Legend HCx MUCH better than Hc in signal reception

[TeamEcuador]

Finally got a chance to side-by-side these two units. Legend Cx (old) and legend HCx (new).

 

Even before that, on a trip last week to the Amazon jungle, the HCx locked on MUCH faster, and held signal through steep canyons and heavy tree cover on a hike through the jungle.

 

This morning I got a chance to lay the two units next to each other on the roof of my building, thin overcast, wide open sky (more or less - 13,000-foot Pichincha is a few miles to the west). The HCx locked on almost immediately while the Cx took maybe 30 seconds. Both units had been on and locked within the previous hour. The HCx saw one or two more satellite than the Cx. I've also noticed that the HCx is seeing and locking on satellites 48 and 51, which the Cx never really did (WAAS is enabled on both units).

 

The HCx showed solid top-bar signal strength on nearly all the satellites it saw, while the Cx had a few satellites with levels below that.

 

The HCx also pulls in signal indoors, assuming there is a window nearby. It's as if it doesn't really need line of sight.

 

But - get this - the HCx showed an accuracy of 9 feet, while the Cx showed it's normal 24 feet here in Ecuador.

 

Bottom line HCx advantages over Cx:

 

Locks onto satellites MUCH faster;

Gets stronger signals;

Shows MUCH greater accuracy, even in non-WAAS area (South America).

 

I'm glad I upgraded.

Edited April 23, 2008 by TeamEcuador

[+IVxIV]

Yep, I've been using a Vista Cx for a couple years & thought it had awesome satellite signal holding ability. Recently though I bought my girlfriend a Vista HCx and,, WOW! Her HCx leaves my Cx in the dust when it comes to lock-on speed at startup, and signal retention

[+Red90]

Sorry, which models EXACTLY are you comparing. There is no such thing as a Legend HC. Do you mean Venture HC or Legend CX??

[TeamEcuador]

Sorry, which models EXACTLY are you comparing. There is no such thing as a Legend HC. Do you mean Venture HC or Legend CX??

 

Apologies. I am comparing the Legend Cx (old) and the Legend HCx (new).

 

I edited the post but could not edit the subject line.

[TeamEcuador]

I just upgraded the firmware to 2.6 on the legend HCx, and some kind of chipset upgrade. Now I am getting 7-foot accuracy up on the roof. I get 12 satellites, all at max signal strength, and ten of the 12 are getting differential data.

 

I'm a happy camper.

[+Hrethgir]

I just ordered an HCx as my first handheld GPS unit, and hearing this kind of thing makes me VERY happy! It should be arriving Thursday or Friday.

[the_hogman]

My new Legend HCx will be arriving this Friday. Sounds like I made a good choice as well. Thanks for the comparison!

[knowschad]

I bought the Legend HCx when my Legend CX was only 6 months old, and have not regretted it for one second. I can hang it from my neck, cache under heavy pine trees, I can even put it in my coat pocket without it losing the signals. About the only time it hasn't been able to get a signal has been in large commercial buildings and in tunnels.

 

I still have the CX available as a backup, should I ever need to send the HCx in for repairs, but I hope that I never have to resort to that!

[gallet]

Why don't we do all the units at once and just say that all garmin gpsr's that have a hi sensitivity receiver have better reception than ones that don't.

[MtnHermit]

I have a Venture Cx which is functionally identical to your Legend Cx. I tried it against a Vista HCx inside a building where I could NOT get a signal. The HCx had no problem picking up satellites. So the H chipset is unquestionably superior.

 

However, I used my Venture Cx all last summer with the Colorado 24K Topos and it worked VERY well. So even if the H's are better, I'm not inclined to pony up ~$250 to have the latest and greatest. Rather, I'm considering the new Nuvi 205W for its much larger screen for map viewing and I'll keep and use the Venture Cx for the tracklog, odometer and superior battery life.

 

Just another point of view.