DogFleazJR

The only change in performance I have noticed with a 2G card is it takes an extra 30-40 seconds for the unit to go through its initial diagnostics on start up before it starts acquiring signals. Other than that the card works great. I bought the $32 Transend card from Buy.com that another poster recommended. It works just fine. It does take several hours to transfer 1.6gb of data via the USB, but considering it used to take my ol' GPS V an hour to transfer 19MB, it is a huge step forward. Enjoy!

You mention calculating a route by road - fastest route - using Topo maps. The Topos do not support autorouting by road. I sometimes forget to switch back to CS from the Topos and the unit will sometimes get stuck trying to calculate a route. I don't ever remember the unit just shutting down. Make sure you have City Navigator or similar auto-route compatable maps to calculate road routes.

Keep in mind that the "Accuracy" reported by your GPSr is a relative not absolute value. From what I understand, each manufacturer uses their own, unique algo. for determining accuracy. I suspect the method used may vary from unit to unit as well. The best reported accuracy I have ever seen on my 60CSx is +/- 9ft, which was in Kansas, full slate of sat signals at full strength and WAAS. Where I live in New Jersey, the best I can expect on my CSx is +/-12-14ft; under the trees +/- 18-24 ft. My ol' GPS V will routinely report +/- 8-9ft with WAAS and +/- 6 ft is not unusual. So the V must be the better unit, right? I used both units side by side for a couple of months when I first got my CSx last summer. I used them both to map trails, find geocaches, find benchmarks, mark waypoints at known locations, under all kinds of conditions - clear sky, under trees, blue sky and rain. My conclusion is that under ideal conditions (clear, unobstructed sky, WAAS) both units are equally accurate in that both will put me within 20 ft of the "same" location (at least here in Jersey) but the CSx is much more "reliable" in holding that accuracy as conditions degrade (tree cover, fewer or weaker sat signals ...). Have I had experiences where my GPS has put my foot right on top of what I'm looking for? You bet, and it impresses me everytime. But then my engineer brain kicks in and reminds me that it is just random variability. I tend to remember most vividly the times when the unit put me right on top of a geocache and the times I was 130 ft away, but tend to forget all those times I was 20 ft away from the stump or rock pile. Happy hunting

The forums are just like my GPSr - they haven't caught up with the change in DLST.

You can purchase the software, cables and so on from a number of on-line retailers. Amazon carries all these accessories, and although may not have the lowest price you can find, is generally dependable and trustworthy. Because CN requires an unlock code, I personally would steer clear of auction sellers. Others may have very different opinions.

I have read that proximity to microwave communications can disrupt satelite communications. Everyday on my way to/from work I would lose both GPS and sat radio reception at the exact same spot even though sky view is open. One day in the winter I noticed the dish farm for an adjacent office building was just off the highway at the spot where signal was lost, which got me thinking and reading. The dead spot was only 100 yrds or so but it was consistent, same exact spot, all times of the day. Then about a year ago it stopped. I noticed a lease sign on the building. Of course it could all have been coincidental.

Some map sets are broken up into regions - i.e., the old city select came in 6 or 8 regions. This way you could purchase just the region you were interested in, or the entire country. During the installation of the map sets to your computer you select which regions to install. To download all the tiles in a region to your GPS, you still have to select the tiles from Mapsource (assuming the unit memory was sufficient), you can't just select a region. I believe this is what the OP was referring to.

Metroguide 7.0 will autoroute on your PC but does NOT autoroute on the GPSr. If the map set does not need an unlock code, it will not autoroute on the GPSr

Your requirements 1,2 and 3 point toward an auto nav unit such as garmin's Nuvi or StreetPilot series. Requirement number 4 would point to any handheld GPS receiver. I have a garmin 60CSx with the auto nav maps/software. Although the POI data is helpful, it is not as complete or up to date as a DVD-based system like those intended for automobile navigation. If your first three requirements are most important, you may have to compromise on the last. Some thoughts, good luck.

http://trailregistry.com/trailregistry/newAccount.do also http://www.localhikes.com/Default.asp?MSA=ALL I am sure there are more

John, There are only a few instances where the choice between mag and true north matters. Since nearly all maps are drawn to true north, this is almost always the better choice as your GPS and paper map will align correctly in the field. That is why the GPSr ships with true north as the default. The only time you need to change this is when you are using the GPS in place of (or in conjunction with) a compass. For example, you have compass bearnings (or an orienteering course) that you are trying to replicate. When following a bearing to a waypoint with known coordinates (such as a geocache) the choice does not affect the GPS function in any way. The bearing pointer on the GPSr will point you directly to the waypoint regardless of the true/mag choice. That is why for 95% of GPS users, the choice doesn't matter.

You can search for an address, intersection or POIs on the handheld using City Navigator without the use of a PC. However, I find it MUCH easier to find waypoints on the PC before I leave home and then download the waypoint to the GPSr. The rocker method on the GPSr works in a pinch. Myotis is correct. The new versions of Metroguide to not support auto-routing.

