DeLorme Earthmate PN-40 GPS

Test Series by Jennifer Koles

August 28, 2009

Personal Information

Name:  Jennifer Koles
Age:  34
Gender:  Female
Height:  5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Weight: 140 lb (64 kg)
Email address: jennksnowy at yahoo dot com
City, State, and Country: Orange County, California, United States

After getting into the outdoors scene camping while 4-wheeling and day-hiking, I switched to backpacking in the early 2000's. I have backpacked extensively in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho along with California, Pennsylvania and Nevada. I have slowly been cutting my base weight to be able to go longer in duration and distance. I have done so mainly by using better gear and dumping heavy luxuries. (I also married a Sherpa to help.) I backpack year round in all weather, and usually take a free standing tent and a gas stove on all my trips. I love trying out new gear.

The author in the Narrows at Zion National Park, Utah.

Product Information

Manufacturer: DeLorme
Product: Earthmate GPS PN-40 (TOPO USA 7.0)
Year of Manufacture: December 2008
Manufacturer Website: www.delorme.com
MSRP: $399.95 USD

Listed Weight: Without batteries 5.35 oz (152 g); with Li-Ion rechargeable battery (not included) 6.7 oz (190 g); with alkaline AA batteries 7 oz (198 g).
Actual Weight: Without batteries 5.35 oz (152 g); with alkaline AA batteries 7 oz (198 g).
Lanyard Weight: 0.20 oz (5.67 g)
1-GB SD Card Weight: less than 1 g (0.04 oz)

Manufacturer Measurements: 2.43 in x 5.25 in x 1.5 in (6 cm x 13 cm x 4 cm) measured width-height-depth
My Measurements: Identical to the manufacturer; 2.43 in x 5.25 in x 1.5 in (6 cm x 13 cm x 4 cm) measured width-height-depth
Display Measurements: 2.2 in (5.59 cm) (measured on diagonal from corner to corner)

Warranty: The PN-40 is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for 1 year from the date of purchase. More details are included in the user manual and the manufacturer's website.

• Rugged Earthmate GPS-PN 40
• Topo USA 7.0 DVD Software (with complete U.S. integrated topo and street maps, plus four million places of interest)
• Topo USA 7.0 Detailed Maps (Eastern, Central, West Region)
• Supplementary data certificate for USGS QUAD, satellite map and NOAA chart online downloads (value $40.00 USD)
• USB data transfer cable for PC/GPS data exchanges (8 mini-pin)
• Neck lanyard
• Two AA batteries
• 1-GB SD card
• Quick start guide
• Owner's manual (93 pages)

Technical Specifications:

• IPX-7 waterproof standard, impact-resistant rubberized housing
• Super high-sensitivity 32-channel Cartesio chipset by STMicroelectronics, dual-core processor
• Position accuracy < 3 m (10 ft)
• 3-axis electronic compass with accelerometer; barometric altimeter
• Built in antenna
• Audio- for buttons, directions and alerts
• 2.0 USB data transfer
• 500 MG of internal flash memory available in addition to the pre-loaded world base map. Holds up to ten tracks (10,000 points per track); 1,000 user-defined waypoints; and 50 routes. SD slot also available.
• Supports SD and SDHC memory cards; up to 32 GB
• Display as stated by the manufacturer: Sharp high-resolution 2.2" (65K-color Transflective TFT color display (220 x 176 pixels)
• Operating temperature range is -4 F (-20 C) to 167 F (75 C)

Topo USA 7.0 Software:

The Topo USA 7.0 software is to create projects that contain waypoints, routes, tracks, and maps that can be later transferred to the PN-40. This program can also receive waypoints, routes, and tracks that are created directly on the PN-40. The software program has a getting started guide displayed by default when the program starts. The links on this secondary screen were very helpful for me to understand how to use the software efficiently.

Operating System: Windows Vista with 512 MB RAM; US Version Windows XP/2000 SP3 or later with 128 MB RAM.

Hardware: DVD-ROM drive; Intel Pentium III or equivalent 900 MHZ or higher processor; 1 GB of available hard-disk space; 3-D capable video card with 32 MB VRAM.

