>>>I am glad I found this thread, explaining the March 1999 date issue I was in the middle of a trip, and was puzzled by what I was seeing. When I got home, I figured that I had used the PN-60 so much that maybe memory was fragged, and needed a complete refresh...much later, no success, and web searches brought me here...thanks to all of you who posted of late...much appreciated. I really like the PN-60, though I realize that it is dated. I thought to "upgrade" to a newer device, inasmuch as Garmin is no longer supporting the PN-60, or so I understand...so no firmware fix. I bought a 66st, but the first one failed hard in a few days, and I have tested the 2nd briefly. Though I appreciate the larger display, it is certainly a step down from the 60 and Topo 9, in many ways. I'll get used to it. I'll find a Garmin forum to post my comments in, I guess.
Ninetrees :: this __ is__ "a Garmin forum". Thanks for posting. I agree with you in your comparison of the 66 and the PN-60. Mine is the PN-60w that paired with green-lettered DeLorme inReach. The SOS function worked like advertised. The only thing I'd ever buy from Garmin is the inReach designed by DeLorme :)
Garmin 66st (ver 2.50) DISTANCE accuracy vs PN 60: a review
I use GPS for hiking, backpacking & kayaking. A reasonably accurate track DISTANCE is a prime concern for me. For years my PN60 has been a reliable device. It still records well but the buttons are getting cranky, date is now 1999, no more topo downloads... Time to update.
I tried a Garmin 64st (April 2018). Nice enough unit but it continuosly recorded movement (when not moving) so tracks ended up reporting mileage that was higher than actually travelled.
I purchased a new Garmin 66st (March 2019). It has a new setting called AUTO PAUSE. I have only had unit for a week but have been testing out various setting and conditions. I have done several dayhikes (2-4 mi) and a kayak trip (4.5 mi). On all outings I have also run the PN60 for comparison. I have made some setting changes to the 66st as I learn how it records.
With AUTO PAUSE "on" and set to activate if I move less than .25 mph, the unit will stop recording. When I start moving over .25 mph it will AUTO RESUME recording. On the screen the track appears to have a small gap before the unit turns back on, however, it seems to heal itself when track is saved.
Downloaded to computer, the two tracks are sometimes parallel, sometimes cross...as would be expected from any two GPS units. Waypoints recorded are a different pattern, also expected. Ref: PN60 is for 40 foot intervals. 66st is on "auto" and "less often". At this time this seems to give me closest track matches.
Bottom line... Track distance reported by the PN60 and the 66st (with AUTO PAUSE active) is very close... maybe within .10 mile of each other. I will need to test further but my inial results of distance recorded between the two units shows they can be equally accurate. I am happy.
I determine accuracy by standing in the exact same location and creating one waypoint a day for 20 days. I then calculate mean location and standard deviation for each device. Also used instead of the average is the location determined from aerial photography.
For anyone that still has or uses a Delorme GPS.... previous postings have discussed the 1999 date reset issue. I saw a news article dated 4-4-19 on NBC news that talked about the reason this happened. An excerpt is below.....
April 4, 2019, 8:49 PM EDT / Updated April 4, 2019, 9:09 PM EDT By Alex Johnson
This Saturday, some of your GPS systems could start partying like it's 1999. It's a scenario reminiscent of the panic that preceded the Y2K bug in late 1999. Older computer systems that rely on the 24 Global Positioning System, or GPS, satellites constantly orbiting the Earth could suddenly go 20 years out of date at 7:59 p.m. ET on Saturday. Theoretically, that could cause not only some consumer navigation systems but also some critical infrastructure systems in communications, transportation, the power grid and the like to start spewing gibberish. That's because the GPS satellites tally the march of time by weeks, and because of the way the system was designed when it went online in 1980, it has enough storage space to remember only 1,024 weeks. When it hits that limit — which will happen Saturday night — the counters reset to 0.