Bolingbrook Joe is correct. If you want to auto-route get City Navigator as the new versions of MG do not support auto-routing. CN will more than adequately cover Boston, it will also cover the entire USA. If you have a PC, I suggest getting City Navigator NT. The map sizes are optimized for the 60CSx, you can download to the GPSr what you need. If you don't have a PC you can get the maps on microSD card. Regarding the Topo maps, you are correct. The national park maps are more detailed (1:24k vs 1:100k) but only cover the area around the national parks. The USA Topo maps have less detail but cover all parts of the USA. If you get the maps on CD you should get East, West and Alaska/Hawaii. Since you only refer to East maps, I assume you are referring to the maps on microSD card. Again, my opinion is the CDs are the way to go. But I also suggest using the unit for awhile with the CN maps and then decide if the topos are worth it. Good Luck!

Please expand on this statement. Is it not true that the 60Cx only has beeps for turns, not voice. That and the small screen makes it less than optimal for in car use. Thanks Hermit Why is a talking GPS necessary for optimal navigation? The 60CSx does an excellent job for autorouting in a portable, handheld package. It is not a DVD-based nav system like those that come as OEM or high-end after market units so POIs are not going to be as complete. But since nearly all map data comes from Navteq, the maps are probably nearly as good. I have used a portable GPS system for autorouting for nearly six years (first with a Garmin GPS V and now with a 60CSx) and have been very pleased. I am a frequent business traveler who frequently has to call on new customers and locations. I would be lost without my 60CSx. I always carry it with me. My only complaints: the turn notifications on the 60 need to be LOUDER and they need to occur earlier. My old GPS V, using the same map software, was better at this than the 60, so it seems like something that can be improved in the firmware. I am also an avid day hiker and kayaker. I have the Mapsource Topos, but hardly ever bother to load them up anymore unless I'm going to be in the mountains. My advice, get CN. You are only getting half the value out of the unit if you aren't using it to autoroute. Try caching for awhile without topos and see if having topo data would be very helpful to you. Then you can decide if your budget and needs align. Happy tracking!

Other than to shut down when external power is removed, there is no auto shutoff option that I am aware of. That way when you turn the ignition off in the car, the unit will power down (if plugged into a switched power outlet). This option can be turned off (default)/on under MENU MENU SETUP SYSTEM External Power Loss

If you want to display a map on your 60CSx screen, you must use one of the Garmin Mapsource products: City Navigator for street navigation, TOPO for topographic, etc. In this mode, you download the map segments you are interested in from your PC to the 60CSx via USB connection. You can only load Garmin products on to the GPS unless you "hack" your own maps as Briansnat mentioned. There are threads on the forum to get you started on this. Unless you are very computer savy, I would suggest using one of the Garmin map products first and get some field experience with it to better understand its capabilities and limitations before attempting the "user made" maps. User made maps can not be used to auto-nav, you must use a Garmin navigating map set. The 60CSx with City Navigator is a GREAT tool and works wonderfully for auto navigation. I am a frequent business traveler and take my 60CSx with me always. You can also use your 60CSx as a receiver and have it display your position on 3rd party mapping software on your PC. I used my old GPS V in this way. I used Delorme Streets and Trips on my laptop strapped to the center console in the car, and connected the GPS to the PC via serial cable. The GPS provided my location and the Delorme software displayed the maps on the PC and did the turn by turn directions. You can also use 3rd party software to display information that your GPS collects after you get back home. I am an avid day hiker and kayaker. I use my GPS to record my tracks when I am out and I record waypoints at features of interest as I go along. At the end of the day I upload the tracks and waypoints from the GPS to my laptop where I can display them on Mapsource or on other mapping packages from National Geographic, Google Earth, Topofusion and others. This makes up my own electronic "diary" of my travels. You can also download tracks and waypoints from these 3rd party software packages to your GPS. Obviously there are many options. It would be helpful if you can express the problem you are trying to solve with your GPS, then others can suggest options that can help you solve that problem. Based on what you have posted so far, I get the sense you want to auto-route on the GPS while driving and be able to up/down load waypoints between the GPS and your computer. If that is the case, I suggest getting CN NT (since it is the only auto-routing option available to you) and try it out for a few months until you are comfortable with it and better understand it. Then you can think about the next step. Hope this is helpful and happy tracking!

I, too, am using City Select on my 60csx - v4 over five years old and never updated. Works like a champ.

I understood this problem to be with CN not necessarily CS? I use City Select V4 (circa 2001) that came bundled with my GPS V on my 60CSx with all the latest firmware updates and have experienced no problems (other than the confusion of new or revised roads since 2001 ...). The simple answer to your questions is, yes, your CS maps will work with your 60CSx, but you may experience some bugs depending on what you do with it. I travel on business all over the country and always carry my 60. I have had little trouble with my old maps, so I have never had the **need** to upgrade the maps. "Someday" will come. Call me stingy, just don't call me cheap.

