GARMIN GPS MAP 276 C

I selected the Garmin GPS MAP 276 C for this article because I believe it to be the Rolls Royce (a navigators dream) of vehicle mounted GPS’s, ideally suited for both 4x4 activities and city navigation. The GPS MAP 276 C is primarily a marine chart plotter which has now been adapted to be used on land as a street navigation receiver. The price is more expensive than most receivers but when compared to the other receivers on the market. Its features and its improvements, more than justify the extra expense. It is not only the 4x4 community who are using the GPS MAP 276 C but also bikers are using it with success, enthusiasm and great pleasure. This receiver is one of the most comprehensive GPS’s on the market today and one most users dream off.

The Garmin GPS MAP 276 C is my personal preference and the receiver I use. I have mounted it on my steering column, which enables me to glance down through the steering wheel to view the receiver with no major distraction from the road.

The main attraction of this GPS is the large colour screen and user friendliness. It is not only a large screen but also a high resolution colour TFT non reflective screen that does not bleed or fade in direct sunlight. The configuration of the GPS is such that the map screen can be set to use maximum map area with the data fields or navigational information (data fields) being set into the corners of the screen. This allows for maximum map coverage particularly ahead of you. The GPS also allows for the enabling or disabling of the different navigation screens as desired. For example the Highway Page would not be used while navigating on land, so would be disabled when used in a vehicle. If only auto-routing is required, you could also disable the Compass Page. I do not disable the compass page, as I still prefer to see the direction in which I should be traveling. Another strong point is that you can set the language to British English in preference to American English which is sometimes difficult to understand when driving in traffic and concentrating on other things.

Specifications

• 12 parallel channel,
• No memory (Garmin memory data cards need to be purchased)
• 256 TFT (Thin Film Transistor) non reflective screen,
• WAAS / EGNOS enable if required,
• Can load any Mapsource product (Garmap and Tracks4afrcia),
• Auto routing with voice.
• Own lithium battery with approximate 15 hours usage depending on the backlight usage,
• IPX 7 waterproofing standard (1m of water for 30 minutes),
• USB interface,
• 3 000 waypoints,
• 10 000 breadcrumbs.

Accessories included.
• USB cable,
• 240 v charger,
• 12 volt power cable,
• Dash mount,
• Manuals etc.

Additional Accessories.
• Navkit (128mb memory card for maps, BeanBag (friction mount), Mapsource City Select Europe and South Africa, Garmap 3 (Best autorouting software dataset for South Africa), 12/24 volt power cable with speaker box.
• Blank memory cards for additional mapping (64 Mb, 128 Mb, 256Mb, 512Mb)
• Carry case
• Protective screen cover
• External antenna (GA26C)
• Blue Charts (Marine charts of the world, bought per region. Southern Africa region stretches from, north of Beira in Mozambique to Lobito in Angola)

Strong Points
• The ease of use and user friendly layout of the setup menu
• Large TFT Colour screen
• High resolution clarity of screen
• Different Language settings
• One can project a point by panning, or either choosing a distance and direction and then marking it as a GoTo

Disappointments
• The unit does not have a touch screen.
• Difficult to mount in some vehicles due to the space between the dash and windscreen.
• The memory cards are Garmin cards and not the standard SD card

If the budget allows, this is a receiver that I would seriously consider. An ideal Christmas present for Dad (even if it is for Dad from Dad).
Recommended selling price Garmin GPS MAP 276 C with the Navkit (memory mapping, speaker box and beanbag dash mount) is R9800. To purchase the GPS without the navkit is only to purchase a basic GPS with no additional features which I believe is a waste.