Garmin 60CSx - First time turn on

[+kohldad]

Am headed out of town tomorrow as soon as the UPS drops off my new 60CSx (upgrade from my eMap). My plan is to install the batteries, download the caches for this weekend from the computer (using GSAK) and then place the GPSr on the dash and start driving. Figure total time will be about 10 minutes from receipt to being on the road.

 

Is this feaseable? Have I missed something that needs to be done for proper operation?

[ArtMan]

Is this feaseable? Have I missed something that needs to be done for proper operation?

RTFM? ;-)

 

Seriously, I don't know how different your old and new units are, but I recently upgraded from the plain yellow etrex to the Venture cx, and I had a lot to learn. I probably could have done what you propose, but it might not have been very efficient.

 

Garmin does have PDF versions of their manuals you can download, so it might be a good idea to use some of the time between now and the arrival of the brown truck to at least familiarize yourself with some of the features of your new toy.

 

Happy caching,

-ArtMan-

[John E Cache]

Am headed out of town tomorrow as soon as the UPS drops off my new 60CSx (upgrade from my eMap). My plan is to install the batteries, download the caches for this weekend from the computer (using GSAK) and then place the GPSr on the dash and start driving. Figure total time will be about 10 minutes from receipt to being on the road.

 

Is this feaseable? Have I missed something that needs to be done for proper operation?

The bad news is it is USB and you need to install drivers. The good news is you don't need the batteries with USB.

[+ghost640]

I'm a week into mine, it oriented itself after about 10 minutes no trouble. I found it to be pretty intuitive (of course, I upgraded from the 76s...)

 

For car travel, plug your power inverter into your car's adapter, your laptop into the inverter, and the USB into the laptop - you're good to go!

[+kohldad]

RTFM? ;-)

 

Jeeze, why didn't I think of that? Actually, I've been reading the manual since the time I started considered the unit. Good thing too or I would have worn out the hard copy. Problem is, in terms of downloading waypoints, USB drivers and initial setup, the manual is a very vague.

 

Not too worried about the familiarity for using it as the manual is fairly decent in regards to selecting waypoints, using the goto function, etc and I have a good enough grasp to figure it out. Not worried about downloading maps or using autoroute, just basic geocaching for this first trip.

 

I'm going to the OHV Trail Cleanup at Uwharrie this weekend so will have plenty of time to sit and figure things out once I get there. It's just the initial download of waypoints and leaving the house that has me a little concerned. Guess since I'll have the laptop with me, I could always hand plug in the 15 caches I plan on looking for.

Edited October 19, 2006 by kohldad

[+CJB4589]

Good news, if you're just using the compass/waypoint arrow, there's no problem.

 

Some more bad news... the unit only comes with base maps installed. If you want auto-navigation, you need to install the detail maps. If you are using the standard 64mb card that shouldn't take long to download the maps onto it, but first you need to install them on your PC and un-lock them.

 

Once you get going with the new unit... it's Great!

[+phask]

You might want to run webupdater before using it too much also.

 

Mine didn't lock onto Waas until I did (twice). But it was good enough without it.

 

You could get it installed previous though.

 

I think I was a half hour loading mapsource, some maps, updating mapsource, and the GPSr. (braodband)

 

My initial lock on was in a Cabala's parking lot - it was under a minute. I threw batteries in it, was unpacking something else and when I picked it back up - LOCK.

 

Set a find to the nearest exit ramp in the POI and navigated home.....

 

Having only used serial port GPSr before this usb is quick.......

[+ghost640]

In the box storage is 128 Mb! Plugging in 15 caches is no problem, good way to get to know your GPS...

[+Prime Suspect]

The unit will need to download almanac data first. Expect 10 to 20 minutes for that. It needs an uninterrupted view of the sky, which isn't going to happen when you're driving around.