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GPSMAP 66i Introduction

Garmin-Heath
over 5 years ago

Garmin is happy to introduce the GPSMAP 66i to the inReach product line.

Precise navigation meets global communication in the rugged GPSMAP 66i. Using inReach® technology, the button-operated GPS handheld and satellite communicator lets you trigger an interactive SOS to GEOS and enables two-way messaging and location tracking via the 100% global Iridium® satellite network. Navigate confidently with preloaded TopoActive U.S. and Canada mapping, direct-to-device BirdsEye Satellite Imagery downloads, multiple Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) support, and navigation sensors.

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    Very interesting symbiosis between GPSMap 66- and inreach functionality.

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to Volker

    as a 66s and inreach mini owner i still don't know if i can agree.
    according to the specs (and experience) the inreach mini battery will last a full week (with ~10hrs tracking a day, 10mins interval) and the 66s has _replaceable_ batteries. so, just throw in another set or two of spare batteries and you are good to go for over a month.
    the 66i has a built in battery which (according to specs) lasts only 35hrs (10min tracking - same setting as with the inreach mini).

    and its not only the endurance on a tour, its also the lifetime i am worried about. I replaced my beloved 60csx this year - which is still working - after 13years!!! dont know, if that would have been possible if it would have a built-in battery

    just my 2 cents

    Ron

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    I suspect that battery life is going to be a sore point. With regard to replaceable batteries, my understanding is that there is something about the power demands of the iR radio that prevents the use of replaceable batteries in any iR device, not just the 66i.

    Expedition Mode is supposed to offer better battery life. I am not sure what settings this affects, however. Best guess would be that it affects radio usage, particularly BT and GPS. 

    I think that the 66i is fundamentally different from other iR devices with regard to what other iR devices call "logged points". On other iR devices, you can pretty much directly control the GPS radio by choosing your sent and logged point intervals appropriately. Those devices only fire up the GPS radio when needed to log or send a point. I suspect that the 66i runs the GPS radio pretty much continuously in support of always being able to give you an accurate fix on the map (or in the "recorded activity"). I am hopeful that Expedition Mode modifies this behavior. Hopefully somebody who has had a chance to experiment will chime in.

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to twolpert

    The 66i is compared to an inreach mini a totally different device. Full mapping and navigation capabilities and because of the display, the device needs more battery. Will be interesting to see, if the device is not used for navigation and set to battery save mode (not expedition mode), which disables the display, how long the battery will run with 10 minute inreach tracking...

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    That's certainly an option. I'm not sure how how screen power consumption (with the backlight off) compares to radio-related power consumption. Something to try for sure.