GPS units

matt_j

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 28, 2004
Messages
673
Location
Brooklyn NY
Topic that constantly keeps poping up. After reviewing some info I decided to get an opinion from you guys.

For my outdoors use I have Rino 120 which is ok. I need a unit for my car.

I drive Jeep Cherokee Sport 2000 and work in bad neighbourhood so units have to be detachable (no DVD/GPS combos). I also want to take this unit on the ambulance if I work in unfamiliar territory.

It would be nice to have all the maps uploaded for the US. I don't want to spend a lot of money but I will since I know that few extra bucks goes a long way.

Eventually this unit will end up in my dream car Jeep Wrangler but that's ina bout six months.
 

KevinL

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 10, 2004
Messages
5,866
Location
At World's End
I am currently working with the Garmin GPS V for automotive use that can also be switched to handheld mode if I need to take it on foot. The GPS V supports the essentials such as autorouting, 12V power, and has a generous amount of memory for maps, but the display is small and can be hard to read under high stress situations. The advantage of the V is the comparatively low cost. Fully detachable, you stick the mount to the dash wherever you want it and then you lock the GPS to it. I remove mine whenever I'm not using it - no sense getting both the GPS stolen and a window punched in.

Further up the scale there is the Streetpilot series, with huge color display (yes, color does actually make a big difference when your map is cluttered beyond belief), far more memory (some have CompactFlash cards - think 1-2GB maximum if you pay for the large CF) and a much heftier price tag. But the Streetpilots are way above and beyond the basic GPS V. Voice prompts, turn by turn navigation, and a whole slew of features as well as fast CPUs. The main beef I have with the GPS V is that the CPU is extremely slow, redrawing detailed maps takes forever.

I still recommend Garmin units because of their impeccable accuracy, compared to cheaper solutions which couldn't place me on a map without jumping around for the nearest 250 meters.
 

CroMAGnet

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 4, 2004
Messages
2,540
Location
Los Gatos, CA
I got one for my wife and it is better than the one that came with my Porsche. Hers is a color Garmin Quest which has a built in lithium battery that lasts for about 20hrs. You can put it in your pocket or mount it in the car. It's VERY accurate and a real crowd pleaser. She loves it! I paid around $450 last Xmas but there is not enough memory to load the whole country of maps and you can't upgrade the memory. I think we loaded up most of California. Quest Link

You can also do a search through CPF for GARMIN.

PM PaulB because he found a really good palm unit that is color which he loves. It was way cheaper too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

weaponlight

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
89
Location
Ft Bragg, NC
I have a GPS 60 CS and love it!!!

I purchased it after much thought and for the same reasons that Matt is looking for and Kevin L stated. I mount it on the Garmin mount, secured to the dash just to the left of the instrument cluster in my Jeep Wrangler and in our Dodge Durango too.

The unit is water resistant, so no worries if I get soaked out on the trail w/ the top off. Quik detach and it becomes a nice handheld for hiking and to prevent theft. The color screen, autorouting w/ city select north america, and accuracy are awesome. It is very tough as well (Surviving Iraq just fine) Takes external power in the car. City Select will lead you right to any gas or food in the area while on the fly.

The drawbacks are a small screen for vehicle use and it only takes about 52 MB of map memory, so you have to program it w/ a PC before trips. (For example City Select from Fayetteville to Murphy, N.C. and Topo maps for the Tellico trails.) However I enjoy doing this, get to play w/ my gadgets! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif This also encourages you to use all the features in the Mapsource software.

I spoke w/ Garmin over the phone while I was researching this purchase and they do not recommend GPS units with compact flash cards for operation in an enviornment where they might get wet.

If I had to buy it all over again, I would but I would get the 60C as I have not used the compass or altimeter and the money saved could go tward the autorouting kit or external antenna.
 

jtice

Flashaholic
Joined
May 21, 2003
Messages
6,331
Location
West Virginia
I got the 60cs about a month ago, its SWEEEEEET

Get the City Select software for it, and you can AUTO route on the fly.
No computer needed. Just punch in an address, place, business etc, and go.

Built tough, like all garmins, completely rain and puddle proff.

The screen is amazing, its backlit if you want, and it looks BETTER in the sunlight than it does the shade !

I agree with everything weaponlight said, except...
I Like the electronic compass ALOT.
You dont have to be moving to tell your direction. Makes it really nice I think.
 

weaponlight

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
89
Location
Ft Bragg, NC
Matt, If you decide on the 60 C/CS, put a good lanyard on it and I also carefully applied a screen protector. I got a set of palm universal screen protectors from Office Depot and carefully cut and applied them. This GPS is more than worth evrey penny I paid for it.
 

matt_j

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 28, 2004
Messages
673
Location
Brooklyn NY
Weaponlight I have screen protectors on my Rino after I ruined a Garmin Legend's screen in one outing.

Does 60CS take forever to find sattelites and how fast is it in dense cities?
 

