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60CSx - A couple of noob questions

schwachs

By schwachs
in GPS technology and devices

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schwachs

+schwachs

Posted
Posted

Hi. Just got my CSx today... the holidays came a few days early I guess.

 

I have a couple of questions regarding loading of maps... well maybe just one set of questions... how do I load maps? Where do I get them from? Does it come w/ basic street maps of the US or is that something I need to buy additionally... ?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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van der Decken

+van der Decken

Posted
Posted

The basemap the comes with the 60CSx is pretty basic. Some of the tools you can use to load additional maps to your GPSr are MapSource, sendmap20 or Img2gps. If you buy a version of MapSource it'll come with maps. Check the Garmin website for what's available -- there are many different versions. Some even come on microSD cards so all you have to do is pop the card in. For free maps you could try MapCenter.

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schwachs

+schwachs

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So there's no free map that I can dl from garmin, etc... Gotcha. I figured I could get a map of New England or something... prob not an issue for GeoCaching... but still interesting nonetheless.

 

The basemap the comes with the 60CSx is pretty basic. Some of the tools you can use to load additional maps to your GPSr are MapSource, sendmap20 or Img2gps. If you buy a version of MapSource it'll come with maps. Check the Garmin website for what's available -- there are many different versions. Some even come on microSD cards so all you have to do is pop the card in. For free maps you could try MapCenter.

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van der Decken

+van der Decken

Posted
Posted

So there's no free map that I can dl from garmin, etc... Gotcha. I figured I could get a map of New England or something... prob not an issue for GeoCaching... but still interesting nonetheless.

I wouldn't give up quite that easily. MapCenter has some Maine maps listed. And I seem to recall that Ibycus was working on US topo maps with a new release coming soon.

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humboldt flier

+humboldt flier

Posted
Posted

Hi. Just got my CSx today... the holidays came a few days early I guess.

 

I have a couple of questions regarding loading of maps... well maybe just one set of questions... how do I load maps? Where do I get them from? Does it come w/ basic street maps of the US or is that something I need to buy additionally... ?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Based on my journey ... I would drop the $89.00 or so dollars and get a Micro SD card pre-laded with the 2008 streets. Covers all of N. America & Puerto Rico. >>> That decision sent me to happy land.
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MtnHermit

MtnHermit

Posted
Posted (edited)
So there's no free map that I can dl from garmin, etc... Gotcha. I figured I could get a map of New England or something... prob not an issue for GeoCaching... but still interesting nonetheless.

To not have maps on a 60CSx would be a crime. Just having coordinates and a compass puts you back in the 20th Century. High resolution topos or street maps are what make a modern GPS so valuable. The CPU inside your 60 constantly adjusts the map as you move such that you are always centered on the map, awesome!!!

 

Your 60CSx came with a Trips and Waypoints CD-ROM. On that CD is Mapsource, Garmin map viewer program. Go to Above the Timber's website and download one of their free demo maps, then you'll see. Their FAQ will answer your questions.

Edited by MtnHermit
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eaparks

eaparks

Posted
Posted

Buy yourself a 2Gb Micro SD memory card online. If you shop around you can get a good name brand such as Sandisk or Kingston for around $6.00 with free shipping. Don't get the Sandisk Ultra II, it won't work. Then as mentioned above, check out some of the free maps available. If you do decide to buy any of Garmin's map I would not recommend getting them on the memory card because you won't be able to view them on your computer or add new maps to that bought Garmin memory card without erasing your bought maps. The price is not that much more to get Garmin maps on the DVD then you can view them on your computer... create waypoints, tracks, routes and any other previewing you may want to do on your computer and transfer them to your GPS along with your maps. This way you can also add more maps to your memory card in the future as more free maps are available or you may decide to buy other Garmin maps. Garmin maps bought on the micro sd memory card greatly limits what you can do with a high end GPS such as your 60CSx and forces you to use multiple memory cards. Changing memory cards in the outdoors is not something you want to be doing.

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JSWilson64

+JSWilson64

Posted
Posted

Based on my journey ... I would drop the $89.00 or so dollars and get a Micro SD card pre-laded with the 2008 streets. Covers all of N. America & Puerto Rico. >>> That decision sent me to happy land.

 

Note that this option DOES NOT allow you to use the maps on your PC. Nor does it allow you to save data to the Micro SD.

 

Better choice is to spend the bucks on City Nav on DVD - that way you can load what you want to the memory card, or load street AND topo on the same card. Or use Ibycus's free maps on your own SD card.

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kiwitonita

kiwitonita

Posted
Posted
Better choice is to spend the bucks on City Nav on DVD - that way you can load what you want to the memory card, or load street AND topo on the same card.

I agree with all the above but bear in mind the DVD version is a locked map - allowing the map to be displayed on only one GPS. On the other hand a card can be used in other Garmin mapping units and is easily sold.

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forestal

+forestal

Posted
Posted

I was also looking at getting this machine with a sandisk and uploading maps. From what I am reading, this should allow me to upload the geocaches into it manually as well as thru geocaching.com. It looks like for the money a good choice above my car gps magellan - although works is clunky and not so good comparing to this machine

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Neos2

Neos2

Posted
Posted (edited)
Better choice is to spend the bucks on City Nav on DVD - that way you can load what you want to the memory card, or load street AND topo on the same card.

I agree with all the above but bear in mind the DVD version is a locked map - allowing the map to be displayed on only one GPS. On the other hand a card can be used in other Garmin mapping units and is easily sold.

My topo maps for the US on DVD were not locked. I am not sure if all topo maps are unlocked; I believe I may have read something about Great Britain topo maps being locked.

 

But also consider that if your map is on the SD card in your unit, you can't add other maps to the card.

 

I use the DVD versions of the maps, and that allows me to load both topo and city maps to my gps at the same time--and switch between them as needed.

 

At some point, you may want city navigation maps loaded on your unit. The auto-routing feature of the gps really only works correctly with something like City Navigator on it. (With a top map running, the gps reverts to the base map for navigation. The base maps is very basic as you already know).

Edited by Neos2
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