Oregon*Trail Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I just ordered a Vista HCX from Walmart.com the other day. I have never used a GPSr before. I've been reading a lot about them but have some questions. It seems that I might need to buy the topo, city navigator, blue water, and inland lakes to cover all my activities. Will this thing do much out of the box with the built in maps? Could I program in a trip to another state and have it tell me when to make turns and such? I'll see for myself soon but while I wait could someone give me some idea of how they work when you don't spend a lot on maps. I noticed that the topo maps come in a couple of vs. The parks one is a larger scale but I guess it doesn't cover as much? The only thing listed in Oregon is Crater Lake. Does that mean that it only works in that area? Thanks just trying to learn a bit before I get it. Quote Link to comment
+Dakota Jim Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I have had my Vista HVx for about a week. Its really great and the antenna is a definite plus over the Vx version. The built in maps will get you from town to town, but are not all that effective getting you to a particular point in town. The street maps are really worth it. I have City Navigator on mine (Cost about $114) which is great. It will give you detailed turning directions from any location in any town in US and Canada to any other location. It comes on a chip or on a DVD. If you decide to use the DVD you have the advantage of loading City Nav and some Topo maps on the same chip for the same area (which I have done). 1 Gig chips run about $13 at GPSCity and probably many other places. I can get the entire City Nav for US and Canada on one chip. Loading time is about 2 hours. I also have divided the rest of the US up into 4 quadrants with each having City Nav and the Old Garmin Topo maps. Careful as the City Nav software is locked to one GPS and cannot be used on a second. Metro is also a street program, less expensive, and not locked to any GPS. However it tends to drop you at the nearest highway intersection and draw a straight line from their to your house or whatever. The new Navigation Programs are going to be great. I have yet to try any except on the Garmin Web Page. National Parks only work in National Parks and not elsewhere. Hence unless you are really going to be exploring some, they probably have limited value. The new TOPO chips come in small areas. I'll probably be upgrading to those sometime in the next year, but at the moment cannot provide any info. One small point to remember: if you have a Street map and a topo map on your Vista, you will not see the topo map unless you a "hide" of the street maps ("map setup - information" will list all the maps on your Vista and will allow you to hide or show the various maps). Hide does not erase them, but puts them in the background letting one does not have the same priority be shown. The pecking order in City Maps, then topo maps, then the basic map. As near as I can tell, the marine waypoints will always show through. Let me know if I can be of any more help. Feel free to email me directly through the web. Dakota Jim I just ordered a Vista HCX from Walmart.com the other day. I have never used a GPSr before. I've been reading a lot about them but have some questions. It seems that I might need to buy the topo, city navigator, blue water, and inland lakes to cover all my activities. Will this thing do much out of the box with the built in maps? Could I program in a trip to another state and have it tell me when to make turns and such? I'll see for myself soon but while I wait could someone give me some idea of how they work when you don't spend a lot on maps. I noticed that the topo maps come in a couple of vs. The parks one is a larger scale but I guess it doesn't cover as much? The only thing listed in Oregon is Crater Lake. Does that mean that it only works in that area? Thanks just trying to learn a bit before I get it. Quote Link to comment
+Dakota Jim Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 (edited) Aa Edited July 25, 2007 by Dakota Jim Quote Link to comment
Rhialto Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I have had my Vista HVx for about a week. Its really great and the antenna is a definite plus over the Vx version. wow, I didn't know about those new HVx Quote Link to comment
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