Comments on: Progress With Google Maps

By: jeff

jeff — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:52:12 +0000

I’ve got the original Vista and am seriously disappointed with the receiver sensitivity under any kind of canopy or below ledges/steep areas. Debating if/what to upgrade to. Are the newer vista H models really that much more sensitive? The frequency of lost signal/time to re-acquire is really my only gripe about my old vista.

By: Cameron Stewart

Cameron Stewart — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:25:40 +0000

Thanks Lou & Jonathan for the info! All good advice. I look forward to hearing more about Magellan 2000, once it has been testing in the snow.

By: Lou

Lou — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:15:13 +0000

Jonathan, interesting points, I stand corrected on the LCD/batteries issue. As for the compass, it just exists inside the unit, working in the background, unless you actually use it as a displayed compass for nav. Thus, it’s not redundant if you use another compass, it just helps the unit to orient quicker in various ways, depending on how it’s set up. That was emphatically explained to me by the Garmin guy at OR show, because I was complaining about some problems I was having following tracks and routes with my non-compass eTrex.

Back to the LCD, one wonders if CURRENT apples to apples comparo of state-of-art greyscale with state-of-art color LCDs would show the greyscale having worse or better battery life. BTW, there is a battery life comparo matrix in the current Garmin catalog, it shows battery lives all over the place, but the HCx eTrex models show a whooping 25 hours of battery life (non lithium), with the same pair of AAs as all others, that is impressive. And yes they are color…

By: Jonathan Shefftz

Jonathan Shefftz — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:46:53 +0000

“Of course, larger LCD burns through the batteries. Bummer is the stupid color LCDs, just a greyscale one is adequate and probably much easier on the batteries. Battery life is critical when you really use these things and don’t just play around with them.”
- Garmin color LCD models have significantly *longer* battery life than the equivalent greyscale models. (Strange, but true – the original generation though had shorter lives.)
- Even on my 60Cx, which has a relatively short battery life compared to the smaller eTrex models, I get an entire day out of fresh set of batteries, even in cold weather, with the track log on the entire time for future cartography purposes. Substitute in lithium batteries (about $2.40 for a pair at Costco) and battery life is extended significantly in cold temps.

“[...] but for my style the eTrex is not cutting it, mostly because of the lack of control lock, and lack of compass in the model I have.
- Every now and then a button is inadvertently pressed on my 60Cx while it’s in the little pouch on my pack, but I’ve never had an adverse implications from that.
- As for the compass criticism, personally, I like keeping it separate, but if not, then Garmin offers equivalent models throughout their entire line with electronic compasses.

By: Lou

Lou — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:05:09 +0000

The internal electronic compass really helps with following tracks and routes, just make sure whatever Garmin you get has that. The eTrex units are indeed smaller, and even smaller this year, which I like very much. Top of the line Magellan 2000 coming for testing shortly, it’s not small, but is super nice and has the features I need (I think). The larger LCD might be worth the larger form factor, since if you’re really using a map on a GPS, one of the biggest problems is the tiny area of the map it allows you to view at one time. Even a bit larger LCD is a large percentage difference in map viewing area, since most LCD’s are so danged small. Of course, larger LCD burns through the batteries. Bummer is the stupid color LCDs, just a greyscale one is adequate and probably much easier on the batteries. Battery life is critical when you really use these things and don’t just play around with them.

Jonathan, I respect your opinion about electronics, but for my style the eTrex is not cutting it, mostly because of the lack of control lock, and lack of compass in the model I have. We’ll see how it goes. I’m using the things quite a bit, purposed in various ways…

One other thought: Many of the current units are going to touch screens. If they don’t have a way of disabling that it’ll be tricky for real world use, as every time you brush against the thing it’s going to jump the display around to who knows what. So we shall see.