Garmin x Series

[dunderhead]

I have an Etrex, a Garnin 60 and a Garmin 60CS, finding difficulties under heavy tree cover, are there any

"stats" on how much better the x series are.?

[robertlipe]

The Sirf receiver in 60 and 76 series x models and selected other product lines totally moons the previous Garmin receivers for sensitivity. There have been a large number of posts here, on gpspassion, and similar sites describing it. I won't say they never lose a lock, but when they do, you can't blame them - "gee, you don't have a lock three stories underground in a parking garage? Well, OK."

 

The tests I describe at http://www.mtgc.org/robertlipe/showdown/ totally matches my experience with those models in the woods. Explorist (or pretty much any modern-ish Magellan) embarasses the older Garmins and the Sirf-based units and squeaks by the Magellans.

 

I have had all three in the woods. When my Explorists and 60CSX had a lock, the 60CS was still trying to figure out if it was on planet Earth or not.

 

I consider the X models of the 60 and the 76 to be easily amongst my favorite handheld units for functionality and reception.

[+Campmaster]

The Sirf receiver in 60 and 76 series x models and selected other product lines totally moons the previous Garmin receivers for sensitivity. There have been a large number of posts here, on gpspassion, and similar sites describing it. I won't say they never lose a lock, but when they do, you can't blame them - "gee, you don't have a lock three stories underground in a parking garage? Well, OK."

 

The tests I describe at http://www.mtgc.org/robertlipe/showdown/ totally matches my experience with those models in the woods. Explorist (or pretty much any modern-ish Magellan) embarasses the older Garmins and the Sirf-based units and squeaks by the Magellans.

 

I have had all three in the woods. When my Explorists and 60CSX had a lock, the 60CS was still trying to figure out if it was on planet Earth or not.

 

I consider the X models of the 60 and the 76 to be easily amongst my favorite handheld units for functionality and reception.

 

I have a 60CS and 60CSx, no comparison under heavy cover. Totally agree, the "x" is head and shoulders above the previous versions.

 

~CMT

[+EScout]

Asking the question: Are they worth it? From a value standpoint, are the 60 and 76 series a better value at over $300 when the eXplorist 500 can be had for under $200 along with the latest Lowrance models. All of these brands latest models seem to have excellent reception. It comes down to how much you can afford versus the features you like better or need. And sometimes the better value may be the one you like the best.

[normwood]

Asking the question: Are they worth it? From a value standpoint, are the 60 and 76 series a better value at over $300 when the eXplorist 500 can be had for under $200 along with the latest Lowrance models. All of these brands latest models seem to have excellent reception. It comes down to how much you can afford versus the features you like better or need. And sometimes the better value may be the one you like the best.

 

Went on another long day-hike today with my 60csx in a MN State Park with trails with very heavy cover....my tracklog is a thing of beauty.....my old etrex Legend would have produced a log that looked like something from the Morse Code days.....this was a thing of beauty.

 

I think it was worth every dime.

 

Steve

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

My new 60CSx will hold a 30 foot error or less in areas where my legend can't even pick up a signal, and in open areas the 60CSx will lock in steady while the Legend is still bouncing around trying to decide where it really is. I'll keep my Legend as an emergency backup but I'll use the 60CSx exclusivly, it's well worth the price.

[+CENT5]

I bought a 76CSx on that E-place for $450.00 the 1st day they showed up. Sold my old 76CS for $300.00.

 

When I got my new unit, I took it out of the box, dropped in a set of Duracells and fired it up. From a cold start I had location and lock with an epe of 19ft in less than 1 minute.

 

Now that, in and of itself, was fairly impressive to me.

 

The fact that I was sitting in the basement of a 2 story house with no windows made it downright freaky.

 

I took it into Home Depot and COSTCO just for grins and the track logs are totally unblemished.

 

Being from the Pacific NW and caching under heavy cover I've found the unit to be the cats meow.

[-Oz-]

comparing to other garmin units the x (60csx) is incredible. I spent $500 on it and the auto-nav kit and everything and have definitely used it enough to believe it worthwhile.

[dunderhead]

Seems to be what I need, is the chip in the Etrex X, same as 60CSX ?, I have all the bells and whistles with

 

my 60CS, and as long as the reception on the relatively low cost Etrex is same as 60CSX, then I'll get one.

Thanks to all who have responded.

[+geognerd]

The reception of any eTrex isn't close to that of the SiRF-equipped 60Cx, 60CSx, 76Cx, and 76CSx. The x only means the receiver has expandable memory. The color eTrexes use a different antenna and a different receiver. The color eTrexes would probably perform like your 60CS.

[+Kryten]

An Etrex witha Sirf chip would be very popular indeed. There are rumours that Garmin demo'd such a device recently. I asked the question 6 months ago and Garmin marketing replied that they had no plans to add sirf technology to the Etrex series which they viewed as a budget, entry level device.

[SandyGarrity]

As a navigation tool they are worth every £, $ or €