Need Gps For All-around Use.

[nicholaicheck]

I'm in the market for a GPS to use while doing just about every imaginable outdoor sport. Hiking, camping, mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, saltwater fishing, and I'm planning on getting my SCUBA cert this summer. Not to mention I would like to use the unit for city navigation. I live near Redmond, WA and want to be able to fit add-on maps for Puget Sound, the WA coast, San Juans, Eastside cities and topo maps for the Cascades on the thing. I have some question and hope you all can help me out here:

 

1. Which marine maps are better - Bluechart(Garmin) or Bluenav(Magellan) or is there a 3rd party one I should be considering? I need bottom contours and all my research says that Bluenav doesn't have that.

 

2. Does the Meridian Platinum have an altimeter or just a barometer?

 

3. Does the 60CS have enough storeage space to hold the maps I need? (I want to avoid the 76 line because I don't think they'll hold up to rough use - if not please correct me).

 

Thanks all!

[+Renegade Knight]

As I understand it a GPS that tells you altitude based on a sensor does it by sensing pressure changes. You have to calebrate them for the best accuracy.

[Hoary]

I'm in the market for a GPS to use while doing just about every imaginable outdoor sport. Hiking, camping, mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, saltwater fishing, and I'm planning on getting my SCUBA cert this summer. Not to mention I would like to use the unit for city navigation. I live near Redmond, WA and want to be able to fit add-on maps for Puget Sound, the WA coast, San Juans, Eastside cities and topo maps for the Cascades on the thing. I have some question and hope you all can help me out here:

 

1. Which marine maps are better - Bluechart(Garmin) or Bluenav(Magellan) or is there a 3rd party one I should be considering? I need bottom contours and all my research says that Bluenav doesn't have that.

 

Or may be NauticPath™ from Lowrance? Look on screenshots here:

 

http://www.lowrance.com/Mapping/NauticPath/default.asp

 

I beleive, in respect of water maps Lowrance has best out of three. Lowrance is also giving away for free a lot of enhanced lake maps with more accurate shoreline and depth contours:

 

http://www.lowrance.com/Mapping/LakeMaps/index.asp

 

Topo maps from Lowrance is also very good and you could buy handheld GPSr, iFinder H2O, for example, in Plus package, which includes MapCreate Topo USA, 32MB memory card and card reader for about ~$250. If you want barometric altimeter you have choice of iFinder PhD or iFinder Hunt. All iFinders work with SD memory cards and support cards up to 1GB in size.

[+Rubberhead]

I can only speak to Garmin's Bluecharts. Bluecharts are exact replications of the government's NOAA's marine navigational charts. These charts have been used my marine navigators for years.

 

I have a GPSmap 60CS but I don't think it's any less rugged than the GPSmap 76C(S). It might be that the 76 series is more rugged due to the hard plastic covering for the antenna vs. the rubber covering in the GPSmap 60C(S) series.

 

I'd say you would want to get a GPS with both a compass and barometric pressure altimeter. The altimeter can be used with the GPS functions turned off to save batteries. It can also be used as a barometer once you are camped.

 

The electronic compass will let you mark a course line to an object in the distance. I use this feature to triangulate feeding areas used by ducks in flat coastal areas. It has saved me a lot of time and gas versus doing it the old way.

 

Definately get a GPS with a USB interface and AA or AAA batteries that can be replaced in the field.

[+briansnat]

3. Does the 60CS have enough storeage space to hold the maps I need?

Well what kind of coverage do you need? My 60CS will fit topo maps for nearly all of the northeast. All of NJ, CT, MA, RI, VT, NH and significant parts of NY and Maine, plus eastern PA.

 

(I want to avoid the 76 line because I don't think they'll hold up to rough use - if not please correct me).

 

You are wrong. They are as rugged as any other handheld. They also have the added advantage of floating. The 60CS doesn't float.

 

The 76CS would be an excellent choice for your intended uses.

[+wickedsprint]

The 76 series is likely the most rugged handheld consumer gps made, plus they float, the screen is recessed for protection..etc. They can take ALOT of abuse.

