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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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GPS for Xmas; which one?
I'd like to get a GPS unit that I can use on foot as well as in the vehicle.
Kinda leaning towards either the Garmin 60csx or the 76csx. Any and all opinions welcomed.
Or, if you think another is a better deal, let me know.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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I have the 76CSx for several months and love it - I wouldn't consider anything else.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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leadmoto
Junior Nomad
Posts: 64
Registered: 3-2-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Froggy
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I agree with Baja Lou. I have a 60CS that's taken some serious beatings and still works great.
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
Member Is Offline
Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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Garmin 76CSx is the choice anything else is a compromise.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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Having some trouble figuring out
what the difference is between the 60csx and the 76csx. All I can see is that the 76 comes with a 128 meg microSD card and it floats. What else?
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leadmoto
Junior Nomad
Posts: 64
Registered: 3-2-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Froggy
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I believe Cycoactive.com has a compairison chart.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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Lou, what is the diagonal measurement on the LCD screen on the 76. I am also considering a somewhat larger one that could double in the car and on the
boat as well as being a rather clunky one for on foot (which I do the least). It's the 276c, but they are only describing its screen size in terms of
diagonal measurement instead of H x W.
A little concerned about the size of the 60/76 screen for vehicle use. I have old eyes that are not getting better.
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
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Hook,
I have had a III+ and the V Garmin. Which I believe are similar in size to the 60/76. I used them primarly on my motorcyles. I switched to the 276c
about 2 years ago for the same concerns you have the smaller screen was difficult to see. The larger screen of the 276C is a huge improvement, and is
a tremendous unit. I have not used it yet as a marine unit, but I hope to in the future. You can change the screen from landscape to portrait if you
want to hand carry the unit. I have used it extensively for Rallying and have loaded it with the baja topo's also. I couldn't be more pleased with
it, unless there was a Parker 21 attached to it.
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Taco de Baja
Super Nomad
Posts: 1913
Registered: 4-14-2004
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain, CA
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Mood: Dreamin' of Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
Lou, what is the diagonal measurement on the LCD screen on the 76. I |
I really like my 76csx. the screen is plenty big for my middle age eyes  and
easy to see even in bright sun light
It measures 1.4" by 2.15" or 2.6" diag.
And the actual features on the 76csx are really nice too 
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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| Quote: | Originally posted by tripledigitken
Hook,
I have had a III+ and the V Garmin. Which I believe are similar in size to the 60/76. I used them primarly on my motorcyles. I switched to the 276c
about 2 years ago for the same concerns you have the smaller screen was difficult to see. The larger screen of the 276C is a huge improvement, and is
a tremendous unit. I have not used it yet as a marine unit, but I hope to in the future. You can change the screen from landscape to portrait if you
want to hand carry the unit. I have used it extensively for Rallying and have loaded it with the baja topo's also. I couldn't be more pleased with
it, unless there was a Parker 21 attached to it. |
Yeah, I'm thinking about upgrading the boat GPS and am trying to find the best compromise for all three uses. My older Furuno 1650F is just too slow
retracing the charts especially if I am drifting over a spot all the way zoomed in and then retracing my steps. but then it is 5+ year old technology.
Did you get a portable carrying case for the 276c for on-foot use? Looks like it will fit in a fanny pack easily, though.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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A friend has the III and also a V and I much prefer the 76 to either of those. In a vehicle I turn the backlight on all the time and have no trouble
seeing it even with my older eyes. Other than floating, the main differences I see in the 60 and 76 are button placement. The 76CSx takes a MicroSD
card to store maps and track data - I believe the 276 takes a proprietary Garmin memory card. I have a 512m card in it now and have the topo and
MapSource maps of half of Calif, all of AZ,NM, and southern half of Colo and Utah, plus LB maps of
Baja and it still has room for several thousand miles of stored tracks. Great features - electronic compass. Don't think you can miss with one of
these.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Mexray
Super Nomad
Posts: 1016
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: California Delta
Member Is Offline
Mood: Baja Time
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Have a couple of Garmin's....
...and I think I'll go for the 76csx for my next 'handheld' type, unless they release something better along those lines.
For our recent road-trip in the US last month, I picked up a Garmin C-330 StreetPilot for use in our pickup/camper. I used an external antenna with
it, as the camper cab over section blocked most satellite's view of the unit's internal antenna when mounted inside the cab's windshield.
