Garmin GPSmap60CSx – Review as Motorcycle GPS

[sinned]

Presumably this gizmo is cheaper than a zumo 550?

The short answer is yes. However, by how much depends on where they are purchased.
In Sept I bought the GPS from Trig Instruments and paid:
GPS $487 +gst
12V cable $34 + gst
Note that only the world base map is provided. I downloaded the free NZ maps.

23 Nov Map World advised me the Zumo 660 will be available in December at a price of $1145.

[Hitcher]

The short answer is yes.

Thanks. I presumed that there had to be some sort of financial advantage to offset the lack of functionality.

[Cloggy]

This is the cause of the error. Most people do have their GPS set to WGS84, but until a few weeks ago the New Zealand mapping standard was New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000. This caused an offset of 2 - 300 meters between GPS and map.

Unless you are using the latest Topo maps then set your GPS to New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000 when working off maps.

The new mapping standard for topographic maps is NZTM2000 (NZ Transverse Mercator) which replaced the NZMG (NZ Mapping Grid).
NZTM2000 uses NZGD2000 as its datum.
NZGD2000 and WGS84 are essentially coincident according to LINZ and for most practical purposes can be assumed to be the same.
My slightly older (5 years) Garmin Etrex Legend Cx doesn't even have the option of selecting NZGD2000.

[Leyton]

Hey dude, The unit does not get upset with all the jiggeling of the bike ? The unit has a fluxgate compass inside it does it not ?

I have one for hunting and find it just awsum, If it was safe to use on the bike.. even better.

Cheers
Leyton

[Hoon]

Good review!
The GPS 60Cx is the cheaper option without the builtin compass for about 20% less. I bought my 60Cx for military use and didn't want the built-in compass as it's not as accurate as our prismatics and it also sucks battery power.

Its kind of a gimmick really, as for road use you don't really have any need for the compass and for bush use it isn't accurate enough to really rely on.

I bought my 60Cx brand new off ebay for US$305 landed about 2 yrs ago. Probably get them for around US$250 now.

[sinned]

Good review!
The GPS 60Cx is the cheaper option without the builtin compass for about 20% less. Its kind of a gimmick really, as for road use you don't really have any need for the compass and for bush use it isn't accurate enough to really rely on.

I have turned the compass off and removed that page and the Altimeter from the page selection menu.

[cold comfort]

The new mapping standard for topographic maps is NZTM2000 (NZ Transverse Mercator) which replaced the NZMG (NZ Mapping Grid).
NZTM2000 uses NZGD2000 as its datum.
NZGD2000 and WGS84 are essentially coincident according to LINZ and for most practical purposes can be assumed to be the same.
My slightly older (5 years) Garmin Etrex Legend Cx doesn't even have the option of selecting NZGD2000.

Just spoke to the GPS dealer. Apparently for use with topo maps it needs to be set to Geodata 49. WGS 84 is, acc to othe dealer, for marine use

[Cloggy]

Just spoke to the GPS dealer. Apparently for use with topo maps it needs to be set to Geodata 49. WGS 84 is, acc to othe dealer, for marine use

Depends on the age of the topo maps in use I guess. I still have some old topo maps aquired in the early 80's which are based on NZGD1949.
There is some good reading explaining it all here:
http://www.linz.govt.nz/geodetic/dat...hts/index.aspx

[cold comfort]

Depends on the age of the topo maps in use I guess. I still have some old topo maps aquired in the early 80's which are based on NZGD1949.
There is some good reading explaining it all here:
http://www.linz.govt.nz/geodetic/dat...hts/index.aspx

Thanks for that. Enlightening reading. GD 1949 eh? Why the hell would he recommend an outdated system to link with brand new topo maps? I shall seek advice elsewhere i think. Might get someone on the DB1k to have a fiddle and cf their units. If mine gives a different position i will be right pissed off.

[Hoon]

Yep I had to change to Geo '49 late last year. I was on an Army Exercise in Waiouru at the time, all our GPS's were showing 300m south of our true location and no one knew why. Wasn't until I got back home and surfed it up that I found out how to fix it (*cough* yes it was me that set them all up to WGS84).

[cold comfort]

Hi- many thanks for your comment. Problem solved it appears. Good to have a consensus. I have changed it and look forward to no glitches next tramp.

[sinned]

Yep I had to change to Geo '49 late last year. I was on an Army Exercise in Waiouru at the time, all our GPS's were showing 300m south of our true location and no one knew why. Wasn't until I got back home and surfed it up that I found out how to fix it (*cough* yes it was me that set them all up to WGS84).

I hope your job isn't targeting artillery - friendly fire isn't that friendly.

[mctshirt]

The LINZ explanation of Datums and Projections is a bit gobbledygook for my taste. DoC do a good explanation here:

http://gis.doc.govt.nz/website/help/DOCgis2Tutorial.htm

Essentially NZ Map Grid (or GD1949) is the old standard. NZ Transverse Mercator (or GD2000) is the new standard and location is expressed in seven digit Eastings and Northings (metres from an imaginary point). NZMG and NZTM co-ordinates are quite different so theoretically you can't mix them up.

NZMG is 2D and NZTM is based on a sphere and to all intents and purposes uses the same grid as WGS84. Old NZMS260 and NZMS262 topo maps are in NZMG and the new Topo50 and Topo250 maps are in NZTM.

WGS84 is the world system based on a sphere using degrees, minutes and seconds from latitude and longitude. All GPS's think and store data in WGS84 - it will speak to you in other projections if you tell it to.

You don't need to understand how the projections work - only there are 3 commonly used ones here in NZ and which one you're using. If you try to mix them up the error can be a couple of hundred metres.

The LINZ site has a calculator for translating co-ordinates from one projection to another.

[Devil]

Thanks. I presumed that there had to be some sort of financial advantage to offset the lack of functionality.

Well in reality it appears to have a whole lot more features than the zumo as far as mapping and navigation goes. Its good for hiking (carrying extensive altitude information and even a barometer with trend graphs), boating (carries navigational charts) and road adventures. It'll even route offroad which i'm told the zumo wont do (from someone who owns the zumo and the 60csx).
It's even more rugged.

Downside is it doesn't have the big flash screen of the zumo, or the bluetooth stuff.
Still a kick arse unit. I'd get the 60CSx just because it's more versatile. HOWEVER the zumo is some nice bling...

[sinned]

Thanks. I presumed that there had to be some sort of financial advantage to offset the lack of functionality.

Well in reality it appears to have a whole lot more features than the zumo as far as mapping and navigation goes. Its good for hiking (carrying extensive altitude information and even a barometer with trend graphs), boating (carries navigational charts) and road adventures. It'll even route offroad which i'm told the zumo wont do (from someone who owns the zumo and the 60csx).
It's even more rugged.

Downside is it doesn't have the big flash screen of the zumo, or the bluetooth stuff.
Still a kick arse unit. I'd get the 60CSx just because it's more versatile. HOWEVER the zumo is some nice bling...

Thank you for your reply to Hitcher. I was going to elucidate the features of the 60CSx for his benefit but couldn't be bothered. It is a very good unit and its versatility makes it a better unit for me than either of the Zumo models.

I have just purchased a Dick Smith branded windscreen mount for it. Off in the cage tomorrow to visit and explore.