Delorme customer service is top rate!!!!

[Lloyd Smale]

ive delt with them a couple times and was allways impressed but they went above and beyond this time. My pn20 is about 3 years old and the rechargeable battery wouldnt take a charge anymore and they sent me a new one for no charge. This is the second one they given me. I was impressed when they replaced the first one after a little over a year but giving me another to replace one two years old on a 3 year old unit is pretty impressive. You garmin guys can argue to your blue in the face about how superior yours unit is but i feel this unit is every bit as good and see what they tell you when your unit takes a crap after a year.

[Glanceblamm]

My pn20 is about 3 years old and the rechargeable battery wouldnt take a charge anymore and they sent me a new one for no charge. This is the second one they given me.

Do I hear warning bells?...Perhaps you need to purchase a third to keep charged and carry in your case as an emergency backup?...Sorry Lloyd, just funnin ya

I still have to feed my Garmin with those "spensive" AA's, It would be great to upgrade to a rechargeable lithium type. Some AA's can be recharged of course but I don't think it includes the newer standard lithiums?

[Siskiyou]

Lloyd:  I have been looking for more post from you regarding the use of your PN20.  With DeLorme being a minority in the gps market place there is a need for their customers to speak up. 

Because of poor service from some high end radios with rechargeable batteries I have been leery.  Back in the 1970’s and 1980’s we were using Motorola and Bendix-King portable radios.   Battery life was not dependable for a shift, and they issued out AA battery boxes for them.  I mention past history because a hunting partner who had success with a Garmin Rino 520 with a rechargeable battery called me up a few years ago and told me about a good deal on Garmin Rino 530HCx gps/radio.  The 530HCx comes with a re-chargeable LI ION battery.  With the battery installed the radio puts out five watts.  At the same time I order a holder for Alkaline AA batteries.   When using the AA batteries the output drops to two watts.  The logic behind getting the AA battery pack is that we set up tent camps during hunting season and if we use a generator it is not on long enough to charge batteries.  Normally generator use is an hour at night and an hour early in morning.  We prefer to use lamps over the rattle of a generator. 

We have found that we do not need to use 5 watts of power for our communications needs and we extended service from the batteries.  I have not had to resort to the AA battery pack yet.  But there is another side to the story.  My original Rino 530HCx had a software issue regarding the storage of maps.  I called up Garmin Service and explained the problem.  We tried a couple of over the phone fixes and they did not work.  Garmin Service gave me a return number and shipping directions.  The shipping direction included the where and the how.  I was told to strip the unit, and keep the battery, manual, and usb cable.

A few days later I received a new unit from Garmin with the items I retained.  That made me happy because the cost of a battery is $65. 

I had a similar problem with the replacement unit.  Again Garmin shipped me a new unit with a battery.  Thanks to good customer service I have two extra batteries worth $130.

Frankly I was rather frustrated but the third unit has worked great.  Garmin issued a software upgrade that resolved the issue.  My hunting partner did not have the issue with his 530HCx Rino.  And I am the guy who loaded the maps for his unit.  He is not computer orientated so I loaded his software on his computer for him, and setup the links so he could get any updates needed.

I was concerned the second time around because I was outside the warranty period.  I was ready to take action and I received one of those “O” Dark 30 phone calls that put me on the road to Eastern Montana.  It was a couple of months before I returned home and was able to take care of business. 

My hunting partner has had no battery problems with his Rino 520 which is used by his son, and his Rino 530HCx.  He has taken his 530HCx across the West, a couple trips to Alaska, and the Dakota’s hunting.

Garmin is not perfect, if a customer has a problem I recommend calling, be prepared for a wait.  I tried e-mail a couple of times and it did not work for me. 

The new PN-60 sounds like an interesting product.

http://blog.delorme.com/2010/01/06/delorme-and-spot-handheld-gps-meets-satellite-communication/#more-674

[Lloyd Smale]

i wish i would have waited for the pn40 as the only complaint i have with mine is screen changes are a bit slow. What i usually do if i know mine will be on all day on batterys is put in the rechargeable and carry a couple AA alkanlines along for a backup. It will run at least 8 hours on a new set maybe longer but thats the longest ive had them on. the rechargables would probably work better for someone that uses there often. Mine sometims sits for 6 months and i think it tough on the batterys to let them run all the way down for so long. The new 60 looks cool but im not going to pay extra for the sat communication option that im to cheap to subscripe to. I see they suposidly gave it better battery life though and thats a good thing.