<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;">Ive carried a Vista Hcx ~3500 trail miles- check the specs- lighter
than other garmin, and longer battery life (because of) smaller screen,
touchscreen interfaces are hard/impossible to operate with gloves on. I
bought the 24K west (already had 1:100K maps) and thought the
resolution was too high: there are so many topo lines it takes forever
to draw, and the already small screen seems even smaller. Besides,
you're carrying 1:24K paper maps, you just need the GPS to locate
yourself on those maps. Look for GPS products on amazon etc- no need
to pay full price.<br><br>Wasa<br><br><br><br>--- On <b>Thu, 12/10/09, Jack Haskel <i><norcalhiker@gmail.com></i></b> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><br>From: Jack Haskel <norcalhiker@gmail.com><br>Subject: Re: [Cdt-l] GPS and Maps (howzit done?)<br>To: "Sly" <hikertrash@gmail.com><br>Cc: cdt-l@backcountry.net<br>Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 7:01 AM<br><br><div class="plainMail">Thanks for the helpful advice ya'll. To summarize some of what I've learned:<br><br>- The Garmin Colorado/Oregon GPS have added value as they include 100k maps at no extra charge. <br>- Everyone that commented had used 100k maps, no one had used 24k maps. <br>- Don't buy the preloaded microSD cards. Buying the CD and loading your own cards means you have a backup for the maps if you loose/damage the microSD card. <br>- Out of Order's track file of the CDT is great, and can be sent
to you by email from people on the list.<br>- There are free 24k maps available from <a href="http://www.miscjunk.org/" target="_blank">http://www.miscjunk.org/</a> <br><br><br>Some further questions....<br><br>- Really? Everyone uses 100k maps? It seems like the 24k maps would be SO much better. <br>- Anyone have comments on the 24k maps from miscjunk.org ?<br>- Can anyone tell me more about Out of Orders track log? How come it's not available online?<br><br>I haven't read Yogi's comments on GPS as I'm waiting for her to update the guide. But I'm buying my GPS before I buy the guide. Anything in there that is important to know?<br><br>At the moment, the options are looking like:<br><br>- Colorado 400t is $300 on ebay, and I'll just use the preloaded maps. <br>- The Legend and Vista end up being ~50-80 cheaper after I buy the 100k maps. <br><br> - jack<br><br>On Dec 9, 2009, at 9:41 PM, Sly wrote:<br><br>> While using the Wolf books I
found a wrist watch altimeter to come in handy on several occasions and was able to make the right decision or correct a bad turn. A few times I used a Garmin Legend loaded with the mapsource topo maps suggested in Yogi's book and the compass rose on Jonathan's maps to place myself on the trail looking at both maps.<br>> <br>> I honestly welcomed the "where am I moments" as it gave me time to sit down and reflect about the hike. Getting truly lost wasn't a major concern. It was all good.<br>> <br>> Sly<br>> <br>> Marshall Karon wrote:<br>>> I also used the Garmin Vista HCx. I would get the Legend without the<br>>> altimeter if the price is better. Never used the altimeter or the electronic<br>>> compass. I never found the barometric altimeter to be useful because you<br>>> need to calibrate it each time you turn on the unit. The satellite altimeter<br>>> was good enough. Besides, with
maps indicating your location and the contour<br>>> on the map giving you the calculated altitude at that spot (presuming the<br>>> maps were correct), you don't really need an altimeter.<br>>> <br>>> The unit worked very well and the battery life is really good. The screen<br>>> was adequate. Remembering which buttons to push was a little bit of a<br>>> challenge. I used the carrying case for protection. The unit was normally<br>>> off - on only when I needed to check where I was (and sometimes, that seemed<br>>> like every 5 minutes).<br>>> <br>>> The GPS will NOT keep you from getting "misplaced". The biggest issue was<br>>> figuring out which map I was on and where I was on the map. Practice that<br>>> before you go. You need to set your GPS up correctly. It would be nice to be<br>>> able to put a compass rose on a local map for practicing. Also realize that<br>>>
not all trails and roads are on the maps (some are new) and some trails and<br>>> roads that are on the maps are no longer. But how reassuring it was when the<br>>> GPS showed the trail, showed you are on it, and the paper maps were the<br>>> same.<br>>> <br>>> As for the GPS maps, I would get the disc and download the maps I wanted<br>>> onto the micro SD. That way you always have a backup. Of course, you do need<br>>> to select the area you want and that was not always easy.<br>>> <br>>> I only used the TOPO 2008 maps - some details were not so good and sometimes<br>>> the maps had the trails wrong in place. Garmin does say the 24K maps are<br>>> more up to date and give much more detail. <br>>> When you buy, look for a deal on a package - unit plus maps together.<br>>> <br>>> Marshall Karon<br>>> Portland, OR<br>>> <br>>> -----Original
Message-----<br>>> From: <a ymailto="mailto:cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net" href="/mc/compose?to=cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net">cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net</a> [mailto:<a ymailto="mailto:cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net" href="/mc/compose?to=cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net">cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net</a>]<br>>> On Behalf Of Jack Haskel<br>>> Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 8:05 PM<br>>> To: <a ymailto="mailto:cdt-l@backcountry.net" href="/mc/compose?to=cdt-l@backcountry.net">cdt-l@backcountry.net</a><br>>> Subject: [Cdt-l] GPS and Maps (howzit done?)<br>>> <br>>> Hey Ya'll,<br>>> <br>>> I'm buying my GPS for the CDT 2010. I'm leaning towards the Garmin<br>>> Vista HCx. But what do I do for maps for the unit? Do people really buy the<br>>> TOPO Mountain South, Central and North 24k memory cards? That's $300 extra<br>>> dollars! <br>>>
Cheers,<br>>> jack<br>>> _______________________________________________<br>>> Cdt-l mailing list<br>>> <a ymailto="mailto:Cdt-l@backcountry.net" href="/mc/compose?to=Cdt-l@backcountry.net">Cdt-l@backcountry.net</a><br>>> <a href="http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l" target="_blank">http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l</a><br>>> <br>>> _______________________________________________<br>>> Cdt-l mailing list<br>>> <a ymailto="mailto:Cdt-l@backcountry.net" href="/mc/compose?to=Cdt-l@backcountry.net">Cdt-l@backcountry.net</a><br>>> <a href="http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l" target="_blank">http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l</a><br>>> <br><br>_______________________________________________<br>Cdt-l mailing list<br><a ymailto="mailto:Cdt-l@backcountry.net"
href="/mc/compose?to=Cdt-l@backcountry.net">Cdt-l@backcountry.net</a><br><a href="http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l" target="_blank">http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l</a><br></div></blockquote></td></tr></table><br>