VidPro

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 7, 2004
Messages
5,441
Location
Lost In Space
i use one of them navman pin things with the integrated GPS in the PDA, and am happy that is so small it fits in my shirt pocket. probably makes others blind trying to read it, but it also has voice prompt.
it comes With the street navigation stuff, and was missing the geo stuff.

then , because it was a computer, stead of a dedicated piece of equiptement i got to hack it up /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif add in games movies and mp3s , and added a second 'GPS tuner' program, where i could upload my own custom made maps (yes its a total PITA) so i could have topo, and geo and pic maps.

i like my minature toy, but i never had a PDA before.
now i got a game box, street nav, movie player, mp3 player, geo mapper, compass thing, with porn pics /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif does it get any better /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

i had to pay buku bux over the price of the unit, to put in the 2G memory card, cost me 1/2 of the units original price for memory. but i glad i did, there still isnt enough disk space, but when my home computer has 1.2 terrabytes , i guess i wouldnt know what ENOUGH really was /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

i can store the whole northern america (streets) in (inc canada), or a few western states, and all the other computer stuff.

with some cpu altering programs i can slow it down, and use some features with the cpu way underclocked, and get the battery to last the whole day. but like every piece of electronics stuff, they need to stick a car battery on them if your to go camping for a week without a plug. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 

weaponlight

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
89
Location
Ft Bragg, NC
Matt,

The unit takes a few minutes to get a location the FIRST time you use it in a NEW location. Once it kind of knows where it is, it locks on FAST! And if you have it on while it is on the road, it tracks fast if you turn it off and then on again.

As I said before, I spoke with the Garmin rep on the phone for about an hour and a half asking a bunch of stupid questions /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. (He was prob glad to be done with me, but hey it's not cheap) I was also comparing the unit to the 76CS because the 76 had more memory.

I wanted to know the same thing and how well the unit worked on 4X4 trails with lots of trees. He said the antenna on the 60 series was specificly designed to look 'Up' and worked well in the city and as long as the unit could get a view of the sky it would pull satellites. The 76 is more for marine use and the antenna looks on the horizon for satellites.

He was right. The unit works great in the city and between trees. If you are standing directly next to a large building it takes longer to initialize and the accuracy goes from about 13' to about 30'. not a real big deal. Just step a few feet away and aim at some clear sky.

I think all GPS units are kind of like that. Also, if you are going to use it in the ambulance, you will problably need to get the external antenna. In the Jeep with the soft or fiberglass hardtop, the 60 worked fine. But in the Durango, with alot more metal, I would lose signal sometimes.
 

weaponlight

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
89
Location
Ft Bragg, NC
VidPro, My first GPS had to be really tough and waterproof.

I was thinking about getting a Garmin IQue or some other brand of the new pocket computers in addition to my 60 for all the reasons that you stated!
 

VidPro

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 7, 2004
Messages
5,441
Location
Lost In Space
[ QUOTE ]
weaponlight said:
VidPro, My first GPS had to be really tough and waterproof.

I was thinking about getting a Garmin IQue or some other brand of the new pocket computers in addition to my 60 for all the reasons that you stated!

[/ QUOTE ]

i guarentee this thing is NOT tough, OR waterproof.
they have cases for them, but by the time you add on a case, and its ramification of less acess and viewing capacity, the size goes right back to a tank built one.
 

jtice

Flashaholic
Joined
May 21, 2003
Messages
6,331
Location
West Virginia
My 60cs is ALOT faster then my etrex Vista at getting a lock on sats.

Little faster at everything really.
 

this_is_nascar

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
8,330
Location
Gloucester, New Jersey
[ QUOTE ]
NewBie said:
I know a number of folks here recently purchased 60CS and 60C units, it would be great to hear their opinions.

[/ QUOTE ]

My 60CS is awesome. I use both in the auto and on foot while GeoCaching.
 

Spudman

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 19, 2002
Messages
382
Location
Kentucky
Glad to read the good feedback on the 60cs. I found a decent price on Amazon and have one coming. I'm going to get the automotive kit too.

G.
 

matt_j

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 28, 2004
Messages
673
Location
Brooklyn NY
that 60cs looks tempting... damn you guys I come here for a big car unit and you show me another gadget... you know how hard it is to have such an addiction on city pay? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

weaponlight

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 8, 2005
Messages
89
Location
Ft Bragg, NC
Spudman, you will not regret it. Take the time to read the instruction manual. The amount of features it has are amazeing! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif I use mine all the time.

When I got it, my wife asked me, 'Why are you spending all that money? We can just use Map Quest.' I said, O.K. print the Map Quest for this trip and we will see if the GPS unit is helpful.

We followed the map quest directions and the GPS gave us the same ones for awhile so I shut it off. We got into Charleston, and started to follow the street signs for the route to the hotel. This was fine untill we missed a turn because the sign was gone! We ended up in a run down part of town near the docks late at night. (Shiny new Durango, full of stuff and kids.) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

My Wife was asking 'What now?' I took the GPS from the console, pushed 'Find - entered the hotel's address - and 'go to'. The GPS told us exactly how to get to the hotel, turn by turn.

We got off a plane in Phoenix, AZ and picked up a rental. She was hungry and said 'Lets get some lunch' I took the 60CS and hit 'Find - Food' and the unit gave us all the eaterys within 10 miles. This thing ROCKS. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif

I take it evreywhere now and my wife just smiles.
 

1331

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Apr 17, 2005
Messages
58
I have had a Garmin GPS V for a couple years. I do a lot of out of town driving and accuracy is sometimes in the 8' range. It is also WASS enabled. I do lose signal in business district areas with tall building surrounding me. It's one time times multipath helps out. It does pick up below the usual 15 degree masking angle. I put it on the dash w/o external antenna. I believe the map upload holds 19mb. It is great at keeping track of mileage! I take it inside in the winter as it it supposed to be good only to +15 degrees.
 

Spudman

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 19, 2002
Messages
382
Location
Kentucky
Weaponlight,
I already have a download of the manual and I'm reading up on the large number of features. I think the learning curve may be steep on some features for a gps newbie. I mean, there are so many different pages on the thing. I should have it in a day or two so I'll get to see.
Comseur, I had the same reaction on the price. I've been looking at gps for awhile and that price made me pull the trigger.

G.
 

Latest posts

Top