Looking at Garmin 62s for a first GPS

[+Monkey_Chops]

So I've been using my iPhone for geocaching until now and have been very happy with it, but the time approaches for me to place some caches and so I will be wanting to buy a GPSr. I don't want to buy a basic model for the simple reason that everybody seems to upgrade from the simple ones a couple of times before evetually 'settling' on one of the more advanced models. Am I being naive in thinking that I'll be fine going straight in at something like the Garmin 62s? I'm a reasonably tech-savvy maths teacher who is very comfortable in the wilderness if that helps with your judgement!

 

Having not owned a GPSr before though, I have some questions.

 

A review in Amazon stated "...The only negative is the restriction that Garmin places on raster maps. You are limited to 100 map tiles at any one time, and a maximum jpeg image size of 200 Mb. However you can switch maps easily with a portable computer. A map could be 100 tiles along a linear route or the course of a river etc. or several separate groups of tiles. Do go to the garmin website and add a request for this restriction to be removed. There doesn't seem to be any limit to using your own vector maps, and excellent free ones are available for many countries."

 

Could somebody explain to me what is meant by 'raster maps', 'map tiles' and 'base maps'? Does this mean that if you are using the unit without buying maps or finding them online somewhere, that you would be looking at your GPSr screen and it would show an arrow for where you are, but no other details other than any waypoints you would have inputted?

 

Just so that you know, it probably won't be for a good few months that I actually buy it as I'm in that fun phase of 'research'!

[MtnHermit]

Could somebody explain to me what is meant by 'raster maps', 'map tiles' and 'base maps'? Does this mean that if you are using the unit without buying maps or finding them online somewhere, that you would be looking at your GPSr screen and it would show an arrow for where you are, but no other details other than any waypoints you would have inputted?

Raster, think of a paper map where all objects are rendered as dots of ink or on an LCD as pixels, just like a photograph. Advantage fine tonal gradation. Disadvantage(s) huge memory size, slow rendering, no associated text. The alternative: Vector maps, much smaller, therefore faster rendering, associated text for every object, therefore no need for a legend. Only the DIYS maps use raster, all commercial maps are vector. Therefore not an issue.

 

The base map is like the interstate hwy map and major cities, nothing more. IOWs, the 62s has no maps, you need to purchase separate.

 

Map tiles, the map is broken into pieces, used to be important with 50MB of memory, now a 62s will take a 16GB card.

 

Just so that you know, it probably won't be for a good few months that I actually buy it as I'm in that fun phase of 'research'!

Been there, done that.

[yogazoo]

Some sources of free maps:

 

Free routable street maps. You can download either an .IMG to place directly in your unit or an installer file for loading into MapSource.

Open Street Maps

 

Free topo and street maps (mostly non-routable). In most cases an installer file (.exe) is downloaded which loads the maps into MapSource.

GPSfiledepot

 

Just to clarify or add to what MtnHermit said about basemaps. The 62s doesn't have detailed maps but it does come with a basemap that includes only major highways and low resolution terrain shading. The details in this basemap are not very useful for the zoom levels that you will typically use for placing or finding caches.

Edited January 15, 2011 by yogazoo

[+nuthouseinva]

i bought my wife a Garmin 60Csx for Christmas. Our first GPS ever. It didn't take us long to figure things out. After a few easy caches we knew how to do the basics.

Not familiar with the 62s but we have no complaints with our 60Csx. The base map is just that. A base of major streets and highways. no secondary and neighborhood streets.

We would like to download the street maps to make it easier to navigate from cache to cache. Just don't want to spend the extra $$ on it just yet.

Edited January 16, 2011 by nuthouseinva

[yogazoo]

We would like to download the street maps to make it easier to navigate from cache to cache. Just don't want to spend the extra $$ on it just yet.

 

Not a hijack just some info

nuthouseinva,

 

You can get FREE routable street maps at the link in my post above. On the 60csx you run an installer file (.exe) and load it into MapSource. Unless one needs the super polished feel of Garmin made maps there really is no need for anyone to pay for maps IMHO.

