Thinking of Switching

[+Randyredneck]

We are thinking of switching from Magellan eXporist XL to Garmin GPSMAP60CSX.

I would like to hear about the differences in map software, ease of loading and using geocaches and so on. I can use regular SD Memory cards and like the magellan geocache manager. I have just experienced several technical problems an am not sure the nice gentleman from India will actually be able to help.

[+JohnTee]

We are thinking of switching from Magellan eXporist XL to Garmin GPSMAP60CSX.

I would like to hear about the differences in map software, ease of loading and using geocaches and so on. I can use regular SD Memory cards and like the magellan geocache manager. I have just experienced several technical problems an am not sure the nice gentleman from India will actually be able to help.

 

Hi Randyredneck,

 

A geocaching friend of mine recently sold his Magellan and bought a Garmin 60CSx. He's bit techno-illiterate (tends not to RTFM - Read the Fine Manual), so is still finding features of his unit. He was not happy with the accuracy of his Magellan; I can't recall which model it was.

 

The 60CSx is probably the quintessential Garmin machine for geocaching. My dad also has one and is very happy with it.

 

It has the QuadraHelix antenna, which gives it very good accuracy (versus the high sensitivity chip in the Garmin 'H' line).

Unless you get a package deal, it only comes with a base map, which only shows major highways.

It operates very differently from the Magellan, so you will have an adjustment to make there. I think my friend complains that the buttons are not lit up. I've found Garmins fairly easy to use; my first was a Lowrance Ifinder Go2, which did not seem to be very user friendly.

It has a geocaching mode which is kind of fun to use.

It takes a Micro SD card, so you will have to change up.

Maps can be bought on Micro SD Card or CD-ROM. There are advantages both ways and depends on your preferences. You might do a search in the forums.

With the Garmin POI loader, you can load thousands and thousands of caches to a Micro SD card as POI's (Points of Interest).

You can load up to a thousand to the on-board memory, most easily with a program like GSAK or EasyGPS. Apparently the Magellan would allow you to drag and drop a GPX file to it and display the cache name? My friend likes having the cache name on the screen. I'm paperless and use the GCxxxxxx name everywhere. With the Garmin you can display limited characters on the screen (uh, mind blank, 8-10?). So I display the GCxxxxxx name and use GSAK to send the hint to the available 30 characters of the geocache description. Using GSAK you could also send the cache Name, terrain, difficulty, date of last log, etc., you preference, within 30 characters.

 

That's all I know! Well, not really, but hope it helps a little bit.

 

Cache On!

 

JohnTee

[+JohnnyVegas]

We are thinking of switching from Magellan eXporist XL to Garmin GPSMAP60CSX.

I would like to hear about the differences in map software, ease of loading and using geocaches and so on. I can use regular SD Memory cards and like the magellan geocache manager. I have just experienced several technical problems an am not sure the nice gentleman from India will actually be able to help.

What are the technical problems that you are having with the explorist?

WIth the garmin you will lose the ability to store multi cache files on the sd card, You will also have to by new software and the Garmin only includes a non detailed map of major highways.

[+GOT GPS?]

Both my eXplorist XL and Map60CSx are working good. I like the eXplorist XL for it's big screen, and good mapping, and I like the Map60CSx for the rest.

[+gdps]

What are the technical problems that you are having with the explorist?

WIth the garmin you will lose the ability to store multi cache files on the sd card, You will also have to by new software and the Garmin only includes a non detailed map of major highways.

 

I just recently switched from Magellan to Garmin. I have had a 315, a SporTrak Map, and still have an Explorist 500. I personally didn't have any problems with any of them. However I wanted to upgrade to the Sirf chipset. I waited and waited for the Triton line to come out and decided that the support for the Magellans was continuing to go downhill and I didn't want to take the chance on spending that type of money on something that might not work.

 

I ended up purchasing a GPSmap 60cx mainly because I didn't care about having the compass or barometer. There is definitely some learning to do when switching. I am starting to really like the Garmin now. I do miss the file structure of the Explorist but I am learning ways of doing the same type of things on the Garmin. You can save track files to the SD card on the Garmin but it is not as simple. You can put basically unlimited (limited only by the size of the card) cache files on the SD card. The files have to be saved as custom POI's which don't have as much detail as the regular geocache entries. But you can work around that as well.

 

I find making the custom maps is about the same on both machines but there seems to be more access to custom maps for the Garmin. I actually like the screen on the Garmin better now that I have it. I purchased TOPO 2008 with mine and I like it.

 

All and all I think anyone who has a Magellan that is working well and they are happy with it should stick with it. But in my opinion if switch like I did you will be able to adjust and will be happy with the Garmin as well. I took several weeks to compare the two online and at stores before I finally made the switch. If you have any friends who have one see if they will let you borrow it to play with. That was my final decision maker was when I borrowed one.

 

I happen to live about 4 miles from Garmin in Olathe so if I do ever have a problem I will be able to drop mine off and pick it up without any shipping involved. I hope I never have to but it was another reason I went with the Garmin. Also at least around here it is hard to get Magellan accessories at the stores everyone sells Garmin. Also another reason for my switch.

 

In conclusion I'm still not a strict Garmin or Magellan user. I still like my Explorist 500 but I also like my GPSmap 60cx. Both have positives and negatives, good luck with the decision.

