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Better Maps for GPSMap60CSx!


tahoebdj

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Hi Everyone!

 

I am a total Geocaching rookie! I have a GPSMap 60CSx and cannot figure out how I can download more detailed maps onto it. I keep running into a certain unlock code, but I just found out that my device does not come with such thing... ;) I would love to have a more detailed map with street names, etc! Please help! I really appreciate it!

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Are you talking about the trip and waypoint manager CD that came with your unit? If so, you aren't going to get any maps with that particular CD. You will need to decide which map sw you need. Be it topo or streets. If you need topo you will have to buy Topo 2008. If you need more street detail City Navigator is what you need. These aren't cheap either. Topo does include streets, just no auto routing capability.

I just bought the same unit you have and bought Topo 2008. My initial reason to buy a GPSr is for backcountry hiking and thus the reasoning for getting topos. The streets included with Topo are best I can tell from my area, pretty detailed. It even includes unpaved ranch roads that I never really noticed before. If you plan to use your unit for driving a lot you might look at getting CN for the auto routing features.

Edited by mdg2003
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Sounds like you need to purchase maps. You can get Topo maps for less money on eBay. They don't have an Unlock Code. The City Navigator maps for auto-routing have an Unlock Code and can be installed on only one GPS unit, although you can put them on as many computers as you use. Those maps run a bit more than $100, depending on where you get them, so shop around.

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Thank you all! These are very helpful! They sure get you big time with the cost on these additional maps! Oh well... Gotta find 'em caches... My sister in Hungary is a big-time Geocacher... She took me on a couple of finds back in December. Soooo much fun! Too bad I am floundering so much here... Haven't found anything yet... Not to mention the four feet of snow... ;)

I am just worried about not having that darn unlock code!

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Thank you all! These are very helpful! They sure get you big time with the cost on these additional maps! Oh well... Gotta find 'em caches... My sister in Hungary is a big-time Geocacher... She took me on a couple of finds back in December. Soooo much fun! Too bad I am floundering so much here... Haven't found anything yet... Not to mention the four feet of snow... ;)

I am just worried about not having that darn unlock code!

Don't let it get you down...the learning curve can be a bit steap when dealing with so much technology just to go look for tupperware in the woods!!! Keep at it and you will get the hang of it. There are a number of cachers taht use the 60CSx, so ask anytime you need the help, we are more than willing to lend a hand. I have used mine for more than a year now...very nice unit!!!

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Hi Everyone!

 

I am a total Geocaching rookie! I have a GPSMap 60CSx and cannot figure out how I can download more detailed maps onto it. I keep running into a certain unlock code, but I just found out that my device does not come with such thing... :lol: I would love to have a more detailed map with street names, etc! Please help! I really appreciate it!

 

As others have indicated you have a couple of options for base maps for your Garmin.

 

I have a 76Cx and recently bought the Topo 2008 product (paid $95 for it on GPSNow). Since you live in Lake Tahoe the topo maps are likely going to be a lot more useful than the City Navigator or Metroguide products.

 

Garmin uses a proprietary format for their based maps which essentially forces you to buy the Garmin mapping products, but prior to buying the topo maps I created my own base maps (including one I used when I was in Lake Tahoe last summer). It requires using several tools and available GIS data. It's a tedious process but you can produce detailed maps with local streets, water features, railroads, elevation data and a number of other features. However the value that Garmin adds is not just the basemap but lots of waypoints as well.

 

Winter caching can be challenging, especially when you live in a place that has received as much snow fall as you have in the Sierra Nevada. Although not all hiders use them there are attributes which can be placed on a cache listing. One of them is "winter accessible" (looks like a snow flake). Look for cache listings with that attribute.

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It depends on what type of maps you buy. City maps (the ones used to get driving directions) typically have unlock codes. However, topo maps (trail maps with topography) do not generally have unlock codes. So, if you are trying to download a map with 'Topo' in its name, you won't find an unlock code, because there isn't one.

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For those who have City Navigator, how do you like it for auto driving routing? Does it give you turn by turn directions? I have a Garmin GPS Map60Csx and have topo but not CN. I do have a car nuvi unit that uses the same CN software. I was just curious about what people think about the CN on the hand held unit.

 

I have CN NT 2008 and tried it out today on the 60CSx, and it worked just the same as it does on my NUVI. I just got the 60CSx this week, and I was impressed how well it works for driving. I also have TOPO on it, and that works fairly well for driving, but if you want all the streets, you Need the City Navigator. Now I've got a GPS with driving directions for each car.

 

So, since I got TOPO and CN, I've got the best of both worlds on the 60CSx, CN for driving and TOPO for caching. I'd NOT recommend City Navigator for caching alone, it's not meant for that.

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For those who have City Navigator, how do you like it for auto driving routing? Does it give you turn by turn directions? I have a Garmin GPS Map60Csx and have topo but not CN. I do have a car nuvi unit that uses the same CN software. I was just curious about what people think about the CN on the hand held unit.

 

I have CN NT 2008 and tried it out today on the 60CSx, and it worked just the same as it does on my NUVI. I just got the 60CSx this week, and I was impressed how well it works for driving. I also have TOPO on it, and that works fairly well for driving, but if you want all the streets, you Need the City Navigator. Now I've got a GPS with driving directions for each car.

 

So, since I got TOPO and CN, I've got the best of both worlds on the 60CSx, CN for driving and TOPO for caching. I'd NOT recommend City Navigator for caching alone, it's not meant for that.