Initial Impressions and Getting Started

I have never used a DeLorme GPS and I was very pleased with my initial use of the PN-40. I also have never used a GPS device that I could download maps to. That is partially the reason why I lost interest in using GPS units.

The PN-40 case is appears to be durable and rugged. The black buttons on the unit contrast very well with the orange case. The color screen is pleasing to my eyes and is large enough for me to read the various screens without squinting my eyes. I found that on the "Device Setup Page" I could change the color scheme for the display and the back light intensity. The PN-40 comes preloaded with maps showing overview-level of world coverage, and cover for the United States for interstate, state, and major roads. The additional maps that can be transferred into the PN-40 are to obtain a more detailed view. The instruction manual provided with the PN-40 is very detailed and information on all the screens and functionality.

I perused the manufacturer's website prior to and upon receiving the PN-40. The website has a plethora of information regarding the hardware specifications and the technical functions/specifications of the unit. There is detailed information on the various maps that the PN-40 can display and information on the Map Library subscription. The Map Library annual subscription is $29.95 USD and enables the subscriber to download an unlimited amount of maps. The website also has downloadable PDF files for the "Getting Started Guide" and the user manual. There are also some additional accessories that can be purchased for the PN-40. I have already ordered a carrying case and I am thinking about ordering the handle bar mount for my mountain bike.

Upon receiving the PN-40 I first took a look at the "Quick Start Guide" and I followed the directions to set up the GPS unit. The back of the unit has two D-rings on the back cover that hold it in place. The D-rings are loosened by turning them counterclockwise like a traditional screw. Once the cover is removed the battery compartment is exposed and the SD card holder is easily seen. To insert the SD card there is a latch with the word "PUSH" printed on it. This opens the card holder latch and then the SD card is inserted into the slot with the label facing up. To close the latch I just gave it a gentle push down. The PN-40 came equipped with 2 AA alkaline batteries and these are inserted on top of the SD card holder. There are polarity markings where the batteries are placed inside the unit. Once the batteries were inserted I placed the cover on the back of the unit and closed it tight by turning the D-rings clockwise. The instruction manual states that the PN-40 "has a real-time clock that requires power even when the device is powered off". It is thus recommended to remove the batteries if the device is not going to be used for a month. This is indicated to improve battery life. I am first going to assess how long alkaline batteries work in the PN-40 and then I will see how long my rechargeable batteries last. I have a set of eneloop Ni-MH batteries and I am wondering if they will work in the PN-40. According to the user manual they should work just fine. However, the battery type being used must be changed or updated on the "Device Setup Page".

Still following the directions in the "Quick Start Guide" the next step after the battery installation is to connect the PN-40 to my computer. The USB cable slides into a slot on the back of the unit above the removable back. This is an eight mini-pin connection type of a connection. The USB connection points on the back of the PN-40 are gold in color and were easy for me to identify.

After connecting the USB cable the next step indicated in the "Quick Start Guide" was to "place the map of the DVD for your region into your computer's DVD drive" and follow the installation instructions. Time to stop here. This did not work and I came to find out that the Topo USA 7.0 program needs to be installed prior to installing the DVD for my region. I am thinking that this should have been stated in the "Quick Start Guide" since it is a very important step. So I installed Topo USA 7.0 on my computer and then resumed installing the "West Region" DVD. I live in California so this was the appropriate DVD for me to install. There is a map on each of the faces of the DVD's to indicate what states are included in each region. In small print on the region DVD's it states "install Topo USA program first". I think this would have just been easier to state this step in the "Quick Start Guide". I installed four selection areas for California on a personal 2 GB SD card. Those four maps did not fit on the internal memory. I am thinking that I am going to install my maps on SD cards and label them for the states I am using them for. The "Connect to Computer Screen" appears by default when the PN-40 is connected to a computer. This can be changed in the device settings. "Data Exchange" is the default option. This is to transfer waypoints, tracks, and routes. Maps can be transferred with this setting however, it is a slower transfer process than using the "Map Transfer" method.

