snatiep Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 (edited) Hello Everyone, this is my first post! I have known about Geocaching for a few years now, but have only just tried it. My little niece and I were sitting around this past Sunday and I decided to check out the Geocaching website. I found a cache only .4 miles from me. I grabbed my old Magellan Map330 and my niece and we head out. What a thrill it was to spot the ammo box under a rotten log! It felt like it was Christmas (even though we both were sweating and swatting mosquitoes) I am hooked! While driving around I cant stop thinking of fun places to hide a cache of my own! I'm hooked! I'm now spending way too much time on the computer looking up caches and reading past posts here on geocaching.com Whew! Now for my GPS question........ As I said above, I bought a Magellan Map330 probably 8 years ago. While using it the other day the EPE (estimated percentage of error?) is usually ~20-30 feet. I have been reading good things here on this site regarding the Garmin 60CSx. Would I notice much improvement if I upgraded to this unit? There is a store close by that has the Garmin 60 CSX for $305 Is this a fair price? Thank you for any information comparing my Magellan Map330 and the Garmin 60CSx! I'm so darned excited about this new hobby I can hardly sleep at night! There are a TON of caches around me that are just waiting to be found! Snatiep Edited July 30, 2008 by snatiep Quote Link to comment
+Team LRS Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Welcome......carnt help much with the magellan but the 60csx i can......just sold my older 60cs and replaced it with the csx and the difference with its accuracy in the wooded areas etc is much better. The price here in the uk was £210 so is about $400 so if you can get one for $305 then that sounds like a good deal. You might want to also look at the topo maps aswell. Quote Link to comment
+Red90 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Sure, you will notice a huge difference, especially is location that have poor reception. I would suggest saving a bit and getting a 60Cx. You might also consider a Legend HCX or a 76Cx as they have basically the same features for a lower price in a different form factor. Quote Link to comment
+K7CJS Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I just went thru this too - see my post at here. Do some shopping. I found a great buy on the 60cx (it's the Csx without the compass) on Actiongps.com. I researched factory refurb and if you buy from an authorized dealer like Actiongps you shouldn't go wrong (you get a 1-yr warrantee). The refurb cx was $230 with free shipping or upgrade to Priority for only $2.95. Good return policy. I'm new, too, and had to make a rule: I have to get something of some significance done around the house before I go out. Otherwise nuttin' gets done but caching, lol. Quote Link to comment
+RonFisk Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 You can't go wrong with the CSx. Quote Link to comment
+storm180 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 My better half swears by her Garmin 60CSx. She has had it for 2 years now and she loves it. Quote Link to comment
+JayPeg Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 The first unit I bought is a 60CSx and I love. After 1000 caches it just had a melt down. I am sending in for a repair. If it can't be repaired I WILL buy another 60CSx. Personally, I love the active compass while geocaching. It is so much nicer to be able to stand still wait for the compass to settle then make a move instead of wandering around in circles. Quote Link to comment
+Red90 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 If it can't be repaired I WILL buy another 60CSx. Ummm, that is not how Garmin's "repair" process works. They just send you another unit back. The old one is either tossed or refurbished and resold. If it is out of warranty, there is a flat fee and it does not matter what was wrong with it. Quote Link to comment
snatiep Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 (edited) Wow! Thanks everyone for the great and fast responses! It looks like I better get the 60CSx! Would it be a good idea for me to download the ibycus maps? Edited July 30, 2008 by snatiep Quote Link to comment
ryleyinstl Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Would it be a good idea for me to download the ibycus maps? Only if you want free maps...... Quote Link to comment
snatiep Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 Since I am completely new to this, is that all I have to do is download the large 1GB file of the USA and upload it to the 60CSX? Quote Link to comment
