60CSx

[+Cherokee Bill]

OK! Got my 60CSx in the mail today. Now starts the learning-curve. I Calibrated the compass, and downloaded the co-ords from Geocache.com for a cache I found with a friend this week (we used his GPS).

 

I went to this previous found cache as I knew where it was and thought it would be a good way to learn the 60. My maps have not come yet so all I have is what came loaded on the unit.

 

The compass, I do not understand the 60’s. After I pick a cache, hit find, I page over to the compass. If the compass had a cache-icon somewhere on the circumference of the compass and all I had to do was keep the red-arrow on the icon I would understand.

 

If anybody that owns a 60CSx, who lives the Central VA area (Lynchburg) and would be willing to give an hours lesson (I’m will to dive to meet you) let me know.

[+Cherokee Bill]

Where are all the 60CSx owners

[+feral five]

If anybody that owns a 60CSx, who lives the Central VA area (Lynchburg) and would be willing to give an hours lesson (I’m will to dive to meet you) let me know.

 

where are all the 60CSx owners

'are they underwater ? ?

 

sorry, thats all i could come up with as a 60CS owner

[+roadrage64]

"After I pick a cache, hit find, I page over to the compass. If the compass had a cache-icon somewhere on the circumference of the compass and all I had to do was keep the red-arrow on the icon I would understand."

 

After you pick a cache (or any other waypoint for that matter), hit enter, click on go to, and select off road. After that, then page over to the compass. The arrow will then point to the cache you selected. Watch the distance to destination field and when you get close, put the GPS away and start looking for the cache.

[+Barefoot One & Wench]

"After I pick a cache, hit find, I page over to the compass. If the compass had a cache-icon somewhere on the circumference of the compass and all I had to do was keep the red-arrow on the icon I would understand."

 

After you pick a cache (or any other waypoint for that matter), hit enter, click on go to, and select off road. After that, then page over to the compass. The arrow will then point to the cache you selected. Watch the distance to destination field and when you get close, put the GPS away and start looking for the cache.

 

Cherokee Bill, Roadrage64 beat me to the answer this is the way I do it also. It's a piece of cake, you will see. Once you get your maps you will be all set to go.

 

Have fun and keep on caching .

Jeff of barefoot One & Wench

[+muchado]

Also, the 60CSx has both a magnetic compass and a GPS compass. The GPS compass only works while you're moving, but it works regardless of the orientation of your unit. The magnetic compass works even if you're not moving, but you have to hold the unit level in order for the compass to be accurate. A small compass icon shows up at the top of the screen when the unit has switched to magnetic compass.

 

Luckily, you can program the unit to use one compass or the other in certain situations. I've got mine set up to use the GPS compass whenever I'm moving. If my speed drops below 1 MPH for more than 5 seconds, the magnetic compass kicks in. This works best for me as I want the GPS compass most of the time so that it points in the correct direction no matter how I hold the unit. When I get close to the cache, I stand still for a bit, hold the unit level, and let the magnetic compass point towards the cache.

 

Remember to calibrate the compass after every battery change. Also, I find that as time passes it gets harder and harder for the unit to think it is being held level. Re-calibrating the compass will again make it easier to get it level.

 

When calibrating the compass, you only have to spin the unit, not your whole body. Seems silly, but I've seen people actually spinning in circles in order to calibrate their compass.

 

To configure the compass, go to the Setup page, then select 'Heading'. The lower two fields allow you to select the threshold where the GPSr will switch to using the magnetic compass.

Edited August 8, 2008 by muchado

[+LeonW]

" When calibrating the compass, you only have to spin the unit, not your whole body. Seems silly, but I've seen people actually spinning in circles in order to calibrate their compass."

 

Laughing at myself - I also did it until a "light switched on." Suddenly the dizziness also disappeared.

