Mobile GPS poll

[flyingwil]

Earthmate GPS PN20

I should be getting a Earthmate GPS PN20 next week on Monday... so I threw my vote in on that.

 

[Tucson T4R]

I found this website to be loaded with GPS Gurus and a wealth of information on different GPS receivers.

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=11

 

[Super Doody]

I can't tell you which one to pick because I have only experince with the 60csx.

BTW detailed difference between the 60csx and the 70 csx besides the obvious physical differences are:

70csx has lightly more memory but you'll have upgrade memory card anways to get any real map data.

70csx will float if dropped in water. The 60 will not but they have the same water proof standards.

Otherwise they are same thing basically.

I got my 60csx with 2gig memory, full NA map and car kit from amazon.com for around 520$ OTD.

My 60csx is great and does its job but the auto routing maps can be better.

It doesn't always direct you to the more convient or shortest route. If you are chaning freeways, sometimes it directs to get off the freeway and get on again. Turn by turn directions are a little on the slow side. What pisses me off the most is sometimes it auto recalculate once you on a exit ramp so you have quickly page to the turn by turn menu figure out which lane you should be in. But it will get you there...eventually. I think its more a software issue.

Pros are it gets great singal and fast. Its intented more for hiking and geo games. Have its compact.

BTW if you have bad eyes and want to use it for auto routing, the screen is a little on the small side.

Oh check out this post I created when I was shopping for my GPS:

http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?p=711859#post711859

 

[calamaridog]

I should be getting a Earthmate GPS PN20 next week on Monday... so I threw my vote in on that.

I am excited to hear your thoughts on the PN20.

 

[calamaridog]

I got my 60csx with 2gig memory, full NA map and car kit from amazon.com for around 520$ OTD.

My 60csx is great and does its job but the auto routing maps can be better.

http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?p=711859#post711859

Thanks for the feedback. I figure the 60csx is the default front runner right now. I'm not too worried about turn by turn city driving directions, more interested in off hwy use.

Do you know what type of mount you have and is it sturdy.

I'll probably decide at the end of April...

 

[flyingwil]

I am excited to hear your thoughts on the PN20.

Had some delays in shipping, but the brown truck dropped it off last night! This weekend i should get time to start playing with it and setting it up. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Howard70]

Variation in Waypoint Formats

One consideration I haven't seen discussed in this thread deals with waypoint formats. Within Garmin units the information stored with user-created waypoints varies. Older units (the 12 series) and some newer units (176 and possibly 276,376, etc.) stored the date and time a waypoint was created as a default "comment" that can download with the waypoint (if you use software that supports complete download of the waypoint field).

I find this useful because I use waypoints for several different activities. Surveying the abundance of animals is one use where the date and time are great additional variables to have stored with the observation (waypoint).

Because of this, I use a Garmin Map 176 as both a mobile unit in our truck and as a handheld unit when surveying on foot. It is larger and heavier than some other handheld units, but that's acceptable to get the greater quality of data. When hiking, but not surveying, I'll use an Etrex Vista because I like the more precise altitude available from the Vista's barometer.

Howard L. Snell

 

[jim65wagon]

I use a Magellan Meridian Gold on my truck, my motorcycle, and when I hike/walk. It works very well and the software is easy to use. I would have a hard time spending big bucks on a mobile (i.e. permanently mounted in the car) unit just because I like the idea of being able to dismount the unit and use it in a variety of other settings (I'll be going canoeing this Summer and the waterproof Meridian will be going with me.)

I've never used a GPS that had the "turn by turn" driving directions, so I can't comment on that part. Usually if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar I just Mapquest it and figure out driving directions on my own.

Another plug for Magellan... I also have the Meridian Gold. Yes I believe it has been replaced by the Explorist series but I doubt they've made it less usable. I've got Topo maps and Direct Route for mine and both work very well and are very detailed. You can play with an example of each on Magellans website.

I've dropped mine onto the ground, dunked it in a river out of the canoe, and mount it to the windshield of the car or truck (road trips use Directroute and we switch to Topo when we hike, you can have both on one SD card). I even found a power plug for it for use in the vehicle so I'm not "wasting" batteries getting somewhere. The screen is large for a handheld unit, and easy to read. It would be an excellent choice.

 

[Willman]

Magellan Explorist XL

I got an Magellan Explorist XL for Christmas! I also got the vehicle mount and the Topo software!!....It has worked out to be a great unit in my travels. Easy to use and the Topo maps are fun to use to plan trips. I just got off Ebay the 12V Cigarette Power Adapter and a 2gb sd memory card to hold all my maps.
The wife got it for a great deal at Gi joes for i think around $270...She a great power shopper if you ask me!!

