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DeLorme Earthmate PN-20 owners?


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I have never attributed the failure to find a geocache to an inadequacy of my PN-20. If the hider's coordinates are correct, my PN-20 gets me to GZ where I turn loose the rest of my team:

http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?id=997725

 

Actually, geocaching requirements are quite undemanding to the PN-20 and other comparable GPSrs. OTOH, hiking is another activity altogether. Many serious hikers and backpackers find the PN-20 to be an excellent choice, if not the best choice. This is due to the fact that its topo mapping features are unsurpassed.

 

You might also want to scan this forum below, or search, for information regarding the soon to be available updated DeLORME model, PN-40, or here:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=197213

which also shows PN-20 topo mapping displays.

Edited by Team CowboyPapa
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I just came across this unit in my search to replace my Legend Cx. I'd like to hear from owners who are using this for geocaching. I would only be using it for geocaching and hiking. What do you all think?

 

i purchased one of these three months ago. i got the bundle package that came with delorme topo maps for the entire usa. the maps were the main reason i bought it. i have found it very accurate and it can do paperless caching thru the software supplied. it will hold up to 800 characters of text, excluding logs, so the hints etc are usually available to you thru the unit, this for gpx files. the software was a little difficult for me to operate. after a while it was easy. the maps are amazing. the gps interfaces with the software and you can do a lot with that. the one thing i haven't figured out is how to download and transfer more than one cache at a time. the antenna works well. it also does street by street navigation if you desire. i know it does more but then i would have to read the manual. you will need to read the book to learn how to download and transfer files. it would be more than excellent for hiking with the topo maps.

i hope this helps some.

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I think the PN-20/Topo7 combination is one of the best combos available for hiking today, and there's very good support for geocaching (the waypoint comment field allows for 800 characters, which can provide complete descriptions for most--but not all--geocaches). Topo7's trail database is one of the better ones available, although it's still very incomplete. One feature I especially like is that you can save a recorded track as a trail or road in Topo7 and then upload in your detail map to the PN-20.

 

The only caveat I offer is that the street routing is so-so. Someone wanting to do a lot of street routing might be happier with a Garmin even if the maps aren't as good. But for outdoor use, the PN-20 is hard to beat and the PN-40 looks like it will be even better.

 

the one thing i haven't figured out is how to download and transfer more than one cache at a time.

team 9-er, if you download a pocket query you can do up to 500 of them at a time. If you are downloading the caches one at a time but have them in gpx format, you can also select all the files and drag them into an open Topo7 project. This will import them all at the same time, although each one will be in its own separate draw layer. You can then transfer them all at once your PN-20. The pocket query is usually lots easier (once you are familar with it, of course :anitongue: )

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i purchased one of these three months ago. i got the bundle package that came with delorme topo maps for the entire usa. the maps were the main reason i bought it. i have found it very accurate and it can do paperless caching thru the software supplied. it will hold up to 800 characters of text, excluding logs, so the hints etc are usually available to you thru the unit, this for gpx files. the software was a little difficult for me to operate. after a while it was easy. the maps are amazing. the gps interfaces with the software and you can do a lot with that. the one thing i haven't figured out is how to download and transfer more than one cache at a time. the antenna works well. it also does street by street navigation if you desire. i know it does more but then i would have to read the manual. you will need to read the book to learn how to download and transfer files. it would be more than excellent for hiking with the topo maps.

i hope this helps some.

 

If you use pocket queries and GSAK you can get up to 500 caches each download, then push up to 1000 paperless cashes to the PN-20.

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I purchased a refurbed PN-20 from TigerGPS and I'm amazed at how nice the screen looks. The screen is kind of small but the color and resolution are awesome. I also have a Garmin etrex and an Magellan Explorist 210 and they will be either sold or going to my kids. TigerGPS sells these like new units for $199.99 with everything a new one comes with. Love it. Maps are fantasitic. For the price you can't go wrong. Best deal (in my opinion) in the handheld, geocaching, hiking, biking GPSr world. Caches are fairly simplily added into the PN-20 by Topo 7.0 (which comes with the package). There are so many ways to add trails, POI's, caches, boundaries, aerials, topos, Satellite images! At higher zoom levels there is some slow down on the map screens while moving at highway speeds but while hiking or biking I have had no problems at all.

