GPS/MAPPING UNITS

rvdawg · 03-15-2007, 03:22 PM

Hello All,
Back with another question, thinking of getting a GPS Mapping unit, been looking at the Garmin GPSMAP60. Does anyone have any experience with this..We want something to lead us down the road, as well as to use on the atv trails and in the woods.
Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

rvdawg · 03-15-2007, 03:22 PM

Hello All,
Back with another question, thinking of getting a GPS Mapping unit, been looking at the Garmin GPSMAP60. Does anyone have any experience with this..We want something to lead us down the road, as well as to use on the atv trails and in the woods.
Thanks for any feedback you can provide.

RonTon · 03-15-2007, 04:01 PM

I have the GPSMAP 60CSx. Works great. The only problem with using it going down the road is that the display is rather small for my old eyes. I also use it on the bicycle and geocaching and it works great for both.

JD Allen · 03-15-2007, 04:38 PM

I have two Garmins. One is a GPSMAP 60CSx and I use it for trails and in my boat. The other is the Garmin StreetPilot 2720 for car, and motor home navigation.

I might be wrong but I don't think the 60CSx gives verbal directions telling you to turn right here or turn left there. That is the powerful thing about the road navigation units. They tell you when, and where to turn guiding you to your destination.

Rick Buddrus · 03-15-2007, 05:46 PM

Brian and Gayle,

I have aseveral GPS devices including a Garmin GPS60CS, a pioneer dash unit (DVD Driven)and the new Microsoft Streets and Trips with GPS.

IMHO, the Garmin 60CS is excellent for off road use on a Dirt Bike, Hiking, Quad or just back roading in the Toad. However, I do not recommend it for day to day navigation in the motorhome. The Pioneer unit we have is an excellent system but at $1900 I do consider it a bit pricey for what it does. The Microsoft Streets and Trips is an excellent product and with the newer GPS USB unit it actually is more sensative than my 60CS or the pioneer system. I believe it retails for $129 but it can be had at COSTCO for $99. Of course, this requires the use of a laptop to connect to which I am assuming that you have. I guess my bottom line would be the Garmin unit (might I suggest the CS model which is a color unit) and the Streets and Trips with GPS (New Version). This combination will meet all your needs for some time. I have also used all the De Lorme products and find them to be less user friendly and frankly more cumbersome than the S&T package. Remember, let your fingers do the shopping on the internet for your GPS unit. The pricing is much better than any retail outlet. You should be able to get a 60CS for $500.

One other suggestion, check out www.geocaching.com for an introduction to an exciting and fun treasure hunt for the entire family. A great way tom really learn how to use a GPS unit and get some exercise at the same time.

Hope this helped and I apologise for running on.

Harry B · 03-15-2007, 05:57 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Back with another question, thinking of getting a GPS Mapping unit, been looking at the Garmin GPSMAP60. Does anyone have any experience with this..We want something to lead us down the road, as well as to use on the atv trails and in the woods.
Thanks for any feedback you can provide. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You might want to take a look at the Lowrance Iway 600. I ave the Iway 500C, which is the model replaced by the Iway 600 and has an even better screen and a couple of other additions. It has a nice HD 5 inch screen, has a waterproof housing and has a lot of specific options for RV people. It has options such as showing the nearest Pilot, Flying J, LOves, etc. campings, Rest Stops, Walmart, Cracker Barrel, etc. all under touch screen options without having to do any typing.

We have just driven cross country and back with it and it functioned just great

John_Canfield · 03-16-2007, 04:47 AM

We also have the Garmin 60Cs and it works really well for Geocaching, biking and hiking. In thick tree cover I use an external antenna (I put the antenna under my ball cap.)

We have used the little Garmin in a car several times - it will work for street navigation but it is certainly not the best choice. The screen is too small and the only audible sounds you get is a beep indicating an upcoming turn.

In the coach we use CoPilot Live on a laptop - with a software-based navigation system the product is improved every year with new functionality and POI improvements. With a hardware based solution, you still need to update the mapping database every year to stay current but you are locked into the hardware as you bought it.

CoPilot also has some large vehicle features - it will route you based on height restrictions and avoid propane restricted tunnels. We are happy 20,000 mile users of CoPilot. It isn't perfect though - we always review every route it calculates. Sometimes the POI database will be off by 1/2 mile or more or even get the side of the road wrong.

AdrianLee · 03-16-2007, 04:53 AM

Brian,

I don't know about you but Ron hit the nail on the head. Screen size.

I work part time for West Marine so I have several GPS units, including the 60CSx.

When driving my moho, I have the computer running on an inverter. I run DeLorme or the Microsoft program with a small GPS receiver on the dashboard next to the windshield. Then I put my 17" flat screen monitor on the floor between my seat and the passenger seat. It works great. The screen is large enough for me to easily see what I need to see at a glance. I do not have to concentrate on what I am looking at the way I would have to on the small screen.

Unfortunately, the older we get, the harder it is to make sense of what we see on those small screens.

garybtt · 03-16-2007, 03:29 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Lowrance Iway </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
We have a Lowrance Iway 500 and love it, this is our back up unit that we use in our cars and our toad.

