Legend HCx or Vista HCx

[+stillrunning]

I'm about to preorder either the Legend HCx or the Vista HCx. I'm curious how many of you out there really use the electronic compass and / or the altimeter. It seems that is the only difference b/w the two. Any insight?

 

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?comp...cID=${cID}

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Richard

[+Nachtraaf]

Currently I have a gpsmap60csx. From time to time I use the electronic compass, but mostly I can handle it with a standard compass. The altimeter is never used, except one time: I try it in a Boeing 737...but off course the pressure is handled in the cabin which meant that we flew on a altitude of 900ft :-)

 

greetings, Hans

[+Klatch]

I'm about to preorder either the Legend HCx or the Vista HCx. I'm curious how many of you out there really use the electronic compass and / or the altimeter. It seems that is the only difference b/w the two. Any insight?

 

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?comp...cID=${cID}

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Richard

I find the electronic compass handy for geocaching in thick cover where you cannot maintain speed to keep the non-magnetic compass functioning. I also carry a traditional compass, but it is for emergency backup. If you want to save a few bucks, get the one without the compass and spend $10 or so on a compass. I used one in conjunction with Legend for several years. It worked fine, just something else to carry in your hand, though.

[+Klatch]

Duplicate

Edited July 7, 2007 by Klatch

[+imajeep]

Strictly a matter of preference. A regular compass never needs recalibration, but an electronic one never needs declination adjustment. You can do many caches without any compass at all, but I find the GPS 60 CSx built-in compass to be convenient when hiking--it works when I'm standing still.

[+Miragee]

I'm about to preorder either the Legend HCx or the Vista HCx. I'm curious how many of you out there really use the electronic compass and / or the altimeter. It seems that is the only difference b/w the two. Any insight?

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?comp...cID=${cID}

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Richard

I have the Vista C and like the electronic compass. It is just a matter of personal preference and whether you don't mind spending the extra money. Even using the compass, the battery-life on my Vista C is excellent.

[LaChimiste]

I'm in a similar position - about to buy my first GPS and looking at the HCx units. I thought about getting the Vista because I like the idea of an electronic compass, but then I got to thinking. If you buy the Vista, you're paying extra for the electronic compass and the barometric altimeter. I might well use the compass, but the barometric altimeter isn't going to make a lick of difference to me. I could go 200 miles in any direction from where I live, and my elevation will not change more than about 10 feet. If I lived somewhere more mountainous, I might be more willing to pay extra. Seems silly to do so, however, when I can use a normal compass just fine and have no need whatsoever for an altimeter. I think the Legend will be the better option for me. Just my $0.02, adjusted for inflation.

[+TrailGators]

I'm in a similar position - about to buy my first GPS and looking at the HCx units. I thought about getting the Vista because I like the idea of an electronic compass, but then I got to thinking. If you buy the Vista, you're paying extra for the electronic compass and the barometric altimeter. I might well use the compass, but the barometric altimeter isn't going to make a lick of difference to me. I could go 200 miles in any direction from where I live, and my elevation will not change more than about 10 feet. If I lived somewhere more mountainous, I might be more willing to pay extra. Seems silly to do so, however, when I can use a normal compass just fine and have no need whatsoever for an altimeter. I think the Legend will be the better option for me. Just my $0.02, adjusted for inflation.

What is the price delta between them? The electronic compass is nice to have.

[+Skeets_de]

What is the price delta between them? The electronic compass is nice to have.

 

I think you should take a look at some Garmin Dealer websites rather than have forum members do it for you...

Edited July 8, 2007 by Skeets_de

[John E Cache]

Strictly a matter of preference. A regular compass never needs recalibration, but an electronic one never needs declination adjustment. You can do many caches without any compass at all, but I find the GPS 60 CSx built-in compass to be convenient when hiking--it works when I'm standing still.

I'm not sure what you mean by no declination adjustment. I keep changing my opinion on whether the electronic compass needs declination. I posted that the GPS could calculate declination because in knows magnetic north from the compass and it knows true north from the satellites. Now I'm thinking the compass doesn't know where magnetic north is because the compass doesn't know where you are pointing the gps when lined up with the magnetic field. My current thought is the the compass knows where the GPS is pointed in relation to the magnetic lines of force. The GPS only knows the declination at your location(from a table or model??). The GPS knows which way it is pointed because it corrects the compass direction with the declination.

