Garmin Decisions

[T007]

i am looking to buy by this weekend

i am looking at 2 garmin products

 

1. vista c for $229.95

2. gpsmap 60 $244.95

 

i like the 60 (do not really care about color screen)

 

i was wondering if the 60's antenna is better since it is not a patch

i will be using this mainly for hiking, biking and hunting so recepetion in the woods

is important

 

thanks in advance

[+Red90]

Reception should be similar with those two units.

 

I would suggest looking at them both in person first. The colour screens are much nicer to view. Mostly it is the form factor and screens that need comparing and it is a very personal opinion decision, so really only you can make that properly. Don't forget to factor in the cost of maps.

[+apersson850]

In dense forest, for example, the quad helix antenna is normally better than the patch.

[+Miragee]

I love my Vista C and it is very durable. It gets a lock quickly and often works better than my companion's GPS Map60CS.

[+GOT GPS?]

I can at least say that the eXplorist Patch antenna has worked better than my old Vista B&W's Patch antenna ever did. The old vista always was an under performer, but when it was the only GPS out in the open it did well, but never got a signal, when mounted to the front of the boat, and a Map 76S was in my hand. It was funny to see the eTrex loosing signal in the middle of a lake, with plenty of Satellites out there, so I think the eTrexes did give the Patch antenna a bum rap. Both the Patch antenna and Reciever in the old Vista were under performers. A better Designed Patch antenna and Reciever, is going to cost more, but it seems like the GPS manufacturer likes to be cheap.

 

My old Map60C, that I had given away, always did well because I always held just the bottom portion of the GPS, with it held close to 90 degrees from the Ground (Vertical), and I have seen too many people hold their GPS units wrong, so they of course have less of a good signal to work with. I always held the 60C or 60Cx such that it's antenna was about 5 or six feet off the ground, with my body not blocking hardly a signal.

 

My eXplorist XL since it's last Reset and Firmware udpate, has not seen the proper location of WAAS Satellite number 35, and it thinks it is in the old position over the atlanic ocean, at an azmith of 140 degrees(SE), The Patch Must be held such that it gets an unobstructed view of the sky to get a good signal. My Map 60C did a better job of fiinding the WAAS sats than the new eXplorist XL. It had trouble finding Satellites #33 or #35 today.

 

The Factors involved here:

The quality of the Antenna(High or Low Gain)

The Reciever(Is it a cheap reciever?)

Manufacturing errors

How the GPS is being held<--THE BIG ISSUE HERE

Wet Trees or Dry, and Leaves or no Leaves.

Edited May 24, 2006 by GOT GPS?

[+greengecko]

Wet Trees or Dry, and Leaves or no Leaves.

 

I don’t think I’ll have to be too concerned if the leaves on the trees are wet or dry. My new Garmin 60CSx gets 30ft-40ft accuracy in the basement of my two-story house.

 

[Vlad]

tap, tap, tap... hello hellooooo!

 

you really do want color. you do, you really do.

 

so much easier to see and contextually much faster for your (and mine) brain to process - see at a glance if it's a road, a river, a topo line, power line, etc etc. color is used to identify these things - not just a shade of gray - and make that gray green if you're running with the backlight on at night.

 

in a few years when it's time to upgrade that next person will be much more interested if you're offering color - you'll get a better price for a color unit.

[+Skeeterbait2]

I just recently upgraded from the rino110 to the 60csx and what a difference COLOR! It was definetly worth the upgrade especially while driving and glancing at the screen and sat locks unbelievable !

[+UKGeoCyclist]

I was out caching the other day with a friend who uses the GPS 60 (B&W non mapping) and in every case my Legend Cx got a lock quicker, maintained its lock better (even under trees) and was giving a more accurate position.

 

This only relates to the GPS 60 model, I don't know how the others compare, and I believe that the GPSMap 60Cx and 60CSx get a far better signal due to the new Sirf chips.

 

Just remember that if you get an etrex to hold it horizontal and if you get the GPS Map 60 series to hold them nearer vertical as this is how the patch (etrex) and quad helix (GPS Map 60) antennae work best.

 

Adrian

[+Lasagna]

I can at least say that the eXplorist Patch antenna has worked better than my old Vista B&W's Patch antenna ever did. The old vista always was an under performer, but when it was the only GPS out in the open it did well, but never got a signal, when mounted to the front of the boat, and a Map 76S was in my hand. It was funny to see the eTrex loosing signal in the middle of a lake, with plenty of Satellites out there, so I think the eTrexes did give the Patch antenna a bum rap. Both the Patch antenna and Reciever in the old Vista were under performers. A better Designed Patch antenna and Reciever, is going to cost more, but it seems like the GPS manufacturer likes to be cheap.

 

My old Map60C, that I had given away, always did well because I always held just the bottom portion of the GPS, with it held close to 90 degrees from the Ground (Vertical), and I have seen too many people hold their GPS units wrong, so they of course have less of a good signal to work with. I always held the 60C or 60Cx such that it's antenna was about 5 or six feet off the ground, with my body not blocking hardly a signal.

 

My eXplorist XL since it's last Reset and Firmware udpate, has not seen the proper location of WAAS Satellite number 35, and it thinks it is in the old position over the atlanic ocean, at an azmith of 140 degrees(SE), The Patch Must be held such that it gets an unobstructed view of the sky to get a good signal. My Map 60C did a better job of fiinding the WAAS sats than the new eXplorist XL. It had trouble finding Satellites #33 or #35 today.

 

The Factors involved here:

The quality of the Antenna(High or Low Gain)

The Reciever(Is it a cheap reciever?)

Manufacturing errors

How the GPS is being held<--THE BIG ISSUE HERE

Wet Trees or Dry, and Leaves or no Leaves.

 

I will second the comment about the old Vista ... it's terrible at acquiring and maintaining a lock. The newer Vista C however is very quick and maintains a good lock. Whatever Garmin did between these two versions of GPSrs (besides the obvious addition of color and other features), they did right. I also agree with the color comment ... you really do want color!

[+briansnat]

Betweem the two, I'd go with the Vista C. Its color, more compact and gets better reception than the 60 units from what I've seen. Also, if you shop around you may be able to find a Legend CX or Venture CX in that general price range. Then you have expandible memory.