Edited May 31, 2005 by wickedsprint

[+AtoZ]

The 76 are very rugged. They are the only GPSr that will float as they are designed for Marine use. Not sure what you want to use a GPSr and SCUBA, unless you want to use it on the baot to find a site. As a GPSr will NOT work underwater. I would recommend a 76CS if you plan on using it on the water a lot.

cheers

[flir67]

check out the magellan explorist 600. it has alot of features plus you can select land use or marina use to display items on land or bouy,etc on the water. but you need to buy the direct route software for it to use the detailed options.

 

you maybe beable to find a older sportrack color that is just as good as the explorist it pretty much as the same features but has more customizeable screens.

[tubemonkey]

you maybe beable to find a older sportrack color that is just as good as the explorist it pretty much as the same features but has more customizeable screens.

For those interested in the ST Color, check out your local Costco. A few of them are still selling the ST Color (w/ serial cable) for $200. I saw quite a few of them at a Costco in the Portland area this past weekend.

[nicholaicheck]

3. Does the 60CS have enough storeage space to hold the maps I need?

Well what kind of coverage do you need? My 60CS will fit topo maps for nearly all of the northeast. All of NJ, CT, MA, RI, VT, NH and significant parts of NY and Maine, plus eastern PA.

 

I need maps for Puget Sound, San Juans, Seattle/Bellevue area (maybe) and topo maps for the Cascades. This is why I was attracted to the Meridian; SD cards can hold a lot more then the 60CS. Though with the 76 it might be able to hold enough.

 

I really just need to find out how big the maps are. I love how Garmin won't tell me .

 

My big thing is the marine maps need to be as detailed as possible. Megellan says they have stuff like port info and I don't need that. I need bottom contours, tide/current info and more "natural" info rather then "man-made" info. As far as I know all topo maps are created pretty much = right? Does anyone have experience with Bluechart and Bluenav? Or the Garmin/Magellan topo maps?

[tubemonkey]

I have the Topo for the older Magellan units -- SporTrak and Meridian series. The entire state of Washington takes about 21 MB of memory and from the Cascades to the Pacific coast and the Canadian border to Mt St Helens takes about 12 MB and about 13 MB if you continue south to the Columbia River.

 

I have no experience with Topo 3D or with the BlueNav Charts, so I can't help you out there.

[+briansnat]

you maybe beable to find a older sportrack color that is just as good as the explorist it pretty much as the same features but has more customizeable screens.

For those interested in the ST Color, check out your local Costco. A few of them are still selling the ST Color (w/ serial cable) for $200. I saw quite a few of them at a Costco in the Portland area this past weekend.

The ST Color doesn't come close to the eXplorist. #1, you can read the eXplorist's screen in sunlight.

[+briansnat]

3. Does the 60CS have enough storeage space to hold the maps I need?

Well what kind of coverage do you need? My 60CS will fit topo maps for nearly all of the northeast. All of NJ, CT, MA, RI, VT, NH and significant parts of NY and Maine, plus eastern PA.

 

I need maps for Puget Sound, San Juans, Seattle/Bellevue area (maybe) and topo maps for the Cascades. This is why I was attracted to the Meridian; SD cards can hold a lot more then the 60CS. Though with the 76 it might be able to hold enough.

 

I really just need to find out how big the maps are. I love how Garmin won't tell me .

 

My big thing is the marine maps need to be as detailed as possible. Megellan says they have stuff like port info and I don't need that. I need bottom contours, tide/current info and more "natural" info rather then "man-made" info. As far as I know all topo maps are created pretty much = right? Does anyone have experience with Bluechart and Bluenav? Or the Garmin/Magellan topo maps?

I'd say the 76CS should be able to hold all that. Even if it can't, it only takes a few clicks of the mouse and aboutt 2 minutes to load new maps with the USB connection.

 

As far as the Garmin Bluechart maps, it seems they have two. Regular Bluechart and Bluechart Bathymetric. The latter seems to show the bottom detail you're looking for.

[tubemonkey]

The ST Color doesn't come close to the eXplorist. #1, you can read the eXplorist's screen in sunlight.

The eXplorist also uses a proprietary lithium battery and that's a deal breaker for me. If I ever need color, then I'd get a Legend C with its AA power supply.

[nicholaicheck]

Does anyone know if the 76CS can export it's display onto a laptop through USB/Firewire/something else? I'd like to be able to use the larger screen on multi-night trips on the boat.

[vr12]

Does anyone know if the 76CS can export it's display onto a laptop through USB/Firewire/something else? I'd like to be able to use the larger screen on multi-night trips on the boat.

