Questions For 60cs Users

[xcrossroadsx2000]

I'm purchasing my first GPS and want to map out some land as well as do auto routing while drving/riding. With everything I've read I'm leaning towards the 60 cs but I have a couple of questions:

 

1) I saw Delormes TopoUSA http://www.delorme.com/topousa/default.asp and it looks like it blows away GARMIN MapSource US TOPO. Delorme says this is compatabile. Is anyone using it? What I would like to do is download the maps to the 60cs mark waypoints and then upload to PC and create and customize maps off the waypoints. FYI the area I am most interested in is UTM 18 535856E 4597116N (WGS84/NAD83)

USGS Yankee Lake Quad

 

2) I live in a rural area in NY in Orange County. The magellan maps in my hertz rental had very little detail when you got off main roads. Is City streets a farily detailed product or is someone using something better. I know I can't expect the world living in the boonies (but I can try).

[robertlipe]

The only commercial s/w that will upload units to a GPX of brand X is the software from vendor X. (Mapsend for Magellan, Mapsource for Garmin.)

 

If your goal is to use them on paper or a desktop/laptop, Delorme is an OK product. If you buy it to upload maps to your receiver, you will be disappointed.

[Neo_Geo]

For loading maps INTO a Garmin GPSr, you must use Garmin MapSource maps.

 

All of the other brands are compatable in that you can hook up your GPS and load your GPS data to their software. If you connect your GPSr up to a laptop with their product, then you can get realtime tracking on their maps. But again, you cannot load other brand name maps into a Garmin GPSr.

 

Now, to add a bit of a twist here, you can make your own maps and load them into a Garmin GPSr. It is time and labor intensive with a bit of a learning curve, but it can be done. If you're interested, here's a few links to get you started in the right direction:

 

Map Authoring

 

Custom Garmin Map Tutorial

 

UMP: GETTING STARTED

[Neo_Geo]

2) I live in a rural area in NY in Orange County. The magellan maps in my hertz rental had very little detail when you got off main roads. Is City streets a farily detailed product or is someone using something better. I know I can't expect the world living in the boonies (but I can try).

For autorouting on a GPSMAP 60C/S, City Select is the number one choice.

 

You can preview the maps at Garmin's Web site at:

http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/cityselect.jsp#

 

Then click on the link under "MapSource Map Viewer". They just came out with a new version - #6!

 

Amazon is the best place to get your MapSource products, but right now they only show that they're selling version 5.

[+DBleess]

...but if you can use a high quality laptop interfaced to a GPS with topo usa, its even BETTER.