Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx Portable / Handheld GPS

Comments:
Wanted a GPS for quite some time, but never made the plunge. West Marine had a one day sale from $599 to $199 for the Garmin 76cs Plus. What an incredible deal, and what a great unit.
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<br><br>First the bad:
<br><br>Steep learning curve for each of the different modes, the user manual could be better written, and my unit doesn't like NiMH batteries (even freshly charged ones & w/ the setup setting set to NiMH). Can't figure that one out yet. Supplemental Map SW somewhat pricey & not the most user friendly.
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<br><br>The Neutral:
<br><br>Due to the learning curve, even when I am one block from a designated waypoint, the unit always wants to first take me to the freeway & then back via city streets (I do have the supplemental Garmin Street Source Map SW loaded). I assume that this is something I haven't figured out yet, so I can't fairly rate.
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<br><br>The Good:
<br><br>Good color on display, sharp vibrant colors. Once I have mastered some of the features, fun to use & quite accurate. Multi purpose modes are awesome. Still can't figure out the difference between sailboat mode vs. powerboat mode. Both cases are on the water, navigation is similar, just one mode covers ground faster. Additional complexity with ostensibly no value added.

Comments:
I can't say enough about this unit. Very accurate - I was able to get 4 foot accuracy in the averaging mode WITHOUT the WAAS turned on.

The SiRF chip is also amazing. I was able to get reception on the first floor of a 2-story concrete building, in a bathroom, in the middle of the building, with tile on the wall!

You have access to nearby tide stations.

Lightening fast transfer of MapSource data using the USB, what used to take 45 minutes to transfer using the COM port and a Vista, now takes mere minutes.

Color screen is great, and lots of options to choose from including different colors for different tracks

Long battery life, I have been playing with it for 12+ hours and there is still 75% battery life left (regular Alkaline. I have heard that nickel metal hydrides will last 36 hours!

Con: roads on MapSourc Topo are not very accurate, but close enough

Comments:
All other marine handheld GPS units pale when compared to the GPSMap 76C. Under the hood, The 76C is a WAAS-enabled, 12-parallel-channel GPS receiver with a built-in quad-helix antenna and remote antenna capability. State-of-the-art receivers and powerful...

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The GPSMAP 76 is designed to provide precise GPS positioning using correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System. This unit features a built-in quad helix antenna for superior reception and can provide position accuracy to less than thre...

Comments:
The GPS 76 is designed to provide precise GPS positioning using correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). This unit features a built-in quad helix antenna for superior reception and can provide position accuracy to less than...

Comments:
This adjustable automotive mounting bracket holds your GPS in place on the dash of your vehicle. Bracket swivels and tilts for optimum viewing and has a locking mechanism to keep unit secure. Accepts optional external power adapter for quick connection to...

Comments:
This adjustable automotive mounting bracket holds your GPS in place on the dash of your vehicle. Bracket swivels and tilts for optimum viewing and has a locking mechanism to keep unit secure. Accepts optional external power adapter for quick connection to...

Comments:
Garmin's GPSMap 76CS is a state-of-the-art handheld marine GPS unit with a vivid, sunlight-readable color display, sizeable internal memory, and fast USB connectivity. Central to the device is its high-resolution, highly reflective, 256-color TFT display...

Comments:
alaTest has collected and analysed 788 reviews of Garmin GPSMAP 76C GPS Receiver from international magazines and websites....

Comments:
The Garmin GPSMAP 76Cx is also due out soon…. with this in it: SiRF high-sensitivity GPS receiver WAAS-enabled Meets rigid IPX-7 submersible standards, and floats Brilliant color TFT display Built-in basemap with auto routing Expandable memory 128 MB T...