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GPSMAP 64 vs. 64s


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We've been caching over 10 years and have used a Magellan SporTrak and then a Delorme Earthmate PN-60. The Delorme unit freezes about every 4th boot-up and we're really tired of how hard it is to upload maps to it. We are used to buttons rather than a touchscreen and see that the GSPMAP 64s is highly regarded on the forums here. My question: is it worth the $50 to get the 64s vs. the 64? According to Garmin the difference is wireless data sharing, the barometric altimeter, triaxial electronic compass, smart notifications and live tracking. Definitely don't care about the wireless sharing or the live tracking - if we are day hiking / geocaching do we care about the altimeter and/or compass?

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Having a built in compass is like having power steering on a car. Once you get used to it, you'll never want another car without it. :D

 

The question really isn't whether you need it, it's whether you will enjoy it if you have it. I have used GPS units both with and without compass. I will never buy another one without it.

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Having a built in compass is like having power steering on a car. Once you get used to it, you'll never want another car without it. :D

 

The question really isn't whether you need it, it's whether you will enjoy it if you have it. I have used GPS units both with and without compass. I will never buy another one without it.

 

This says it all. I did the " drunk walk " for a few months before I got a unit with a three axis compass over 12 years ago and would never buy a unit without one. I think the power steering analogy is a good one.

Many times the terrain is such that you can barely walk at all much less fast enough for a non compass unit to point you to the cache and I love being able to stand still or sit and have the unit point to the cache while I scope out the area.

Get the 64S, you'll be glad you did.

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There are other reasons to spend the extra $50 on a 64s. Maybe the compass and altimeter are useful to you, and maybe they aren't. But the ability to expand your memory with a micro SD card is well worth the upgrade on its own. Consider that as you add maps, which can take up a lot of room.

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People that need a compass don't know how to use their GPS for geocaching...

 

There's that " need " word again. With all that's available today you don't " need " a GPS unit and many post here that cache without them.

I think the GPS makes things a little smoother and a 3 axis compass on a GPS smoother yet although if I had to pick I would say mapping is the best feature.

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We've been caching over 10 years and have used a Magellan SporTrak and then a Delorme Earthmate PN-60. The Delorme unit freezes about every 4th boot-up and we're really tired of how hard it is to upload maps to it. We are used to buttons rather than a touchscreen and see that the GSPMAP 64s is highly regarded on the forums here. My question: is it worth the $50 to get the 64s vs. the 64? According to Garmin the difference is wireless data sharing, the barometric altimeter, triaxial electronic compass, smart notifications and live tracking. Definitely don't care about the wireless sharing or the live tracking - if we are day hiking / geocaching do we care about the altimeter and/or compass?

FWIW the Delorme PN-60 has an option to Restore Factory Settings at the bottom of the main Settings menu. Using this restore function will erase active data in non-volatile memory, but may also eliminate some of your freezing issues. Note that freezing can be caused by running primary Lithium AA cells down below their rated voltage range by setting the battery type incorrectly. The latest PN-60 3.6 firmware upgrade can also correct some prior minor issues. As to loading maps being difficult, the device SDHC card does support at least 22GB of bundled maps without issue in my experience. A fully loaded 32GB SDHC card can admittedly be problematic for POI searching, road routing, and perhaps geocaching, but not just viewing maps however. Good luck with your geocaching.

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Thanks for the Delorme advice - it's just been annoying in a bunch of tiny ways since we bought it at Geowoodstock in PA a few years back. Had to send it back within the warranty period because it stopped connecting to our computer (power was flowing through the cable but not data). We have learned to just move maps onto the card rather than try to load them with Delorme software, which just leads to frustration. The batteries don't seat properly anymore because a clip is broken - maybe the cause of freezing? Though it froze several times the first day we owned it too. And the computer connection problem seems to be resurfacing in recent months - sometimes it works and sometimes not. We will hang onto it as a backup, but we're ready for something new...

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People that need a compass don't know how to use their GPS for geocaching...

 

That's kind of a harsh thing to say. Especially without qualifying how or where the user will use it. Cross-country in heavy forest & brush that requires a direction change every 20 feet? Tree cover heavy enough that you can't see the sun? Forest dense enough that the farthest landmark you can see is 50 feet away?

 

Good luck with walking fast enough to get a steady pointer under those conditions without a compass. Magnetic, 3-axis GPS or otherwise. cool.gif

Cruising on a bike trail? The compass gets automatically shut off any time you hit 3 MPH (brisk walk) or faster, anyway. Doesn't even get turned on until you move slower than that or stop.

 

Those of us who demand a compass are talking about something that helps us with challenging journeys. We don't turn into geocachers until we get there.laugh.gif

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After using the gpsmap 62 for a few years - endless problems with the triaxial compass needing recalibration or not working at all.

I've discovered by accident, that turning WAAS/EGNOS off eliminates all the problems, and the unit successfully autoswitches from gps compass to magnetic compass after standing still for a few seconds.

 

Turning WAAS on ruins the compass again. BUGGY GARMIN FIRMWARE!

 

How is everyone finding the 64s compass I wonder? Does it work with the new Glonass feature enabled. Is it needing calibrated all the time.

 

This is me having tested 3 x 62s and 62stc units - and I hever get them near other magnetic equipment.... so it's certainly firmware problems.

 

Is it worth the unit upgrade to the 64?

 

Just a few thoughts and ideas there.....

 

Regardless of weather these gizmos work or not, in the end, a good old fashioned compass comes with me. It's just handy when on a junction with several trails leading away to have the gps 3 axis compass work as it's advertised to, and as it should.

Edited by fattywoodsy
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From reading a few Garmin users' comments on the built in "electronic/magnetic" compass over the years, I sort of got the impression that the compass may indeed need unregulated direct current to operate. If so, the compass would require frequent calibration as the voltage dropped or additional loads from other features operating on regulated power kicked in.

 

That explanation seemed to be consistent with the compass calibration issues on my Delorme gps devices as well, so thank you very much whether a correct assumption or not.

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From reading a few Garmin users' comments on the built in "electronic/magnetic" compass over the years, I sort of got the impression that the compass may indeed need unregulated direct current to operate. If so, the compass would require frequent calibration as the voltage dropped or additional loads from other features operating on regulated power kicked in.

 

That explanation seemed to be consistent with the compass calibration issues on my Delorme gps devices as well, so thank you very much whether a correct assumption or not.

I can't speak to any older units or units I haven't personally used. My own experiences with an eTrex 30 and GPSMAP 64S are that I do/did not need to calibrate the compass on either unit any more often than once every few months. I have never seen a difference in compass accuracy between four bars or one bar of battery charge.

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There are other reasons to spend the extra $50 on a 64s. Maybe the compass and altimeter are useful to you, and maybe they aren't. But the ability to expand your memory with a micro SD card is well worth the upgrade on its own. Consider that as you add maps, which can take up a lot of room.

 

The Garmin 64 already comes with an SD card slot and even if you don't use it, there's enough memory in the 64 to load the entire United States and Canada into it.

 

Compass nice to have but I don't think it makes a bit of difference between a find and a DNF

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