[+Z06_Pilot]

You are really going to like the 62s I think. I am a brand new geocacher, and have had my 62s for about 3 weeks.

 

just got back from putting it through it's paces in the field while in Maui. Accuracy down to 4 ft., and the geocaching dashboard you can invoke on the map and compass screens is just fantastic for directing you quickly and easily to the cache coordinates.

 

I never cached before paperless came along, but paperless logging on the 62s is just great. you have all of the description/log/hint info from geocaching.com on the unit with you in the field, and all of your log notes and attempt info from the field is uploaded effortlessly into the geocaching.com site. just fantastic. you don't need anything in the field for a day of caching except for the 62s.

 

I have several of the 24k topo Garmin routable maps, and combined with Basecamp make a fantastic trip planning combination.

 

All of the caches I have loaded on the 62s appear on Basecamp on my PC via the 24k topo map. this was great for us as we were able to go after specific caches in different areas of the island quickly and easily.

 

Just an idea for a tip...I also purchased the $10 belt clip. on initial cache trips I found myself sitting my 62s down when inspecting caches. afraid I might leave it, I got the clip, and I simply snap it on and off my belt just like a cell phone. a great accessory.

 

enjoy!

Edited January 17, 2011 by Z06_Pilot

[+Monkey_Chops]

Thank you everyone for the advice and thoughts so far. I've been doing some more reading and the 62s seems to be everything I could ever (?) need from a GPS, and the belt clip idea is surely a winner!

 

Another question though: Somewhere I read that you needed to be a Premium Member (of Geocaching.com) to make use of all of the features of paperless caching on the 62s. Surely this can't be right? I would have thought that I can hook the GPS up to my computer, hit 'download cache details to GPS unit' on geocaching.com and it would put the waypoint, description, hint and logs into my GPS. Or am I wrong? Is download to GPS only available to Premium Members? I don't have a GPS at the moment to test this theory.... If it's not that fact, what else is it that I would miss out on by not being a Premium Member other than pocket queries?

 

Thanks!

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

Thank you everyone for the advice and thoughts so far. I've been doing some more reading and the 62s seems to be everything I could ever (?) need from a GPS, and the belt clip idea is surely a winner!

 

Another question though: Somewhere I read that you needed to be a Premium Member (of Geocaching.com) to make use of all of the features of paperless caching on the 62s. Surely this can't be right? I would have thought that I can hook the GPS up to my computer, hit 'download cache details to GPS unit' on geocaching.com and it would put the waypoint, description, hint and logs into my GPS. Or am I wrong? Is download to GPS only available to Premium Members? I don't have a GPS at the moment to test this theory.... If it's not that fact, what else is it that I would miss out on by not being a Premium Member other than pocket queries?

 

Thanks!

 

I think you will be able to "download to gps" for individual cache details, but it's much better to be able to create a pocket query which gives you all the caches which meet your criteria in your area, so while out caching you can just do as many as you have time for, not only the ones you have loaded.

 

Only Premium Members can create Pocket Queries.

[+Z06_Pilot]

Plus, I don't think the log info. from prior cache hunters downloads to your GPSr unless you are a premium member, just the basic description of the cache is all you get. Having the logs on your GPSr is a real time saver. there were several caches we wanted to check out, but changed our mind after reading the log files downloaded to our GPSr's. If I saw that the last 5 or 6 cachers could not find the cache recently, they told us it had been compromised somehow, so we didn't waste our time going to look for it.

 

Pocket queries are very cool. it was more than worth the $30 annual subscription for premium membership with the vacation we just returned from. I was able to generate PQ's for caches based on all the areas I would be visting while on vacation ahead of time, and with one download to my GPSr had them all there. My time is worth way more than the $30. My only recourse w/o premium membership would have been to download one cache at a time......200 times..

 

they are also great as you can set them up to run on a regular basis, providing you an automatic fresh list of caches in your home area....

[+Terentius]

I can confirm, being only a basic member, that you cannot get all the information needed for paperless caching on to your GPSr. Admittedly I don't have a GPSr suitable for paperless but as I understand it, being a basic member, you only get the co-ordinates, the GC number and name of the cache, which is what I get when I send to my gps.