GPS?

[FishaHallic]

Ok, thinking about buying a gps and did some reading on this site and just want to make sure that everyone agrees (most everyone) on the Magellan explorist XL .

[GrizzlyGuy]

I wouldn't even consider buying a Magellan GPSr, only Garmin. Magellan and Garmin units are largely equivalent in terms of price/features/reliability/performance. As far as that goes you could flip a coin.

But just during the last year or so, a few of us geeks have begun making ATV trail maps that can be loaded onto the GPS receiver, overlaying whatever topo maps you might have bought for the units. Having an actual ATV trail map sitting on your GPS as you ride *changes everything*, IMHO. You can go somewhere you've never ridden before and feel perfectly comfortable, always knowing where you are and what other trails are available. Although it is possible to make these maps for Magellans in addition to Garmins, I don't know of anyone making them for Magellans. No particular reason other than we already owned Garmins.

For example, you can get a map of all ATV trails in Utah. Or a map of the Paiute Trail System with the trails color-coded in terms of difficulty. Or my similar map of the Arapeen and Gooseberry systems. I'm working on one that includes all the good ATV trails in Tahoe and Plumas NFs, color-coded for difficulty, and it has worked like a champ so far.

As we suck more and more ATV-riding geeks into this project, I expect you will see more and more trail maps becoming available. Maybe even some for Magellans. But I doubt it since all the current work is being done for Garmins and that's where the expertise is.

So if I were you, I'd buy a Garmin 60CSx. Or convince some Magellan-owning geeks to do what we're doing for the Garmin units.

[DAVE]

http://www.mtgc.org/robertlipe/showdown/

comparison expolrist 600 and garmin 60csx

[GrizzlyGuy]

http://www.mtgc.org/robertlipe/showdown/
comparison expolrist 600 and garmin 60csx

Well I'll be darned, he gives the nod to the Garmin receiver so I guess it isn't just a coin flip as far as the electronics go: "The green line (the 60CSx) consistently held a fix on more satellites than the Magellan".

That's important for ATV use because we ride through forest and dense foliage where a weak receiver can lose lock due to signal attenuation. The newer "x" Garmin models all use the SiRFstar III receiver chipset which is a huge improvement over the non-x models that used to lose lock on me all the time. I thought the Magellans all used the SiRFstar III chipset as well, but according to this article only some do (and the Explorist isn't in the list):

http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_trac ... i_why.html

That chipset really is amazing. So far, the 60CSx has never lost lock on me up here, and the forests are pretty dense. I FINALLY got to see it lose lock while riding down this narrow canyon in Utah a few weeks back (rock walls like that would thwart any receiver):



No worries, I knew that I was 5 minutes farther down the canyon than before so we didn't get lost.

[Ken]

I'll move this to Gizmo's....


I use Magellan XL. I REFUSED to initially go to Garmin, because Garmin used Proprietary memory...Magellan has always used STANDARD SD memory. So that's where I started 4 years ago.

Other people's tracks...has never been important to me...I use GPS Babel to convert anything I need to Magellan. I use the Magellan Topo's.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Yeah, 4 years ago the Garmin stuff was absolute crap. Non-standard memory, non-standard power cords, buggy and the receiver would lose lock if a large bird flew overhead.

They must have heard all the complaining and moaning (or foot steps from competitors) because the x series models are a vast improvement. They use standard microSD cards, a standard mini USB connection, the receivers are primo, the 60CSx is waterproof so you can just rinse it off in the sink when you get home, etc.

Just don't buy a Garmin Rino. Somehow those missed the improvement train altogether. Garmin managed to combine a crappy GPS with an even crappier radio, all in one handy package. I've got two 530's in a box marked "drop from 10,000 feet" in case anyone wants to buy them cheap and as-is. Only used once. Dissatisfaction guaranteed.

[FishaHallic]

Will I need to buy extra software or maps for either one of these?

[oldtrucks]

Depends what they ship it with, but most of the standard base maps are really poor.

[Ken]

Yes. I'm sure Garmin has a base map...as does Magellan. But if you want any details....you need to buy map software.

If you decide on Magellan...I have the detail file for Western US that you can have....you'll only see the detail on the GPS screen though.

[GrizzlyGuy]

Depends what they ship it with, but most of the standard base maps are really poor.

Yup. But they make neat backgrounds for the ATV trail maps that you can load over the top of them (the trail maps are transparent except for the trails themselves). There is a screen shot of what one of these looks like here.

Now if we could just suck a few more geeks into helping us make these trail maps... Hey Ken, you've got some spare time don't you?

[Ken]

Hey Ken, you've got some spare time don't you?

LOL...riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

[trainman]

I am new here, but I took GGs advice and bought me a new Garmin 60-CSx. I already have loaded the Utah trail maps over my standard map. This unit is everything GG says about it. I have two other Garmin units, an etrex legend, and an IQM3. This new unit is better than both of them. I like the M3 because it is easier to see on my car's dash, but I haven't taken the 60CSx on any trips in the car yet. I will as soon as my windshield mount arrives. But it is really great.
No, I do not wear Eddie Bauer teal clothes? what is that all about?

[zkeys]

I am new here, but I took GGs advice and bought me a new Garmin 60-CSx. I already have loaded the Utah trail maps over my standard map. This unit is everything GG says about it. I have two other Garmin units, an etrex legend, and an IQM3. This new unit is better than both of them. I like the M3 because it is easier to see on my car's dash, but I haven't taken the 60CSx on any trips in the car yet. I will as soon as my windshield mount arrives. But it is really great.
No, I do not wear Eddie Bauer teal clothes? what is that all about?

I have a Garmin Vista Cx that I got last year. It worked very well last year out in Utah on the trail Some of the trails I never would have gotten through without the GPS.

The Eddie Bauer clothes thing is an inside joke with some of the forum members. If I remember correctly, one member wore an Elton John-ish teal jacket on a ride. To his credit, I dont think it was his, but that does not make it any less gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[trainman]

Ok on the Teal clothes. That seems to be an assignment to the new guy in town, and out of his control. I will have to recruit someone else to join up so I can get out of the teal clothes, and into my wrangler jeans.

[cajungal64]

.....and into my wrangler jeans.

Ooh... are you Brett Favre???? Delaware... you're a long way from us, but we are thrilled to have ya! WELCOME aboard... keep posting, you'll lose tghe teal in a hurry!