Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator

Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator
by Garmin

Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator
List Price: $535.99
Category: CE
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Digital Photo Product Details

Manufacturer: Garmin
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD
Model: 010-00422-00
Product features:
  • High-sensitivity GPS receiver
  • Bright, sunlight-readable color TFT display
  • Color-handheld mapping ideal for both marine and outdoor use
  • 64 MB microSD card for storage of optional map detail; NOTE: microSD card is located in the device, not as a separate, additional item
  • Fast USB connectivity makes loading charts and maps quick and easy
Accessories:

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator

Customer Review: What a Huge Disappointment.
Summary: 1 Stars

All alpinists understand how crucial it is to always know what their elevation is. Unfortunately, keeping an accurate account of elevation is impossible with this GPS due to its altimeter, which cannot be deactivated, according to Garmin Tech Support.

You can't just use satellite data to determine elevation like with other GPS units. Instead, the unit takes some sort of average of what the satellites determine and over-mixes it with the altimeter data. This is giving me wildly changing and inaccurate elevation readings, even when my elevation is static. This is of course due to ever changing atmospheric pressure. This means that you must recalibrate the altimeter constantly. In order to recalibrate you must know the elevation you are at. (I reject the notion of using atmospheric pressure in such circumstances to recalibrate the altimeter. It works for pilots but is highly hazardous to an alpinist.)

But if you are able to continually recalibrate the altimeter because you always know your altitude, either based on fixed points or careful reading of decent topo maps, what is the point of the altimeter? The bottom line is that this unit is practically worthless for determining altitude for anything but very short periods of time unless weather conditions remain fairly static.

I climb almost exclusively in South America where accurate topo maps and fixed points are scarce to non-existent. The inability to use this unit to determine elevation makes it useless to me. I cannot stress enough that an alpinist should never buy a GPS unit, which uses the altimeter to determine elevation, unless the altimeter can be deactivated!

Of all of the corresponding instruction manuals for electronic devices that I have owned in my life, the 60CSx instruction manual is by far the worse. This GPS has a steep learning curve which is made infinitely worse by having an instruction manual that barely scratches the surface.

One example should suffice. The electronic compass interferes with the laying of tracks. You need to hold the unit level and point the antenna in front of you to make a highly reliable track. This is due to the fact that the factory has preset the unit to show compass direction, as opposed to direction determined solely by the satellite data, if you are going less than 10 miles an hour. Of course this can be set to as little as 1 km per hour so that as long as you are moving, even a little bit, the unit will make a very accurate and reliable track. However, nowhere in the instruction manual (including page 50), is any of this discussed. You simply have to figure it out on your own through trial and error.

Also, the chipset the unit shipped with is not the most recent and the unit will not update to the latest version. No one in Garmin Tech Support can explain this.

All in all, this is the most disappointing electronic purchase I have ever made and am stuck with it as I am now in South America and can't exchange it for a replacement due to customs laws down here. For now, I will simply continue to use my trusty and reliable Magellan SporTrak Pro.

I love Amazon.com and have spent a sizable fortune here over the years. For the sake of fairness to Amazon.com, I admit that this is the first horrible product that I have ever purchased from them. And, I blame Garmin, not Amazon.com.

I wrote this review because I feel a particular responsibility to my fellow alpinists to give them fair warning about this product. Don't trust your life with it.

Caveat Emptor

Description of Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator

Amazon.com Product Description The venerable Garmin 60CS just got a whole lot better. The 7.5-ounce GPSMap 60CSx now features an insanely accurate, high-sensitivity GPS receiver by SiRF that tracks your position even in tree cover and canyons. Plus, you get a bright, sunlight-readable color TFT display and an included a 64 MB microSD card for storage of optional map detail. Add all that to the 60CSx's integrated barometric altimeter and electronic compass, and you've got a unit that is ready to take you anywhere on land or sea.



The 60CSx is a refreshing upgrade of the 60CS, and features a removable microSD card for detailed mapping memory. View larger.


The device features the powerful SiRF GPS navigation chip for supreme accuracy in all conditions. You also get an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter.


You also get a large color TFT display and turn-by-turn routing capability.
You can use the 60CSx's memory card slot with preprogrammed microSD cards from Garmin (sold separately) that provide topographic maps, city streets, and nautical charts. In fact, the unit is compatible with most Garmin MapSource products including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. Topo 24K, and U.S. Topo and Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots. The unit comes preloaded with an Americas autoroute basemap that provides automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits, and tide data. There's also a preloaded marine point database. You can even get turn-by-turn directions when you're driving, and an integrated trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more.

The 60CSx's 2.6-inch, 256-color TFT color display is designed to present mapping and trip information clearly and accurately in any lighting conditions. Plus, the case is lightweight, rugged, and water resistant to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (can be submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes). When using two AA alkaline batteries, you'll get up to 20 hours of battery life from the unit. The unit's barometric altimeter system features automatic pressure trend recording while providing current elevation, ascent/descent rate, minimum/maximum elevation, total ascent and descent, and average and maximum ascent and descent rate. Meanwhile, the electronic compass allows you to get accurate headings while standing still.

Another key feature of the 60CSx is the 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks (500 points each) let you retrace your path in both directions. There's also a large-numbers option for easy viewing, as well as a dual-position display mode.

The 60CSx's trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more. Meanwhile, a fast processor allows the 60CSx to provide quick auto-routing, turn-by-turn directions, and audio alerts when you use the optional MapSource software, which can be stored on the unit's included 64 MB microSD card. Downloading information is quick with the USB or serial port interfaces. Using the dedicated serial port, the 60Cx can share navigation instructions with repeaters, plotters, and autopilots. The four-position rocker pad and dedicated high-use buttons make navigating through the unit's features easy, even when your fingers are cold or wet.

Finally, the GPSMap 60CSx is packed with some extra fun features. An integrated outdoor calendar provides ideal hunting and fishing times, plus moon rise/set/location information. There is a dedicated geocaching mode for those of you into the hot GPS community treasure hunt game. Finally, there are indoor/outdoor GPS games to help you and your friends enjoy the outdoors.

If you like the features of the 60CSx, but don't need an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter, check out the Garmin 60Cx.


What's in the Box
60CSx unit, 64 MB microSD card, belt clip, USB interface cable, MapSource Trip and Waypoint Manager CD, lanyard, owners manual, and quick-start guide.

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