Anyone use the Earthmate GPS PN-20?

[+geoSpartan]

I just saw this from one of the banners on GC....

 

http://delorme.com/geocaching/

 

.. and was wondering if anyone has any experience with it?

 

The color aerial imagery seems very cool to me.

[+DoubleBogie6]

I have had the PN-20 for about a year. I do not yet have Topo 7 but I will soon get it. The PN-20 is by far the best GPS for Geocaching I have used or yet encountered, including the Magellan Sportak Pro, Garmin Etrex Legend cx, Garmin 76. It's all in the maps and the presentation thereof. The sensititivity is so good that six or more satellites can be picked up from indoors or inside a steel roofed auto.

[+benjamin921]

Yes and it does what it is indented for great which is hiking, geocaching, offroading etc. The maps are hands down the best around and staff that actually care about their product. It does OK with road routing, so if you are looking at a GPSr primarily for the road you might want to check something else out but they do have a 30 day no questions asked guarantee. Check out the DeLorme boards.

[+embra]

You can find a few threads on the PN-20 here.

 

I pretty much agree with Benjamin's testimony. I usually add the caveat (just to temper expectations) that the routing engine on the PN-20 is pretty clunky at present. That and other rough edges should be improved by subsequent firmware upgrades; DeLorme has been very good in their support and following through on their desire to provide a quality mapping GPS.

[caroling55]

I used the Earthmate with my friend last summer hiking in NH and was really impressed. The included software that came with the GPS has a great deal of depth to it and seems well-suited for geocaching. I'm glad you pointed me to that special geocaching page as I discovered that DeLorme has a $299 sale going on using that link (there is an ad off the page), so I now am torn whether I should go ahead and get one for myself. I think I probably will as I'd really like to have it snowmobiling and geocaching this winter. I found the special price at this link below in case anyone is also contemplating buying one. Maybe I can convince Santa (my boyfriend?) to get me one. Kevin...here is the link...you paying attention?

 

http://www.delorme.com/pn20match/

 

[+benjamin921]

 

http://www.delorme.com/pn20match/

 

Wow, great price!

[+rlridgeway]

Are the topographic maps equivalent to the USGS 24K, 7.5 topo maps?

[+benjamin921]

Are the topographic maps equivalent to the USGS 24K, 7.5 topo maps?

Here are some actual screen shots.

 

This page has all the different types of maps that can be viewed on the PN-20.

 

Having recently driven up on top of the mountain where I live, I can honestly say that having color aerial imagery to look at (yes even on the small screen) has been quite awesome!

[+Klemmer]

Had mine about 6 months, very pleased with it. The maps are way better than anything Magellan or Garmin has at present, because - guess what - Delorme is a MAPPING company!

 

As far as quality of the maps goes, I refer you HERE.

(Yeah, I wrote it. I would only add that the new Magellan units are not living up to my prior expectations).

 

There are lots of trade-offs in terms of maps, like quality, age of data, speed of updates, what you want to do with it, etc. You can have all the choices you want (or can afford) with the PN-20.

Edited December 10, 2007 by Klemmer & TeddyBearMama

[+embra]

Nice page, Klem. I bookmarked that.

[+Klemmer]

Thanks. Caching Now always needs contributions from authors, on various subject areas. PM me or Patty (Wintertime) if you are interested.

[+rlridgeway]

Does the PN-20 receiver have a similar chipset to the Sirf 3?

[+Klemmer]

No, the PN-20 does not have the SiRFstar III chipset. However, it has a very sensitive 12 channel chipset. Considering the issues others have had with the SiRFstar III chipset, maybe it's just as well. This forum thread at Delorme is a little dated, but I doubt anything has changed. It is more sensitive under tree cover than my Magellan Meridian Platinum, and there is almost no comparison to my wife's Garmin Etrex Venture.

 

Google this, and you can get another 100+ opinions about the chipset. IMO, it's quite good.

