Mapping Gpsr's And Maps

[+vespax]

I am curious to hear who uses a GPS that has mapping functions in it. Are they color or B&W? Memory size, etc.

 

Also, if you do, what type of maps do you use in it? I have been tinkering with the mapping function of mine, and would like to find out who uses and what they use.

 

I have a Garmin 60cs with North American Basemap. I have tracks4Africa maps loaded for basic navigation, and also a street level map of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth that I created myself to use.

 

Thanks.

[+GlobalRat]

I use a Garmin GPSv together with Mapsource. The GPSv, functionality-wise is a predecessor of the 60cs. B&W and unfortunately no expandable memory. With the older version of the SA Maps, I could fit the whole of SA on, now I have to limit it to the area I’m visiting as the new version has a far greater range of detail.

 

But, love it and wouldn’t trade it in yet…. Waiting for those units with expandable memory. I use the autorouting function almost daily, and the maps are quite accurate. There is the odd error, but nothing major. If you drive with the unit as I do, it takes some time to get used to the messages, and if there are two roads close to each other you need to be a good judge of distance if you don’t want to block up the traffic to read the streetnames… an impossible task in CPT with those kerbstone streetnames…. If you’re lucky. I could tell you long stories of driving in Portugal where it was safer to drive watching the GPSr than to negotiate the roads which lacked warning signs of impending and treacherous hairpin bends… it saved our bacon on a number of occasions.

 

So use SA streetmaps, SA Topomaps, and Europe streetmaps when traveling there. I toyed with creating my own maps. Works well, if you have the time, but no autorouting functionality.

[+geocacher_coza]

I also use a Garmin V. Just bought myself a Garmin iQue 3600 here in the USA. In all honesty between the V and the iQue I will still choose the V for geocaching. The iQue don't have the handy "arrow" page and it lacks a lot of other functions the V has. It is difficult to load routes etc. You have to practically build the route on the unit itself.

I think the iQue will be good for routing in town and as a PDA. For paperless caching it is wonderful. And the expandable memory is a plus.

BUT..... I don’t think I will get rid of my Garmin V.

I think a map enabled GPS is definitely the way to go! If money is not a problem get a colour screen. The B&W screen do have some drawbacks.

[+batsgonemad and his squirrel]

I recently bought the 60cs which comes with SA's Garmap v3 and its a cool mapping softwear to use i always use it to plan my caches so that i know where im going. it's the only way to go caching

[+Seeker Two]

I use a Garmin eTrex Vista (mono) and South African Streetmaps V2. The GPs has 24MB RAM but this is ample as the GPS does not have auto-routing (which I would like).

I think my next GPSr would possible be the 60CS (60cx?). eTrex is nice and small and is very suitable for caching...

[+adamant]

I find the 60CS great - not only for geocaching, but as a business traveller - the autorouting feature is indispensable when you are on the wrong side of Jhb and need to get to the airport.

 

It has enough memory to store all the map tiles of the area you are travelling in - up to almost all of south africa.

 

Ps. Does Jhb have a right side?

[+Goofster]

I have a GPSMap 76C with SA Streetmaps V3 - I loaded most of the maps for the Western and Eastern Cape, took up about 15Mb of memory. Seems to be reasonably accurate as far as roads are concerned.