DeLorme Earthmate PN-20 Handheld GPS Receiver
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- Form Factor: Handheld
- Map capabilities: Internal
- Receiver Type: 12 Channels
- Enhanced accuracy: WAAS enabled
- GPS Type: Handheld (Outdoor)
- Input Method: Keypad
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Nice packaging, poor performance
Pros
Topo7, 1GB SD Disk, maps and cable included
Cons
Extremely slow to acquire signal, big accuracy problems, Topo7 VERY difficult to use
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
Looks good with great included accessories--but software, accuracy, and reception problems make this an unacceptable product.
Who doesn’t like presents, especially one that you’re researched and given yourself? I really tried to like the Delorme Earthmate PN-20. I hiked with it through the woods and through Central Park in New York City. I liked that it was packaged with Topo 7 (which has some great maps), a 1 GB SD disk and a real, printed manual. But after a couple of weeks, it’s truly a disappointment. I prefer my Garmin that is 4 years old.
Topo 7 is powerful software. It does a lot. The 3D features are fun. And the maps you can download are great (but they can get expensive). But Topo7 doesn’t do anything easily. The software installed easily on my Windows XP desktop (although it wanted in install some unusual add on from an unknown company). However, it crashed twice when I tried to install in on my Vista laptop.
Simple thinks like creating routes and tracks are unnecessarily difficult and extremely confusing. I’m a computer programmer, and after a few days over the holidays of trying to create walks around my home and local parks, I made little progress. Even “enabling” it to connect to your PN-20 is no easy task. After a week, I was still unable to transfer the nifty maps purchased online to the unit. The index of the 96 page user manual has no entry for “importing”, “exporting”, or “connecting”.
I read reviews online and several mentioned it was slow in acquiring a fix from the satellites. How slow could it be? Very. I can understand the first time, but EVERY time? It seems especially slow when you’re moving. I walked from my midtown hotel in NYC to Central Park. It never got a fix. (Okay, there are a lot of tall buildings, but my car GPS gets a fix). When I finally got to Central Park, I walked for OVER A MILE, and still no fix. When I finally stopped, it finally obtained a fix, but never a WAAS signal.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of the PN 20 is its inaccuracy. It has a nice feature of letting you know how accurate the device is. NEVER did it get more accurate than +/- 100 feet, even with the clearest view of the sky. I was able to transfer my tracks from the GPS back to Topo 7, and it showed me way off the roads and trails. I wasn’t.
The final straw was Delorme’s refusal to honor their $50 rebate. After sending in receipts, UPC codes and the form, I get the following response from Delorme:
“Thank you for your recent purchase, we received your rebate in the mail this week. DeLorme set up a mail in rebate and a mutually exclusive instant rebate this past holiday season. The mail in rebate was used exclusively by retailers who carry our GPS’ in a brick and mortar retail location while the instant rebate was offered by on line retailers like Walmart.com.
DeLorme posted the mail in rebate on our website with authorized retailers listed
I apologize for any inconvenience.
Amanda S | DeLorme Sales & Service”
I understand that the newer Delorme PN 40 is much better, but it’s more than twice as expensive as the PN 20. I’m going back to using my 4 year old Garmin with QuakeMap. It’s easier, faster and much more accurate.
Topo 7 is powerful software. It does a lot. The 3D features are fun. And the maps you can download are great (but they can get expensive). But Topo7 doesn’t do anything easily. The software installed easily on my Windows XP desktop (although it wanted in install some unusual add on from an unknown company). However, it crashed twice when I tried to install in on my Vista laptop.
Simple thinks like creating routes and tracks are unnecessarily difficult and extremely confusing. I’m a computer programmer, and after a few days over the holidays of trying to create walks around my home and local parks, I made little progress. Even “enabling” it to connect to your PN-20 is no easy task. After a week, I was still unable to transfer the nifty maps purchased online to the unit. The index of the 96 page user manual has no entry for “importing”, “exporting”, or “connecting”.
I read reviews online and several mentioned it was slow in acquiring a fix from the satellites. How slow could it be? Very. I can understand the first time, but EVERY time? It seems especially slow when you’re moving. I walked from my midtown hotel in NYC to Central Park. It never got a fix. (Okay, there are a lot of tall buildings, but my car GPS gets a fix). When I finally got to Central Park, I walked for OVER A MILE, and still no fix. When I finally stopped, it finally obtained a fix, but never a WAAS signal.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of the PN 20 is its inaccuracy. It has a nice feature of letting you know how accurate the device is. NEVER did it get more accurate than +/- 100 feet, even with the clearest view of the sky. I was able to transfer my tracks from the GPS back to Topo 7, and it showed me way off the roads and trails. I wasn’t.
The final straw was Delorme’s refusal to honor their $50 rebate. After sending in receipts, UPC codes and the form, I get the following response from Delorme:
“Thank you for your recent purchase, we received your rebate in the mail this week. DeLorme set up a mail in rebate and a mutually exclusive instant rebate this past holiday season. The mail in rebate was used exclusively by retailers who carry our GPS’ in a brick and mortar retail location while the instant rebate was offered by on line retailers like Walmart.com.
DeLorme posted the mail in rebate on our website with authorized retailers listed
I apologize for any inconvenience.
Amanda S | DeLorme Sales & Service”
I understand that the newer Delorme PN 40 is much better, but it’s more than twice as expensive as the PN 20. I’m going back to using my 4 year old Garmin with QuakeMap. It’s easier, faster and much more accurate.
