After I got the DeLorme and updated the firmware I still carried my trusty Maggie with me on a few hunts. I found the DeLorme to be more accurate and to not suffer from the Maggie's "slingshot" effect.

I placed my first cache yesterday using the DeLorme exclusively and it appears to have done a fine job even under the pine foliage. It'll be interesting to see how it performs after the trees get fully involved in the Spring.

We've been trying to tell you about that Magellan for several years now...

I spent the first few days with my DeLorme mostly being frustrated because it wouldn't do things I wanted it to do. In almost every case, I later figured out how to do it. I'm still getting used to some of the quirks, but am becoming more and more impressed. (My Magellan has quirks, too, but I'm used to them.) The main drawback I've come across is the inability to group waypoints into different files - they're all thrown in together. I like the Magellan's ability to store different pocket queries in different folders. And the satellite imagery seems to me to be more of a novelty than anything that's actually that useful. But I can see myself changing my mind about that.

My understanding is that DeLorme has heard the waypoint/file issue and is working on a change in an update sometime down the road. The file managment on the SD card needs to be improved and I think I read somewhere where they were looking at that too.

I hear ya on not doing things way the Maggie does it but I'm beginning to like the PN20 a lot. The aerial photos are "nice to have" but of limited use considering the lack of detail when zoomed in. Mostly I just use the Topo6 details and that seems to do all I need right now. That may well change as they improve the resolution.

I did a cache today while out scouting out a new hide area and the PN20 showed that I was 7 feet away when I was 7 feet away. That's just by chance I'm sure but still it was impressive.

The latest firmware update makes me more enthusiastic about the PN-20. They got rid of some of the quirks that bothered me, like having to recalculate when you got a quarter mile off route. I still use the Magellan occasionally, but the DeLorme is definitely my number one GPS unit.

Street Atlas 2008 has been released and it it reported to NOT work on the PN-20. Prerelease press stated that the next release of SA (2008) would make it possible.

Guess I will stick with my Merigold and DirectRoute for now!

They've just released the protocols (or whatever they're called) that will enable third party software developers to make their software work with the PN20.

Guess I'll have to spring for the upgrade to GSAK in the near future.

quote:

Originally posted by Rebel:
They've just released the protocols (or whatever they're called) that will enable third party software developers to make their software work with the PN20.

Got a link sir?

Here ya go:
DeLorme Forum Posting

See Chip Noble's posting, next to last in the thread.

Topo 7 will begin Beta testing soon. From what I hear it will include some neat stuff

quote:

integrating our program with a variety of devices designed to collect athletic information (such as heart rate and cadence).

When I know the "how" of it I'll let y'all know.

So, the male-half of Jeep Cachers loves all new tech things and DeLorme had this on sale mid-December. I bought it for him for Christmas and I sent it back Friday. We use a Garmin 76CSX now and there is no comparison. DeLorme has a lot of kinks to work out on the PN20, BUT their maps are EXCELLENT and expensive. My husband is pretty darn smart and he says the learning curve for their mapping software is steep and it is a lot more labor intensive when trying to load a PQ of caches. The map detail is fantastic, but you do have to pay extra (.25 sq km) for ariel/satallite views (those prices add up quickly). In our opinion, the Garmin is a much better GPS, but if you love to figure out and play with maps, give it a try...it was just too much for what we do. They do have a 30 day money back policy...thank goodness...and they have outstanding customer service. You can check out the DeLorme forums for more info. I guess we'll be waiting to see what the new Garmin Colorado (spring 2008) has to offer when it's released

The successor to the PN-20 is now official! The PN-40 is scheduled for a FALL 08 release.

Juicy tidbits so far:
* NEW! Super high-sensitivity 32-channel Cartesio chipset by STMicroelectronics delivers near-instantaneous signal acquisition and ConstantLock™ satellite retention
* NEW! Dual-core processor for rapid screen re-draws, even with large aerial imagery files
* NEW! 500 MB of onboard Flash memory (1 GB total hard drive)
* NEW! 3-axis electronic compass with included accelerometer performs when held in any position—while in motion or standing still
* NEW! Sensitive barometric altimeter for reliably accurate altitude readings
* NEW! Supports SDHC high-capacity SD cards—32 GB or higher
* NEW! Fast USB 2.0 data transfer to internal memory or SD card in device
* NEW! More detailed onboard base map data for the U.S., now with secondary and connector roads (along with major highways and thoroughfares for the entire world)

For more info see Announcing the DeLorme PN-40

I have always tried to avoid emailing or posting when I'm upset or angry, but I just wasted an hour and a half with my PN-20. I was an early adopter (along with the late, great Rebel, who taught me some things about the PN-20) and I have mostly defended it, in spite of its quirks. But tonight it would not load my pocket query for tomorrow until I reinitialized it, losing all my stored waypoints. Okay, stuff like that happens with electronic equipment sometimes, but this is the third or fourth time I've had to do that to my DeLorme. And I won't even mention all the other little frustrations I've had since I've had this unit. Yeah, the PN-40 looks cool, and will hopefully process data faster than the very slow PN-20, but I've had enough. I'm thinking that my next GPS will be a top-of-the-line Garmin - and not one of the new "state name" units, just a good old-fashioned GPSr.