New GPS Advice

[kstate]

How many times has this been asked?

 

Here is the deal I have not been geocaching for a while since my Extex Legend suffered from the faulty display ribbon and my attempts to fix it failed. I now have the funds to buy a new unit and would like to use the GPS for the following purposes:

1. Golf course mapping (most of the time)

2. Geocaching

3. Highway and Street navigation

 

I am not wanting to buy a golf specific GPS because of the money and I can walk the courses I play and set up a route for each hole.

 

I am leaning towards another Garmin but I don’t want another unit where the display ribbon will eventually fail. I also want color.

 

Here are the ones I am looking at:

1. Etrex Venture HC

2. Etrex Venture CX

3. Etrex Legend CX

4. Etrex Legend HCS

 

Please help me pick from the above list or offer alternatives at a comparable price?

[+imajeep]

I'd suggest getting one of the 'H' models. They have Garmin's new high-sensitivity receiver. Much easier to range to the green from deep in the woods off the fairway (my usual location).

[+Chuy!]

There will be no Legend HCS. "S" stands for the added features of electronic compass and an altimeter - except in the Etrex line 'cuase the Vista includes those features. You mean a Legend HCx, essentially a Venture Cx with the high sensitivity chip. See here to compare Garmin's mapping handhelds.

 

IMO, the Venture Cx, at $180, is the best handheld value anywhere. Next may be the Legend HCx 'cause it adds the sensitivity chip. It currently lists at $289, but it being offered at $269 in some sites. Sorry folks, at $80+, I just don't see the value in this.

 

Go with the Venture Cx. I have one and use it for hiking, biking, caching, and work. I have cached with friends that have a 60CSx and I'm not overly impressed with the added sensitivity feature.

[+Muero]

I have cached with friends that have a 60CSx and I'm not overly impressed with the added sensitivity feature.

 

How can you not be impressed with the 60CSx's sensitivity? I can keep it in my pants pocket, with the whole unit covered in fabric, and it still has 20-ft accuracy. When my father and I go caching, he often loses the signal with lots of trees around or even in the car when his Legend Cx is not on the dashboard. I've never seen my 60CSx lose its signal . . . anywhere . . . ever. I've heard the new "H" models are supposed to have the same sensitivity of the 60CSx with even better battery life.

 

Some optional GPS features, like 2-way radio, compass, altimeter, serial connectivity, external antenna connectivity, etc, are not necessary, but I really think that the high-sensitivity receiver is worth the extra money.

[+Renegade Knight]

I have cached with friends that have a 60CSx and I'm not overly impressed with the added sensitivity feature.

 

How can you not be impressed with the 60CSx's sensitivity? I can keep it in my pants pocket, with the whole unit covered in fabric, and it still has 20-ft accuracy. When my father and I go caching, he often loses the signal with lots of trees around or even in the car when his Legend Cx is not on the dashboard. I've never seen my 60CSx lose its signal . . . anywhere . . . ever. I've heard the new "H" models are supposed to have the same sensitivity of the 60CSx with even better battery life.

 

Some optional GPS features, like 2-way radio, compass, altimeter, serial connectivity, external antenna connectivity, etc, are not necessary, but I really think that the high-sensitivity receiver is worth the extra money.

Some areas of the country don't have nearly as much tree cover and when you do hit forests they are not as dense as other areas. In those areas better reception gets you a little better performance, but you spend a lot more. Where the canopy is denser, it's probably worth every penny like you have noticed.

[+Ltljon]

How can you not be impressed with the 60CSx's sensitivity? I can keep it in my pants pocket, with the whole unit covered in fabric, and it still has 20-ft accuracy.

 

Not trying to start a fuss but my Magellan 330 has been doing this for about 6 years.

Edited June 7, 2007 by Ltljon

[kstate]

If I notice that the differences between the Venture CX and the Legend CX is the Waypoint manager and the USB cable.

 

Can I pick up a USB cable that will work and electronics store or is the a proprietary cable?

 

What does the Waypoint manager do for me?

[+admo1972]

The USB cable is a standard one. It's the kind with a regular USB end (that goes to the computer) and a mini end, (the end that goes to the GPSr). Often, the same kind of cable comes with digital cameras.

 

I think it is called an A to mini-B USB cable.

[kstate]

If I notice that the differences between the Venture CX and the Legend CX is the Waypoint manager and the USB cable.

 

Can I pick up a USB cable that will work and electronics store or is the a proprietary cable?

 

What does the Waypoint manager do for me?

 

So is the Mapsource and Waypoint manager something I need?

 

Or,

 

Is there some other freeware that will do the samething?

[+admo1972]

I'm not sure what waypoint manager does. You need mapsource if you want to put maps onto your GPSr. Maps aren't necessary for caching. I've installed topo maps on my Vista for NJ, a portion of NE Pennsylvania, and an area around Asheville, NC. I've found the usefullness of the maps marginal at best, but they do tend to give me a general orientation of where I am in respect to park boundaries, nearby roads, etc.

[+Chuy!]

I have cached with friends that have a 60CSx and I'm not overly impressed with the added sensitivity feature.

 

How can you not be impressed with the 60CSx's sensitivity? I can keep it in my pants pocket, with the whole unit covered in fabric, and it still has 20-ft accuracy. When my father and I go caching, he often loses the signal with lots of trees around or even in the car when his Legend Cx is not on the dashboard. I've never seen my 60CSx lose its signal . . . anywhere . . . ever. I've heard the new "H" models are supposed to have the same sensitivity of the 60CSx with even better battery life.

 

Some optional GPS features, like 2-way radio, compass, altimeter, serial connectivity, external antenna connectivity, etc, are not necessary, but I really think that the high-sensitivity receiver is worth the extra money.

Key word is overly As in the price, to me, does not justify getting it; get it?

[+Chuy!]

If I notice that the differences between the Venture CX and the Legend CX is the Waypoint manager and the USB cable.

 

Can I pick up a USB cable that will work and electronics store or is the a proprietary cable?

 

What does the Waypoint manager do for me?

 

So is the Mapsource and Waypoint manager something I need?

 

Or,

 

Is there some other freeware that will do the samething?

Yes, you need software like Waypoint manager to download cache waypoins into your GPS. You can now load them directly from the website, but only for Garmins and one at a time - too tedious. A very user-friendly program I use is EasyGPS. I also have GSAK, but that is for advance users .

[Suscrofa]

Th Etrex Legend HCx seems to be the best buy currently. It is equivalent to the 60Cx but for a slightly smaller screen although it is a lot smaller, better form factor, better battery life and 100 USD cheaper !

 

I bought a 60Cx last year and if I had to buy a GPS now, it would be the Legend (or the Vista if you care about the sensor and if they perform well).

 

The unknown though is how the sensitivity of the H serie compares to the SIRFIII chip.