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Glad we purchased this specific gps. There is only a 1-2 minute setting or on all of the time which runs the batteries down faster. We haven't been able to use it enough for all of the components to work, but are very happy with what we have used at this point. One thing that I think could be of use is the backlight coming on in the dark when you push a button. We have used this on the Sea of Cortez for the marine functions and also on land for the route home.
The color screen, while small, is readable and using the various features, while requiring some learning, are great as well. For its size and cost the garmin 76csx is well worth the money. On top of that is Garmin's reputation and their excellent follow up service and support.
On one trip to Moosehead Lake, it was quite windy and rough. I use it a lot when driving in my pick-up truck and it works just fine. I just set the drift alarm at 10-20 feet and it notifies me if the anchor is not holding. The depths are shown for Sebago Lake and some of the more populated lakes, which is very useful.
We traced back and spotted it right away.I also purchased the city navigator software for my laptop and transfer major areas (several states) to a blank chip that I swap out. I like the fact that it is waterproof. I suppose I'd like to have a newer unit some day, for just driving, but this one will do for now. It shows all the navigational bouys and hazards. I bought it primarily for assistance while boating, so I could find my way back to the launch site. Later, I purchased the chip for the Northeast Coastal waters including the Penobscot & Kennebec Rivers. We like to drop anchor and read, listen to some soft music and play Scrabble, and not have to worry about drifting. My wife's cap blew off and before I could stop we had travelled several feet.
And, I got the lakes chip that has the hazards for Moosehead Lake. I have been using my unit since April 2006. It is accurate, reliable and very easy to use. I don't think we would have located her cap if I didn't have the bread crumbs to follow on my Garmin.
The unit will only allow one to use 50 viapoints or waypoints in a route so sometimes a route may have to be broken into segments.Despite using the above method there are still some routes that the unit calculates that makes me want to throw or smash this thing. It takes another 11 mile route and turns it into an 18 mile route. To try to make this unit follow the route created on your computer you should make sure the routing preferences in MapSource and the preferences in your GPS match as close as possible. The first response I received was quick and seemed helpful.
It does this by adding additional out of the way loops to a route and/or by taking you to a viapoint and then directing you to do a U-turn and then taking another out of the way route to the next viapoint which was only a short distance from the one where it had you do the U-turn.Why is this such a problem. When the reboot didn't help I sent in the routes I'm having the problem with. I've got an upcoming trip where I will probably plan a dozen or so scenic routes on my computer to use once at my destination. I have yet to hear back from them. Well, at the least this is frustrating when taking scenic rides on my bike in the local area because I know it is not taking me where I wanted to go.
Create the route using viapoints after every turn you want to make and add viapoints on stretches of road you want to stay on so the unit hopefully won't opt to calculate a different route. My main concern was that maybe my unit is defective and needs repair/replacement. It directed me to update my software and reboot the unit, then if this didn't help I could send in the routes I created and they would try them on a unit of their own to see if they experienced the same problem. Since I'm going to a location I'm not familiar with I'll probably not know if it's going on the route I planned or a very different route that the unit calculated. After asking them this and what happened to checking the routes I sent they responded they would check the routes and get back to me within a day. If you want to create a specific vehicle route in MapSource on your computer and then transfer it to the unit to follow look for a different unit.
If I had known before purchase that routes created in MapSource don't transfer to the unit I wouldn't have bought it. It's pretty easy to figure out which is good because their manuals are lacking. I bought this to use on my motorcycle to follow routes created in MapSource. So far their support hasn't helped me. I've followed a lot of threads written on this subject which have helped a lot.
Duh, did they read my original complaint where I said what software I was using and stated that no matter how many viapoints I added it won't come close to following the route I created. I've used it many times in the woods while working and have no complaints. The battery life is great and the screen is pretty easy to read most of the time. As far as I'm concerned their support sucks.Aside from the routing issue the unit works pretty good. This unit only receives viapoints/waypoints from routes created in MapSource and then calculates it's own route which usually isn't what I created on my computer. This method of creating a route works most of the time. It seems to me this kind of defeats the purpose of having a GPS.I've recently contacted Garmin support about this. I responded and then I received another reply from the same tech again asking me about the mapping software and if I tried using additional viapoints when creating my route.
It has no problem picking up a signal.If you're going to use this unit for anything but following a route created in MapSource I think it's great. This is my first GPS and I've used it for four months now. It will take a 29 mile route close to my home that was created in MapSource and turn it into a 49 mile route when calculated on the GPS. I got a response from a different tech that asked me what mapping product I'm using.
This product is very easy to use, intuitive buttons, easy menu, advanced programming and at the same time easy to be inserted.simply fantastic.
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