Car GPS with the ability to put in Coordinates

[+SteveSquirrel]

Hey Guys,

 

I was with a friend caching this weekend and we took his car to go this time. He had a Garmin Nuvi car GPS. The screen was nice, the maps looked great, but the most important feature it had on it was the ability to put in coordinates in XX YY.ZZZ format, so that when people put parking coordinates or even just cache coordinates, he could plug those in and we were off. I have an ancient Garmin StreetPilot that barely works to begin with, but does not have the ability to put in coordinates.

 

My question is, does anyone know any good, but relatively inexpensive car GPS units they can reccomend that have this feature?

 

Thanks so much!

Stevesquirrel

[MtnHermit]

Any of the 2x5 Nuvi's can do this. Cheap isn't a number, so hard to say. I saw a Nuvi 255 on Newegg for $85 this weekend. YMMV.

[+kwcahart]

The nuvi 7xx series will let you do it. I use a 770, but just look on eBay for price comparisons.

[+twins&dad]

the Nuvi 1300 lets you load by hand, from the Geocache website (but slow) and you can load pocket quireis direct to a micro sd card. Before loading the card into the unit with caches on it, make sure you backup the factory POI files. I found out the hard way that when you put in the cache coords, it wipes out the loaded POI.

[+ecanderson]

Like the man says, cheap is relative.

 

http://www.amazon.com/TomTom-GO-730-Widesc...h/dp/B00160GOR6

 

Huge bang for the buck, and GSAK will quickly munch your PQ files and turn them into custom POI (*.OV2) files to slide over onto this GPS. If you like, you can then use the caches to build an itinerary for a cache run.

 

Customization options are substantial. Mine even yells out "Geocache Alert" if I get within 300 meters of one I haven't yet found. You can also use GSAK to create the HTML for the description/hint/etc and the last 4 logs and read them on the unit's mini-browser.

 

Ah, and I forgot to mention ... it's also quick to enter coordinates directly on the screen if you like.

Edited May 24, 2010 by ecanderson

[sviking]

I wouldn't recommend caching with a Nuvi. They're not rugged at all, nor are they even water resistant. Only the Nuvi 500 series are "crossover" types that TRY to be as good as a dedicated handheld outdoors type GPS but...they aren't. Then there's the proprietary rechargeable batteries for the 500 series or the non-user replaceable built in battery of many other Nuvis. MUCH better to just be able to use cheap AAs or AA rechargeables...

[+Chrysalides]

I wouldn't use a Nuvi for caching, but I highly recommend getting one for in-vehicle use, in addition to a handheld.

 

I have a Nuvi 660, long discontinued. I like it because it has a power mount - I don't need to plug in the USB cable for power. I believe one of the higher numbered 1xxx has it as well, and the 765T (and others in the series).

 

Whatever Nuvi you have, check out the PilotSnipes or jjred GSAK macro. It allows you to have geocaches as custom POI on your unit. Fantastic macro.

[sviking]

I wouldn't use a Nuvi for caching, but I highly recommend getting one for in-vehicle use, in addition to a handheld

 

Oh yes, definitely. Nuvis are great for the car in a SHELTERED environment. I, too, have an old Nuvi 660 that just keeps on ticking with the latest 2011.20 map update.

 

I also have a 60CSx this is, without a doubt, one of the greatest consumer handheld GPS units ever made. And, the good this is they're selling at FANTASTIC prices because of the new 62 updated that's supposed to be released this summer. Even before that announcement, I got my 60CSx bundled with Garmin US TOPO 2008 for under $250 on Amazon.

[+Chrysalides]

I also have a 60CSx this is, without a doubt, one of the greatest consumer handheld GPS units ever made. And, the good this is they're selling at FANTASTIC prices because of the new 62 updated that's supposed to be released this summer. Even before that announcement, I got my 60CSx bundled with Garmin US TOPO 2008 for under $250 on Amazon.

The 60csx lacks paperless features. To remedy that, you should take a look at http://geocaching.totaltechworld.com/ It works great on the 660. I have about 4000 geocaches loaded in internal memory, and there's probably space for lots more.

 

You'll also need premium membership and GSAK. Take a look at the description of how to use it and see if it is something you'd like to have

[sviking]

The 60csx lacks paperless features.

 

Yes, but not everyone is some super dooper mondo cacher, either. MANY people use GPS outside of "the game"...even highly advanced users. You can still send coordinates directly to it for FREE and it's no big deal to scratch out some hints on a piece of paper for the casual cacher. Believe me, I do my share of caching and never found the "paperless" aspect of the 60CSx to be a problem. But, then again, I knew that up front so I wasn't disappointed down the road, either.

 

Are you honestly discounting the 60CSx as a GREAT overall handheld (even for caching) because it isn't fully "paperless"?