[Decidion]

Yeah I think the manual staes to hold the unit level and slowly turn in a circle. It doesn't say turn the unit, so one would assume the person turns. But you're right, you only need to spin the unit

 

After I disconnect/reconnecting the battery of my car I have to recalibrate the compass by driving around in circles...too bad I just can't spin it around in my hand!

[roybassist]

I wear a large stainless steel watch with a stainless steel band on my left wrist, so I don’t want my left hand anywhere close to my receiver when I’m calibrating or using the magnetic compass. It’s pretty close to impossible to spin the unit smoothly with the fingers of just one hand and keep it level, so I hold it at arms length and turn myself. I suppose I could remove my watch while calibrating; but I don’t see that as much better. Well, maybe when people are watching…

[+Cherokee Bill]

"After I pick a cache, hit find, I page over to the compass. If the compass had a cache-icon somewhere on the circumference of the compass and all I had to do was keep the red-arrow on the icon I would understand."

 

After you pick a cache (or any other waypoint for that matter), hit enter, click on go to, and select off road. After that, then page over to the compass. The arrow will then point to the cache you selected. Watch the distance to destination field and when you get close, put the GPS away and start looking for the cache.

 

1. Where do I find the menu to choose "off-road"?

[+Barefoot One & Wench]

"After I pick a cache, hit find, I page over to the compass. If the compass had a cache-icon somewhere on the circumference of the compass and all I had to do was keep the red-arrow on the icon I would understand."

 

After you pick a cache (or any other waypoint for that matter), hit enter, click on go to, and select off road. After that, then page over to the compass. The arrow will then point to the cache you selected. Watch the distance to destination field and when you get close, put the GPS away and start looking for the cache.

 

1. Where do I find the menu to choose "off-road"?

 

Cherokee Bill,

Very simple, here ya go.

 

1. Press the find button.

2. Select the cache you want to go to and press enter.

3. The Cache page you selected comes up, scroll over to the "go to" window and press enter.

4. Now you have the follow road or off road window. Now just scroll to your choice say off road and press the button now you have your course of travel highlighted leading you to the Cache.

5. If you want to stop navigation press menu and you will have the choice at the top of the list to stop navigation by just pressing the enter button.

 

I hope this helps, just play around with the 60CSx you can't hurt it .

 

Barefoot One & Wench

[ao318]

it usually asks you after you have selected a cache to find. Select the find button, choose geocache feature, select a cache to find by hitting enter. After you have done this it will ask you if you want to go "off road or Road", select off road and then page over to the compass screen to folow the pointer.

 

I have maps installed on my 60csx so I son't know if this only shows up if you have mapping software on your GPSr. If it doesn't ask you this and it goes straight to the map page and shows you a purple line from where you are standing to the cache than the "off road follow road" feature only shows up with TOPO or your NT Maps. So if just the map and purple line showup than just go to the compass page and follow the pointer to your destination.

[+Barefoot One & Wench]

it usually asks you after you have selected a cache to find. Select the find button, choose Geocache feature, select a cache to find by hitting enter. After you have done this it will ask you if you want to go "off road or Road", select off road and then page over to the compass screen to follow the pointer.

 

I have maps installed on my 60CSx so I snot know if this only shows up if you have mapping software on your GPSr. If it doesn't ask you this and it goes straight to the map page and shows you a purple line from where you are standing to the cache than the "off road follow road" feature only shows up with TOPO or your NT Maps. So if just the map and purple line show up than just go to the compass page and follow the pointer to your destination.

 

I have City Navigator North America in my 60CSx and yes it also works the way you have described. I guess it's up to the individual which way they choose to locate the Cache, I have found Caches using both methods. Although I do tend to use the compass page more often to locate the Cache.

Barefoot One & Wench

[+Cherokee Bill]

"After I pick a cache, hit find, I page over to the compass. If the compass had a cache-icon somewhere on the circumference of the compass and all I had to do was keep the red-arrow on the icon I would understand."

 

After you pick a cache (or any other waypoint for that matter), hit enter, click on go to, and select off road. After that, then page over to the compass. The arrow will then point to the cache you selected. Watch the distance to destination field and when you get close, put the GPS away and start looking for the cache.

