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New Garmin 276C - way cool!

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/10/2005 : 04:57:56

We were planning to purchase a new GPS in the spring but Santa arrived and now I don't have to wait until spring. Have not had a chance to use it on the boat yet but it sure is cool in the car! I am on an assignment out of town right now. Last week I had to find my way in a strange town. I could look up the business I was looking for by its name and hit go to. The directions were great and I never would have found some of the places without its help. It was like having a local guide in the car.

Question is, if I get another memory chip can I just swap chips when we get to the launch ramp and load my marine charts that way. Having to fire up the lap top each time seems too cumbersome. Anyone tried it?

The other thing I like is that it tells you your ETA and distance to your destination. I told the kids I never want to hear "When are we going to get there?" again.

Todd Hansen
Fiorghra'
San Luis Obispo, CA

Edited by - tmhansen on 01/11/2005 02:35:09

Jared
1st Mate

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USA
70 Posts

Response Posted - 01/10/2005 : 08:00:05

I have the Garmin 276c as well. I bought the bluechart chip for the Chesapeake Bay and you pop it in and it is ready to go. That is the cheapest way to go ($150 per region - big region), instead of buying the CD with all the charts, unlock codes, and chips. I don't see where there would be any problem with switching chips out. Good Luck - that thing is sweet.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 01/10/2005 : 08:45:49

Good choice on chartplotters. I have the older 176C and love it. I have three chips, so that gives me every nautical chart from Jacksonville, Florida, down to the Keys, and up around the gulf all the way to New Orleans. Sweet. Those charts are incredibly accurate and have guided me into anchorages at night more than once. I think the main difference between the 176 and 276 is the added lithium ion battery, which must be very nice. When using mine I keep it plugged in to a cigarette lighter plug anyways. I added several plugs around my boat, a great upgrade.
Anybody out there buy the inland waterways CD or the topo CD for theirs? If so, any good?

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/10/2005 : 11:14:56

Hi Todd... I told you so! If you got the Bluechard CD, you can get another chip, load your charts into it, and swap chips any time. I'm thinking about getting a 256 MB chip and using that for the land maps--I travel a lot... Then using the 128 chip for charts. (Garmin suggested just 32 MB for Bluecharts.)

Were you using the speaker in the car? Were you impressed with how it reacted when you missed a turn or decided to change the route? Once it told me to "make a U-turn at the earliest convenient time" (or something like that). Nice lady... very patient!

One small advantage to the chart CD is that if you need another region, you can buy the unlock code over the Web and receive it via e-mail. I don't know whether you can have more than one region on a chip, but that would be another advantage--with routes that cross regions...

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 01/10/2005 12:05:09

tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 01/11/2005 : 02:41:59

Yes Dave we got the land and sea package with the speaker/12v adaptor for the car and the harness for the boat. All our charts are off of CD's. I like the ability to purchase updates on either over the web but they are kind of expensive $75 for the first one and I just opened the box.

I am told pilots call their cockpit voice bitchin Betty. The Admiral says our pilot is not going to be called Betty. Any other ideas? It does react very well when I go "off route".

I doubt I will ever have a route that crosses a region here on the west coast. I do hope to do the San Juans some day and that would mean the purchase of additional chart data then. For now I am good from Point Reys or so to Cabo San Luis.

We are planning a spring break week long trip on SF bay. It should get a real world test then.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/11/2005 : 20:27:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tmhansen
 I am told pilots call their cockpit voice bitchin Betty. The Admiral says our pilot is not going to be called Betty. Any other ideas? It does react very well when I go "off route".
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Betty is my late mother... Barb is my late wife... I guess the Bs are out for me. How about Naggin' Nancy? (Or, I can just respond to it, "Yes dear.")

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2005 : 01:53:58

Naggin Nancy, I like it. Lets see what the rest of the crew think as I put it them to come up with a name too.

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2005 : 09:56:06

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I am told pilots call their cockpit voice bitchin Betty. The Admiral says our pilot is not going to be called Betty. Any other ideas? It does react very well when I go "off route".
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I'm sure things are different at other airlines, but this one's a new one for me. I seem to remember that the MD-80 did a lot of nagging (female voice) but I never flew it. On the Boeing we have very little voices, mostly chimes/bells. The only one with a voice is the GPWS (ground proximity warning system), which seldom speaks. The autopilot is known as "George". By far the most heard phrase is "What's it doing?"

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay" (Ex. C250 WB #618 )
Georgetown MD/Fort Lauderdale FL

Edited by - Oscar on 01/12/2005 09:59:34

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.