GPS Questions

[blackford]

So i have narrowed it down. I am going to pick up the Garmin 60CSX from costco but have a few questions.

Would anyone know if the handheld gps's are preloaded with any maps? Will it have streets and stuff on it and would i have to purchase the backroad maps on its own?

I am so confused and while its a great deal at costco the customer service isnt the best because they dont know anything about the item.

Any help would be appreciated.

here is the link http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10342867&lang=en-CA


by saying

Includes a built-in Americas autoroute basemap with automatic routing capabilities, including highways, exits and tide data (U.S. only)
Internal memory is preloaded with a marine point database

does this mean i will get a city map and need to purchase a back road map?


also where do you guys buy your backroad maps from and how much?


Thanks guys

[Ambush]

I bought the same one at Bass Pro last year. The pre loaded map was about three red lines covering all of NA. Non-existant!!

I bought Garmins "Topo West" on line for $80 and it has topo and city maps for western Canada. I realy like the unit. Fast acquisition and works very well in thick canopies and mountainous terrain.
$200 is a great price and since they are discontinued, they won't be available for long.

[blackford]

Do use anything for the backroads? I guess my question is do I have to buy one for the city and then another for the bush?

[David Heitsman]

Blackford, Not sure where you live but, there is a GPS store in Winfield right on 97. I picked up a truck GPS from them and she was pretty helpful getting me going on it. I found them pretty knowledgeable about all their products. There was quite a few handhelds as well.

[Ambush]

Do use anything for the backroads? I guess my question is do I have to buy one for the city and then another for the bush?

The Topo West has city, topo and it shows back roads as well. I can't compare it to the BC Backroads SD, because I've never used it.

[muledeercrazy]

the backroads maps are great, and i dont think you will find alot of difference in price. check out wholesale sports maybe? Anyways, i would highly recommend the backroads maps for your new unit. i borrowed one last fall and loved it, it did show city roads and streets

[blackford]

I live in Vancouver

[Jagermeister]

If you buy Topo Canada, ver.4, the dvd set, you will be able to load any 2GB card with the maps on it that you want and have plenty of room for the outings that you will save to it. And since it will be on your computer, you will be able to down load your trip, waypoints and routes. Topo Canada ver2 will work also, but if you're buying new, go with the new version.

[whitetail2009]

Grouse river in Kelowna are advertising bc backroads sd for 119$ on sale now . heard it on the radio.regular 149.00$

[blaine]

i have the same gps as the one you want to purchase.What it has is the north america road map. to get the bc backroads i got the micro sd card and it has all of bc on it. the card is $150

[blaine]

sorry forgot to mention i got my bc backcountry at stillwater in ladner but try gps.ca for the maps

[muledeercrazy]

http://www.backroadmapbooks.com/shop/gps-maps-1723/british-columbia-1724/

its on sale right now.

[XPEIer]

I have used that Garmin for the last 5 years at work and at play, it is by far the best unit I have used. I recently added the Backroads Map chip to it and it works great, BUT, if Point of Interest is important to you then the 60csx will not do it. With the POI and the mapbook you can pick a campsite and it will tell you what facilities are there etc. Not that important to me, but some people want it.
The other thing I have done is taken the chip, put it in my vehicle gps and downloaded all the Rec Site Locations, so I have it in my vehicle one as well. Not the entire map, but the points.

My advice, get and use it consistantly to get used to it, then download Google Earth 5.2 (or most recent), go out collect some track logs and you can download them directly into google earth. Works fantastic for hunting, you can hunt all day, keep a track, download it and figure out how far you were from some prime area.

xpeier

[sarg]

there pretty good to deal , i order my backroads map back in mid april and they sending me a refound for $30 because it when on sale a few weeks later, u have to like that.

http://www.backroadmapbooks.com/shop/gps-maps-1723/british-columbia-1724/

its on sale right now.

[Gun Dog]

If you buy Topo Canada, ver.4, the dvd set, you will be able to load any 2GB card with the maps on it that you want and have plenty of room for the outings that you will save to it. And since it will be on your computer, you will be able to down load your trip, waypoints and routes. Topo Canada ver2 will work also, but if you're buying new, go with the new version.I have v2 and Garmin is completely vague about the differences. Is v4 better (as in more up to date)? Going online it still shows the old Hwy 24 route West of Little Fort.

[Rodd]

Real good unit 60cxs... I work in the mapping industry and have been making custom maps for my field crews for a few years now... Really handy! They are accurate and work great under canopy, as they have the sensitive reciever in them. The backroads maps are great! I use mine for linking up game trails on parallel roads, tag each trail that crosses the road put them into Google earth and the picture starts to become clear as far as travel patterns etc... Many Many uses. Good choice for the Dollars!