 

1. Where do I find the menu to choose "off-road"?

 

Cherokee Bill,

Very simple, here ya go.

 

1. Press the find button.

2. Select the cache you want to go to and press enter.

3. The Cache page you selected comes up, scroll over to the "go to" window and press enter.

4. Now you have the follow road or off road window. Now just scroll to your choice say off road and press the button now you have your course of travel highlighted leading you to the Cache.

5. If you want to stop navigation press menu and you will have the choice at the top of the list to stop navigation by just pressing the enter button.

 

I hope this helps, just play around with the 60CSx you can't hurt it .

 

Barefoot One & Wench

 

I tried 3-times, no luck! Click on "go to". press enter, but NO choice for On/Off road. Coud this be because my map CD's have not arrived or what???

[+Cherokee Bill]

"After I pick a cache, hit find, I page over to the compass. If the compass had a cache-icon somewhere on the circumference of the compass and all I had to do was keep the red-arrow on the icon I would understand."

 

After you pick a cache (or any other waypoint for that matter), hit enter, click on go to, and select off road. After that, then page over to the compass. The arrow will then point to the cache you selected. Watch the distance to destination field and when you get close, put the GPS away and start looking for the cache.

[/quote}

1. Where do I find the menu to choose "off-road"?

 

Cherokee Bill,

Very simple, here ya go.

 

1. Press the find button.

2. Select the cache you want to go to and press enter.

3. The Cache page you selected comes up, scroll over to the "go to" window and press enter.

4. Now you have the follow road or off road window. Now just scroll to your choice say off road and press the button now you have your course of travel highlighted leading you to the Cache.

5. If you want to stop navigation press menu and you will have the choice at the top of the list to stop navigation by just pressing the enter button.

 

I hope this helps, just play around with the 60CSx you can't hurt it .

 

Barefoot One & Wench

 

1) I tried 3-times, no luck! Click on "go to". press enter, but NO choice for On/Off road. Coud this be because my map CD's have not arrived or what???

 

2) Also, I have the compass set to "bearing" is this the best setting. Also I have the compass set to "1-mph" and "5-sec".

 

3) When the road CD arrives "NA NT" does it allow you to install by state! For now al I need is VA.

 

4) Received my Garmin 2008 Topo's LATE this afternoon. I guess I expected to much, due to the cost of the maps! I consider the topo's of my area, Central VA (especially Rt 501 at Big Island, VA) t o be ofEXTREMLY poor quality

Edited August 9, 2008 by Cherokee Bill

[+Wesbo]

I wear a large stainless steel watch with a stainless steel band on my left wrist, so I don’t want my left hand anywhere close to my receiver when I’m calibrating or using the magnetic compass. It’s pretty close to impossible to spin the unit smoothly with the fingers of just one hand and keep it level, so I hold it at arms length and turn myself. I suppose I could remove my watch while calibrating; but I don’t see that as much better. Well, maybe when people are watching…

 

The stainless alloys typically used in watchbands/cases are non-magnetic. Actually, the vast majority of stainless alloys are non-magnetic, and those stainless alloys that are magnetic are just barely magnetic.

[roybassist]

The stainless alloys typically used in watchbands/cases are non-magnetic. Actually, the vast majority of stainless alloys are non-magnetic, and those stainless alloys that are magnetic are just barely magnetic.

Darned if you aren't right! I had a major misconception. Thanks for correcting it! Edited August 9, 2008 by roybassist

[roybassist]

I tried 3-times, no luck! Click on "go to". press enter, but NO choice for On/Off road. Coud this be because my map CD's have not arrived or what???

I don’t think so. It should try to route on the base map (though the routes would be lousy). Try this: press MENU>MENU>Setup>Routing and set Guidance Method to Prompted. Then try again.