[+GeoXterra]

I had a PN-20 but returned it within the 30 day guarantee peiod. While it did get excellent reception and have wonderful maps, I couldn't live with how unbelievably slow it was. The interface had some quirks in it too for me. If their next version is fast, it'll be my next GPS. Until then, I love my 60Cx

[+9Key]

I looked at the specs and the $299 offer and it's extremely enticing! Maybe I'll treat myself to one for Christmas to replace my dilapidated Legend C.

[+Walt Jabsco]

I couldn't live with how unbelievably slow it was.

What was slow about it? The length of time it took to update position, or respond to commands? I know absolutely nothing about Delorme, but this price has piqued my interest.

[+rlridgeway]

No, the PN-20 does not have the SiRFstar III chipset.

What I meant was "How does the satellite reception compare to Sirf 3, MTK other newer chipsets?" I am not really interested in how the PN-20 compares to older Garmins or other older receivers. But I am interested in how it would stack up against the newer ones.

[+benjamin921]

I couldn't live with how unbelievably slow it was.

What was slow about it? The length of time it took to update position, or respond to commands? I know absolutely nothing about Delorme, but this price has piqued my interest.

It really depends on what kind of maps you have loaded. I have the entire state of PA and the re-draw time is about 3-5 seconds depending on what zoom level you are at. Driving around with this is not an issue for me at least. Hiking with it is a moot point.

 

Another thing that speeds it up a little is that when you have a lot of maps stored either internally or on the SD card is to turn off all other maps so they don't draw underneath your top map layer. I think that a lot of people either forget to or just don't know to turn off the other maps (you don't have to but it helps.

 

Plus there is a 30 money back guarantee and the CS is top notch. Not much to lose but a few bucks to ship it back if you don't like it.

Edited December 12, 2007 by benjamin921

[+benjamin921]

No, the PN-20 does not have the SiRFstar III chipset.

What I meant was "How does the satellite reception compare to Sirf 3, MTK other newer chipsets?" I am not really interested in how the PN-20 compares to older Garmins or other older receivers. But I am interested in how it would stack up against the newer ones.

Compares quite well. I can have the PN-20 in my vehicle and pull it away from the dash and still have great reception. If I am hiking or skiing, I just put it in my pocket and don't worry about it.

[motobum]

I just ordered this unit this morning...I've been looking at gpsr's for a few months and this one made the most sense for me. The maps and customer service is what drew me and after placing the order my decision was reinforced...

 

I really like the price with this deal they have going and called to see if they would sub the travel power kit for the 1gb sd card and reader wich they did happily. So I got the pn-20 all the software plus the $100 in sat imagery downloads plus the travel power kit (rechargable battery pack, a couple chargers, etc.) for $315 wwith shipping and tax. I can't wait for the ups man!

 

Thanks to all on this site. I've learned alot here.

[caroling55]

I just want to thank you all for this post. I bought the PN-20 and had it shipped overnight. The Delorme person who took my order was very knowledgeable and gave me free shipping in addition to the sale price. I have been using it for a couple of hours today and everything seems great and the signal acquisition is very, very fast. Buttons are firm and easy to use. The Topo USA 7 software is loaded with features, including 3-D, which shows imagery and topo maps draped on the screen in realistic scenes. But here's my question -- can the 3-D maps be transferred to the PN-20? That would be very cool. Appreciate any help. Thanks.

[+rlridgeway]

Compares quite well.

 

Why are Garmin and Magellan so popular then?

 

If the PN-20 is comparable to the receivers and the maps are much better, I would think this would cause the big dogs in GPS to sweat bullets?

Edited December 13, 2007 by rlridgeway

[+benjamin921]

Compares quite well.

 

Why are Garmin and Magellan so popular then?

 

If the PN-20 is comparable to the receivers these two and the maps are much better, I would think this would cause the big dogs in GPS to sweat bullets?

I guess it is just what people are used to.?

