GPS: 76 vs 60 series

howdy.



even looking at the Garmin site, i can’t see what the practical differences are between these models, other than the physical design. why is the 76 more of a “marine” model than the 60 and what are their major practical differences?



thanks.

GPS Information
Go to this site for more than enough information to answer your questions:

http://gpsinformation.net/

76 vs 60c
I just got a GPSmap 60C and really like it. one disadvantage is that the 60 has half the built in memory as the 76, but I like the small size of the 60 better, and the amount of memory it has works fine for me.



Not sure if this is true, but a salswoman at REI told me the 76 was more of a marine, becaus it will float, does that mean the 60 wil sink, not sure. the 60 still has the same waterproof standards as the 76.

Several Models
You need to insure that you are comparing like units. Both of these series have multiple versions which change the abilities of the units. I dont know all the models but there is a GPS60, a GPSMap60C, a GPSMap60CS, a GPS76, a GPSMap76, a GPSMap76C, and a GPSMap76CS.



The bottom units in each family are not mapping units, which in my mind is a biggie for kayaking. The C stands for color and S for sensor. The color display is much easier to read and costs more. You get some higher spec things with color like a faster processor and more memory, but you use more memory and need a faster processor to play with higher res color so I dont know if you get any practical improvements beyond the display. The sensors are a magnetic compass and altimeter.



I just bought a unit for myself and am currently learning how to use it. What a differance, I originally learned to navigate with a sexton and then migrated to Lorans, had some experience with the first GPS units to hit the market maybe ten years ago. All of the units I listed above are light years beyond anything I used prior to the unit I have now.



Happy Paddling,



Mark

garminmap60cs
wow, my wife just got me the 60mapcs for my bday.never had a gps before so she got the dvd with it,i watched it and looks like i have alot to learn. (and buy) any help with this unit would be great. bob

great site Hermiting.

60CS
Here are some basic comments on the 60CS:



0.)I have had problems with the altimeter and getting accurate readings. I use this kayaking and I calibrate it when I start the trip. Do not try and calibrate it at home and then travel to where you are going to paddle. I am still leary turning auto calibration on for the altimeter, but most GPS people say it helps. Remember barometric weather changes affect the altimeter. A lot of people have requested to Garmin to have a feature to just plot GPS altitude, but that has not happened.



1.) No way to delete tracks, waypoints, etc on the 60CS from Mapsource.

This is a real pain, as I accumulate a slew of waypoints and tracks over

time and I have to remove them using the 60CS keypad which is slow as heck. You could upload to your computer and then erase all on the 60CS and then download what you want, but still messy.



2.) I have the compass turned off till I need it. Just hold down the Page

button till it activates. Saves battery life.



3.) Always save a track after you complete a trip of any kind. Even with

tracking turned off you will lose the local track if the 60CS is left on, on

the way home or whatever.



4.) I like this site on making your own maps: http://rwsmaps.griffel.se/

Very technical but covers about everything.



5.) I use Garmin’s City Select V6 and Fishing Hot Spots East Coast. You can

have both downloaded on the 60CS, just remember to turn off the City Select

V6 when on a lake by pressing menu on the map screen and selecting map setup.



6.)Purchase the auto navigation kit for the 60CS, gives you City Select and

a nice mount for the car with power cord. I bought an external antenna but

have never used it.



7.) I have found many errors in the City Select maps. However, if you goto:

http://www.navteq.com/ and post the errors they do get fixed. I did a few

for V6 and V7 of City Select shows the changes. I know Garmin has to

protect the maps with a locking code, but it would be real nice if Mapsource

could make a road disappear. I am on various back roads around lakes and

some roads are submerged. So, when I ask to get me somewhere else on the

lake it will always make the mistake of taking me over the submerged road. I

want to delete that road from the route calculation.



8.)There is no voice on the 60CS for auto navigation. I thought there was

when I purchased the 60CS auto navigation kit on the power adapter.



9.)I have been very unlucky on using the search feature for addresses and

such. It is so picky on street names, capitalization, etc.



10.)When I ask for the closest McDonalds on a route that I am following it

usually takes me to the nearest one, which most of the time you have already

passed. Turning back is usually painful, so having some way to only show

what is on your route that you have not passed yet would be nice.



11.)I bought a screen

protector(http://www.boxwave.com/products/cleartouchcrystal/index.htm). The

60CS is really rugged, but the screen can take a beating they way I use it

in the boat. I have to tether it to the boat also as it does not float.

There is a nice clip point at the top of the unit.



12.)I bought a camera case to hold all the stuff and the GPS. I looked at

Garmin’s but it is very simple.



13) And finally do not expect Auto Navigation to be failsafe, as it usually

is not. You must get used to using it as a tool and not as the bible,

otherwise you will be taking some side trips that do not make sense. In

other words, you have to look at what it is telling you to do and make a

judgement is this reasonable.



Tom