2610 n00b - with just a few specific questions ....

[G-Funk]

Greetings everyone ....

So I finally pulled the trigger, in a frugal Irishman way, and bought my first GPS. After talking with some peeps I know, and checking out their 2610's, and doing some research, I decided to go with that one. It wasn't costly, and I'll have it in the next few days. It was an E-Bay score ....

I thought this would be good to introduce myself to the world of GPS's ..... and for under 100 bucks with a ram mount, I figured it better, than to really pull the trigger and go with a Zumo 550 ....... or the 660. Hell, if in a year I decide to upgrade to a newer unit, I'm sure I won't have wasted my 95 bucks (w/shipping) on the thing.

Anyhow - I've done some searching, I've checked out Garmin's site (which I feel is a little lacking for disco'd products) and it's left me with a few specific questions .....

My questions relate to maps and CF cards .....

1. I know the 2610 accepts Type 1 and Type 2 CF cards. I also have seen that the majority of maps are like at the 1.8gb size. Will the 2610 accept 2gb Type 2 CF cards? Yes it's a type 2 - but I haven't found anywhere about overall size limitations for CF cards for the 2610.

2. The unit I bought has (I believe) CN v.5 or it's v.6 - what's the newest CN version I can go with? I ask this, because - again - Garmin's site seemed a little lacking IMO - I've seen some links that refer to CN 2009 - but on Garmin's site they don't state that ...... unless I just didn't find it.

3. The main reason I bought a GPS - besides traversing back FS roads in Oregon, is for when I go to Vancouver Island, and Mexico, in the next few months. Another inmate had told me in a PM that his 2610 was great for all the back roads on V.I. - and so I'm assuming the unit will work out nicely for Mexico. On Garmin's site - there was nothing that I found for Mexico - so besides whatever ( most current ) version of N.A. CN I can get - what other maps can I buy that will work with the 2610?

I'm p.c. based - I really don't care if I have to buy maps .... meaning I'm not looking for free-bee's, but I just don't know where to look, and what's compatible (still) for the unit since it's a disco'd product.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

On a last note - the type of off-road riding I do in my area is primarily FS roads, BLM roads, and 2 track - and the paper maps I can get are more than acceptable - so I'm thinking there'd be even more info / detail - with current map software, etc ......

Thanks in advance to anyone the pipes up .....

G.

[JR356]

Hi,

1) 2 Gb works just fine,slight benefit to getting a high speed card,but
only do it if you find a good deal on a high speed card,regular 2 Gb card is just fine.

2) Wlll go to 2009,not sure about 2010(it's out),you need the non NT version.

3) Bicimapas or the maps from Smellybiker
http://www.bicimapas.com.mx/MexicGPSAtlasEn.htm
http://www.smellybiker.com/

JR356

[PapaWheelie]

Get Bicimapas for Mexico. Es muy bien!

[G-Funk]

Thanks for the input guys .....

G.

[TonyA]

I think 2GB is the largest card capacity you'll ever need, and it might be the largest that the 2610 will accept. A lot of early CF products like cameras had a 2GB limit. The entire CN2009 product fits on my 2GB CF card with plenty of room to spare.

A very bottom of the heap-spec'ed SanDisk card and the Extreme-III version are equally fast in my 2610 as far as I can tell. Differences I was looking for were in the initialization at power-up, searching for points of interest, and staying current on the display as I travel.

Garmin has told me that there will never ever ever ever ever ever, ever be any more up to date mapping product beyond CN2009, in the pre-NT format that the 2610 needs. Amazingly, when you go to the Shopping page on Garmin's site, they don't state what version they are selling, at least not that I can find. Even the picture of the product doesn't show a version number. CN2008 was stillborn, it was shut down as a product within less than a day of being released. But that didn't stop them from shipping me one when they were supposed to send 2009. I have two of them now so I'm all set for when a restaurant table leg is a little short. They say that they won't unlock 2008. "Ever".

Mexico isn't part of North America according to Garmin:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?...65#coverageTab