Edited May 25, 2010 by sviking

[+Team Geo-Rangers]

The 60csx lacks paperless features.

 

Yes, but not everyone is some super dooper mondo cacher, either. MANY people use GPS outside of "the game"...even highly advanced users. You can still send coordinates directly to it for FREE and it's no big deal to scratch out some hints on a piece of paper for the casual cacher. Believe me, I do my share of caching and never found the "paperless" aspect of the 60CSx to be a problem. But, then again, I knew that up front so I wasn't disappointed down the road, either.

 

Are you honestly discounting the 60CSx as a GREAT overall handheld (even for caching) because it isn't fully "paperless"?

 

The Nuvi 500 for the car and the 60CSx is a pretty good caching combination; suspect that is where Chrysalides is going and find myself agreeing with (or laughing at) many of their observations in the forum.

 

So what does it take to earn such a noble geo-distinction - "super dooper mondo cacher?"

 

Just speculating, but is that a premium member that downloads a pocket query into the nuvi for car usage per the thread? Manually putting in coordinates seems old school but sometimes it is necessary in the field, like when another geocacher drives up and tells you there are two new caches on the power trail ahead.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Team Geo-Rangers

[+SteveSquirrel]

The reason I made this post was because I need a CAR GPS. I use my iPhone for all my close caching and it does a great gob IMHO. The biggest problem is its battery life and then getting directions from cache to cache. That drains a ton of the battery just for navigation. If i had a car dedicate dgps to work with it, and I could plug in coordinates on the car gps, that would be ideal for me

[sviking]

Manually putting in coordinates seems old school but sometimes it is necessary in the field, like when another geocacher drives up and tells you there are two new caches on the power trail ahead.

 

Isn't entering coordinates manually, in the fiekd, also "old school" since the fancy dancy Oregon owners can just beam to each other?

 

And, I don't have to enter coordinates from Geocaching.com with my 60CSx and a free membership. I can send them and the name of the cache just fine via USB.

[sviking]

The reason I made this post was because I need a CAR GPS.

 

In that case, most any Nuvi will work. Get a higher end one, though, because I'm not sure about the very basic 200 series.

 

You post didn't really relay your request well. You made it sound like you wanted a car GPS to put in coordinates for geocaching use in the field. And, I'm not the only one who interpreted it that way...

[+Chrysalides]

The 60csx lacks paperless features.

 

Yes, but not everyone is some super dooper mondo cacher, either. MANY people use GPS outside of "the game"...even highly advanced users. You can still send coordinates directly to it for FREE and it's no big deal to scratch out some hints on a piece of paper for the casual cacher. Believe me, I do my share of caching and never found the "paperless" aspect of the 60CSx to be a problem. But, then again, I knew that up front so I wasn't disappointed down the road, either.

 

Are you honestly discounting the 60CSx as a GREAT overall handheld (even for caching) because it isn't fully "paperless"?

Ouch... I've always thought 60csx owners are a fanatical lot (and I mean that in a good way) Please don't read criticisms of the 60csx where none is intended.

 

The 60csx is a fantastic GPS receiver. Paperless features is important to me, however. More important than the bright screen and high accuracy of the unit.

 

I'm just pointing out the lack of paperless features in the 60csx. You knew that up front, surely you won't fault me for wanting others to be similarly informed before making any purchasing decision?

 

Anyway, with the 62 series, we might have the best of both worlds - 60csx with paperless.

[+Chrysalides]

Just about any Nuvi allows you to enter coordinates. The manuals are all available online, so you can check it there. I looked up the Nuvi 205, it allows coordinate entry.

 

However, if you have your geocaches stored as custom POI (also something all Nuvis support) you don't need to enter them manually. You can also read the cache description on the Nuvi before getting out of the car if you use the GSAK macro I mentioned to export the data to POI Loader. If you transfer the GPX directly using POI Loader, you get the GC#, coordinates, but little else.

[+tsolt]

Like the man says, cheap is relative.

 

http://www.amazon.com/TomTom-GO-730-Widesc...h/dp/B00160GOR6

 

Huge bang for the buck, and GSAK will quickly munch your PQ files and turn them into custom POI (*.OV2) files to slide over onto this GPS. If you like, you can then use the caches to build an itinerary for a cache run.

 

Customization options are substantial. Mine even yells out "Geocache Alert" if I get within 300 meters of one I haven't yet found. You can also use GSAK to create the HTML for the description/hint/etc and the last 4 logs and read them on the unit's mini-browser.

 

Ah, and I forgot to mention ... it's also quick to enter coordinates directly on the screen if you like.

 

quick qquestion.

I have a oregon 550 for terrain caching, but I need a new satnav for the car, for navigation, and for drive in caching.

Will the OV2-files on the TOMTOM include hints, descriptions, and logs, like the nuvi macro does?