[+Randyredneck]

We are thinking of switching from Magellan eXporist XL to Garmin GPSMAP60CSX.

I would like to hear about the differences in map software, ease of loading and using geocaches and so on. I can use regular SD Memory cards and like the magellan geocache manager. I have just experienced several technical problems an am not sure the nice gentleman from India will actually be able to help.

What are the technical problems that you are having with the explorist?

WIth the garmin you will lose the ability to store multi cache files on the sd card, You will also have to by new software and the Garmin only includes a non detailed map of major highways.

The darned thing had a low battery emergency in December would not turn on again on the car charger, USB port or Batteries. I got it back in early January but while caching two weeks ago I turned it off to conserve battery power and changed the batteries while it was off. I still get it back on. Shipped to

Magellan yesterday.

[+dwayne23]

I just switched from the Magellan explorist to the PN-20 and I like the PN-20. The maps are great and you don’t have to buy them separate they come with the unit. The have Topo and you can auto route with it also. It works just a little different than the Magellan as far as the file system but it is not hard to figure out. The auto route feature is a little slower but it gives a good route. I have tested it against the 500 and it gives a good route. You can use the software to route you any ware and put it on the SD card. You have to load the maps to the SD card because they have so much information in them. You can build trails, routes and you can make them auto route. The PN-20 will also take other types of maps. You can down load aerial maps, usgs quads, and satellite imagery and load them into the PN-20. The software for me has been a change but I am getting it as I go. One more great thing is the customer service there is nothing like it. I have called Magellan on different occasions and it was horrible but I have had nothing but great customer service from Delorme. The sales person I bought mine from was KevinBe ext. 2199 he is very knowledgeable and will take the time to answer any questions. I call Saturday and the person who answered the phone then was very knowledgeable and helpful. Oh yea you can try it out for 30 days and if you don’t like it you can send it back and that is what I was going to do but needless to say I am keeping it. I like calling and having someone who knows what they are talking about and that I can understand. This is my opinion.

[+Randyredneck]

I just switched from the Magellan explorist to the PN-20 and I like the PN-20. The maps are great and you don’t have to buy them separate they come with the unit. The have Topo and you can auto route with it also. It works just a little different than the Magellan as far as the file system but it is not hard to figure out. The auto route feature is a little slower but it gives a good route. I have tested it against the 500 and it gives a good route. You can use the software to route you any ware and put it on the SD card. You have to load the maps to the SD card because they have so much information in them. You can build trails, routes and you can make them auto route. The PN-20 will also take other types of maps. You can down load aerial maps, usgs quads, and satellite imagery and load them into the PN-20. The software for me has been a change but I am getting it as I go. One more great thing is the customer service there is nothing like it. I have called Magellan on different occasions and it was horrible but I have had nothing but great customer service from Delorme. The sales person I bought mine from was KevinBe ext. 2199 he is very knowledgeable and will take the time to answer any questions. I call Saturday and the person who answered the phone then was very knowledgeable and helpful. Oh yea you can try it out for 30 days and if you don’t like it you can send it back and that is what I was going to do but needless to say I am keeping it. I like calling and having someone who knows what they are talking about and that I can understand. This is my opinion.

How is for geocaching which is our primary use?

[+dwayne23]

That is my primary use also and it works great. You can input up to 800 carters and that for me is enough to be paper free on most caches. I still us my palm also I like using my palm so it will be hard for me to give it up. Like I said you get the maps and unit for the price the others you have to buy it separately if you want the maps for auto routing or hiking or what ever else. Delorme looks at the post here and at www.forum.delorme.com and if you ask a question and they are in there they will give you an answer also. If you want more information you can call them and talk with KevinBe ext. 2199 he will help you with any questions. Their web site is www.delorme.com you can look at the units and packages and for premium members they did have a sale on I don’t know if it is still running or not. The software is good but for me it has been challenging like I said, but I am not one who can set look at it and it works I have to work at it. There people on the forums that is more than willing to help with any questions. You can try it for 30 days if you don’t like it send it back that is their policy. I like it and I love the tech. support.

[+laterdays]

We are thinking of switching from Magellan eXporist XL to Garmin GPSMAP60CSX.

I would like to hear about the differences in map software, ease of loading and using geocaches and so on. I can use regular SD Memory cards and like the magellan geocache manager. I have just experienced several technical problems an am not sure the nice gentleman from India will actually be able to help.

 

DO IT!!! Either the Garmin 60csx or the 60cx will provide more than excellent service. But research your pricing online since you can get either at a significant discount if you shop around.

[+embra]

I go along with Dwayne's take; it's a good GPS with a great map program. You can download gpx or loc files directly into the Topo7 software and then transfer to the PN-20. At this point you can store only maps on the SD card, but we keep asking them to store tracks and waypoint files there, too, and I expect they'll get it in there someday. Firmware updates seem to come out every 3-4 months with good feature improvement.

 

It's not the best GPS for a beginner because Topo7 and the PN-20 have more power--and thus a bit more complexity. But if you've had something else already, there's little one couldn't figure out (especially with the help on the forum).

 

I, too, came from the Magellan heritage (Meridian Gold, Explorist 500). In terms of customer support, I feel like I died and went to GPS heaven.