Magellan GPS: basemap detail

I have the Garmin eTrex Legend, the Vista CSx and the GPSMAP 60CSx;
ironically the basemap in the Legend has more detail than the other two. I
know this for only my area around Western Massachusetts but I presume it's
true of the rest of the US.

Brad Powers

"Craig" <net> wrote in message
news:5ab26$45b28fbf$4831d176$NET... 

Craig wrote: 

Hey Craig,

You might want to check compatibility with 3rd party software. I've got
an eXplorist 210, and generally enjoy using it for my various hiking
adventures, but have yet to find 3rd party software with detail maps
that are actually compatible with it.

So, I would double-check with your preferred software company to see
which unit their software works best with.

Chris

Craig,

Have not had any of the Magellan models you listed, but have had or
have some of the Garmins. I currently use a Legend C and a Legend Cx.
They will do all the things you want to do and more. Both can auto
route if desired.

The Legend C has enough memory to hold all the topo maps of the area
that I live, hike and play in (Shawnee National Forest). I leave it
setup for straight line navigation on foot.

The Legend Cx is the same model with expandable memory, loaded with
City Navigator for work and long road trips, or vacations. I use it in
auto route mode locked to roads.

Don't know what area you will be using your unit in but you can't go
wrong getting a unit with expandable memory. File sizes for maps keep
getting bigger with each new version. Don't depend on the base map
doing much for you. Plan on buying maps for your kind of activity.

Tom

PS. I have an older Vista (monochrome display) you can have cheap if
you want to play with a GPS before you drop big money on the one of
your dreams...

 

My thank you's to thegroup and especially to the post above for your advice
and offer. I did manage to snag a good deal on an almost new (only used for
a couple hours) Etrex Legend with accessories (case, 12volt power cord, pc
cable, software, etc.) I can hardly wait for it to arrive. I also
purchased a retransmitting antenna for playing with it in the car (will use
my wife as the navigator, so don't worry about me crashing while trying to
read the screen :-) ). I was really on the fence on this one...spend a bit
more to get color and SD cards or less for the B&W legend unit (or even less
for a very basic Magellan). What finally swayed me were the basemaps. For
what I plan on using it for, I may very well not need the additional maps
for quite some time, so I went with the unit that seems to offer the best
basemap. I also liked some of the extras that come bundled (fishing times
for example...I know its kind of hokey, but hey it may heighten the fun
factor a bit to see if the most productive times agree with its
predictions.) In the future I would like to purchase the lakes and fising
hot spots map, the N.A. Metroguide and the worldmap disk. (Wife and I
travel quite a bit to the Philippines where she has family and the worldmap
seems to do a decent job there...no more riding on the bus wondering which
volcano that is! :-) )
Craig

Are there any good sources for free, user created maps? I did find one for
Cozumel, Mexico but wondering if there are others? I would especially like
to have one that shows the roads and POI of Grand Cayman. It seems that
some people have made quite a hobby out of creating their own maps for the
Garmin units.

Craig wrote: 
What features are important, and what are not, depends on the use one
intends for the unit. I need the detailed maps for my purposes since
the basemaps aren't adequate for the kind of roaming I do while on
vacations. If you just intend to stay on major roads, then a basemap
may well get you around well. I visited the Niagara Falls area before
getting detailed maps and was able to find my way around quite nicely,
even with the limited routing ability of my unit using only the basemap.
I was also very surprised to find that shipping lanes were shown on
the screen while in the Gulf of Mexico on the way to Jamaica. Amazing
devices!

"I was also very surprised to find that shipping lanes were shown on
the screen while in the Gulf of Mexico on the way to Jamaica. Amazing
devices! " -- from Ron's post
 

Thank you very much for the kind offer, Keith. I'll keep it in mind.
One of these days my wife and I would like to make the trip to Europe
(she has an Aunt in Austria, and I have family in Germany, but I would
certainly love to visit the U.K. as well).
Ron, what model of GPS were you using that showed the shipping lanes?
That is a feature I would certainly enjoy. If it's from the explorist
line I just might consider a second GPS! :-)
Craig