1) The 76CSx comes with 128 MB memory vs. 64 MB for the 60Cx. Other than that they seem pretty much to be identical units (though physically they look *very* different from each other). Can anybody who has experience with either unit share their experiences with it? I'm leaning towards the 76CSx only because it has more memory. If there are any compelling reasons to go with the 60Cx despite it having half as much memory, I'd like to hear your thoughts. Judging by the pictures, it's hard to tell which nterface is the most user-friendly. You can buy expanded microSD cards for both units up to 2gb. 1 gb cards are running less than $30. I would not make the purchase decision on shipped-with memory since you will likely upgrade this eventually with either unit you decide to purchase. I have not used a 76, so I can not comment on the pro/cons of each. There are other threads on the forum that discuss this. 2) Are the prices about right for these units (given the rebates)? I can't comment. I found Amazon to be very competitive when I purchased my 60CSx over the summer. The rebates are available to buyers at Amazon. 3) What kind of resolution comes with the basemaps? Road-wise, is the best "resolution" at the highway-leven (i.e. Interstates and Major State Roads with no minor / residential roads)? I would like to get complete roadmaps for New England and the Northeast. What are my options? I'm looking at MapSource US Topo CD-ROM for $100 or so (010-10215-02). Is that the best way to go? The base map is useless (as are all base maps provided on all GPSs). If you want to autoroute for use in the car, you need to purchase North Americal City Navigator. Buy the NT version for either the 60Cx or 76Cx. The street reference in TOPO is sparse and the TOPO set does not support auto-routing. 4) Also, if I get the MapSource US Topo package above, does that come with detailed maps of cities such as Boston, etc. or would I have to buy those separately? No. You should purchase NA CN NT for detailed street maps. Happy shopping!

The serial number on my 60 CSx (4 months old) is 8 digits, and is the only sticker in the battery compartment. 8-digits, all numerals, followed by "can 210" Perhaps they increased to nine-digit s/#.

The Map series will autoroute, ie, GPS MAP 60c. As long as "Map" is in the unit name, it will autoroute.

The problem you are having is with the compass. Just to repeat it one more time, after all the posts above... Turn the compass off and your problem will be solved. (hold down the PAGE button) As Grasscatcher says, the compass will only give you a correct bearing when held level. You can experiment with this - while standing still, bring up the compass and hold the unit flat and level with the ground. Then tilt the unit slightly from side to side. You will see the compass ring shift. Tilt the unit up to 70 deg like you typically hold it while walking and it will probably point somewhere out to the side. A trusty Silva compass must also be held perfectly level to get an accurate bearing. It is the nature of magnetic compasses and not a flaw in your 76C. Just so you know, this problem happens to "old salts," too. I was doing a cache last week that is along a steep ledge. I stopped at the bottom to do my twirly wirly to calibrate the compass. Halfway up I noticed the bearing pointer was pointing out behind me over the ledge but the distance was still counting down. What's up wth this dang thing? I ignored the pointer (there was only one way to go, up) and watched the distance tick down. Found the cache and selected the next one, but on the way down the dang pointer is now pointing back at the cache I just found! Duh!!! when I calibrated the compass I forgot to turn it off again. Turned the compass off and all was well in world, again. Leaving the compass off except when you need it will also save battery power. Once you turn it off by holding down the PAGE button, it will stay off until you turn it on again by holding the PAGE button. The other option is to set the speed at which the compass turns on to zero for say 60 seconds or longer. To do this, MENU MENU / Setup / heading. Good luck!

I have been using a V for five years, and I too love the unit. But I upgraded to the 60Csx this summer and I have to say, upgrade! Don't expect the accuracy to improve significantly, but route calculation is WAY faster and more reliable (I'm still using my old CitySelect maps v4 from 2001?). I can download 60MB of maps in ten minutes or so versus the hour for 19MB on the V. The unit holds signal everywhere. I still use my V for kyaking, but for just about everything else, I prefer the 60.

In addition to Thomas D's advice - If you are only interested in loading data from the GPS to your PC (and not transferring map data from the PC to the GPS), then you are not limited to Garmin MapSource. There are many programs available that will allow you to upload waypoints and tracks from your GPS and display them on maps. I have used the following three mapping programs with good success: Delorme atlas products, Google Earth, TopoFusion. National Geographic also offers map products. TopoFusion (www.topofusion.com) has a free Demo version that you can download and use as long as you like. Not all the map tiles will display until you upgrade to the paid version, but the Demo version will let you get used to uploading data and give you some appreciation of the level of detail that is available from mapping programs other than MapSource. Happy mapping!

Look for hand held units that are also listed for mapping or auto navigation. These will work for both geocaching, display position as Lat/Lon, and do turn-by-turn street navigation. There are a lot of choices and it can be a bit overwhelming. Also note that the maps for auto-nav are typically at additional cost, even if the unit contains a base map. Mapping software is proprietary to each manufacturer so you have to buy the maps offered by the maker of the GPSr. Accessories (car power adapters, mounts to secure your unit in your car while navigating, cases, screen protectors) will also add to the total cost of a unit. Accessories are things that can typically be added over time as need and budget allow. The forums are very helpful. Refer to the FAQ, there is a lot of valuable info and links to help. There is also a buying guide on the geocaching.com site. Good luck and happy tracking!