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RobP
12-29-2006, 02:51 PM
I'm looking at getting a GPS over the next little while. Looking for one that is easy to use and that you can easily upload topo maps in it. Looking to use it for both hunting and hiking, and possibly also vehicle use.

Any thoughts, recommendations?

Am considering Garmin GPSMAP 60 CSx Colour....

Thanks,
Rob

Steeleco
12-29-2006, 03:55 PM
That's the one I'd buy if I needed a new one. BroncoMarco has one, he let me play at work one night. Slick unit, the only other thing to consider is the new European equivalent to GPS, I believe it's called Galileo. It's supposed to be better with higher detailed maps, IIRC it's supposed to be out this summer.

tuchodi
12-29-2006, 04:05 PM
I have the 60cs without the X which is this years model. I have been really happy with it. It gets great response even in heavy bush.

RobP
12-29-2006, 05:38 PM
How does inputting of topo maps work? Do you buy a CD with them on it? How is it for vehicle navigation?

Thx

Steeleco
12-29-2006, 05:47 PM
Check out CPS city or GPS Central, I believe you can buy a package with cord, GPS unit and software.

hitch
12-29-2006, 07:19 PM
On my last trip of the year, one of the guys in camp had a set of Garmin rhino 530's. I've never been one for the radio's but these units are quite something. He had the topo maps for all the area's he hunts loaded and it has a silent gps positioning feature, which is shown on the topo, that is great for hunting with a partner . 8)

tuchodi
12-29-2006, 08:22 PM
Rob: You by the Topo Canada maps on a CD and you can download from your computor any maps you want. You can also save all your trips back on your computer for future use. check out www.gpscentral.ca (http://www.gpscentral.ca)

RobP
12-30-2006, 03:07 PM
Rob: You by the Topo Canada maps on a CD and you can download from your computor any maps you want. You can also save all your trips back on your computer for future use. check out www.gpscentral.ca (http://www.gpscentral.ca)
Have you found the maps to be accurate?

Rob

tuchodi
12-30-2006, 08:58 PM
Hi Rob. Yes the topo maps are the same as you would buy from any map store. I have found them to be very acurate. They do not show roads etc just topo elevations but alos show lakes streams and rivers.

johnes50
12-30-2006, 09:14 PM
Radioworld in Toronto has a Boxing week sale on. You might want to take a look. I bought a GPSV from them and shipping was prompt and cheap. John

Any handheld Garmin GPS that has a colour screen will have WAAS, mapping capabilities, and autoroutung.

http://radioworld.ca/index.php?cPath=4_94&filter_id=46

YukonJack
01-07-2007, 09:03 AM
Don't forget, the SX models of Garmin's..(newer ones) will accept the "micro-sd" card...which is purchased for less than the whole topo program and contains the certain areas you need and want only. Kinda' neat.

The 'Hummer'
01-07-2007, 10:02 AM
A little further along in this forum is another thread 'Which GPS' that has some info that may be of help.

Mauser98
01-07-2007, 05:07 PM
I got a Garmin Legend for Christmas. This is about as basic as you can go and still have a mapping unit. In order to upload maps to the Legend you need to buy(or otherwise acquire) Garmin's Mapsource Topo Canada. This package includes Mapsource and all the National Topograohic Maps in Canada.

With Mapsource you can upload topo maps, but you can also upload/download waypoints, tracks and routes.

Just for the heck of it, this morning I uploaded the topog map for this area and went for a drive with the tracking turned on in the gps. The track followed the gps map extremely well.

When I got home I downloaded the track to Mapsource no sweat. I then hit 'View In Google Earth' and there was my track on Google Earth!! Sweet.

Also, there is a program called Oziexplorer. With it, you can scan a map and save it as a jpeg file. Then open the file in Oziexplorer and go through a calibration process so that the lats/longs are accurate on the map. You can then place waypoints etc on the map and upload them to the Legend. You can't upload the map though, you can only do that with Mapsource.

This is all new stuff to me and I'm having a lot of fun.

Ilikebigbucks&Icannotlie
01-07-2007, 06:44 PM
I have the Garmin Etrex Legend C. I was using it in Vancouver with the Canada Topo maps on it. I couldn't believe the accuracy. It placed me right on every street that I drove down, and the intersections were spot on. All the streets were named. I was really surprised. The topo maps can be bought from Garmin for about $100.00. and are easy to download onto the unit.

tufferthandug
01-08-2007, 07:17 PM
Sometimes you can download the maps off of file-sharing sites like "LimeWire".

If you're timing is good you can pick up the TOPO. Yet most of the time you can download Canada Metroguide which shows a quite a few backroads.

SAVAGE300
01-08-2007, 07:41 PM
I bought a new magellan sport trak map and a used destinations canada cd for under a hundred bucks off ebay and they work just great for me

Hidehanger
01-08-2007, 09:48 PM
I bought a 60CSx this past summer with the Topo Canada CD from Prairie Geomatics in Manitoba. They were by far the best price for the package and you can google them and look for yourself. I have found it to be extremely accurate with the topos and the unit also comes with software for your computer so you can create your own waypoint and route maps. Its excellent.

RobP
01-10-2007, 07:36 PM
Thanks guys.

RobP
01-24-2007, 06:58 PM
Mauser ~ which Legend model? If the standard legend (with 8mb of memory), do you find that enough memory when loading the topo map on it?

Mauser98
01-26-2007, 04:02 PM
Mauser ~ which Legend model? If the standard legend (with 8mb of memory), do you find that enough memory when loading the topo map on it?

I've just got the basic Legend with the 8mb of memory. I've uploaded 5 mapsheets and it shows that I've used 3% of memory. It took 45 mins to do the upload.

have boots will travel
02-04-2007, 12:18 PM
I bought a Garmin 76Cx last year and it is great compared to the magellans I have had. Garmin maps are much better than the competition and this unit is more user friendly. Batteries last 2x longer too, and Garmin has over 70% of the market.

Whatever you get, make sure you get one with a USB connector and lots of memory (using a photo card) as the old serial units upload S-L-O-W.

I have all the BC topo maps in mine now. My magellan was limited to 22mb and needed to upload too often for my liking.

Like most things, practice iand using it gets simpler.

Clint_S
07-24-2007, 08:28 PM
Wally World has the Etrex Legend bundled with the Mapsource Canada CDs right now for $200.
Just picked one up and the maps are plenty detailed enough.