 

Did you purchase CN separately and load to your 60CSx or can you extract your CN from the NUVI and load to your 60SSx?

 

Does CN behave the same way as far as routing goes with turn by turn directions when compared to the NUVI vrs the 60CSx? Could I get away with decent vehicle driving directions if I don't want to use my car NUVI unit or will I be missing the NUVI? I ask because I am planning a trip out west and am considering just bringing my 60CSx only with the CN installed for driving directions. I will switch to TOPO for caching.

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For those who have City Navigator, how do you like it for auto driving routing? Does it give you turn by turn directions? I have a Garmin GPS Map60Csx and have topo but not CN. I do have a car nuvi unit that uses the same CN software. I was just curious about what people think about the CN on the hand held unit.

 

I have CN NT 2008 and tried it out today on the 60CSx, and it worked just the same as it does on my NUVI. I just got the 60CSx this week, and I was impressed how well it works for driving. I also have TOPO on it, and that works fairly well for driving, but if you want all the streets, you Need the City Navigator. Now I've got a GPS with driving directions for each car.

 

So, since I got TOPO and CN, I've got the best of both worlds on the 60CSx, CN for driving and TOPO for caching. I'd NOT recommend City Navigator for caching alone, it's not meant for that.

 

Did you purchase CN separately and load to your 60CSx or can you extract your CN from the NUVI and load to your 60SSx?

 

Does CN behave the same way as far as routing goes with turn by turn directions when compared to the NUVI vrs the 60CSx? Could I get away with decent vehicle driving directions if I don't want to use my car NUVI unit or will I be missing the NUVI? I ask because I am planning a trip out west and am considering just bringing my 60CSx only with the CN installed for driving directions. I will switch to TOPO for caching.

I realize you didn't ask me, but my experiences are similiar.

 

I have a Nuvi 660 and a 60CS. Both have the latest version of CN. I do not have TOPO.

 

I used the 60CS to autoroute cross country and through Los Angeles on freeways and surface streets, and then used it to cache in all those areas. It has a smaller screen that the Nuvi, but it was definitely functional. It would beep and then show the precise turn in a separate screen, then it would return to the regular map page. I loved it for navigating - until I got the Nuvi.

 

The Nuvi, being designed for auto routing, is far, far superior, IMO. The map display is better and the spoken directions are much easier to work with. I would not go back. If I were you, I'd take both units; the Nuvi for navigating, and the 60CSx for caching. I'm going to Vegas in a couple of weeks and I'll travel and cache that way. Hope I answered some of your questions.

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The above posts have helped allot but I do have a question (or 2)

I see the topo maps on DVD and SD. The SD seems to be sold by regions and (if I read it right) the DVD covers all of the US. and you download it to your SD in the GPS. the question is which is better? and how much memory do I need? I have a 128mb card now but I see some 1 & 2 gig SD cards.

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The above posts have helped allot but I do have a question (or 2)

I see the topo maps on DVD and SD. The SD seems to be sold by regions and (if I read it right) the DVD covers all of the US. and you download it to your SD in the GPS. the question is which is better? and how much memory do I need? I have a 128mb card now but I see some 1 & 2 gig SD cards.

Get the DVD. You can run it on your PC. You can't do that with the SD cards.

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The above posts have helped allot but I do have a question (or 2)

I see the topo maps on DVD and SD. The SD seems to be sold by regions and (if I read it right) the DVD covers all of the US. and you download it to your SD in the GPS. the question is which is better? and how much memory do I need? I have a 128mb card now but I see some 1 & 2 gig SD cards.

Getting the Topo maps on CD or DVD is a better deal since you can load them onto any computer you use. There is a "segment limit" for the Topo maps you might run into when trying to fill up the 2GB card, although there is a work-around for that which has been discussed in the GPS Units and Software Forum.

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Thanks Boda and VA3HST for your help. I agree the combo of the NUVI for driving and the map60CSx for caching is good and is what I intended to do in most situations.

 

I guess I have to decide whether or not it's worth it to purchase the additional CN for use with the 60CSx for those times I may not have my NUVI with me. Sounds like it would be functional, just not as nice as the NUVI for driving. Hence the reason I purchased the NUVI. The additional city maps in the 60CSx could be good for urban cachin too I guess.

 

I agree the SD card that YOU load with maps gives you more control over what you have stored in your Garmin handheld. As Brian says "purchase the dvd". I have a one gig micro sd card with the entire East loaded with topo maps. It's nice to just transfer waypoints and not worry about maps. I believe I have plenty of room remaining so I will be able to install both TOPO and City Navigator to the same micro sd card if I want to. With the price of sd cards dropping you can get a 1 or 2 gig card quite cheap, like 10-15 dollars for a 1 gig card.

Edited by Team Divi Divi
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I actually prefer the 60CX with City Navigator to the dedicated Auto routing with voice. I have only used the Magellan never (Always) lost in the Hertz rental cars, but the voice gets irritating. I have the bean bag mount on my dash with my GPS mounted in it. I have mine set up with 2 different beaps. When the first beep occurs I glance over to see what my next turn it, and then when the second warning occurs I make the turn. Maybe the Garmin voice works better then the Magellan version. I have a 1 gig card in my GPS. I have City navigator loaded for the entire western United States, and Topo loaded for Idaho and parts of Utah, Montana, and Wyoming. This still leaves me room in case I need to add additional maps if I am going anywhere outside the reqion. I find it works very well for me.

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