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Hand held GPS info please.

Gil

New member
Does anybody know if a handheld GPS such as the Garmin GPSMAP 60 can be a safe, inexpensive altermative to purchasing multiple units. I have three kinds of vehicles to cover. I would like GPS for the bike and car that's portable. I would like to use the same device when in my kayak. I know nothing about GPS other than when I rent one when in business travel. I don't need full color. Is there a hand held unit that will travel the country with street details? I believe the Garmin GPSMAP 60 may do that, but the lingo used on the marketing materials are not clear. Things like "Accepts Data from MapSource Products" and "City Select for Driving".
 
Garmin GPSMap60
You can get a 60 with the "C" thats color, yes its better.
"S" thats the sensors the barometer - altimeter.
"X" thats means that it will work with the City Navigator map program to automatically route you.
You can get a 60CSX or 60CS or 60CX.
Or a 76 which has the same features but the buttons are on top of the screen and it shaped different.
Both are water proof. The 60 will sink. Thats good in a shallow stream, you can reach it.
The 76 will float. Thats good in a lake.
 
I have three kinds of vehicles to cover. I would like GPS for the bike and car that's portable. I would like to use the same device when in my kayak.

Gamin 60 Cx will do everything you want and everything any other unit will do except provide "voice" prompts during navigation.

I bought mine for the car, bike, walking around foreign cities and in the mountains. And its waterproof, but note that it doesn't float like the 76 series (which for some strange reason has all the buttons in the wrong place), so use a tether in the kayak.

The best part is it runs forever on a couple of non-proprietary AA batteries. It also takes non-proprietary microSD memory cards. Did I mention I hate proprietary anything.

Pic of my 60 Cx mounted.
 
+1 on the 60CX. I have one and use it as a 'does-all' GPS as well. I like the vertical screen layout that shows you what's ahead, rather than what's off to the side.
 
Thanks folks! It seems the 60 CX mounted will be my first GPS. One question. Does it come already loaded with street and highway maps or do I have to purchase additional software?
 
You would be better off getting the "Mapsourse City Navigator" what ever the new version # is (maybe #9)
You can get the maps on a micro SD card but whth that you can only do your routing on the GPS.
If you get the DVD you can do your routing on your computer and download them to your GPS. You can get a 2GB micro SD card that will hold all of the United States and Canada street maps.
 
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Thanks folks! It seems the 60 CX mounted will be my first GPS. One question. Does it come already loaded with street and highway maps or do I have to purchase additional software?

Yes, you do have to buy the Mapsource software. The entire U.S. and Canada fit on a 2GB microSD card (actually it's about 1.6 GB). It isn't included with the unit. The unit did come with a map preloaded but you can't do trip routing wihout the extra software. I have a 60csx and goes just about everywhere with me. I don't have a mount for the bike yet.
 
Does it come already loaded with street and highway maps or do I have to purchase additional software?

It like so many others come with a "base map" which is quite useless.

As already mentioned, you need to buy the maps...the nice thing is you can always update them every so many years. And all you need for US & Canada is a 2 Gb microSD...what are they...under $30?

A very nice feature on the 60Cx is that you can log your tracks (a breadcrumb trail of where you've been) directly to the microSD card instead of onto the 20 built-in tracks. A month on the road in Europe used up about 6 Mb of space on my 1 Gb card...in other words, no space at all.
 
Lowrance

I bought a Lowrance iFinder expedition C at Costco for $299. The kit included the TOPO maps CD and the cigar lighter cord. Although I am somewhat of a beginner at using a GPS, the iFinder seems to do about everything. I had to buy a ram mount for using it on my GS, but I can transfer it to my car by using a separate suction base on the mount.

So far the only "complaints" are the the screen can be difficult to read while riding depending on the angle of the sun, and the keys are hard to operate with gloves.

Still, it is a good entry level GPS.
 
gps/road atlas

I've had a Garmin Nuvi for a month and have been
using it for planning and rest stop reference. I ride
by memory and signs. Its there if I want the info
but I don't ride to it's directions. Its shown me some
new routes and I like the history it captures. I don't
think I ask very much of it, but its worked for me.
mXa
 
I ordered the Garmin 60 CSX! Thanks for the advice! I talked to the people at Garmin and it seems like a solid performer. Now I need to get the State/City/street software to have full GPS features. Garmin told me that they partner with another company that provides the additional map features. Yet, I failed to remember which company.
Looking forward to my new unit!
 
Garmin told me that they partner with another company that provides the additional map features. Yet, I failed to remember which company.

MapSource!

You can view what is available at the Garmin Cartography site.

Depending on the MapSource product, you'll need an unlock code which comes with the mapping package. I'd suggest saving that unlock code file to a secure location so that you don't have to request it from Garmin should you forget or misplace it. The unlock code file has a UNL file extension...so that you know what to look for.

By the way, the Cx and CSx are the same except for the barometric altimeter and magnetic compass in the CSx, both of which need calibration if they are to be accurate. The GPS derived altitude and direction (when moving) is just as good and as far as altitude is concerned, far better over time.
 
I received my 60CSx today. It's pretty darn nice! Besides City Navigator, are there any other navigational programs companies that support Garmin with detailed city maps?
I kind of blew my budget for additional expensive software and was hoping to purchase something under $80.
 
any one had any experience with the magellan 2200t?........looked like a viable alternative to the pricer garmin
 
good choice

you are thinking correctly. I have the 60 CSX and have used it for my R1150GS Adventure (mounted and powered) for 3 cars, for 2 bicycles, and use it to hike. Most versatile but you need to buy a map to put into it to get down to addresses and specific waypoints. Good decision.:p
 
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