January 10, 2008
etrex legend hcx
i've been thinking about replacing my old model (falling apart really) with a new one; those color screens are nice, easier to read)... it looks like Garmin has finally put out an e-trex model with a high sensitivity SiRF Star III chip (some reports say 'high sensitivity antenna'. seems like it's the *same* patch antenna --but with the new chip).
while poor reception is not an issue out on the playa (works quite well there), the original model had trouble in other areas, like thick forests and in the city. been a sore point in an otherwise great all-around series. better reception will make it more dependable. so that's a plus, and welcome news.
the new version also sports a micro-SD slot for map data, making interfacing with a computer and downloading/transferring maps and tracklogs even easier. so that's another plus. might be worth upgrading given these new features.
i'd still like to see a mapping gps in a smaller form factor --Garmin never expanded on the trim Geko line, too bad really.