For anyone who is interested in a Garmin 76csx, MegaGPS.com sometimes has refurbished units for around $210. I think this is a super deal. Refurbished units are not always available. But, I bought a refurbished 76csx a few months ago and it looks and works like new. Plus it has the same warranty as a new unit. It also arrived in three days.
A few other glider pilots had asked me about my choice of GPS and here is what I sent them at the time:
My GPS is a Garmin 76csx there is also a 76s which has a blk & wht screen.
Here is a link to a comparison of the two:
http://www.prairie.mb.ca/compare_gps.php?Compare2=Compare+Products&p%5b%5d3=010-00271-00&p%
5b%5d3=010-00469-00
I chose the 76csx because it does everything the 76s does and....
It has more memory.
It can use interchangeable memory chips.
It has a color screen that seems brighter.
The battery is supposed to last a little longer.
The 76csx and the 76s do function nearly identically. The 76s is has a black and white screen and is a little less expensive but seems to work great too. Some even prefer it.
The MicroSD chips for the 76csx do however let you set up maps and waypoints on different chips for different situations. And…The chips are really cheap.
I bought my 76csx from MegaGPS.com as a refurb for around $210. It arrived in three days.
If not in stock at MegaGPS, just search the internet for “76csx refurbished” or you can buy new for around $300.
I bought two MicroSD chips from
www.CompSource.com for $13.50 for both. Arrived in two days.
Item # SDC2GB2P1Adh
2GB mSD Flash Card Twin Pack: 2GB micros
My sales rep at CompSource was DEAN BELLONE at (800) 413-7361 x105 or
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
- He was way helpful. I called the order in because I had questions.
I also bought the detailed street maps (MapSource City Navigator NT) for $73 but they are not required.
Get the CD not the chip version if you want these - you can add it to multiple chips then.
I use one MicroSD Card for street navigation with related info (waypoints & POIs) and another MicroSD Card for aviation.
Here are some links to a site where a guy did some serious study of the Garmin 76 models:
http://www.aeroexperiments.org/GPSsoar.shtml http://www.aeroexperiments.org/GPSglide http://www.aeroexperiments.org/GPSmap76S
The basics are as follows. If you want a GPS, you can start pretty cheap with one of these and if you don’t like it, you can easily sell it for pretty much what you paid to buy it. Especially if you can find a refurbished one. If MegaGPS does not have any refurbished ones in stock, you can search amazon and ebay and google. I have seen them there too. But look for ones with a factory warranty.
These things do also produce flight tracks for looking at how well you flew. The tracks can be uploaded to your PC also.
Oh, I also wanted to add an important point. For soaring, you need to get a Garmin GPS with an S in the model number as they are the only ones with both a Barometric Altimete and Glide Slope to Destination software. Only the models with an S have this feature.
C = Color Screen
S = Soaring Software & Barometric Altimeter
X = Enhanced Antena
Many guys on the net say the screen and the antena are sufficient on the basic black and white S models but I like the CSX as the Color can be helpful and the Antena does seem to find satellites faster and in more places (although this is mostly on the road under trees or in the mountains etc.)
If you want to consider a 60CSX look at this link :
http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?
showtopic=139022
It is a great comparison of the 76 series and the 60 series with lots of side by side pitures and comments.
As you can see, I did lots of research on these things and almost every soaring and/or hang gliding site or forum generally agrees that the 76S or 76CSX is the best for aviation GPS under $500.
The bottom line questions seem to be the following.
Do you want color?
Do you want the expansion capability that comes with the MicroSD?
Both come with software for your PC so you can manage waypoints etc. The 76CSX came with the needed USB cable too. I don't know about the 76S
There is a ton of info on the web about these things and having one can make you safer for XC flights if you use it right.
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