[bubnme]

What is the price delta between them? The electronic compass is nice to have.

 

I think you should take a look at some Garmin Dealer websites rather than have forum members do it for you...

 

wow Skeets_De... blindsided... i thought the forums here were a resource to ask whatever questions we might have in reguards to anything about geocaching or in this case... gps units and software. sorry to sound harsh but... my goodness.

Edited July 9, 2007 by bubnme

[ZR-mindless]

I've had a 60CSX for a year now, and I was kissing the ground when I figured out how to turn off the electronic compass. Don't waste your money. It only works when held perfectly horizontal, is away from any metal (far away), and is calibrated often. I use it on my quad often, and since it's in a holder that isn't horizontal, whenever you come to a stop, the arrow changes to show a wrong direction based on the compass (which isn't reading right cause not horizontal). Skip it.

Good luck!

[+hurley_108]

I'm about to preorder either the Legend HCx or the Vista HCx. I'm curious how many of you out there really use the electronic compass and / or the altimeter. It seems that is the only difference b/w the two. Any insight?

 

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?comp...cID=${cID}

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Richard

 

No and No. I have a 60CSx. I wish I'd gone for the Cx.

 

The compass is a fine compass, but it's of dubious value to geocaching because you really want it when you're close to the cache, but your reference position is bouncing a lot on the GPS error so you get a compass needle the bounces around a lot. It's fine, therefor, if you're trying to get to something a long way away and you're standing still, but how often are you in that kind fo situation?

 

The altimeter is more precise than the GPS altimeter, but it's only accurate if it's calibrated. The calibration drifts with changing weather, and the auto calibration can put it way off. There's no way to ignore it either, so if you want to monitor altitude on a holiday flight, you can't.

 

I just don't think they're worth the extra money, and that the alitmeter is sometime more harm than good.

[+6coondawgs]

I have the same decision to make between the Legend and Vista HCx. So does the Legend HCx have any compass built in to it? I have a Magellan 200 now and it has a compass that I find handy at times, how do I know if it's an "electronic" compass. I guess my question is...do GPS's have compasses that are not Electronic?

Scott

[+admo1972]

I have the same decision to make between the Legend and Vista HCx. So does the Legend HCx have any compass built in to it? I have a Magellan 200 now and it has a compass that I find handy at times, how do I know if it's an "electronic" compass. I guess my question is...do GPS's have compasses that are not Electronic?

Scott

 

The legend hcx does not have an electronic compass, nor does your magellan 200. Yes, they have a screen that look slike a compass, and the thing is electronic, which is the source of your confusion.

 

On your 200, and on the legend, those models only know which way north is based on your own movement. Once you stop moving, it has no idea where north is. Try it. Stand in one spot and turn in place. The gps doesn't know it's being turned and the compass is useless.

 

On models that advertise that they have an electronic compass, they know which way they are facing even when still. I find it very useful (I have an Garmin vista). If you found the behavior of your 200 fine, then you certainly don't need models that have the electronic compass and you can save some cash going without it.

[+SidAndBob]

I find the compass on my GPSmap60 CSx really useful and use it several times on each outing, though obviously generally keep it switched off.

I do a lot of mountain walking and I find the altimeter both accurate and useful, though it certainly isn't a necessity to have it.

[+paulgri]

Looking at the price difference, it's $25.00. You can find a really nice hand compass for that.

 

For me it's a Wife Acceptance Factor (WAF). We have a good compass and a Legend currently. When I went to order our new GPS (I knew I wanted an H series) she said, "Make sure you get one with a compass."

 

The reason? She hates me having the bag with the compass in it when she decides she needs to give me a heading. This way we will both have a compass, and she only needs th GPS.

[+Chuy!]

My Venture Cx has no electronic compass nor altimeter, but there are ways around this. I'm guessing because of the maps, my Venture does show elevation whether I'm tracking or not. May be the same for those that have Topo. As to an electronic compass, just go to your satellite page; the numbers go up for north and west, down for south and east.