Garmin GPS Question

[adventureboy]

Hello,

Hope you are all enjoying the fruits of mother nature. I am shopping around for a GPS and have narrowed the selection to the Garmin line of products. I have studied the Etrex line, the Rhino line, and the GPSMAP 60 CS. I am not sure of the overall capabilities of the etrex antenea since it is internal. Also I have heard stories of the thumb stick giving problems and even breaking right off. Sounds like it cost about 50% of the cost to have it fixed after your 1 year warranty. I am leaning towards the Rhino 130 or the GPSMAP 60CS. I do not need radio contact as we already use 5-7 mile radios with FCC approval. What if any are the pro-v-con of either. They both seem like superior units with more bells and whistles that a Mardis Gras Parade. But with time and use they would all be relevant. Any info that you gearheads have will be most useful. This thread is also posted at VFTT. Have a great week and I'll let you know what I decided on. This GeoCaching looks like a blast. I have some pretty gnarly cache spots I want to play around with. SOmeone around Rochester NY has one like 60 ft up in a big old white pine. Its great on a windy day. Later

[redhawk]

There are a couple of threads and reviews on the Garmin Rinos here already.

My evaluation??

Best damn GPS on the planet..

I'll put it this way. Everyone who has seen my RINO in action has either bought one or wants to buy one (except Sacco and he's too cheap. he's trying to figure out how to make one!!)

[protocoldroid]

I'm a maggie (magellan user), but... The Rino is bomb, and redhawk know's what he's talking about.

Although... Get any GPSr to go geocaching. I love it. I used to have a cache of my own that was suspended in a tree, but... it was plundered. I've found lots of nice place to go walk and explore outside of the adirondacks from geocaching, and.... even have hit up the rare geocache or two that's inside the blue line.

[adventureboy]

7 minutes too long

Man it only took 7 minutes to get the first reply. What took so long. Yeah I am leaning towards the Rhino 130, just trying to compare it to the GPSMAP 60 CS. Have you seen it in action or heard anything about it. I have read the other review posts, you love you Rhino. Who else loves your Rhino???

[sacco]

I'll put it this way. Everyone who has seen my RINO in action has either bought one or wants to buy one (except Sacco and he's too cheap. he's trying to figure out how to make one!!)

Bah! dam right i'm too cheap.

$300 = 1 rhino = a decent compass and $285 in my pocket.

[ADKlvr]

I have a 3 year old Garmin Venture and my son has a yellow e-trex. my venture holds satelites better in heavy cover than my partners legend, the yellow one is all one needs in a basic unit, it has accuracy of about 4' and mine about 3' not worth worrying about , I also have the trail junctions of the High Falls Loop and out to Cowhorn pond and Sliding Rock if you need them. I packaged my back-up copy of data and e-mailed it to my partner and he installed it on his legend ,no problems.

[JJW]

Howdy adventureboy,
Here is the latest gossip on Garmin, no facts just rumors. tifwiw

If you like Garmin products, and have a little extra money from Santa, wait until January 5th.

Garmin is going to release the "x" GPSr models.
They have: new processing chip, new reciever chip, removable/upgradeable memory same physical housings as the current units.
The SiRFIII chipset: twice the reception, leaves / tree cover problems are gone, even inside a building you will probably be able to get a fix.

Removable memory chip might start at 64meg?

VistaCx about $50 more than a VistaC
60CSx about $50 more than a 60CS
etc...

"Garmin" is not telling until the big trade show January 5th.

Good Luck,
John

[redhawk]

If "gossip" is supposed to be a link, it's not working....

[JJW]

That wasn't a link, here is one =

Here is a little info:

Good Luck,
John

[Flatrock]

You can hook the 60CS up to a $30 external antenna and keep the unit in your pocket, which I find to be a very useful feature, especially in the winter and when crashing around in thick vegetation.

[Rich Owings]

Here is a little info:

More info and links to all the new Garmin units on Bass Pro.

Rich Owings
www.MakeYourOwnMaps.com
www.GPStracklog.com

“We were desert mystics, my friends and I, poring over our maps as others do their holy books.” – Edward Abbey

[JJW]

Garmin has posted information on one of the new "x" units:
New Garmin

Regards,
John

[JJW]

Garmin added a little more on the new "x" units
Garmin "x"

[Greymane]

These new units will use the SiRF III chipset. Much more sensitive than any of the previous receivers they have used. This should greatly improve the "under canopy" reception. Also, the microSD cards will greatly increase the amount of map data you can load. Kudos to Garmin.

[JJW]

Reading Garmin's information it looks like the "Legend Cx" and the "Vista Cx" missed out on the new SiRF chipset.

Oh' Well.