[Rock Doctor]

I also really like mine.
Something to think about (and I personally have not switched over yet), is this website:
http://www.ibycus.com/ibycustopo/

I have not looked into it yet, was just introduced to it yesterday. Some friends have gone to this site and downloaded the maps they want (free). These are topo maps, but they don't show all Creek Names, Camp sites, ect. BUT they show old trails/roads and cutlines. I'm thinking that it might be very handy to have these maps in the GPS while out in the bush. If you know where you want to get to, these maps should show how to get there via cutlines, instead of bushwacking it.

Like I said, I didn't look into it too much yet, but it sounds promising.

RD

[rhinogeek]

Just going to confirm that the built-in maps on the 60CSX are absolute rubbish - you'll definitely need something else. Topo V4 seems to be the map of choice.

The unit itself is fantastic, I picked one up from Costco online a couple weeks ago for $199 - awesome deal.

[Jagermeister]

I have v2 and Garmin is completely vague about the differences. Is v4 better (as in more up to date)? Going online it still shows the old Hwy 24 route West of Little Fort.I don't have v4, still running on v2, so I am not aware of the old highway 24 route. I have travelled that route many times with the gps on and do not recall any discrepency.
I too have the 60csx, but I have been using a Garmin GPS76C for a long time with v2.
I keep Topo Canada up to date by checking for and downloading software updates, which is located under the Help heading on the top bar.
If you have v2 and you keep it up to date, do not down load the drivers that come on the disk with your new GPS. Doing so will have the base map in the GPS overwrite Topo Canada. I had to have a tech from Garmin do a remote hands on to fix my problem. He had to add parts of version 4 to my v2 as I would have detailed maps surrounding a map that was as detailed as the base map in the 60csx. It was not an easy fix. I was on the phone with him for about 1½ hours before it was all corrected.

[blackford]

Is all this software / gps compatible with macs?

[Jagermeister]

Is all this software / gps compatible with macs?The techie told me something about macs, but not having one, I just dismissed what he had to say. I do believe it was compatability though.. Check Garmins site, they may have something on there.

As a side note, it was a Magellan that got the Chretians from Penticton into trouble, but I have had a similar experience where had I followed the GPS60csx, I would have gone in the wrong direction. IMO, you have to use some logic and u-turn before you get into trouble. What happened to the Chretiens also happened to another couple in Oregon several years ago and I don't think it matters much which map software you use. There will be fallacies in all.

How you set your preferences has a large bearing. The "shortest route" is not the practical answer because the shortest route usually uses obscure roads that may be passable during the summer, but impassable in the fall, winter and spring.

Given that the video shows them in Baker City at 2pm, doing the backroads 5 hours later in unfamiliar country and with the onset of night darkness is not a good choice.

Notice that the searchers are using the same GPS and software to back track Mr. Chretien to see if he was side tracked.

Thankfully, by the grace of God and shed hunters, Mrs. Chretien survived. Hopefully, the searchers will find Mr. Chretien so the family will get closure.

[Mauser98]

Is all this software / gps compatible with macs?

The CD-ROM that comes with the 60CSX is called 'Trip and Waypoint Manager' and contains Garmins Mapsource program. If maps are bought on DVD and installed on a PC they are viewed through Mapsource. Mapsource is also used to transfer map sections to the gps.

It states on the CD-ROM envelope that 'Trip and Waypoint Manager is NOT compatible with Macs.

[Buck]

The CD-ROM that comes with the 60CSX is called 'Trip and Waypoint Manager' and contains Garmins Mapsource program. If maps are bought on DVD and installed on a PC they are viewed through Mapsource. Mapsource is also used to transfer map sections to the gps.

It states on the CD-ROM envelope that 'Trip and Waypoint Manager is NOT compatible with Macs.

I believe all the apps are available for mac they are named differantly.You can use Basecamp and several other apps that are built for Macs.Go to the Garmin site its all there.

[300H&H]

Grouse river in Kelowna are advertising bc backroads sd for 119$ on sale now . heard it on the radio.regular 149.00$

Thanks...Im going to get one.

[blackford]

Is there a way to copy one sd to another..... Like having a back up?;)

[Jagermeister]

The CD-ROM that comes with the 60CSX is called 'Trip and Waypoint Manager' and contains Garmins Mapsource program. If maps are bought on DVD and installed on a PC they are viewed through Mapsource. Mapsource is also used to transfer map sections to the gps.

It states on the CD-ROM envelope that 'Trip and Waypoint Manager is NOT compatible with Macs.If you have Trip and Waypoint manager already installed on you Windows PC, do not use the new version that comes with the 60CSX. It will over-write Topo Canada and may over-write other mapping programs too! Thats how I came to chat with the techie, Doug, at Garmin for 1½ hours.