The C-330 worked great, and really helped us navigate around the 15 or so states we traveled. I now wish I'd spent a few more bucks for the better
StreetPilot model that calls out the actual street name for turns, instead of just "In 0.2 miles, turn right". It was sometimes a bit confusing when
there were two turning choices, close together, and you are trying to watch traffic and select the correct place to turn...having the unit tell you to
"Turn right on A street" would have been preferred - but that option is another $150 bucks, as I recall, but now a worth while investment.
The accuracy of the C-330 was quite good. The data base of address' and useful business locations needs some updating, but that's an ongoing task!
The data base allows you to find nearby places easily, by category, IE; Fuel, Food, etc - and it gives you the names, how far away, and exact
directions, etc. The unit automatically recalculates a route if you make a wrong turn, or if the highway has been re-routed.
Over-all, a good tool for navigating around the USA - but sorry, they don't yet have any data for South of the border!
According to my clock...anytime is \'BAJA TIME\' & as Jimmy Buffett says,
\"It doesn\'t use numbers or moving hands It always just says now...\"
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9010
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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Yes, Mexray, I figured I'd need an ext. ant. with a cabover as well. The non-marine ones are pretty reasonably priced, unless you go with the "Smart
GPS" antenna.
Wont the LB charts work on that Streetpilot of yours? I am not familiar with all the land map permutations yet. 
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
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Hook,
No I didn't get a case for it. It will fit in a fanny pack or a large jacket pocket though. I saved the V for that purpose by the way. Baja Lou is
correct the 276C requires Garmin's memory card. With the 128 card I have baja loaded and about everything west of the Rockies, except WA, OR , MT. I
do want to get a larger card (256 or 512). If you buy it try to get at least a 256/512 card, usually you can cut a package deal and save a few bucks.
Ken
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Summanus
Nomad
Posts: 481
Registered: 10-15-2006
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I have the Garmin GPS 12...a basic, no frills, pretty damn good handheld for about 100 bucks. 2.5" diagonal screen. It has about all you need, I
expect, to navigate the roads, trails, and mountains of Baja ....or the Cortez.
It is telling me right now that we are 1613 miles from our last location...our hotel room in Gulfo Dulce, Costa Rica. Now why do I need to know that?
[Edited on 11-14-2006 by Summanus]
Summanus....ancient Roman Nightly Thunder God. He liked refrieds too.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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I used a 12 then a 12XL for years - but would never go back. The ability to have a real map show up on the screen, while not always necessary, sure
is nice. And color makes it many times more readable.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Summanus
Nomad
Posts: 481
Registered: 10-15-2006
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If I ever lose this one, bajalou, I will look forward to upgrading. and will be
taking notes on this thread.
Until then, my little 12 has seen use all on many a back country hunting trip...the trail back to camp on my 12 is always easy to follow. We hope it
will also be easy to return to a boat ramp in the fog, which sometimes happens, we have been warned.
Summanus....ancient Roman Nightly Thunder God. He liked refrieds too.
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Taco de Baja
Super Nomad
Posts: 1913
Registered: 4-14-2004
Location: Behind the Orange Curtain, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Dreamin' of Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
Yes, Mexray, I figured I'd need an ext. ant. with a cabover as well. The non-marine ones are pretty reasonably priced, unless you go with the "Smart
GPS" antenna.
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If you go with the 76csx you may not have to get the external antenna. Try before you buy one. The SiRF antenna inside the 76csx is mighty powerful.
My unit will get reception on the ground floor of a 2-story concrete tilt-up building 
[Edited on 11-14-2006 by Taco de Baja]
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
Member Is Offline
Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Taco de Baja
| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
Yes, Mexray, I figured I'd need an ext. ant. with a cabover as well. The non-marine ones are pretty reasonably priced, unless you go with the "Smart
GPS" antenna.
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If you go with the 76csx you may not have to get the external antenna. Try before you buy one. The SiRF antenna inside the 76csx is mighty powerful.
My unit will get reception on the ground floor of a 2-story concrete tilt-up building
[Edited on 11-14-2006 by Taco de Baja] |
what is a concrete tilt-up building? I want to check mine and see if it will work in one of those.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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I too would try the 76CSx before getting a external antenna. I live in a aluminum 5th wheel trailer under a plywood roofed ramada and it locates and
holds a signal inside. Set it on the seat between the driver and passenger and it does grate. It amazed me when I got it.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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