The New Garmin 60cx...are They Worth It?

[+gaits]

I am getting ready to buy a GPS and have had the new Garmin 60CX recommended to me. I would like to get some feed back from those who have purchased this new unit. All input is welcomed

[richard371]

I like mine alot. Just a few bugs that Garmin will iron out with fw updates. They are very good about this. To me the most important thing is reception. The SIRF models are awesome at this. The unit feels military grade when you hold it in your hand.

[+scnascar]

Love mine also. I started with a Magellan 200 but soon realized that I wonted more. I purchased the 60csx and will never look back. Some of the things I like about the 60:

 

1. Quick satellite lock (most of the time it's instant lock)

2. Always seems to lock onto at least 9 - 11 satellites and remains locked

3. The ability to upload maps and waypoints

4. Color display

5. Great display even on a bright sunny day

6. So many things to play with

7. Accuracy is between 9-13 ft with WAAS turned off. WAAS turned on I actually find accuracy is no better or even gets worse in some cases.

 

These are just some off the things I like about the 60Csx the list is longggg.

 

Chris

[zeropresence]

I am getting ready to buy a GPS and have had the new Garmin 60CX recommended to me. I would like to get some feed back from those who have purchased this new unit. All input is welcomed

 

I love mine. I use it in the truck and backpacking. No problems yet.

[+Hynr]

A number of little problems seem to be noted with the x series in other threads. It seems that the basic functionality is intact. And everyone is very nice about assuming that Garmin will fix all the glitches (which is probably true), but I see no reason to knowingly buy a defective product at a premium price. I had wanted to get a new GPSr for Christmas, but put that on hold waiting for the anticipated 60Cx. I am still waiting and will do so until I know that the unit I get will work directly with the software I use (GSAK, GPSbabel) and not cause me any annoyances. I see other GPSrs coming on line that use the SiRF chips, so perhaps a better choice will emerge before Garmin can get all the bugs out of 60Cx.

[+jahoadi and john]

scnascar We just got a 60csx and out in the open it seems to never get better than + or - 55 feet and it is very frustrating. I tried turning the waas off, but that had no effect. I am going to try to read the instruction manual but do you have any suggestions? Cheers John

Edited February 24, 2006 by jahoadi and john

[+Mastifflover]

scnascar We just got a 60csx and out in the open it seems to never get better than + or - 55 feet and it is very frustrating. I tried turning the waas off, but that had no effect. I am going to try to read the instruction manual but do you have any suggestions? Cheers John

 

Have you let the unit aquire a proper almanac? Make sure before you use it you turn it on and place it somewhere outdoors with a clear view of the sky for about 20-30 minutes. You should have pretty good results after that. I upgraded from the Vista to the 60cx and don't regret it a bit.

 

Edit: Fat finners.

Edited February 24, 2006 by Mastifflover

[+jahoadi and john]

scnascar We just got a 60csx and out in the open it seems to never get better than + or - 55 feet and it is very frustrating. I tried turning the waas off, but that had no effect. I am going to try to read the instruction manual but do you have any suggestions? Cheers John

 

Have you let the unit aquire a proper almanac? Make sure before you use it you turn it on and place it somewhere outdoors with a clear view of the sky for about 20-30 minutes. You should have pretty good results after that. I upgraded from the Vista to the 60cx and don't regret it a bit.

 

Edit: Fat finners.

 

We have been using it for about two weeeks now and I would say that it has been in the open for periods greater than 20-30 minutes. It even has a lock on 9 satelites with it 4 bars of strong signals. It always doesn't have that, but it is weird to be out in the open, 25 feet awat from a waypoint with good reception and + or - 85 feet Thanks for trying to help, you got anything else for me?

[peter]

It always doesn't have that, but it is weird to be out in the open, 25 feet awat from a waypoint with good reception and + or - 85 feet Thanks for trying to help, you got anything else for me?

Be sure that it's not in "Battery Saver" mode. There have been reports that affects the accuracy of the new models more than it did the older ones.

[+Bus36]

It always doesn't have that, but it is weird to be out in the open, 25 feet awat from a waypoint with good reception and + or - 85 feet Thanks for trying to help, you got anything else for me?

Be sure that it's not in "Battery Saver" mode. There have been reports that affects the accuracy of the new models more than it did the older ones.

 

That is what I was going to suggest checking on. Battery Saver mode does affect accuracy. I played around with it. When I have it on normal mode I can get like 12 feet. With Battery Saver mode it jumps up to like 60 feet standing in the same spot. I would check that.