FrontRangeRVer · 03-16-2007, 03:41 PM

We have a Garmin 60CS for the hiking and ATVing....but for traveling in the motorhome or cars, it flat SUCKS. Who has time or the eyes to page through all the nonsense when driving in a car.....good for hiking or off road ONLY.

Bought a Garmin C330 last week for $300 for the motorhome and car, and that is the best $300 we ever spent....comes preloaded with full maps and 5,000,000 points of interest...touch screen....best reviews on the net....EXCELLENT!!

rvdawg · 03-16-2007, 04:24 PM

Thanks for the feed back, looks like maybe I need two units, one for moho and another for the trail, or would the small screen be ok for DW in the passenger seat. I'm going shopping tomorrow or should I say I'm going to get more of a education tomorrow.

thanks again

David K · 03-16-2007, 04:34 PM

I am using the Magellan Street Pilot 700. I have just recently bought the upgrade to software version 5 which has greatly improved it. It now tells you (verbal voice) at 2 miles to a turn, at 1 mile and at about 1/2 mile with a audible tone at the turn. Each time it also tells you the street name that you will be turning on. I know that the screen is the 3.5" size which is small for seeing but, the upgrade on the audible side is great. Especially with the street name now said. Just another brand for you to look at. It also has all of the points of interest, etc as on some of the others.

Avatab · 03-19-2007, 06:24 AM

We have used the Garmin 2610 for a couple of years now. Its reliable, easy to change between vehicles, has a remote control and a touch screen. You can get all Garmin products including remanufactured ones at TVNAV.com where we have bought from before.

I an saving my pennies for a Garmin 7200 which has a larger screen, although the 2610 has been fine for us so far. We use the remote powered antenna stuck to the windshield so we can put the GPS itself anywhere along the dashboard on its bean bag base.

JD Allen · 03-19-2007, 06:34 AM

Here is a good place to find information about GPS units.

And here is a link to "SCREEN Readability Comparisons for some Popular GPS Car Navigators".

Have fun and good luck.

bobpie · 03-20-2007, 04:12 AM

We use the Cobra Navone. It has a 5" screen and is very clear. I can make it out as it sits on the other side of the dash board. Easyer for the wife to control the programing that way. It has the voice directions and POI already programed in it. It's very accurate also. QVC special. Great price! Great product. It doesn't tell you height restictions though. Use your own discression on this. Transmitting from North Beach camp ground RV park St Augustine FL. Have a great day!

Gary CA · 03-20-2007, 06:29 PM

I'm still trying to picture Mr. John Canfield, our technical guru, positioning his GPS external antenna under his ball cap before going out for a hike.

I have used John's advice on many projects, I have read Jane's journal and followed their trip to Alaska. I've got to meet this guy someday!

SargeW · 03-22-2007, 04:55 AM

Brian,

Magellan just came out with a new one named "Crossover". It is designed to work in the vehicle, and easily transition to the hiking trail. The screen is a large 5" color screen, and has audible prompts. The big benifit the wife liked about this one is that it has the whole map of the US loaded in it. Many of the smaller units only load half of the US at a time. If you want the other half the first half gets over written.

We still use the computer and Microsoft Streets and Trips in the MH though. The screen size and functions are great. We mounted it on a Jotto Desk (as seen on John Canfields web site). The wife loves it for navagating the routes as we go.

Hey John, did you ever mount that extra large computer monitor for your second video screen in the MH??

LK23 · 03-22-2007, 05:20 AM

I recently bought the Garmin Nuvi 660 and it works great in our motorhome. Here are its advantages:
- Large, very bright screen
- Voice prompts that tell you the street name to turn on
- Bluetooth connection to your cell phone
- Plays music and cell phone thru your FM radio
- Easily moved from RV to car
- Advanced antennae for quick satellite detection
- Traffic advisory warnings
- Includes map of entire US

John_Canfield · 03-22-2007, 08:49 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SargeW:
--snip--
Hey John, did you ever mount that extra large computer monitor for your second video screen in the MH?? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Sarge - I have tested my laptop with the 14" monitor and joy-joy the extended desktop will work

. My first choice for mounting it will be upside down hanging down from the overhead cabinets. I'll have to see how the wiring works out - I might need to mount it on the dash somewhere. I'll be getting busy with that project next month and will document it as usual.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Gary CA:
I'm still trying to picture Mr. John Canfield, our technical guru, positioning his GPS external antenna under his ball cap before going out for a hike.

I have used John's advice on many projects, I have read Jane's journal and followed their trip to Alaska. I've got to meet this guy someday! </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Gary - it does look a little wonky but us geeks aren't into style

We are planning on many travel adventures this summer/fall from one end of the country to the other (Vermont to SoCal and many points in between) so the blog and gallery will be pretty busy.

We are tentatively planning on attending the iRV2 rally in Branson this summer so hopefully we will get a chance to meet all of our forum friends. (Not to mention that Bob Gregory owes us dinner!)

Sorry about hijacking the thread

renco · 03-23-2007, 07:05 AM

I use a laptop computer running both microsoft streets and trip which came with the gps unit & good sam's trailer life software. The ADVANTAGE over garmin and others is i have a 17" screen to look at. Check out a used computer store my labtop only cost me $250.00 and was 1 year old