Next I took the PN-40 outside and pressed the power button for about three seconds as indicated in the instructions. The "Welcome Screen" appeared followed by the "Satellites Page". I was near my house with some buildings obstructing the sky, but I was able to get a GPS fix in less than 5 minutes. The status of the GPS fix is located in the left corner of this screen. While on the "Satellites Page" if the "Page" button is pressed the "Map Page" will appear. The map will not display my current location unless I have a 2-D or 3-D fix. The default view when there is no GPS fix is my last GPS location. Subsequent times after starting the unit I had a GPS fix in less than one minute when I was stationary. When driving in my car it took about 5 minutes to get a fix and I assume this is because I was moving.

The PN-40 turns off with a two step button press. First I pressed the "Power Button" and then I was prompted to press the "Enter Button" if I want to turn the PN-40 off. I like this feature since I possibly will not have to worry about accidentally turning off the unit prematurely.

I have yet to calibrate the compass and explore the other screen options on the PN-40. The SD card slot "Push" tab became dislodged and I had to send the device back to DeLorme to have it put back into place. I called DeLorme technical support and I waited on hold for only about 1 minute and they were able to supply me with information on how to send back the device and the turn around time should be about three days after they receive it. The representative was very helpful when I called.

Summary

Since I had to send the PN-40 to DeLorme to have the SD card slot put back into place at this point I can not include a report on all the various screen functions of the unit. I will update that information upon receiving my repaired unit.

So far I am pleased with the PN-40. I am surprised how long it takes to transfer maps to the unit. I have yet to try using a SD card reader to see if that has a faster result for the transfer.

I was slightly intimidated by the complexity of the unit and the process to create a map package and use the Topo USA software. I am getting much more efficient as time goes on. Reading the instructions for the PN-40 and using the help functions in the Topo 7.0 software program has eased some of my growing pains with this device. I am already feeling much more comfortable and since my unit has been sent in for repair I have been studying the manual and playing with the Topo software.

I sent the PN-40 two-day air to DeLorme and I had the repaired unit back in my possession within ten days. The SD card slot was replaced with a new working door. The company sent me repair status updates and tracking information via e-mail. The customer support service on the phone was excellent. They handled my calls quickly and assisted me in resolving my issues as best they could over the phone. All the maps I had loaded into the device prior to the repair were still present. After receiving the PN-40 back from DeLorme I was able to view the four main "pages" with more detail and attention. This information is listed below and is a continuation of my initial report.

Page Views on the PN-40

Satellites Page

The Satellites Page is the page that appears after the welcome screen when the unit is turned on. This page shows the current GPS status of the unit. This includes the number of satellites that data is being acquired from, the signal strength, time (upper right corner of the screen), elevation (lower right corner of the background area), and the GPS accuracy (in the left corner of the background area) when there is a 2-D or 3-D fix (upper left corner of the screen). If there is no GPS fix "No Fix" will be displayed in the upper left hand corner of the screen. The battery life is displayed at the bottom of the screen. The battery life is indicated by bars and colors. Four green bars indicates that the unit is fully charged. Three green bars means that one quarter of the battery life has been used. Two yellow bars signifies that one half of the battery life has been used. One red bar indicates that three quarters of the battery life has been used. A low battery warning displays when the unit reaches 5% of remaining battery life.

Map Page

The Map Page shows various information fields that can be customized. My map page is set up to show the speed and heading (if the compass is calibrated). I have used up to four information fields with the PN-40 on this screen. I sometimes use two information fields for "Speed" and "GPS Elevation". The information fields are easily changed on the "Menu Screen" from the map page. A green indicator arrow indicates there is a 3-D fix. A flashing red arrow means there is no GPS signal. A yellow arrow indicates there is only a 2-D fix. A blue arrow means that I am tracking a route. The Map Page can show various map layers and map data types. Distance/area, waypoints, the route, points of interest, coordinates, and a map scale can be viewed on this page. I found this to be the main page that I use when hiking or mountain biking. The page can be zoomed by using the "In and Out" buttons on the face of the PN-40.

Compass Page

The Compass Page is a representation of a floating needle compass. The compass can be enabled/disabled and calibrated by using the "Menu Screen". Step-by-step directions are on the screen that helped guide me through the calibration process. I made two attempts before I got a successful compass calibration. After the compass was calibrated it appeared to be accurate as compared to a traditional compass. The information fields can be customized on this page by using the "Menu Screen" associated with this page.

