LymeLites Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 I am new to Caching and need to buy a GPS. I already have a Navman iCN520 to help me get to the right area in the car but need something now to help me locate the cache. I have been looking at Garmin products more specifically the Legend cx or the Vista cx. Money isn't too much of a problem but don't want to spend unneccesarily!!! I think the only difference between the two is the altimeter and compass - are these really worth spending the extra?? or would anybody recommend a cheaper alterantive that will do the job that i need? Also if I buy the legend or vista, I know these come with a basemap - is this good enough or do you have to buy others...have looked at the TOPO sd maps but again these are expensive Please help!!! Quote Link to comment
Red Squadron Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Hi Tadpole, I have recently bought the Legend and i find that with the basemaps (included in the purchase) that it does what I need. The only gripe i have is the absence of extra memory. The Legend has 8mb for map usage, which is quite sufficient for most of Norfolk (where i reside) but I would have to remove Norfolk to put on lets say Cambridgeshire. I think the CX has more memory and a colour screen (Legend is B/W). So its down to your preference. The Legend is good, the CX is good but with more memory. Now all you have left is a 'phone a friend' and a '50/50', youve already used the 'ask the audience'. Good luck whichever you choose. Red Squadron Quote Link to comment
+Nellies Knackers Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 If you have no problem with the price of the 'x' range go for it as they use a much better chipset than the older stuff and garmin's aftersales customer care is legendary. If price is realy no object can you buy me one while you are at it? Quote Link to comment
+McDeHack Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 (edited) If you are just starting get yourself a simple Etrex yellow. Even if you later get something better, the Etrex is always a good standby unit. There is no real need for the altimeter and most units have a compass. Again a proper metal magnetic compass is handy to keep in your bag. What with your Navman you could be able to load caches to that as POIs I can do so with my Tomtom go, and I have found caches with that. Edited March 20, 2006 by McDeHack Quote Link to comment
+Woody's Wanderers Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 The Legend eTrex will tell you your current altitude. Not quite an altimeter, but you'll probably never use it! As has already been said, you can't go wrong with Garmin! Quote Link to comment
LymeLites Posted March 21, 2006 Author Share Posted March 21, 2006 Thanks everybody. I have had a bit of a change of heart and think I might just go for a cheaper model and upgrade later, possibly the standard etrex legend. Are there any retail outlets that sell these or am I best buying online? Have already looked at www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk and they seem quite reasonable but if I could go out and buy on off the shelf today before I change my mind then even better. Quote Link to comment
+Geo-Kate Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 Thanks everybody. I have had a bit of a change of heart and think I might just go for a cheaper model and upgrade later, possibly the standard etrex legend. Are there any retail outlets that sell these or am I best buying online? Have already looked at www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk and they seem quite reasonable but if I could go out and buy on off the shelf today before I change my mind then even better. Millets and Blacks have a very limited range of GPSrs, but you will be better off with the website you mentioned above, it's where I have got my recievers from in the past. They are really good. A quick word of warning, don't expect too much from your basemaps, they are extremely limited in detail. Only the biggest of major roads are shown, and even they are vector lines connecting very distant points like a dot-to-dot. This means they can be dramatically off in places! That said, if the mapping isn't a priority, you can not go wrong with the Legend, many people use them and are entirely satisfied Quote Link to comment
LymeLites Posted March 21, 2006 Author Share Posted March 21, 2006 Thanks for that. What would you recommend the best way to download maps? I am not very knowledgable on these matters so you'll have to forgive me!! Quote Link to comment
+Geo-Kate Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 Thanks for that. What would you recommend the best way to download maps? I am not very knowledgable on these matters so you'll have to forgive me!! You can only download Gramin maps. Depending on the model, this can be done either with a usb cable or serial cable. Unfortantely, Garmin maps tend to be quite expensive. There is on the other hand a link to a file that lets you see contour lines on any mapping unit. The link is on the thread at the top of the page entitled 'which GPS'. You will need a copy of garmins MapSource. i dont know if you will get that with your legend or not. You can download it from Garmin.com. MapSource is just a little program that manages your Garmin maps and waypoints and helps you upload them onto your unit. I hope you find this useful, don't hesitate if you have any more wuestions. That's why this forum is here! Quote Link to comment
+sTeamTraen Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 If you already have a satnav system, I'd start with a basic non-mapping GPS (yellow Etrex, Geko 101/201, entry-level eXplorist) - possibly secondhand - and work up from there. You can be up and running for about 50 quid with a bit of luck on eBay. Quote Link to comment
LymeLites Posted March 21, 2006 Author Share Posted March 21, 2006 Well change of plan...I have dithered for days over which one to buy and this morning had decided to buy a standard legend but in the end have bit the bullet and just ordered myself the etrex vista cx. Hope it is worth it!! Should have it before the end of the week so I know what I will be doing at the weekend!! Might take me a while to get used to it but will post again and let you know!! Quote Link to comment
+McDeHack Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 I don't know why we bother. They come on here asking what's the best way to start. We tell them, and then they go off in the opposite direction... Quote Link to comment
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