Got my GPSmap 60CSX yesterday

[DougPaul]

Pammy you confused yet? Still with us???



It'll come in time if your confused...

Pammy:
Remember that you only have to understand a habitable subset of its functions for it to be useful--very few, if any, use all the functions. The defaults are mostly pretty good.

Don't worry about those of us who are discussing/debating fine points...

On the antenna I forgot to mention I have a 90deg. mcx with a lobster band that holds it in good and that allows a neat tuck into the Nylon pouch.

I find that my antenna 90deg mcx connector is not high enough to clear the case with the wire parallel to the case. This forces the wire to stick out to the side and makes strain relief much harder--I have to bend the wire back to the case to put a rubber band around it. (I have broken a wire at the connector... ) I'm using the PC-mobile external antenna. Do your connectors sit high enough that you can run the wire parallel to the case?
(And if so, what brand antenna are you using?)

Doug

 

[CaptCaper]

The on/off is done by Sirf at the factory or with Garmins updates. A street user can't do it that I know of. Sorry for the confusion.

With this on I read that when you get going it takes a bit to start dropping track points,etc. The chip is very sensitive so it needs to be tamed I guess.

I wish I made the bakeoff as I would have liked to see if I can be beaten or be equaled. I bought the X but never got to use it (long story) to see if it was better in all respects..of useage. Didn't want to deal with the wandering issue and decided to post pone for the next generation.

I made my living using these things and with the need for higher accuracy then most would need. So I know what they'll do with a good signal and somebody pushing the right buttons.

I found it easy to adapt to the mountains with a handheld. Same as the ocean except one has some trees and altitude to get around.

Gladly my son now is now using my type of setup and he also has a 60cs. He's been doing the 48 Winter's. I feel much better knowing he knows how to use it well too.

 

[CaptCaper]

Doug

Searching GPSPASSIONS News section I found this. Maybe it will help.
"Static Navigation requires some explanation. When standing still, the GPS unit "wanders" from fix to fix within the error circle. For the BT 338, that's about 15 meters. As each fix is calculated, it can be as much as 30 meters from the last one 95% of the time, and maybe even further for the other 5%. Of course, it could be exactly the same place, too, but that is unlikely. In early mapping software, this wander shows up when you are stationary, but the map jumps around. If you have "heading up" display, the display will shift all around, too, as it sees the movement from one fix to another as a heading change. Some software packages dampen out these minor changes, particularly if you are in a navigation mode, assuming that if you are stopped, you are probably not jumping around that much. What GlobalSat did was do that dampening in the receiver, invoking Static Navigation. Basically, if you are traveling less than 3 mph and if the distance from the original "stopped" fix to the current fix is less than 50m, the unit doesn't report a change in location or heading. This function makes the unit appear to be rock solid when you are sitting at a traffic light. However, it has a side effect of also dampening out movement when you are walking with the unit, particularly if you are geocaching with it and not moving very far or fast with it. I can also see a problem with hiking and skiing where if you are moving slowly, say uphill, you won't see movement in the GPS until you have traveled more than 50m, which is a long way. SN could NOT be turned off in the early units. GlobalSat received numerous complaints and now has agreed to disable this function in the factory. I could not find a commitment from GlobalSat to enable the user to select SN on/off through the utility software, but I am told that SirfDemo (google for it) may be able to control that function. I couldn't test it as my early unit has SN on and non-changeable. GlobalSat also says that they will not be releasing a firmware upgrade utility for the early units, so early units will have SN on all the time. Again, buyer beware in the used market and eBay.

How that affects the X don't know for sure. Lot's of info in the "news" on these ever changing chipsets. The Sirf III seems to be a good one but with know issues.


My antenna is a GPSGEEK amplified. He's got a Ebay site as well as GPSGEEK.com. Cheaper on his ebay site. It's a Gilsson brand. I haven't had any problems with the wire. The mcx does sit off to the side some because of the depth the jack is set in the case. I have used it without the band but don't trust it while hiking. Lobster band does a nice job.

 

[DougPaul]

The on/off is done by Sirf at the factory or with Garmins updates. A street user can't do it that I know of. Sorry for the confusion.

With this on I read that when you get going it takes a bit to start dropping track points,etc. The chip is very sensitive so it needs to be tamed I guess.

Thanks for the info.

I wish I made the bakeoff as I would have liked to see if I can be beaten or be equaled. I bought the X but never got to use it (long story) to see if it was better in all respects..of useage. Didn't want to deal with the wandering issue and decided to post pone for the next generation.

Sorry you couldn't make it--we would have been happy to have you. Fortunately we did get enough people (3) with enough GPSes (~8) to get some decent comparisons, at least for some of the more popular Garmin units. I had been holding out on the 60CSx (I had a 60CS) and finally broke down and bought one as a result of the tests. The 60CSx showed better signal acquisition and holding and better track repeatability in the tests. Bakeoff#2 (now that I had both a 60CS and 60CSx) confirmed the above. I'm quite happy with the 60CSx. There are some minor things about the displays during route following that I prefer on the 60CS, but not enough to go back... (I still have the 60CS, so I can choose whichever I want.)

