Garmin GPS 76CXs - handheld

[BobS2]

I stand corrected. Thanks. I borrowed that one for a weekend last year before I bought one of my own. They say you memory is the second thing to go...

[sck5]

I have a 76csx and used it as my primary while chartering for a year and a half - now that i have my own boat it is the backup. I think it is a great unit for a handheld. Its size is due to the fact that this version floats so they had to allow for more air inside the case to achieve that. The non floating versions are smaller but then they dont float. Otherwise they are pretty much the same unit. I can confirm that it takes two AA batteries and is good for 8 hours at least. Also, the blue charts come with one region already paid for (as I recall) so if you only need e.g. the Chesapeake, you will get that with the initial purchase. Additional regions of course cost extra.

there are cheaper black and white versions but i found their screens much harder to read.

[meuritt]

The CSx is also supposed to be faster at locking onto the satellites. I have on, and an older e-trex vista and the bluechart america. This weekend I will be putting it through its paces for the first time, experimenting with anchor watch, and shallow and deep water alarms.

I also use it on my laptop with the nroute program.

[EO32]

I have one. I like the ability to modify every display to show the measurement that you want to see. You can also setup which pages get displayed with the page button.

The next thing I plan to do is get an output cable so I can run it to my DSC VHF radio.

[donhaller]

Thanks all.
I'm getting a greater appreciation for the 76CSx, but I'm also intrigued about the Colorado.

[davidpm]

Check the last couple of posts where I do a rather though review of the Colorado.
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/genera...uestion-3.html

I find that with the Colorado I can keep it in my life jacket pocket so I have it with me all the time.

[sailingdog]

The 76CSx is a better unit IMHO, and has the ability to mark a MOB event, which the Colorado appears to be lacking.

Originally Posted by donhaller

Thanks all.
I'm getting a greater appreciation for the 76CSx, but I'm also intrigued about the Colorado.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

The 76CSx is a better unit IMHO, and has the ability to mark a MOB event, which the Colorado appears to be lacking.

The problem with the 76C-series is the screen is so small, esp. compared to the over-all size of the unit, which is relatively large.

I don't get it: How can these GPS manufacturers come out with all kinds of small, hand-held GPS' suitable for automotive use, with larger, usable touch-screen displays (I'm thinking of The Admiral's TomTom One, but Garmin and the others have similar units), and not be able to come up with a relatively affordable marine unit that'll do the same on the water?

Ok, so an automotive, consumer unit like the TomTom One isn't marinized, doesn't have much battery life and probably won't tolerate much of a beating. Fine. Marinize it, beef it up structurally, increase the battery life and add charts. They (Garmin, Lowrance, etc.) can't do that for, say, double the price?

I think I'll somehow have to stumble around the lake w/o one of these until one of the GPS manufacturers gets their act together.

I'm beginning to wish a Japanese manufacturer would enter the market, since the U.S. ones appear to be terminally stuck in the last century.

Jim

[davidpm]

That is one reason I got the Colorado. It fits in my life-jacket pocket.

The main reason however is that the Colorado has all the charts for us coastal. Unless you only want one small area the 76 will be hundreds of dollars more costly.

I agree there seems to be arbitrary disadvantages tacked on to every model.
There is a set waypoint option which can be used for cob, not a quick.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by davidpm

The main reason however is that the Colorado has all the charts for us coastal. Unless you only want one small area the 76 will be hundreds of dollars more costly.

Yeah, noticed that while researching the Garmin cross-overs. Garmin really bends you over for charts.

Originally Posted by davidpm

I agree there seems to be arbitrary disadvantages tacked on to every model.

It's almost as if none of these companies are looking at what the others are making, and even that they're using whole new engineering teams for some of their products that don't even bother to look at the rest of their own product line.

Originally Posted by davidpm

There is a set waypoint option which can be used for cob, not a quick.

How stupid is that: To have a marine GPS without a MOB/COB button? Hello?

The latest one I looked at (after this, I decided to simply give up) was the Garmin Oregon. Spendy, but interesting. Then I saw some pictures of the Oregon in the bright sunlight and side-by-side with a 76C. They must be joking! Their reasoning for a display that's essentially worthless in bright light (and mind you: The display is the keyboard on the Oregon--so even if they thought to provide a quick-and-easy MOB/COB "button": Good luck finding it): Extends battery life. Uh, here's a thought: Give the end-user the option of setting brightness/contrast.? Let the end-user decide what's the best compromise between readability and battery life? (Just guessing, mind you, but I'm thinking their logic ran something like this: "If we artificially restrict brightness/contrast, we'll be able to claim really good run-time on batteries." )

Jim