Sanity check: Garmin 76cx as first GPS

[NordieBoy]

I have analysis paralysis.

Constipation?

[Triwi]

Go and talk to Tony at Kiwigps. Can highly recommend him and his patient, clear aftersales answers. (See mention by Transalper above as well) Also you get to sit in his office surrounded by electronic choices. You will just give in and walk out with the answer to your problem clutched tightly in hand.
Easy
cheers
Triwi

[chasio]

I believe both of you about his qualities but heading to Chch for a chat is a bit of a mission from the North Shore! I have had a look at his site and I notice he doesn't list the 78 or 62 plain models, only the "s" of each. Interesting.

[Transalper]

Ha ha, your profile doesn't help people help you but I picked up that you are probably up Ak way when you were talking about shops that seemed to be up there when you weren't talking about shops that are overseas.

On a side note I ran the 62s today with the Backlight on full all day using the Energizer 2450mAh Rechargeables and it went for just over 10 hours.
It want something like this...
8.5 hours with battery indicator on full then it looses one bar.
9 hours the indicator dropped another bar to half.
9.5 hours the indicator dropped another bar to quarter.
9 3/4 hours Battery low message appeared.
10 hours 8 minutes unit turned off.

Not too bad, next I suppose I should see how long it goes with the light off... they claim up to 20 hours. I'll start now.

[cromagnon]

Ha ha, your profile doesn't help people help you but I picked up that you are probably up Ak way when you were talking about shops that seemed to be up there when you weren't talking about shops that are overseas.

On a side note I ran the 62s today with the Backlight on full all day using the Energizer 2450mAh Rechargeables and it went for just over 10 hours.
It want something like this...
8.5 hours with battery indicator on full.
9 hours the indicator dropped one bar.
9.5 hours the indicator dropped another bar to half full.
9 3/4 hours Battery low message appeared.
10 hours 8 minutes unit turned off.

Not too bad, next I suppose I should see how long it goes with the light off... they claim up to 20 hours. I'll start now.

I look forward to the hourly updates throughout the night

[chasio]

Ha ha, your profile doesn't help people help you but I picked up that you are probably up Ak way when you were talking about shops that seemed to be up there when you weren't talking about shops that are overseas.

On a side note I ran the 62s today with the Backlight on full all day using the Energizer 2450mAh Rechargeables and it went for just over 10 hours.
It want something like this...
8.5 hours with battery indicator on full then it looses one bar.
9 hours the indicator dropped another bar to half.
9.5 hours the indicator dropped another bar to quarter.
9 3/4 hours Battery low message appeared.
10 hours 8 minutes unit turned off.

Not too bad, next I suppose I should see how long it goes with the light off... they claim up to 20 hours. I'll start now.

Oops, forgot about that! Pretty big clue added

And I don't know what tenterhooks actually are, but figuratively I'm on them!

[Transalper]

about 37° South, very nice.

So running this map62s with the backlight off it went for about 12.5 hours then dropped to 3/4 on the indicator.
At 14 hours I noticed it was reading half full.
At 14 hours 15 minutes I heard a beep and saw the Battery Low message, 5 minutes latter it was off.
Looks like I'll need 3 sets of batterys for the 2 day Dusty Butt. It will be fine for most of my days out with it, if I started over I would probably go with the new one with the power plug... the Map78s.

Will get more of a real world test this weekend as we do a couple of big days down Southish. Might try the Panasonic Batterys too, they are slightly more mAh.

It's bound to get closer to the advertised 20 hours if I fed it good single use Energiser Lithiums.

[cromagnon]

about 37° South, very nice.
It will be fine for most of my days out with it, if I started over I would probably go with the new one with the power plug... the Map78s.
.

I have been getting, very roughly, 10-12 hours out of the 2500mAh batteries, backlight on. I have the usb power suppy with cigarette lighter which works fine on the road but havent tried it offroad yet. When the usb power supply is pulled out the unit gives you 30 seconds to hit enter, if you want to switch to batteries, before turning itself off if you do nothing.

[Transalper]

Only trouble with powering it through USB on the bike is that unless you can beef up the plug *give it a nice tight rubber surround that fits like the rubber cap does?) it is not water resistant at all...from what I understand.

Actually, that may be quite doable, will have to investigate it as an option.

Certainly fine in the car.

[JATZ]

I have been getting, very roughly, 10-12 hours out of the 2500mAh batteries, backlight on. I have the usb power suppy with cigarette lighter which works fine on the road but havent tried it offroad yet. When the usb power supply is pulled out the unit gives you 30 seconds to hit enter, if you want to switch to batteries, before turning itself off if you do nothing.

I have to "restrain" my power plug with one of mrsJatz's hair ties, still..... much better than replacing batteries constantly

[cooneyr]

Ah the good old Legend which will do 2 1/2 days (10ish hours a day) on one set of alkaline batterys. You boys and your fancy toys

[cromagnon]

Only trouble with powering it through USB on the bike is that unless you can beef up the plug *give it a nice tight rubber surround that fits like the rubber cap does?) it is not water resistant at all... from what I understand.
Certainly fine in the car.

There is probably a gap of half a mm or less, I think it could be made relatively waterproof with extra rubber, the antenna would also need to be covered as the flap on the back doesnt like to stay half in place.

Now where did I put my hair ties

[chasio]

Only trouble with powering it through USB on the bike is that unless you can beef up the plug *give it a nice tight rubber surround that fits like the rubber cap does?) it is not water resistant at all...from what I understand.

Actually, that may be quite doable, will have to investigate it as an option.

Certainly fine in the car.

Stick a condom over the whole thing and tie it off at the base around the mount. The pressure would retain the cable in the back of the unit and it would be waterproof.

Sorted.

[JATZ]

FWIW Last week I got a ram mount for the 76 from the good fellah at KiwiGPS, reeal quik at replying to e-mail, and he had all the bits in stock. Would definitly trade again, have a smiley
So now there's no excuse to get lost on the D.B. again

[NordieBoy]

So now there's no excuse to get lost on the D.B. again

Or out Hori Bay.

We'll have to knob up the bikes and start getting tracks of the um.. tracks....