[HConwi]

First of all, congratulations on your new 60! I recently acquired mine after ten years of light use of a III Plus (mostly for mountain biking in the OC when I lived there). I'm no expert but the way I use the Compass page is select the cache via Find then select Go To. I keep the red pointer as close to the top center of the compass page as possible. When there's no direct head-on route towards the cache it will point to one side as I pass it but I try to find the first opportunity to head in a direction that will re-align the arrow with the top center mark.

 

I sure hope what I wrote was clear and makes sense to you...

 

Good hunting!

 

Hernando

[roybassist]

3) When the road CD arrives "NA NT" does it allow you to install by state! For now al I need is VA.

Yes. Most of CNNA NT is broken up along state lines. You can load anywhere from one map to as much as your card can hold.

 

4) Received my Garmin 2008 Topo's LATE this afternoon. I guess I expected to much, due to the cost of the maps! I consider the topo's of my area, Central VA (especially Rt 501 at Big Island, VA) t o be ofEXTREMLY poor quality

You probably did. Try to find any other map product that you can load on your unit that gives you the entire US for about $80. I don’t think you can.

 

For comparison, I have NG Topo. Their State Series run about $100 per state. The maps are great, but you can’t load them on the unit. By comparison, Garmin's Topo maps are pretty inexpensive.

 

For future purchases, there is a map viewer on Garmin’s web site that allows you to see what the maps look like before you buy them.

[+Cherokee Bill]

I tried 3-times, no luck! Click on "go to". press enter, but NO choice for On/Off road. Coud this be because my map CD's have not arrived or what???

I don’t think so. It should try to route on the base map (though the routes would be lousy). Try this: press MENU>MENU>Setup>Routing and set Guidance Method to Prompted. Then try again.

 

I finally found the correct menu page and am now set to "prompted" and am now asked if I want On Road of OFF Road. Help me a bit, so I'll know. Why do I want to use Off-Road?

 

Compass: Which setting works best for geocaching: Course or Bearing?

 

Other: Any other settings I should be using?

 

Which Garmin would ask experienced users to help writ the Owners Manuals

Edited August 9, 2008 by Cherokee Bill

[+facade66]

 

I finally found the correct menu page and am now set to "prompted" and am now asked if I want On Road of OFF Road. Help me a bit, so I'll know. Why do I want to use Off-Road?

 

 

 

Off road sets a straight line "as the crow files" course to the destination.

 

On road will send you along roads- if you have the correct map installed rather like a car SatNav.

 

Off road is what you want.

 

 

Try this:

 

Go for a little walk, and when standing on a manhole cover, next to a flower etc. Stand still for a minute, and then press the MARK key.

 

The mark waypoint screen appears, note the number 007 etc. highlight OK if it isnt already, and press enter.

You now have a marker set at this position.

 

Now walk away a few hundred feet.

 

Press FIND

 

Highlight waypoints, press enter.

 

A list appears, use the toggle to select the same number as the marker you just set 007 etc.

Press ENTER

 

highlight goto and press ENTER

 

Select OFF road

 

Call up the compass screen, and see what happens as you approach your manhole cover, pass it etc.

 

You need bearing mode, as the arrow always points at the target.

 

Try circling (slowly) the manhole cover, from 30 feet away, and see.

 

In Course mode, the arrow shows one straight line course from the start to the finish, and expects you to follow it. If you are on a winding path, it shows errors, whereas the bearing mode keeps pointing at the target.

 

I'll try again.

 

Bearing mode. I am the target. I hold a rope that passes to you. As you walk, I keep the rope tight. It always joins me to you, This is the bearing. You can walk round me, backwards etc. and there is always a straight line from me to you, so you just walk to shorten the string. If you go round a lake, you turn a bit, to still follow the rope.

 

Course mode.

 

When you set it up, I run and paint a straight line between us.

You have to follow the line on the ground. If you go around a lake, I direct you back to the painted line, so you have to approach from the original direction.

[+Team LRS]

You use off road so you can navigate with the compass.

 

I use bearing on the compass but its down to personal choice.