Garmin chartplotter 276c

[tel1]

im looking at buying one of these chartplotters. it says on various websites that they take the bluechart g2 data cards. does that include the normal bluechart data cards???

any help would be great!!!

 

[Neil]

Yes, they take the old format Bluechart. When the 275C was introduced, Bluechart was the new format! While the 276 is still available, Garmin push for g2 on it, because Bluechart has been hacked.

 

[tel1]

so this one would work on the 276c??

 

[Neil]

Yes. You can also get blank ones on ebay

 

[tel1]

you shall have to excuse the silly question. but what do you mean by blank ones??
how do they work??

never had a chartplotter before so im all new to it!

 

[Neil]

Bluechart was available as preprogrammed data cards covering a small area, or as a CD which covered either the Pacific, Atlantic or Americas. You bought it with an unlock key to allow you to upload one chart region of your choice to your GPS, using a blank data card. With g2, there is only the preprogrammed data card option.

 

[tel1]

so basically the g2 cards are pre loaded to make it easier, as in one g2 card is one chart?

however, in the long run, probably more expensive?

well thanks for your help anyway, it was a great help!

 

[Neil]

No, the g2 card was designed to be more secure, and to maintain Garmin's income stream. The Bluechart CDs were hacked, such that a person in the know (and I'm not!) could use any and all charts from the three CDs for free.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

the 276 is an old set at the end of its life. best check to see how the performance compares with modern sets before you buy.

 

[tel1]

well do be honest, if it shows me where i am im happy. dont really want any fancy expensive gizmoes. the one im looking at is £250, which is loads cheaper than some of these latest models. yet they all do one thing, tell you where you are!

 

[RestlessL]

I have a 276c in the car, and series 3000 plotter in the boat.

I can confirm that a pre-programmed Bluechart G2 card will operate in the 276c.

My only critisism of the 276c is the power/data plug - it is not as robust as it should be, and will break after a lot of use - I am now on my 3rd lead.

John

 

[tel1]

thanks for the feedback. do you know how much the leads are??

 

[Neil]

I have a 276c in the car, and series 3000 plotter in the boat.

I can confirm that a pre-programmed Bluechart G2 card will operate in the 276c.

My only critisism of the 276c is the power/data plug - it is not as robust as it should be, and will break after a lot of use - I am now on my 3rd lead.

John

That's strange - I'm on my second 276C, and never broke a plug on the lead.

 

[Scarron]

I'd thoroughly reccomend the 276c - I use one on the boat as my main plotter, also in the car and on my motorbike. Brilliant bit of kit and used with the free Garmin Mapsource software on a PC you can preplan all your routes and upload all your tracks. [I use them as the boat's log].

Once you are used to the interface it's loads better than having a touchscreen.

£250 is a bargain

 

[VictorII]

I'm on my second, and fourth battery in two years. They do have some battery related issues: losing power, losing position (and having to autoposition, which is annoying on the bike).

But for dual use boat/ bike it is still the only available solution I know of. I hope they replace it with something similar once the 276C is no longer available. Probably won't as dual use is a niche market.

Just one thing: the dashboard / outside mount is weaker than could have been. Mine has been bumpted into on the boat and while the retaining bolt is still good, the brake thingies for rotating have now almost broken of. So best install it in an out of the way place.