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| Don't worry, it's all positive so far.
Map compatibility: I've recently upgraded both my in-car system (from
StreetPilot 2610 to 2720) and hand-held (from Vista C to 60CSx) and
what no one could tell me (Garmin Europe weren't answering the phone
that day, and it's not in the manual I downloaded) was whether the
60CSx was compatible with the new compression technique in City
Navigator V8 NT which came with the 2720. By inference from the NT
suffix of the listed compatible memory cards, I guessed it was - and I
was right. So no need to pay for upgrading my current V7 - the V8 NT
was quite happy to have the 60CSx as its second unit.
Routing: So I asked it to navigate me somewhere today, and it did with
complete success - using the routing capabilities of TOPO Great Britain
- it contains all the NAVTEQ road information (same as CN 8 NT as far
as I can tell) as well as OS topographical detail, and usefully the
latter does not show while routing is in progress.
Sensitivity: I have a metal-coated windscreen in my Citroen, which
means the 2720 needs an external aerial peeking through the little
aperture left in the windscreen coating by Citroen precisely for that
purpose; without it they can see nothing. The 60CSx, by contrast, saw
plenty of satellites through the coating and behaved as though there
was no interference with the signals. It's weird, too, the way it locks
on even in my study (on the ground floor of a two-storey house with
attic) although it struggles a bit and the accuracy is a bit degraded.
No need to resort to Use With GPS Off when programming! No need for the
re-radiating antenna that's on its way either...
Mounting: you can't tell from the pictures, but once you have the
plastic cradle that the 60CSx snaps in to, its attachment to the
mounting system is identical to the eTrex. I got the handlebar mount,
because that's what I need immediately, and was going to wait to get
the dash mount and the suction mount: but with the cradle, I can use
the dash and suction mounts that I had for the eTrex (and the dash
mount fits the beanbag that comes with the StreetPilot). Stands to
reason, really, that Garmin wouldn't have a lot of incompatible mounts,
but it's another thing they don't tell you.
All I have to do now is prise my second unit unlock codes for the
French Topo maps from GPSTopo (requires a letter to France by snail
mail AND a subsequent phone call) and I'm all set. Those maps are
assigned to the Vista C at the moment but for a very reasonable 15 euro
they will - in a rather convoluted manner - provide codes for a second
unit. This is a great step forward from their previous One Unit Only
policy which obtained when I bought the maps in November.
One issue with the 60CSx so far - the first time I turned it on fresh
out of the package, it failed to find any satellites under a clear sky
for nearly an hour. The new units always think they're still in Taiwan,
of course, but I changed that to my current location on the map. What I
couldn't change was the date being 24 days out ... but once I gave up,
switched it off and on again, it locked on very quickly.
JDG - the email I look at comes to jdggpsmail * ntlworld.com
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