Multi Region Caching GPS

[+careygang]

In light of recent events, at risk of this being seen as a commercial question, please answer without directing me to your favorite shop!

 

I've got a garmin for the car that has North America and UK Maps as standard, so when we come back to Blighty I don't have to upgrade/change it.

 

Does anyone know of a handheld mapping model that comes with both included or do I have to bite the bullet and buy a US model over here and then buy the add-on map UK/Europe set?

[+dino-irl]

You can install UK and US maps on any handheld (I've seen it done) depending on the memory capabilities. AFAIK a unit can only have one basemap but then who uses that anyway!

[+fat bloke]

You can install UK and US maps on any handheld (I've seen it done) depending on the memory capabilities. AFAIK a unit can only have one basemap but then who uses that anyway!

 

You can buy them from the geocaching site and it's not a commercial enterprise you can get topo UK OOP's

[+tteggod trackers]

I travel alot and used to put maps on my legend for every country/ region i went to as it only has an 8mb memory!

 

Nowadays i don't bother putting maps for anywhere as effectively i'm just following the arrow!

 

However, my nuvi is handy for back up if i want to drive close!

[+careygang]

You can install UK and US maps on any handheld (I've seen it done) depending on the memory capabilities. AFAIK a unit can only have one basemap but then who uses that anyway!

 

Being a newbie as far as mapping GPS goes (proud user of a yellow whose finally thinking of upgrading) what 'value' is the base map? How detailed is it?

 

 

I just realised that this is drifting into the area of the pinned topics - sorry Mod Guys, if I could just get an answer to this mapping question, you can close this... ta.

Edited April 23, 2008 by careygang

[+dino-irl]

You can install UK and US maps on any handheld (I've seen it done) depending on the memory capabilities. AFAIK a unit can only have one basemap but then who uses that anyway!

Being a newbie as far as mapping GPS goes (proud user of a yellow whose finally thinking of upgrading) what 'value' is the base map? How detailed is it?

The base map is useless on any machine I've seen. It only shows major cities and a vague coastline. To get any kind of detail you need Metroguide/City Navigator or something similar.

 

Think of the World Map that you get when you install Mapsource. It's probably slightly worse than that

[+Happy Humphrey]

The base map is useless on any machine I've seen.

I agree: but you may be able to get a free copy of City Navigator Europe with a new GPSr. Make sure you get a unit that takes MicroSD cards, so there's never any worry about capacity (you can also load virtually unlimited cache waypoints as well).

 

The maps of Europe are excellent - except that they are no good for geocaching once you're off the road. For that you'd need the UK Topo, which is rather expensive and still far from perfect (it's no match for Memory Map).

[+careygang]

You can install UK and US maps on any handheld (I've seen it done) depending on the memory capabilities. AFAIK a unit can only have one basemap but then who uses that anyway!

Being a newbie as far as mapping GPS goes (proud user of a yellow whose finally thinking of upgrading) what 'value' is the base map? How detailed is it?

The base map is useless on any machine I've seen. It only shows major cities and a vague coastline. To get any kind of detail you need Metroguide/City Navigator or something similar.

 

Think of the World Map that you get when you install Mapsource. It's probably slightly worse than that

 

According to Garmin, the 60CSx can...

 

Built-in autoroute basemap, including major roads, exits and tide data, gives you automatic, turn-by-turn directions.

 

How practical is this without a voice and if you kind people out there say basemaps are useless, how can it have the definition to give auto directions?

 

Is the extra cost of the 60CSx worth it when compared with the etrex Vista HCx??

Anyone tried them both?

I'm still confused...

[+Happy Humphrey]

Garmin Comparison

The comparison makes no claims for the CSx having pre-loaded maps. It looks like the Americas basemap that it uses has a bit more detail (some major roads) - I can't imagine that it's very useful though. Being without a voice means that these units are not much use in a car, despite having all the routing capability of a Nuvi: you'd have to get someone else to read out the directions.

 

Beyond that, I'd go for the CSx only if I was after the larger screen and tide tables and didn't mind the inferior battery life, heavier weight and inferior GPS reception.

[+careygang]

What mapping options are there for garmin GPS?

 

Am I limited to mapsource? Do I have to get the TOPO for the countryside and Citi Navigator for the towns? It seems the maps will cost more than the GPS.

 

And I take it from all the references to unlock codes that I need a copy per GPS as it can't go on more than one device?

I was looking to have a set of maps on 2 GPSs.

[+Happy Humphrey]

What mapping options are there for garmin GPS?

 

Am I limited to mapsource? Do I have to get the TOPO for the countryside and Citi Navigator for the towns? It seems the maps will cost more than the GPS.

 

And I take it from all the references to unlock codes that I need a copy per GPS as it can't go on more than one device?

I was looking to have a set of maps on 2 GPSs.

You can load the maps onto 2 GPS's - I forget how the restriction works but it definitely allows this (I did it). The maps are expensive and you do need the Garmin ones. I think that there is a way to get them free, but I'm not sure how. You could at least get the Scottish Mountaineering Club maps, which are free.

 

I'm not sure that you need both topo and City Navigator: it depends on how you're going to use the GPS. For geocaching I'd guess that the topo would be most useful, but that's very limited for other purposes.

 

I did have the opportunity to try a 60CSx and Legend HCx side-by-side the other evening. Interesting: the Legend had it beat for GPS reception, giving a good steady (and accurate to about 1m) indication with partial tree cover. The 60CSx was wandering around and up to 10m out. But the screen is much clearer on the 60CSx (as it's bigger) depite having similar resolution.

[+Sue and Bernie]

BEWARE!

 

Garmin did once provide two "unlocks" up until Topo 2 UK and City Navigator 2008! They don't now.

 

I've owned Garmin hardware since the earliest eTrex units. We now have two Streetpilots (one for each car) and a Vista Cx with Topo - Topo autoroutes so I thought - Hmm! one CN Europe going spare.

 

We got to this situation simply because of the two unlocks thing - when Topo came out with a single unlock, I used that with the Vista and picked up another Streetpilot on eBay for Sue to make use of the second unlock of CN.

 

Everything was great until CN Europe NT 2008 Update was issued and I was really pee-d off to find that the update came with a single unlock as pioneered by Garmin with the new Topo software. Garmin is now exploiting their position by no longer providing two unlocks.

 

I've managed to wangle a second update (sold off the second Streetpilot, bought yet another that was being flogged off by Halfords - registered it and got a free update). When the time for software updates comes round, the second Streetpilot won't get updated cos we're not paying Garmin for 3 updates!!!

Edited April 26, 2008 by Sue and Bernie

[+Sue and Bernie]

System double posted!!! how did that happen?

Edited April 26, 2008 by Sue and Bernie

[+Happy Humphrey]

BEWARE!

 

Garmin did once provide two "unlocks" up until Topo 2 UK and City Navigator 2008! They don't now.

I should say that I have City Navigator v9 (2008 edition), which may be older than Sue and Bernie's (bought back in January).