As far as I know it doesn't export display but you can always use program

running on PC instead - nRoute for example.

[Honest Pleasure]

FYI on the Garmin 60C/ CS and 76C/ CS - Read Threads First.

 

Keep in mind that both the 60C/ CS and 76C/ CS have a huge deficiency – Neither supports “Waypoint Categories”.

 

You could spend all day on their MapSource Software putting your 100’s/ 1,000’s of different types of waypoints into specific categories – once you download all of your Waypoints to either of these two units – they are all jumbled together – categories DON’T come down – You end up with One Big Dumb Happy List of Files. Impossible to figure anything out.

 

Hopefully Garmin fired the moron who coded this software – he probably has 10,000 PC files on his C:\ root directory – with no folders or subdirectories. My kids have a far less expensive Garmin Quest and it supports Waypoint Categories” - Go figure.

 

They rushed both the 60C/ CS and 76C/ CS to market without proper testing - I took mine back as soon as I saw that this crucial category feature was missing – I also made them take back my MapSource Software. It is borderline fraudulent to have features in the Software that aren’t download compatible with the Unit.

 

If you don’t mind pulling your hair out on long multi-leg trips – Go with either unit…………Or wait until Garmin fixes this bug.

 

FYI

 

No figured it out – That’s the best you’re going to get until it gets fixed. I talked with Garmin about this missing feature and they said they might try and fix it with a firmware upgrade to the units. I know at least 50 people who passed on the 60C/ CS and 76C/ CS because of this missing feature.

 

Lowrance is putting MP3 function into their units and Garmin can even put simple waypoint organization into their top of the line units – Go Figure? Gee I would think that Waypoint organization is important when you emphasize “Stores 1000 user waypoints with name and graphic symbol” Paging through 1000 Waypoints every time knocks the advertised battery life from 20 hours down to about 2 hours.

 

Both of these units are “non-starters” until Garmin gets it fixed……….and they should be viewed cautiously when used for long periods in the field. Waypoint searches kill the useful life of these units.

 

Sorry I didn’t get to you sooner

[peter]

The 60CS doesn't float

A few people have posted pictures showing 60c/cs models floating although it's possible that they could sink with particularly heavy batteries. The 76c/cs models definitely float higher and would probably be more visible in waves if they fell overboard.

[+briansnat]

Keep in mind that both the 60C/ CS and 76C/ CS have a huge deficiency – Neither supports “Waypoint Categories”.

 

How is this a huge deficiency when it doesn't rise even to a deficiency in most people's eyes?

 

I know at least 50 people who passed on the 60C/ CS and 76C/ CS because of this missing feature.

 

You must be Mr. Popular. I don't even know 50 people (outside these forums) who know what a GPS is.

 

Both of these units are “non-starters” until Garmin gets it fixed………

 

For you. The 60 series was the top selling GPS in the world last year and there are many very happy 60 series users out there.

 

My kids have a far less expensive Garmin Quest and it supports Waypoint Categories” - Go figure.

 

The quest is far less expensive in what world? MSRP for 60C is $482.13 U.S.D. MSRP for the Quest is $642.84 U.S.D.

 

Let me get my calculator out.

 

642.84 -

482.13

--------

160.71

 

This tells me that the Quest costs $160 more than the 60C. Since the 76CS lists for $589.27 U.S.D. its also more expensive than that unit.

Edited June 17, 2005 by briansnat

[nicholaicheck]

Does anyone know if the 76CS can export it's display onto a laptop through USB/Firewire/something else? I'd like to be able to use the larger screen on multi-night trips on the boat.

As far as I know it doesn't export display but you can always use program

running on PC instead - nRoute for example.

Could you use the 60/76 unit as an antenna for laptop-based GPS software? My dad has a boat and I'd like to take advantage of the table in the galley and use a laptop. It's not a critical feature.

[vr12]

Does anyone know if the 76CS can export it's display onto a laptop through USB/Firewire/something else? I'd like to be able to use the larger screen on multi-night trips on the boat.

As far as I know it doesn't export display but you can always use program

running on PC instead - nRoute for example.

Could you use the 60/76 unit as an antenna for laptop-based GPS software? My dad has a boat and I'd like to take advantage of the table in the galley and use a laptop. It's not a critical feature.

Yes, any GPS with computer interface can be used for that.

Edited June 17, 2005 by vr12