Garmin GPSMap 60 CSx

[Team Hemisphere Dancer]

Does anyone use this GPS? Would you like to give me your opinion on this one? I am looking at it for hiking, Navigating, all my other outdoor stuff, and of course geocaching. The reviews that I have read are pretty positive except the base maps. but what are your opinions on this one?

[Vegas Gamblers]

Well I just upgraded from a Legend C to the 60CX. I have to agree with the base map issues. I have City Navigator V8 and was able to load the whole state of Wisconsin onto the SD card. I think the cards are the best and you can upgrade to bigger memory cards. Now regarding the 60CSX, the only difference in the two are that the CSX has a barometer and altimeter. If you need that the I would highly recommend the CSX. However, for about 40 bucks cheaper you can get the CX with all the same features minus the alt and barometer. I ordered mine at buy.com and was able to get it for $287 shipped. That’s with a $15 first time purchase coupon from the site and the $50 rebate from Garmin (after purchase mail in rebate).

[hogrod]

I own the 60cx, with is the exact same thing as the 60csx except for no electronic compass or barometric altimeter. I don’t mind the 60cx needs to be moving fo the compass to work(I also carry a real one), or that my altimeter isn’t exact(it’s usually within 50ft or better of actual elevation).

The reason I didn’t get the 60csx besides saving me $50 was I used the 60csx and wasn’t impressed with the electronic compass. the unit has to be held VERY level for the compass to work and all, and requires recalibration quite often.
I really like having the microSD/transflash card for maps, and if you use garmins free POI loader software you can store unlimited waypoints on the card separated by category’s if you do it right. waypoints loaded with the POI software are listed under custom points of interest, so you will still have 1000 regular waypoints to use.

[Team Hemisphere Dancer]

Thanks for the points on the 60csx. Being a gadjet kind of guy I won’t mind the compass and altimmeter. Might give me something else to do with it. How is the navigation features on it?

[abcdmCachers]

@hogrod wrote:

I really like having the microSD/transflash card for maps, and if you use garmins free POI loader software you can store unlimited waypoints on the card separated by category’s if you do it right. waypoints loaded with the POI software are listed under custom points of interest, so you will still have 1000 regular waypoints to use.

I really miss unlimited waypoints since my CF GPS card went out on my PocketPC so I’ve contemplated upgrading to the x series. This solution sounds somewhat complicated – is this the only way? Would be nice if they could be treated as regular waypoints instead of POIs, e.g. load them using GSAK. Or is it not really that difficult? I talked with someone at the picnic who said that you could load waypoints on the microSD card, and then transfer them into main memory as needed. Again, doesn’t seem ideal. Anyone know how easy/difficult that is? Can you load waypoints onto the microSD card using GSAK?

I have a 60C now (not the x). Since there are only 1000 waypoints I always have to be mindful of how many waypoints are in use. Is there any way to tell how many waypoints are currently loaded in the 60CSx? (no way to do this with the 60C regular as far as I know). Also, would be nice to be able to delete subsets of waypoints. I know you can delete by icon type, but would be nice to be able to load waypoints for a weekend trip (using my normal icons), and then delete just those when I get back. Doable in either the 60 C or Cx?

[hogrod]

Getting waypoints onto the micro SD card isn’t all that bad. I have different databases setup in gsak for geocaches, benchmarks, waymarks, ect. All I do is export a gpx file for each group(also name the GPX to reflect each group) and put them in the garmin POI loader folder(the POI program creates this folder in my documents). Then just use the POI software to load them to the card.

There is the added advantage of being able to have longer waypoint names and more space for a note. You can download/create a gsak macro for your POI.gpx export, but I just use the standard export: File, export, GPX/LOC and modify it to my needs.

here’s a screen shot of my gpx export, this is the only complicated part of setting up your gpx export.(good thing you only need to set it up once)

I think I changed the name format to
%name-%code with 44characters, and the cache description format to %con1-%hint=86 (%Dif/%Ter). There is more info about these special tags under the help section of the GPX/LOC export.

Here’s an example of how a waypoint looks on the 60cx with these settings.

[hogrod]

I should also say there are many topics on the groundspeak forum about using the POI loader, Most are in the GPS Units and Software section.

[Team Deejay]

Hogrod, I only seem to be able to use 20 character waypoint names for Waypoints. Do POIs allow for longer names?

[hogrod]

@Team Deejay wrote:

Hogrod, I only seem to be able to use 20 character waypoint names for Waypoints. Do POIs allow for longer names?

http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=149214&hl=poi+loader

Taken from that thread(don’t know how accurate this info is).

Waypoints:
– Amount limited by firmware
– Sorted by icon only.
– 14 characters in name and 30 in comment field.
– Can be viewed at any zoom level
– Can be deleted and added from the unit.
– Can use the “Geoaching” feature.

Custom POIs:
– Amount limitted by card space only.
– Sorted by file name.
– 44 character in name and 88 in comment
– Can be viewed up to 200 meter (or is it 300 meter?) zoom level only (at the moment).
– Can not be deleted from the unit. Waypoints, however, can be individually created from a POI on the unit.
– Can have proximity alarms built into each POI from the computer files.

[hogrod]

It would be nice if garmin would update the unit firmware to mesh the POI ability with normal waypoint features. that way one could easily upload unlimited waypoints and have much more room for comments/name.

[Team Deejay]

Hmmm, I’m guessing that info is out of date, since I use 20 characters for my waypoint names (determined the limit by trial and error). I don’t have my GPS with me to count how many are in the comments, but I think its 40 (will post later).

Just how permanent are the POIs? Can you delete them with the POI loader or not at all? I suppose you could always reformat the chip, but thats a little drastic I think.

[hogrod]

after a day of caching I go into gsak and delete all my finds for the day. then I export a new GPX file and put it in the POI folder(in my documents). then I use the POI loader program to send the updated file to my gps.

so it’s pretty eassy, just three steps.

I also will export a new gpx file after my weekly pocket query, then drop it into the POI folder and use the POI software to send to my gps.

EDIT: you can also put the unit into usb mass storage mode and delete the POI file, and leave your map file the same.

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