If I understood you correctly, your complaint was that your GPS didn't function indoors.

I know of no Satelite GPS that functions indoors. Unlike radios and GSM phones, you need a direct line of sight from the GPS to the satelites, even heavy tree canopies can be obtrusion enough.

However, there is a second generation GPS coming on the market that unites the GPS navigation and the GSM navigation, but I wouldn't wait arround for it. The firs gadgets that will get these are cell phones as you would need a GSM subscription to use it. Besides, few indoor places are so large that you need a GPS to navigate, a really small market. Tunnels however is a different story. But here, the stock GPS units that come with cars have the gps integrated with the car computer. When you enter tunnels and loose sight of the satelites, the tachometer takes over and measures the distance travelled in the tunnel. With the handhelds, you are out of luck.

If you at some point have been able to get reception inddors, it is likely because some satelites were at that instant poitioned in such a wy that there was a direct line of sight through the windows. It must be said howver that "in line of sight" for a satelite is completely different tha enyesight. These things can "see" through tent canopies, etc.

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Gipper

We recently bought the same unit and have been testing it of late in the UK. We have been really impressed with it and its easy to use features......it came with Garmin Mapsource (with base world map) and Trip and Way Point Manager software and USB cable.

We are planning an overland trip in 2007 London - Cape Town see www.langebaan-sunset.com , which is why we bought it. The tracking and logging features are very good and its very easy to generate libraries of all your routes or create new ones to down load / up load. The tracks feature and track back are very easy to use. We also have a need for using GPS at sea, so the fact it floats and can handle marine maps is a bonus. It also can use UK Topo maps so its an ideal unit for walking / off roading / greenlaning in the UK (if you have a need to do that kind of thing).

We also have a Tracks4Africa software, which has a map of Africa and lots of data (mainly for the South / South East of Africa) but the data is constantly being refined. Their software / map is compatible with Garmin units too. If you are needing to hunt down useful way points for overland trips (in Africa at least) check out the links page on our website...... www.langebaan-sunset.com

We have also ordered the window RAM mount so we can use the unit in our Land Rover, as well as the power lead for auxillary power socket use.....the only downside i can see so far is that the unit likes to eat batteries.....like most GPS units do. So if you can wire it up to an auxillary power socket / hard wire it in, you will be sorted.

As for not picking up GPS signals in doors (previous posts)....well, it works ok in built up areas and when inside it worked ok near the window but did start to say it was unhappy once we had been indoors for a while.... The unit (as i understand it) has the latest arieal technology and its been working fine in our Land Rover since we got it without the need for an auxillary arieal (although it can use one).

I recently showed it to my mate who works in the GIS / GPS field and he thought it was a good buy, particularly with respect to the fact you can be selective about the mapping / GPS data you can upload to the unit and the memory that is expandable.

On the whole we give it a good 9 out of 10

Hope that helps.

Nick www.langebaan-sunset.com

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Nick
Are you sure the 60CSx floats? I’ve been looking at both it and the 76CSx and I understood that the 60CSx is water resistant but that the 76CSx floats. The Garmin site seems to support this. Can you test yours in the bath before you drop it in the sea?
Stephan

Stephano,

Good point.....the unit is waterproof as you rightly point out in accordance with IEC 60529 IPX7. An IPX7 designation means the GPS case can withstand accidental immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

I tested it in the bath as suggested, it is near on neutrally bouyant in freshwater....which may mean its floats in salt water.......interestingly it says on the box it is "submersible".......

NOTE: The website I bought it from (www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk) does says it is capable of floating, so I guess I will just have to throw it in the sea to see if its true....nothing like field testing to prove that it does eh!!! Will keep you posted when this test is complete - thanks

Nick www.langebaan-sunset.com

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My bad, I thought it would work if I was near the windows.

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Thanks for the responses - didnt mention -but we have had a 60cs for about a year and have been happy with it - apart from the 56mb of memory - so that is the big difference - also little things ive heard like not being able to do a barometer trace and no alarm clock on the 60csx.
Anyone else using a csx model with good or bad experiences ?
Cheers
Grif

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Cheers
Grif

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http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

By way of an update, we finally took delivery of a RAM vehicle mount for the Garmin 60csx see http://www.ram-mount-uk.com

The one we got was the http://www.gpsw.co.uk/details/prod1950.html

The RAM mount has a bomb proof "sucker" that sticks to the window of our Landy and it sticks on like a bad boy!!! Its fully adjustable and the holder works well. Getting hold of the RAM cradle that holds your Garmin is hard work....http://www.ram-mount-uk.com/ram-hol-ga12.htm

the UK distributor has been over loaded with back orders so check stock levels before you buy.....or you will wait 6 weeks (like I did) before it arrives.

The distributor sells them via the GPS Wearhouse http://www.gpsw.co.uk

We also bought the GPS Wearhouse 12volt power lead (as opposed to the Garmin one which is even harder to buy than the cradle)......good length on the lead and locks into the unit well.

Hope that sheds a bit more light on its use.

Nick

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London - Cape Town 2010