[+benjamin921]

But here's my question -- can the 3-D maps be transferred to the PN-20? That would be very cool. Appreciate any help. Thanks.

Just the 2D maps can be transferred as well as all the other types that DeLorme offer. Having 3D would be cool though.

Edited December 13, 2007 by benjamin921

[+Walt Jabsco]

Does the PN-20 use a standard usb cable, or do they have their proprietary cable you have to use?

[centme37]

Does the PN-20 use a standard usb cable, or do they have their proprietary cable you have to use?

 

Proprietary. (Comes with unit)

Edited December 13, 2007 by centme37

[JeepCheck]

can the 3-D maps be transferred to the PN-20? That would be very cool. Appreciate any help. Thanks.

Unfortunately no. 3D is generated on the fly as you move the 2D maps, by the program, processor and video card on the desktop. The PN-20 doesn't have that kind of processing power and the screen is too small to really enjoy the effect of if.

[JeepCheck]

The reason is because the PN-20 is waterproof and has a unique hookup system using 8 contacts built into the case on the back of the unit, that the connector slides over. Standard USB into the unit would require some kind of cover over the hole that would require being waterproof. Note that the cable has a standard USB connector on the other end.

[JeepCheck]

The PN-20 uses the STM chipset which is really great. There was another post earlier about Garmin switching to it in the future, as it is more consistent than the SiRF 3. It's really great in that when you get a signal it takes an awful lot to loose it. I currently use mine a whole lot for road routing, and often make short stops. I slip it under the seat of my car while I go inside, and it still has a lock on me when I get back and pull it out, that's pretty amazing.

 

http://www.gpsreview.net/stmicroelectroncs-teseo-gps-chip/

[+Walt Jabsco]

Wow. Any company that puts the world largest globe in their lobby, I'll take as being serious as far as their mapping and gps commitment goes.

 

Eartha

 

I just started going through their support forums, one thing that seemed on the negative was their rechargeable battery pack. Anyone here have any experience good or bad with that? I have a Magellan Explorist 400, and I really love having the Li-on battery. The less I have to open a unit up and replace stuff, the happier I am.

Also, I read some reports of the SD card holder being flimsy and some customers receiving their unit with it disconnected and rattling around in the battery compartment. Any thoughts? If it is the same one that's in my Explorist, I'm not overly concerned.

How about the feel and button lay out? Is it left handed friendly?

Mine uses a proprietary cable as well, so I'm used to that. I understand why they did it, but that's one of few things that I just find annoying.

I'm a die hard Magellan fan, and I've been waiting for the Triton 500, but this deal is too good to pass up if the unit is as good as people say it is. Kudos to their marketing department, it's working, you got my interest.

Thanks to all the answers to my questions so far, I don't know any local places that have one on display to play with.

[+Team DeLorme]

I'm left handed and am very comfortable using our device. It doesn't have any left/right bias. We tried to keep the related buttons near each other... page/quit on the left, menu/enter on the right.

 

The lithium ion battery doesn't last as long as standard AA batteries but it does offer some advantages. You can charge the battery while it's still in the device... at your computer or using the power adapter for your car. I promote rechargeables because they are more environmentally responsible. The PN-20 also floats if you're using the lithium ion! This is a bonus that we discovered during IPX7 testing... if you're a boater that might be worth noting.

 

The latch is something we've worked on. It's a standard SD card latch where you press down on the release and the door pops up... but as the posts you've read point out, some had latches come loose, others tried to lift rather than push down. Our 30 day money back guarantee took care of all of these and would be available to you as well.

 

Here's the closest retailers to your location... don't forget the sale price, info at www.delorme.com/geocaching

 

Bill Jackson’s – Pinellas Park, FL

 

Black Creek Outfitters – Jacksonville, FL

 

Map & Globe – Sanford, FL

 

Alabama Outdoors – Birmingham, AL

 

Call ahead to confirm that they have one available...

 

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

Chip Noble

Team DeLorme

[+embra]

Hey, there, Chip! Glad to see you post here!