 

Hope this helps

It's a great deal.

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I purchased a refurbed PN-20 from TigerGPS and I'm amazed at how nice the screen looks. The screen is kind of small but the color and resolution are awesome. I also have a Garmin etrex and an Magellan Explorist 210 and they will be either sold or going to my kids. TigerGPS sells these like new units for $199.99 with everything a new one comes with. Love it. Maps are fantasitic. For the price you can't go wrong. Best deal (in my opinion) in the handheld, geocaching, hiking, biking GPSr world. Caches are fairly simplily added into the PN-20 by Topo 7.0 (which comes with the package). There are so many ways to add trails, POI's, caches, boundaries, aerials, topos, Satellite images! At higher zoom levels there is some slow down on the map screens while moving at highway speeds but while hiking or biking I have had no problems at all.

 

Hope this helps

It's a great deal.

 

No issues with the refurbed unit? I see they still have them and I'm seriously considering taking the plunge away from Garmin.

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I was also considering a Garmin Venure Hc. I had a Triton 400 for about a week and it seemed to track well and pick up sats well but I was not impressed with the screen and basemap. I had NG topo on it but the screen just never seemed bright enough to be easily seen. The Triton did do the paperless caching thing but the caching on it seemed very limited as far as selecting points on the screen and trying to goto them.

 

I look at TigerGPS.com about once a week and seen this refurbed PN-20 so I called Tiger and they said they were in great shape and completely refurbed by Delorme. They come with a 60 day refund (minus 10% restocking) and a full 1 year warranty from Delorme. I will use mine for biking, hiking, caching and just having it around. The whole package is high quality. The button layout is so easy to figure out. I have had mine for about a week and I love this thing. I wouldn't type this much if I didn't think this thing was a great GPS at a great price. Get It!

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I was also considering a Garmin Venure Hc. I had a Triton 400 for about a week and it seemed to track well and pick up sats well but I was not impressed with the screen and basemap. I had NG topo on it but the screen just never seemed bright enough to be easily seen. The Triton did do the paperless caching thing but the caching on it seemed very limited as far as selecting points on the screen and trying to goto them.

 

I look at TigerGPS.com about once a week and seen this refurbed PN-20 so I called Tiger and they said they were in great shape and completely refurbed by Delorme. They come with a 60 day refund (minus 10% restocking) and a full 1 year warranty from Delorme. I will use mine for biking, hiking, caching and just having it around. The whole package is high quality. The button layout is so easy to figure out. I have had mine for about a week and I love this thing. I wouldn't type this much if I didn't think this thing was a great GPS at a great price. Get It!

 

Ok cool. Thanks for info. I was concerned they may come with a marked screen or some other type of wear like an "ebay special". It's a significant savings, that's for sure.

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The PN-20 refurbs seem to be a fairly recent appearance on the market, so people have only begun to buy them (to my knowledge) within the last few weeks. Although there's no long-term reports on them, the early buyers seem happy with them, and they seem to carry the same Delorme warranty as the new units. I wouldn't hesitate buying one on account of its refurb status...they do seem like a great deal.

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I love my PN-20 for all aspects. I use mine for hiking, mountain biking, geocaching, etc. The maps are excellent and the best around. With the 800 character limit, in the comment field, you can put a lot of info in there. I am still using GSAK to import my waypoints into Topo7 and from there it is a breeze to upload your caches.

 

I recently just did a 300 mile motorcycle trip and really had to use the PN-20 (mounted on the bars using the RAM mount) because the speedometer did not work so I used the PN-20 as my guide. Also viewing the smaller screen while riding was not an issue at all (I was slightly concerned about that but quickly went away as soon as I started out).

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