Features:

* eXtra-Large color screen - 3.5" backlit display in vibrant color
* Easy-to-use - Navigate in seconds with simple menus, one-button shortcut to key features and joystick control
* Built-in maps - North American or European basemap shows major roads, parks, waterways and many points of interest
* SD-card expandability - Add unlimited MapSend topographic maps or turn-by-turn street routing
* Simple file system - Save, organize and access all your stored data with ease
* USB data port - Manage maps and waypoints and download coordinates from your PC
* TrueFix® technology - Reliable accuracy to within 3 meters
* Area calculation - Instantly see the distance and area between any geographic points
* Vertical profile - View graphical elevation changes for where you've been or where you're going
* Geocache Manager - PC application to download and organize coordinates from the Internet
* Track logging - Store 5 track files with 2000 points each and an unlimited number on your own SD cards
* Four navigation screens - Map, Compass, Locator and Satellite Status deliver easy-to-use information
* Advanced power management - Four AA batteries provide up to 19 hours of use. Save power with “auto-off".
* Rugged construction - Encased in rubber armored, impact resistant plastic
* Water resistant - Don't worry about getting it wet
* Languages - Choose English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Portuguese, Dutch or Norwegian.
* No service fees - Ready to use with no activation required
* Full Warranty - One-year in North America, Two-year in Europe

In the future, i want to do a custom mount.....

It's been a great unit!!!

:26_7_2:

 

[computeruser]

Another plug for Magellan...I've dropped mine onto the ground, dunked it in a river out of the canoe, and mount it to the windshield of the car or truck (road trips use Directroute and we switch to Topo when we hike, you can have both on one SD card).

They can take a beating, that's for sure. I have a small-frame Explorist 200 that mounts on my MTB handlebars and it has fallen off, been hit by trees, fell into mud and water, and been baked in the sun all day. Keeps right on going.

The Explorist XL is a great unit, with the larger screen, easy to operate controls, and gets amazing reception. It's on my to-buy list, along with all the other goodies I don't really need...

 

[Martinjmpr]

Even though it's been discontinued you can still find the Meridian at discount electronics sites or eBay. One drawback (which it sounds like they've fixed with the xplorist) is that the Meridian Gold is limited to 64mb worth of map data - regardless of how big the SD card is (when was the last time you saw a 64mb SD card? You can get 1gb SD cards for around $15 now!)

I still would be leery about anything with a color screen. More power consumption and harder to read in bright light. Still, I'm very happy with my Magellan.

 

[tdesanto]

I got an Magellan Explorist XL for Christmas! I also got the vehicle mount and the Topo software!!....It has worked out to be a great unit in my travels. Easy to use and the Topo maps are fun to use to plan trips. I just got off Ebay the 12V Cigarette Power Adapter and a 2gb sd memory card to hold all my maps.
The wife got it for a great deal at Gi joes for i think around $270...She a great power shopper if you ask me!!

Features:

* eXtra-Large color screen - 3.5" backlit display in vibrant color
* Easy-to-use - Navigate in seconds with simple menus, one-button shortcut to key features and joystick control
* Built-in maps - North American or European basemap shows major roads, parks, waterways and many points of interest
* SD-card expandability - Add unlimited MapSend topographic maps or turn-by-turn street routing
* Simple file system - Save, organize and access all your stored data with ease
* USB data port - Manage maps and waypoints and download coordinates from your PC
* TrueFix® technology - Reliable accuracy to within 3 meters
* Area calculation - Instantly see the distance and area between any geographic points
* Vertical profile - View graphical elevation changes for where you've been or where you're going
* Geocache Manager - PC application to download and organize coordinates from the Internet
* Track logging - Store 5 track files with 2000 points each and an unlimited number on your own SD cards
* Four navigation screens - Map, Compass, Locator and Satellite Status deliver easy-to-use information
* Advanced power management - Four AA batteries provide up to 19 hours of use. Save power with “auto-off".
* Rugged construction - Encased in rubber armored, impact resistant plastic
* Water resistant - Don't worry about getting it wet
* Languages - Choose English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Portuguese, Dutch or Norwegian.
* No service fees - Ready to use with no activation required
* Full Warranty - One-year in North America, Two-year in Europe

In the future, i want to do a custom mount.....

It's been a great unit!!!

:26_7_2:

Ditto on the Explorist XL...great unit.

 

[jim65wagon]

. One drawback (which it sounds like they've fixed with the xplorist) is that the Meridian Gold is limited to 64mb worth of map data - regardless of how big the SD card is (when was the last time you saw a 64mb SD card? You can get 1gb SD cards for around $15 now!) quote]

Yeah, but you can put several 64mb maps on a 1G card. About 2 states worth of map will fit on the 64mbs allowed. I routinely switch between at least two maps (one directroute and one topo) on any given trip. Yes if you are making an extremely long trip it can be a pain to switch maps on the road, but it works.

 

[blue94yj]

I would have to pick the Garmin 60CSX. It would be nice to have a unit with a larger screen when in the jeep, but right now I can only afford one so I choose the one that would allow me to use it for different applications. Jeep, Bike, Motorcycle, and geochaching.

Charlie

 

[calamaridog]

Had some delays in shipping, but the brown truck dropped it off last night! This weekend i should get time to start playing with it and setting it up. I'll keep you posted.

Ok Wil,

I'm just waiting for some feedback from you before I decide

Tons of good options and thank you everyone for posting your thoughts and recommendations.