[+jahoadi and john]

It always doesn't have that, but it is weird to be out in the open, 25 feet awat from a waypoint with good reception and + or - 85 feet Thanks for trying to help, you got anything else for me?

Be sure that it's not in "Battery Saver" mode. There have been reports that affects the accuracy of the new models more than it did the older ones.

 

That is what I was going to suggest checking on. Battery Saver mode does affect accuracy. I played around with it. When I have it on normal mode I can get like 12 feet. With Battery Saver mode it jumps up to like 60 feet standing in the same spot. I would check that.

 

I'll try that this afternoon, thanks a lot for trying to help

[+denali7]

i love my vista c, but was also wondering if the 60cx is a worthwhile upgrade when i'm ready, rather than the vista cx.

[+kgag]

I'll add my two bits.

 

I started out with an etrex legend which was a great machine but the more I got into caching and using it for travel the more I knew I needed something with autorouting.

 

I sold my etrex and bought a 60cs which I had for about a year and really liked, it seemed to have everything that I wanted (once I added city select that is) and fits well in the hand, is easy to operate with one hand, and easy to read out in the sun.

 

I have since recently upgraded to the 60csx mainly for the sirf chipset and mine has been working with out a single problem so far. I seem to get about the same battery life, don't care that it does not have an alarm clock anymore, and find the icons a bit cheesy but don't find myself sitting around looking at them....

 

Based off of my experience so far with garmin products i would highly reccomend them to anyone.

 

Good luck and enjoy your new toy!

 

kgag.

[peter]

i love my vista c, but was also wondering if the 60cx is a worthwhile upgrade when i'm ready, rather than the vista cx.

Note that if you want to retain the magnetic compass and pressure sensor that you have in the VistaC then you'd need to get the 60CSx rather than the 60Cx.

[+jahoadi and john]

It always doesn't have that, but it is weird to be out in the open, 25 feet awat from a waypoint with good reception and + or - 85 feet Thanks for trying to help, you got anything else for me?

Be sure that it's not in "Battery Saver" mode. There have been reports that affects the accuracy of the new models more than it did the older ones.

 

That is what I was going to suggest checking on. Battery Saver mode does affect accuracy. I played around with it. When I have it on normal mode I can get like 12 feet. With Battery Saver mode it jumps up to like 60 feet standing in the same spot. I would check that.

 

I'll try that this afternoon, thanks a lot for trying to help

 

well, I turned the battery saver off and I think that worked! I got three caches on the way home. All had different terrains and I kept 12 to 20 feet accuracy I didn't have that for the last two weeks, Thanks again. I think my wife wants it back now but no dice, she has to keep the etrex vista

Cheers, John

P.S. This forum stuff works huh?

[+Mastifflover]

Glad it's working for you now. Never gave the battery saver mode a thought.

[+scnascar]

It always doesn't have that, but it is weird to be out in the open, 25 feet awat from a waypoint with good reception and + or - 85 feet Thanks for trying to help, you got anything else for me?

Be sure that it's not in "Battery Saver" mode. There have been reports that affects the accuracy of the new models more than it did the older ones.

 

That is what I was going to suggest checking on. Battery Saver mode does affect accuracy. I played around with it. When I have it on normal mode I can get like 12 feet. With Battery Saver mode it jumps up to like 60 feet standing in the same spot. I would check that.

 

I'll try that this afternoon, thanks a lot for trying to help

 

well, I turned the battery saver off and I think that worked! I got three caches on the way home. All had different terrains and I kept 12 to 20 feet accuracy I didn't have that for the last two weeks, Thanks again. I think my wife wants it back now but no dice, she has to keep the etrex vista

Cheers, John

P.S. This forum stuff works huh?

 

John sounds like you got it working... Happy caching

Edited February 25, 2006 by scnascar

[dusee]

i fully agree with kqaq

had a etrex yelow and vista, a 76, a 60cs with city select, an now the 60csx with metroguide autorouting

through img2gps

 

and yestersay we found to caches we couldn't find with the 60cs.

 

The technology of Garmin is great and the service when having a problem and getting the right people is even greater.

i also had a meridian color;bad display vision with in sunny conditions, it's slower, maps only 64mb. received longer then the 60cs but of no use with geocaching. Service of local dealer is helpfull, but the guys from Thalens don't give a s... modifications are not as quick as garmin.

new machines allways have interface problems,

 

Allthough the 3d mapping europe and usa from Mapsend looks very nice on the pc

I kept that one.

 

I do hope they get better at thalens so they keep the fooks at Garmin awake.

 

i am a proven true fan of garmin.