmin would package the map-software with their GPS's in a "plus" package like Lowrance... Oh man.. this is going to cost me a lot more than I really wanted to spend... Oh well... I'll give it a few more days to see what others post before I make a decision. Thanks everyone!

Opps.. you are correct - the GPSMAP 60CSX is color. I knew that, but I messed up. Thanks for the much clearer description of Garmin's licensing. I read there web site a couple times and it was really confusing to me. I still don't really like it though.... I'll have to investigate the REI thing. I never heard of that. Thanks! I appreciate your inputs. Hope to hear from others - especially anyone who has a Magellan Explorist XL or a Lowrance iFinder Expedition. I hate to spend $600 on a Garmin... but maybe I should. Ugh!!!!!!!!! Thanks, Brad

Help! I've been agonizing over what GPS to get. I had a Garmin GPS Legend. I wasn't real happy with it because it lost reception a lot in the woods and the screen was too small. So - I've been looking for something with a larger screen. Don't know if I'm willing to pay for better performance under leaf cover. I want this for: 1. Making maps (or at least for saving to GPX files (is it?) so others can follow my trail guides) 2. Geocaching 3. Backpacking 4. Cycling It seems all the units I'm considering all have: - Barometer - Altimeter - Compass - Expandable Memory Here are the unit's I'm considering. Garmin GPSMAP 60CSX - $499 everywhere - maybe $450'ish on EBAY - Autorouting/Turn-by-Turn directons - SIRF Accuracy - Software = the low $100 range. - Display = Color, 1.5"x2.2" 240x160 pixels - Locked software = YUCK! Suppose I want to sell this down the road or I want to get a new computer? - 2 AA Batteries - 7.5 oz BOTTOM LINE = EXPENSIVE (about $600+ total), but SUPPOSEDLY ACCURATE - WORTH IT??? UGH??? The LOCKED SOFTWARE really turns me off. If I unlock it on one computer and then want to use it on another, I think I'm screwed. Or if I don't like this unit and want to sell it on ebay, then my software is unsellable? YUCK. I don't keep any of my tech toys more than a couple years before something new comes out. Magellan Explorist XL $351 (on Amazon.com) - Autorouting/Turn-by-Turn directons - Display = COLOR, ?"x?" (3.5" diag) 220x176 pixels - pics of display look awesome but is it superior to all the others? - Software = Mapsend Topo (hope this gives turn-by-turn) about $70 - 4 AA Batteries - UGH - NOT SO GOOD FOR BACKPACKING - 12.25 oz = HEAVY - AGAIN - NOT SO GOOD FOR BACKPACKING BOTTOM LINE = NOT TOO BAD - $420 Some other contenders... Brunton Atlas MNS GPS $359 on Amazon.com - NO TURN BY TURN - Software = Topo Create $199 - true 1:24K USGS topo maps! Very cool? - Display = Not color, 1.7"x2.2" 240x180 pixels - 2 AA Batteries - 7 oz. BOTTOM LINE = EXPENSIVE and NOT COLOR, NO TURN BY TURN (about $560) but might be very good with those topo maps. Lowrance Ifinder Expedition C PLUS $350 (Amazon) $300-399 on Froogle - NO TURN BY TURN - Software = INCLUDED IN PLUS PACKAGE - Display = COLOR, ?"x?" (2.83" diag) 320x240 pixels - highest resolution by far, but not largest screen. - 2 AA Batteries - 8.7 oz - Built in microphone for recording voice with waypoints (I like that!) BOTTOM LINE = COLOR + VERY REASONABLY PRICED, but no TURN BY TURN. So... I'm thinking it's between the Magellan Explorist XL and the Lowrance Ifinder Expedition C. Do you think either of these would be better under tree cover than my old (like 4-5 years old) Garmin Legend? (I think both use more satellites) I just wish the Lowrance had turn by turn. There is something called a Lowrance iWay 100M which has turn by turn, but it appears to be discontinued. Not sure if I can use it for Geocaching. It's not color either. Any opinions on those? Or reasons why I should choose something else? If so - what else? Thanks so much! Brad