Garmin 60csx Accuracy In Kauai?

[+TheMylrea's]

I brought my new 60CSx with me on our vacation to Kauai, and am noticing that although I have a super great lock on almost all satellites out here in the middle of the Pacific, the accuracy is terrible.

 

Either the island has shifted or the built-in maps are terrible. When traveling along the only highway in Kauai, the 60CSx never shows us ON the highway, but about 500 feet to the side of it. The built-in maps are also extremely void of any detail, showing only straight lines (looks like they were drawn with a ruler).

 

When we geocache or hike, and take EXACTLY the same trail out as we took in (doubling our tracks exactly), the 60CSx map shows the tracks to be 20-30 feet off.

 

Using it for geocaching, so far, it is not pointing me in the right direction and is usually about 20-30 feet off in some different direction.

 

I had the 60CS before this, and was generally happy with it. I do LOVE the increased sensitivity, though.

 

My son has the 60C, and just to be sure, we double-check out current co-ordinates, and they both match, so I don't think my 60CSx is bad.

 

Also, one time, I stuck the 60CSx in my pocket and went into a store. Lost the sats. When I came back outside, and tried to get a lock, it would NOT lock onto any sats. I had to turn it off and back on.

 

I'm using the 2.62 BETA firmware. Anyone else using this firmware having similar issues?

 

Aloha!

[peter]

Either the island has shifted or the built-in maps are terrible. When traveling along the only highway in Kauai, the 60CSx never shows us ON the highway, but about 500 feet to the side of it. The built-in maps are also extremely void of any detail, showing only straight lines (looks like they were drawn with a ruler).

If you're just using the basemap then that doesn't sound abnormal. Judging by the size of the 'Accuracy Circle' on my Garmin, they estimate the accuracy of the basemap to be about 300 yards, so you're well within that. Of course it'll be better than that in some or even most places, but I'd say it's within the normal range.

When we geocache or hike, and take EXACTLY the same trail out as we took in (doubling our tracks exactly), the 60CSx map shows the tracks to be 20-30 feet off.

 

Using it for geocaching, so far, it is not pointing me in the right direction and is usually about 20-30 feet off in some different direction.

Seems a little greater than normal, but not by much. An error of 10 -15' in one direction on the way in and similar error in the other direction on the way out could account for it. Similarly with the geocaches if the hider and you are off in opposite directions. Was the difference consistently in one direction?

Also, one time, I stuck the 60CSx in my pocket and went into a store. Lost the sats. When I came back outside, and tried to get a lock, it would NOT lock onto any sats. I had to turn it off and back on.

This sounds like the commonly reported problem with the SiRF-equipped models where they lose lock when going through a tunnel or similar area without reception and then fail to regain it again. Turning off WAAS helps with this as a temporary work-around and Garmin is working on a better solution.

[+YuccaPatrol]

If your 60csx is getting you within 20-30 feet when geocaching, that is excellent accuracy. Consider that the person hiding the cache had some level of accuracy error and that you also have some. If each of you have an accuracy of 15 feet, then it is perfectly reasonable that these two errors add up to the 20-30 feet you are experiencing.

 

Also, 20-30 feet discrepancy between the hike in and hike out is also typical and not anything to be very concerned with. Again, you are looking at events that occurred at two different times with varying accuracy error each time.

[+TheMylrea's]

Thanks for the info. I must say that I am getting more use out of my 60CSx than I did my 60CS, so maybe they both had similar "problems"and I just didn't know it, but it does SEEM to me that the 60CS's basemaps were more accurate and that, overall, I had better accuracy with the 60CS. I am getting to know the 60CSx very well on this trip, so, who knows....Just seems when I have high strength locks on almost all the sats, with 12ft accuracy, that my 60CSx should be pointing me in the right direction when geocaching, and tracks in and out should be within that level of accuracy.

 

Maybe I'm expecting too much from my $500 GPS?

[peter]

I'd recommend spending the extra money for the detailed CitySelect-NA or CityNavigator-NA maps. You're missing out on much of the capability built into your 60CSx by using it with just the basemap. Having the more detailed maps won't get you any closer to a geocache but it'll make it easier to drive to the vicinity and will make the GPS far more useful for normal travel and other activities.

[+TheMylrea's]

I'd recommend spending the extra money for the detailed CitySelect-NA or CityNavigator-NA maps. You're missing out on much of the capability built into your 60CSx by using it with just the basemap. Having the more detailed maps won't get you any closer to a geocache but it'll make it easier to drive to the vicinity and will make the GPS far more useful for normal travel and other activities.

 

Yes, I agree. At the last minute, I was rushing around trying to find the Topo: West Coast & Hawaii, JAN 06 Maps on MicroSD card. Seemed like what I wanted, but couldn't find any locally before we had to leave for Kauai.

 

I'm not sure which would be best for me, though, the City Select® North America v7, or the Topo: West Coast & Hawaii, JAN 06 Maps on MicroSD card? Do they both contain the same level of detail? Obviously, the MicroSD card version only contains CA and HI, whereas the City-Select v7 has all of the US. Does that make it the better value?

 

Thanks!

[+TheMylrea's]

Regarding the City Select NA v7 , the Garmin web site does NOT show this as compatible with the GPSMAP 60CSx. They do show the City Navigator North America v7 as compatible.

 

Will this work on the 60CSx?

Edited April 16, 2006 by TheMylrea's

[peter]

Regarding the City Select NA v7 , the Garmin web site does NOT show this as compatible with the GPSMAP 60CSx. They do show the City Navigator North America v7 as compatible.

 

Will this work on the 60CSx?

Yes, they're both compatible with the 60CSx and differ mainly in how the maps are broken up into segments (CitySelect uses smaller segments). Both have the same details and POIs and both will work fine in your GPS.

 

For general use I'd recommend starting with the CitySelect/Navigator-NA product. Those support the auto-routing feature of your GPS and have much more up-to-date roads than the Topo maps. If you really need the contour lines for elevation data then add those maps later, but they're very dated (same as the USGS maps on which they're based, many areas show the roads as they were 20 or more years ago).

 

Unless you're really sure that you'll never travel outside a single region then you'd be better off getting the CD/DVD versions to download from your PC rather than the pre-programmed cards. And if you eventually have multple types of maps (say CityNav. and Topo), then it's more convenient to put the maps you need all on a single microSD card rather than have to keep track of multiple pre-programmed cards and swap them back and forth.

[+TheMylrea's]

Thanks for the help. I was just now browsing ebay looking for good deals, and noticed a seller that was saying Garmin has DISCONTINUED CitySelect, and will only be selling CityNavigator.

 

Not that it matters, but is it true, and if so, why doesn't the Garmin web site mention that?

 

Looks like i'll be shopping for the City Navigator NA v7!!!!

 

Thanks again!

[peter]

Thanks for the help. I was just now browsing ebay looking for good deals, and noticed a seller that was saying Garmin has DISCONTINUED CitySelect, and will only be selling CityNavigator.

 

Not that it matters, but is it true, and if so, why doesn't the Garmin web site mention that?

I presume it's true based on numerous indications from Garmin and elsewhere. But I don't think it really has any relevance to a buyer of software today. Garmin has indicated that users of CitySelect will be able to upgrade to CityNavigator if/when CitySelect stops being updated, so I don't see any disadvantage to buying CitySelect just because it'll probably be discontinued in the future.

Edited April 16, 2006 by peter