I found it easy to adapt to the mountains with a handheld. Same as the ocean except one has some trees and altitude to get around.

A bit easier without those pesky trees and terrain in the way... I used to coastal sail--GPS would have been very handy back then...

Gladly my son now is now using my type of setup and he also has a 60cs. He's been doing the 48 Winter's. I feel much better knowing he knows how to use it well too.

I'll admit that I feel more comfortable with it in the pack when bushwacking or night backcountry skiing...

(combining your second reply)

Searching GPSPASSIONS News section I found this. Maybe it will help. <snip>

Thanks--that sounds like the algorithm that I called a hack in an earlier post. I'll pass. I can certainly see that those who use track up displays would be annoyed by wandering, but IMO, I have much better situational awareness with the north up display. And, of course, a bit of wandering has little effect if you use north up. I suppose it might make sense to use such an algorithm to inhibit display rotation upon wandering, but still plot the position and arrow direction properly with respect to the display.

My bakeoff#2 test data suggests that no such anti-wandering algorithm is used in track generation.

My antenna is a GPSGEEK amplified. He's got a Ebay site as well as GPSGEEK.com. Cheaper on his ebay site. It's a Gilsson brand. I haven't had any problems with the wire. The mcx does sit off to the side some because of the depth the jack is set in the case. I have used it without the band but don't trust it while hiking. Lobster band does a nice job.

Thanks--sounds like the same connector. I figured that they were probably standard. It would be interesting to know what connector Garmin uses. The situation is a trifle better on the 60CSx than on the 60CS--the socket is not set quite as deeply on the CSx.

Doug

 

[Rick]

Tried to answer this on the original thread and got an error. Fortunately I saved my answer...


There are standards for the voltages put out on USB ports. (I think it is 5V at 100ma, but check it first. A search should find the specs.) If the charger follows them, you should be ok. Measure the voltage on the pins with voltmeter to see if it matches the spec.

There is also a 12V external power cord available.

I generally use the GPS in ways that would require a very long cord, so I just run it on batteries.

NiMH rechargeables are a very practical and common solution. (There are a number of threads on this topic--search and ye shall find.)

Doug

Doug - Thanks for the answer. I think I will just drop the $15 and get a Garmin auto cord at some point. I am not good with Electricity, though I have graduated from 1800mah through 2300 mah and am now up to 2700mah rechargeable batteries over the last few ears - Thanks to yours (and others) earlier posts. I have about a dozen now and really like just recharging them.

 

[DougPaul]

Doug - Thanks for the answer. I think I will just drop the $15 and get a Garmin auto cord at some point. I am not good with Electricity, though I have graduated from 1800mah through 2300 mah and am now up to 2700mah rechargeable batteries over the last few ears - Thanks to yours (and others) earlier posts. I have about a dozen now and really like just recharging them.

I have the cord, but don't use it very often. The battery life, even with the backlight on, is long enough that I usually don't bother with it. A set or two of NiMHs is easier. Just lazy, I guess.

Doug

 

[Pammy]

Do you guys trust using the clip that comes with the GPS to hold it on your backpack strap, or do you use something else? Just ordered the Topo National Parks East this morning. On sale for $84.99 at Radioshack today with free shipping to any of their stores for local pickup. Pam

 

[CaptCaper]

Do you guys trust using the clip that comes with the GPS to hold it on your backpack strap, or do you use something else? Just ordered the Topo National Parks East this morning. On sale for $84.99 at Radioshack today with free shipping to any of their stores for local pickup. Pam

I've always used Garmins nylon case to carry.. Antenna doesn't stick out though. But I have an externnal antenna. The pouch keeps the unit warmer in temps around 0 deg. It seems to have some insulation to it....I had a screen disappear on me once cause of the cold so in the pouch now. I haven't had a screen loss since.
Lot's of holders,casees out there for that unit..I don't think I'd trust the belt clip and hanging off my pack idea.

 

[DougPaul]

Do you guys trust using the clip that comes with the GPS to hold it on your backpack strap, or do you use something else? Just ordered the Topo National Parks East this morning. On sale for $84.99 at Radioshack today with free shipping to any of their stores for local pickup. Pam

There have been reports of the GPS side of the clip (part of the GPS case) breaking off when the GPS snagged. I've also read of GPSes being lost from the clip. I don't use it.

I use a Jansport Pack Pocket attached to my pack shoulder strap to carry my GPS http://www.rei.com/online/store/Pro...99&parent_category_rn=4500602&vcat=REI_SEARCH or I carry it in my pack.

Gilsson makes a nice case for the 60CSx: http://www.gilsson.com/garmin_gps/cases/r60n.htm. I usually put the GPS in one to protect it in the field and carry the package in the above Jansport pocket. (I don't like the Garmin case for this GPS.)

Dry fabric will have no effect on the signals.

It is also worth putting PDA screen protector on the GPS screen to protect it from scratches Just cut to size.

Doug