 

Walt; if you get the optional power pack that has the Li-Ion battery, it has a small adapter you can put on the GPS that will accept a standard USB mini-connector (I'm not sure how they are properly referred to--ask for clarification if needed). So you can use standard cables, albeit with a little translation en route.

 

I think DeLorme has done the best job with power: standard AA's, rechargeable AA's, rechargeable Li-Ions, non-rechargeable Li-Ion, 12v...did I leave anything out? I was one who had a dud rechargeable Li-Ion, but an easy phone call had a new one to me in two days.

 

I also managed to dislocate the card holder the first time I used it (IIRC, I thought it worked differently than it did). I was able to re-mount it and with a little caution it has served fine since. I don't have much call to remove the card, so it's pretty much a non-issue. So long as you are gentle, it will be ok.

[+Walt Jabsco]

Chip (Team Delorme),

Thanks a lot for the fast response to my questions. It's nice to have a rep on here to get definitive answers. Now I'm even more impressed. I'll admit, I was completely unaware about your products until I saw this thread, but if this is any indication of your company's products, I'll be a convert. If you look at my posts, I've been a staunch Magellan supporter.

I'm a map/globe freak, so I'm tempted to fly up to Yarmouth just to see Eartha. It will definitely be on my next New England sojourn itinerary.

One poster mentioning substituting the rechargeable battery pack for the SD card in his order for his bundle, is that an easy thing to ask for with the special pricing?

Thanks again!

[+Klemmer]

Walt:

I've been using the rechargable Li-ion battery pack, along with all the other power option (lots!) for about 6 months, and I'm happy with it. It does fine for a long day of caching / benchmark hunting. Normally, I come home (or maybe the next AM), and plug the PN-20 into the computer to do up / down loads as rquired. I just leave it plugged in for a day or night (you have to leave it turned on), and charge it up. The setup menu has selections for the 4 different battery options (Li-ion rechargable, Alkaline, NiNH, Lithium), so the unit gives you the right power remaining status. The collection of power & interface cables you get with the power option package (or whatever they call it) is almost mind-blowing! I think every possible option that you can think of is covered. You can even charge the Li-ion batter pack in the car (out of the unit)!

 

BTW - on NiMH, everyone really should look for the Rayovac Hybrid NiMH. I got so annoyed with my couple sets of standard Duracell NiMH batteries that lose their charge (unused!) sitting on the shelf (or in the pack, etc). The Rayovacs do not do that (or not so you'd notice). They're harder to find than the other brands, but worth the hunt. I think I found mine at Wallmart.

 

I do not work for any of the companies mentioned above. I'm just a user.... errr....GPS user! But nice to see a Team Delorme-er here.

[+Team DeLorme]

The sales staff at DeLorme is top notch... I'm sure if they were able to do that for one customer, they'd be willing to do the same thing for you. Let me know if you have any questions once you've got your device. I might be able to give you a few pointers... Good luck with your geocaching!

 

Chip Noble

Team DeLorme

[+kayyak]

I have seen some info that the downloading of cache info from the geocache website to the Delorme Earthmate unit is 'tedious'.

 

I am a completely inexperienced geocacher, but in exploring the geocache website i see that when i click the 'send to gps' icon on the info for a geocache (way over to the right on the page), it pops up with a message that this feature can support only GARMIN units.

 

Does this mean i cant easily download geocache info to the Delorme PN-20 unit from the Geocaching website? Or not as easily as if i had a GARMIN???

 

Is there a way to download to Delorme units easy also?? I want to purchase the Delorme unit, but am leary of purchasing a unit that is harder to use, as automatic downloading is a feature i very much want.

[+benjamin921]

I have seen some info that the downloading of cache info from the geocache website to the Delorme Earthmate unit is 'tedious'.

 

I am a completely inexperienced geocacher, but in exploring the geocache website i see that when i click the 'send to gps' icon on the info for a geocache (way over to the right on the page), it pops up with a message that this feature can support only GARMIN units.

