HikeArizona.COM

Some have noticed the sales on the 60CSX models and have speculated that advanced models are probably coming out soon. They would be right about that. Here are 2 very recent Garmin press releases.

New 62 Series - the 60 series replacement –June 2
http://garmin.blogs.com/pr/2010/06/garm ... held-.html

New 78 Series - the 76 series replacement – April 23
http://garmin.blogs.com/pr/2010/04/garm ... d=newsroom

Preliminary features that interest me are the 1.7 Gig of internal memory, 200 saved tracks with 10,000 points per track and the ability to convert GPX files to img files and ability to deal with multiple img files. Also it will have a quad helix antenna better that the one in the 60CSX (also the type used in the great Magellan Meridian which I still own today). I see the 62s model in my future.

Of course the devil is in the details and I would consider something like an unreadable screen as a fatal flaw. I think the new products should be a distillation of all the best features of previous models with the enhancements noted and I am not expecting any fatal flaws but you never know.

big_load wrote:I have to say, I never paid attention to the odometer while hiking.

No kidding? I would have never guessed that anyone who uses a GPS would not consider the ~accurate odometer function a valuable tool while hiking

Interesting, I haven't ever used the odometer on mine but I could see why some find it valuable. I wonder what algorithm they're using to estimate distance?

Grasshopper wrote:I would have never guessed that anyone who uses a GPS would not consider the ~accurate odometer function a valuable tool while hiking

I generally don't record tracks. On most trips, I power up only a couple times for a position check or to mark a place of interest. I calculate ETA using the 1 km grid on my maps with adjustments for elevation change, which takes me less time than unfolding the map.

Anyway, I'm certainly not arguing in favor of bad odometers. Garmin has always been good at correcting problems with unit software, and I expect they'll fix it quickly. And if I recorded tracks, I might use the odometer more often myself.

According to the numerous posts on the subject, Garmin doesn't seem to believe there's a problem... It also doesn't seem to be limited to the 60 and 76 models, either. I've noticed it with my older Vista unit (though I don't rely on the Odometer function for total mileage). I'm trying to research how the calculations are made and how they differ. If I find anything useful, I'll share it...

PLC92084 wrote:According to the numerous posts on the subject, Garmin doesn't seem to believe there's a problem... It also doesn't seem to be limited to the 60 and 76 models, either. I've noticed it with my older Vista unit (though I don't rely on the Odometer function for total mileage). I'm trying to research how the calculations are made and how they differ. If I find anything useful, I'll share it...

My old VistaC used to overestimate the odometer and track mileage. I would hear it beep like it had lost satellites. When I got home and looked at the track it would show weird spikes where it went 1/4 mile out and back adding a half mile to the trip while I been sitting still. I have no idea how it could underestimate the mileage unless it is cutting out switchbacks as part of some "clean up" algorithm.

joe bartels wrote:Beta Software 3.42
Unit ID bla bla bla
GPS Software Version: 3.70

fricknaley wrote:Beta Software: 3.71
GPS Software Version: 4.48

How disturbing...
say what do you have under Setup > Tracks > Record Method
I have it on Auto

BTW... I figured out why your Trip Computer screen doesn't look like mine.
Next to the 6in6 button is a button that looks like a refrigerator (but it's called Select Dashboard). Under that you have it set to Recreational, I have it set to Large Data Field. You loose the elevation, but you gain a huge mileage odometer, battery life, time and signal strength. This frees up more choices for your six selectable fields.

Just posted this on wiki for the 62s. Also FYI software 2.50 for the 62s was just released.

This morning I went walking in my neighborhood carrying the 62s and the 60csx. To simulate my usual hiking profile (especially when doing peaks – my favorite hikes) I intentionally went very slow and stopped many times along the way. So unless you have this profile this experience may not apply to your use of the 62s. But you should be aware in case you do this type of hiking some time
.
60csx results:
Odometer: 1.23 miles
Track: 1.2 miles
Moving time: 46:33
Stopped time: 9:50

62s results with new version 2.50 software:
Odometer: 0.95 miles
Track: 1.2 miles (track mileage now displays when you select the current track and display on map)
Moving time: 41:20
Stopped time: 15:40
There is a small difference in total time since both units were not turned on simultaneously.

For years I have used the 60csx and got totally used to the odometer being approximately correct.

Then I used the 62s on 11 hikes (6 were major peaks with the above type of hiking profile) and the odometer was and still is precisely wrong, but the track is accurate. So I now know what to expect and how to deal with it. Until now I was blind-sided by this problem.

I still wish Garmin would make track miles a data field to make it more convenient to see.

Since you posted this, I played a bit with the odometer on my 60CSx. It does seem very accurate. When I don't mind burning batteries, I might use it a bit more.

big_load wrote:Since you posted this, I played a bit with the odometer on my 60CSx. It does seem very accurate. When I don't mind burning batteries, I might use it a bit more.

The 60csx works great with NiMH batteries that are cheap (at Wal-Mart) and get hundreds of reuses. They discharge on the shelf so I make sure I start each hike with a freshly charged set.

Concerning the odometer problem on the 62s I now believe it is a "stop and go" problem. On our recent hiking trip we did stop and go repeatedly for 2 reasons. One was the steep grades we hiked and the second was we simply did a lot of digital photography. So we were often stopping for photos and re-starting and that I believe is what the 62s odometer is not handling correctly but the 60csx does.

The recently released software version 2.6 for the 62s (and other release numbers for other models as well) seems to have corrected the odometer problem. I like to think some of my several emails I sent Garmin and posts I and others have made on the wiki site for the 62s had something to do with that improvement.

Geocachers are still complaining about the 62s on the wiki site. And they seem to think the 60csx is doing it better. I would expect future software releases to make improvements there as well. That is one problem with being the first kid on the block to have the newer model. It comes with a lot of bugs that require fixes. The dust won't settle on this model for maybe another year.

That said, the 62s is a fine unit with advanced features (especially in track handling capacity) and a great screen. But the 60csx remains as good or better in terms of basic GPS functionality so I have no problem in continuing to recommend that model especially if you can pick it up for $200. The 62s street price is about $400.