Trip Information Page

The Trip Information Page shown to the left is from a recent mountain bike outing. This page shows eight fields that can be customized to show various information regarding a recent trip. The information on this page can be reset from the "Menu Screen" when desired. I found this screen to be very helpful in giving me detailed information on my trips.

There are many other "sub-pages", "screens", and functionality with the PN-40 GPS unit. I described the four main screens that are viewed when the unit is turned on and the "Page Button" on the face of the unit is pressed. More details on the functionality of the unit can be found in the user guide.

Testing Locations

During the past two months the PN-40 was used for hiking, backpacking, finding points of interest, mountain biking, and for directions while driving.

Red Rocks, Nevada and Zion National Park, Utah: This was a four-day trip that consisted of assorted approach hiking, climbing and day-hiking. Our first day was rained out and got very cold but the next three days were great. The temperatures ranged from 40 F (4 C) to 72 F (22 C) with elevations ranging from 3,600 ft (1,097 m) to almost 6,000 ft (1,829 m). Winds were constant, but mild except for the first day when they were very strong.

San Gorgonio Wilderness, California: This was an over-night backpacking trip. We took the Momyer Creek Trail. We set up camp at Saxton at an elevation of 8400 ft (2560 m). The temperatures ranged from 39 F to 55 F (4 to 13 C).

Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, California: I spent a total of three days day-hiking at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park during the testing period. The day hikes ranged from 3-5 mi (5-8 km). I also used the GPS while mountain biking in this wilderness park on four occasions. The temperatures ranged from 65 F (18 C) to 85 F (29 C) on my visits to the park. In the mornings there was morning fog that quickly burned off.

Aliso and Wood Canyon Regional Park, California: I used the GPS for one mountain bike outing in this park and during a day-hike after my mountain bike ride. The high temperature was around 77 F (25 C).

The PN-40 was also used to measure walking speeds in my neighborhood/near work; and in my car to find points of interest and for navigation directions. I created a map and waypoints for a July backpacking trip to Yosemite National Park in California. This route and the waypoints were created in TOPO 7.0 and transferred to the PN-40 device. The device was also used to view the tide information at La Jolla and Newport Beach California.

Performance in the Field

After using the PN-40 for the past two months I feel comfortable enough using the device in the field without having to refer to the instruction manual. This is not an electronic device that I could just take out of the box and use it without referencing the user guide. The first few times using the device I took the instruction manual with me at least to the car, or I regretted when I did not have it available. Now I find the screens/pages to be user friendly and some of them have similar functionality. When I use the TOPO 7.0 program I still have to refer to the user guide from time to time due to the complexity of the program.

After completing my initial report I downloaded the 2.4 version of the firmware. I really did not notice much of a change with this firmware release. More recently I downloaded the 2.5 version of the firmware. This has geocaching specific features, a memory management page (a view of how much memory is used), some routing changes, automatic enabled change to the device display colors for day/night, a few user interface changes, and improvements to the GPS functionality. After downloading and installing the 2.5 version of the firmware it took me about 20 minutes to obtain a satellite fix after restarting the unit. I thought this took a significant amount of time.

I am concerned with the battery performance of the PN-40. When I use the device with freshly charged Ni-MH batteries the batteries are 50% drained in about 3.5 hours. I have the settings correct on the battery profile. I left the batteries that were only 25% drained according to the screen and I turned the unit on after a week and the screen was already showing 50% battery capacity. I tried to use the unit at that point for about two hours and the PN-40 shut down, due to the low batteries. I did not hear the battery warning beep since the device was in the side pocket of my backpack. I have heard the warning in the past just not on this outing. The alkaline batteries that were supplied with the unit lasted about 7 hours while I was learning how to use the PN-40, set it up, take it on a trial outing, and upload the maps.

