Satmap Active 10 - In depth review now available

Benoit · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 14, 2008 Posts: 3

Ok, I must admit I don't normally leave it stationary until I get a fix, do you think moving at walking pace while turning on the device is enough to disrupt it's fixing process that much? I'll give it a go for a few days anyway, thanks.

Darren · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 3:38 pm Post subject:

mikero · Regular Visitor Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 84

My Active 10 was taking forever to acquire a fix. Even after the initial fix was established, subsequent fixes were still taking an age. I contacted Satmap and was told to return the unit for repair. The repair sheet shows "LTF fitted".
I have not yet had a chance to try it out but I will post the result.

oldplodder · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 21, 2008 Posts: 2

Many thanks for the review. Like a good number of people, I've been thinking about an Activ 10 for a while and trying to compare the relative merits of Garmin/Magellan/Satmap offerings.

Your review tipped me over the edge (toward the Activ 10) - the next big trick was finding someone who had a unit to sell!! As far as availability is concerned, they make hens' teeth look common.

After many,many phone calls I finally tracked one down to a shop in Scotland - fortunately on my route to Skye at the weekend.

Incidentally, one (alleged) stockist told me yesterday that they were not getting any more Activ 10 units in because something similar but (in their words) better and much more robust is promised by Garmin for "sometime after the summer".

Darren · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:44 am Post subject:

oldplodder · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 21, 2008 Posts: 2

As I had finally convinced myself to buy an Activ 10, I didn't ask for any more details. If you haven't heard of any new Garmin product, maybe it was just a bit of wishful thinking by the salesman.

lucevans · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject:

lucevans · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject: real world performance = Wow!!!

Okay, I've had my fair share of gripes about the A10 when familiarizing myself with it's functions, but I've just got back from a week in Glencoe, and when it really matters, the A10 is awesome.
Using the LiPol and recharging every night, I felt no uneasiness about the battery running out during even long days, and with the exception of one lock-up (which was due to me pressing too many buttons too quickly) the unit performed flawlessly every day.
The precision out on the hill was superb; even at the bottom of steep narrow valleys (e.g. Lost Valley on Bidean nam Bian) it was tracking 10 or 11 satellites and I was pleasantly surprised at how good the track up option was, away from all the metallic objects of modern life!
Despite being pretty handy with a map and compass, I have never felt as at ease in cloud on a narrow ridge as I did this week, with my A10 showing me exactly where I was, and exactly how far away and distant the top/footpath branch/next waypoint on my route was.
Gone are the days when the answer to the question "how far's the top?" was "about half a mile". I was able to tell my walking buddy that the summit of Buachaille Etive Beag was 840m horizontal distance with 70m ascent. He was impressed!!
The 1:25 000 map was brilliant, and my concerns that the auto scale switching while zooming in/out would cause problems turned out to be unfounded. The transition from 1:50 000 to 1:25 000 occurred at just the right point. In fact, the only failing was a human one - I forgot to press the trip log start button at the beginning of one walk!

Scratches on the screen and screen protector aside, this is a perfect tool and I can't wait for the next trip out Very Happy

mikealder · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject:

Nice to read such an informative post based upon in field usage, it is a great device. I have also forgotten the start button for track logging on a few occasions, this is too easy to do!
As you obviously have a number of walks recorded would you consider sharing them via the web site? there is a sticky thead in this forum index for that very purpose - Mike

lucevans · Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject:

dwarfplanetpluto · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:05 pm Post subject:

Darren · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:49 pm Post subject:

I'm curious, with all this talk of low stock etc, why not buy direct from Satmap or are the retail prices discounted?
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Darren Griffin

Physicist · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:54 pm Post subject:

Garmin do already use OS mapping in their UK Topo map. However it has a curious mixture of detail at various levels. Contour lines and roads are as in OS 1:50k mapping whereas rivers and streams seem to derive from 1:10k mapping (almost showing you every puddle!). The irritating feature is that rights of way start and stop for no apparent reason reducing the appeal to hill walkers.

The Topo disc says 'Enabled by OS' and it is Crown Copyrighted so there clearly exists an agreement between Garmin and OS making new OS mapping software from Garmin a possibility. Or perhaps the salespeople referred to may be hinting at an update of this Topo map rather than to cards like Satmap's.

If were Garmin's CEO I might consider a buyout of Satmap as the easiest option...they would bring in new software and hardware expertise that would truly make the Active 10 a world beater in every respect rather than being a slightly-flawed diamond. [/i]

lucevans · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:35 pm Post subject:

bob1988 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 26, 2009 Posts: 14

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