ryleyinstl Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 (edited) Since I am completely new to this, is that all I have to do is download the large 1GB file of the USA and upload it to the 60CSX? Download maps......Install MapSource......run the map install....open Map Source.....select the map sections you want to upload.......then upload them to the GPSr. Better yet...use a card reader, much faster. from the Ibycus site...... To use these maps, all you need to do is download them, and run the installer. They will then appear in Mapsource just like any of the commercial Garmin Maps (You can select them from the dropdown list in the top left hand corner). If you don't have any mapsource products installed (including Trip and Waypoint Manager), you can download a copy from Garmin's website (you just need to first download and install Garmin Training Center first in order to get it to install). Edited July 30, 2008 by ryleyinstl Quote Link to comment
robertlipe Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Meta reply: picking good subject lines really is a key to attracting the attention of the right people. The forums here have a raging love affair with the 60Cx. It's not undeserved. It's a lovely unit and the reception on it totally blows away the Garmin products that preceeded it. What may have gotten lost in the sands of time is that before the Sirf-equipped Garmins, the king of the hill for good reception was the Map 330 and its successors, SporTrak and Meridian. Yes, the Sirf III units do eke out some extra performance in challenging coverage compared to the 330 family, it's not the shooting of fish in a barrel that it was compared to the older Garmins. I found something like 1,000 caches with a 330, 1,000 with a Meridian, 2,000 with a 60CS, and 3,000 with a 60CSx, so this is from personal experience and not some reviewer's comments. It's not to boast, it's just to say that I've carried each of the models being bandied around for many thousands of miles. I carried the CS for two years *knowing* the reception in it was terrible just because it made me less crazy than the Magellans. :-) Buy it for a less maddening UI, a supported product, the color screen, geocaching mode, unlimited map size, turn-by-turn driving directions. There are lots of reasons to buy the X series with Sirf, but don't expect night/day difference in actual reception compared to your 330. Quote Link to comment
snatiep Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 Thanks robertlipe! Great to hear the pros and cons from someone who has had both! I think I will get the 60CSx and let my little nephew use my Magellan Map330. I'm currently downloading the ibycus maps, what is the installer that ryleyinstl quoted? Does it come with the Garmin software? Quote Link to comment
ryleyinstl Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 (edited) what is the installer that ryleyinstl quoted? Your downloading it right now (from the Ibycus site) Then download this.... http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=835 Then download and install MapSource.... http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/msourc...Source_6137.exe (DOWNLOAD THIS ONE NOT THE NEW ONE) Then run the file your downloading now. EDIT - This comes up a lot. Perhaps a mod should start a new topic, put this in a FAQ and lock it? Edited July 30, 2008 by ryleyinstl Quote Link to comment
+Cherokee Bill Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 My better half swears by her Garmin 60CSx. She has had it for 2 years now and she loves it. Newbe here! Can/will the 60CSX use the National Geographic Topo Maps? or any other Topo map program? IS this a decent first GPS for a NEWBE? Thanks millions in advance for your help! Quote Link to comment
+roadrage64 Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 My better half swears by her Garmin 60CSx. She has had it for 2 years now and she loves it. Newbe here! Can/will the 60CSX use the National Geographic Topo Maps? or any other Topo map program? IS this a decent first GPS for a NEWBE? Thanks millions in advance for your help! No, you can't use the National Geographic Topo Maps, only the Garmin or Ibycus maps will work to the best of my knowledge. Is this a decent GPS for a newbie? Definitely. I'd recommend it to anyone without reservation. The only problem with it is that once you get used to it, nothing else will seem adequate. Quote Link to comment
+RonFisk Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 My better half swears by her Garmin 60CSx. She has had it for 2 years now and she loves it. Newbe here! Can/will the 60CSX use the National Geographic Topo Maps? or any other Topo map program? IS this a decent first GPS for a NEWBE? Thanks millions in advance for your help! No, you can't use the National Geographic Topo Maps, only the Garmin or Ibycus maps will work to the best of my knowledge. Is this a decent GPS for a newbie? Definitely. I'd recommend it to anyone without reservation. The only problem with it is that once you get used to it, nothing else will seem adequate. Amen! Quote Link to comment
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