 

Does this mean i cant easily download geocache info to the Delorme PN-20 unit from the Geocaching website? Or not as easily as if i had a GARMIN???

 

Is there a way to download to Delorme units easy also?? I want to purchase the Delorme unit, but am leary of purchasing a unit that is harder to use, as automatic downloading is a feature i very much want.

You use the software (Topo 7) that comes with the PN-20 to upload your waypoints. The only issue that I have seen is that it is not as fast as other GPS units. It works and works well as far as I'm concerned. For example, it might take me 3-4 minutes to upload 800+ waypoints.

[+Team DeLorme]

Is there a way to download to Delorme units easy also?? I want to purchase the Delorme unit, but am leary of purchasing a unit that is harder to use, as automatic downloading is a feature i very much want.

 

I'm not sure that 'tedious' is a fair description... I'll outline the steps so that you can make the call for yourself.

 

1. Download the GPX file from Geocaching.com.

2. Use the Draw tab in Topo USA to import your GPX file.

3. Use the Exchange Dialog to transfer the Waypoints to your PN-20.

 

It's really that simple. Personally, I build Pocket Queries for the areas where I travel. It allows me to push a lot of waypoints to the device at once and it includes the cache description and hint along with other important info.

 

One of the new features we're trying to share with people is the ability to view full cache details (up to 800 characters) within each Waypoint on the PN-20. We are trying hard to remove the need for printing cache descriptions or carrying a second device with the cache details.

 

We're also listening very closely to people like yourself and working to make improvements for waypoint management in Topo USA as well as other places. I've been championing the Send to GPS plug-in and based on reaction to your post feel like we'll see progress in this area... We're a small company and we try hard to react quickly to these types of requests.

 

There's a 30 day money back guarantee on our device. I'm in the forums pretty regularly... feel free to fire me an e-mail if you have any questions. If I can't show you what we've done to improve the geocaching experience then you're free to return the device... we want our customers to be happy with their purchase.

 

Chip Noble

Team DeLorme

Edited December 17, 2007 by Team DeLorme

[+embra]

I have seen some info that the downloading of cache info from the geocache website to the Delorme Earthmate unit is 'tedious'.

That might have been referring to an older firmware's behavior. I had found that the PN-20 was sluggish in handling a larger number of waypoints and also in doing the actual transfer. Both issues appear to have been addressed in the latest firmware update, and I'm seeing times like Benjamin described.

[+spooner55]

hi all. new owner(well will be on wed.)here.

I was wondering if i need to go through "GSAK" anymore or just through topo7 to load the gpx files.

 

also how hard is it to transfer tracks back to Topo7 and print a map from it? i will be using the PN-20 to course mark and route track the course in off-road racing. this helps us find broke down race cars/trucks.

 

I'm sure there are going to be more questions soon so thanks for you reply's.

 

john S.

[+Team DeLorme]

There is an Exchange Dialog that displays two lists, the contents of the Topo project on the left and the contents of the PN-20 on the right. All you have to do is select the waypoint, track, route or map that you'd like to move and pick Send to get it from Topo to the PN-20 or Receive to get it from the PN-20 to Topo. It's very straight forward.

 

You'll connect the PN-20, select the track you just logged, press Receive to download it then press Done to close the dialog.

 

You'll open the Print tab, center the map on your screen, press Print Preview to see the extent of the page, zoom to best fit the track then press Print to get a paper copy of your track.

 

To answer the GSAK question... it depends on how much you want to customize your waypoints. We don't have the tools that GSAK has yet but we do send the cache details, hints and other information to the comment field on the device. One other nice thing that GSAK allows is for you to change the information that gets written to the Name field. We changed Topo to display the cache name and have since learned that some people go by the cache ID... oops.

 

Fire me an e-mail, I'd like to hear more about how you are using the device for your race planning. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Chip Noble

Team DeLorme