Generally I can get a 3-D satellite fix within a minute or two after turning on the device. Sometimes it can take up to five minutes. On my trip to Zion National Park I was standing on the main canyon road and I could not get a fix after waiting for about 15 minutes. I then started to hike and I was able to get a fix after about 1 mi (1.6 km) into the hike. But, then I shortly lost the fix again and my route was no longer being tracked. Near the top of Angel's Landing I was able to get a 3-D fix. I am thinking this is because I was not surrounded by canyon walls and I was near a summit. I was frustrated in Zion National Park with the PN-40 in regards that I could not get a satellite fix that would last for any amount of time. The time that was spent attempting to obtain a satellite fix drained the batteries during my day hike on Angel's Landing.

I am happy to report that I have successfully made some valid "Tracks" with the PN-40. This took me a few attempts because I was dealing with issues of batteries draining, unable to have a satellite fix, and plain old user error. With my user error experience I failed to turn off the recording after my hike and I got in the car and started to drive home. That skewed the entire route and the trip information. One of my most recent tracks I created I exchanged to the TOPO 7.0 program. I thought it was cool that I was able to view the speed traveled on any part of the route and the changes in elevation. I was also excited to be able to successfully follow my "Track" on a later visit to that trail. The PN-40 seems to be very accurate as I paid close attention to the accuracy while following my "Track".

I have used the PN-40 to locate POI (Points of Interest) and Natural Features successfully. This is sometimes handy when I want to find a natural feature near a trail or when I have to find a gas station or a store when traveling.

I have used the PN-40 as a navigation tool in my car. I used the "Find" function to locate a POI or an address and then made a route from my location to that POI or address. I found the screen to be small for me to read while driving and I had no means to mount the device to my dashboard to windshield so that the screen can be more easily viewed.

I have yet to mount the PN-40 to my mountain bike handlebars. I was thinking that I would purchase the bike mount. While mountain biking and hiking I generally keep the PN-40 in the side pockets of my backpack. I was surprised that the PN-40 tracks and works just fine inside the pocket. However, it can be difficult to reach without taking off my backpack. I purchased a carrying case for the PN-40 and it has a belt clip. I have used this case fastened to the belt of my backpack. The PN-40 is easily accessible when using the carry case and I can obtain a satellite fix when the unit is inside the case. I do not know what to think of the lanyard at this point. When I wear the device around my neck with the lanyard it swings from side to side and hits me in the chest. When I look at the screen I have to hold it off center because the lanyard is obstructing my view.

Testing Locations

During the past two months the PN-40 was used for hiking, backpacking, finding points of interest, mountain biking, and for directions while driving.

Wasatch-Cache Mountain National Forest, Utah: I used the PN-40 here on a total of four day hikes two of which turned into night hikes. There were downpours of heavy rain in the area and the PN-40 became wet. The hikes ranged from 4 to 6 mi (6 to 10 km) in length. The temperatures ranged from 40's F (7 C) range to the low 70's F (21 C). I also used the PN-40 in Utah for car navigation and to map out my bicycle century ride.

San Jacinto State Park, California: This was originally a backpacking trip that turned into a day hike, due to me having an injured toe. The high temperature was 78 F (26 C). I used the PN-40 to store two geocaches on this trip.

Yosemite National Park, California: Three days backpacking in Yosemite National Park. The temperatures ranged from 43 to 80 F (6 to 27 C) mostly sunny skies except for a thunder, rain, and graupel storm our first afternoon. The trails were mostly dirt, rock, and wet rock down the Mist Trail. The trip was approximately 20 mi (32 km). The PN-40 was used for trail navigation and for waypoints.

Mammoth Lakes Area, California: The PN-40 was used at Mammoth Lakes and on day hikes around Mono Lake. The elevation at Mono Lake was 6,382 ft (1,945 m). The high temperature was 84 F (29 C) with sunny skies and I hiked approximately 3 mi (5 km) on this trip. The PN-40 was used for POI (Points of Interest) and car navigation on this trip.

Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, California: The PN-40 was used at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park while mountain biking two times during the testing period. The temperatures ranged from 70 F (39 C) to 92 F (51 C). The GPS was mounted on my mountain bike with a RAM mount.

Performance in the Field

During my first trip to Utah I encountered problems with the PN-40. I was using the device for car navigation to find the location of the start of my bicycle century ride. After the unit was on for about 60 minutes it started to buzz, the screen was black, and the device was very warm. I tried to turn on the PN-40 and it would not turn on. I replaced the batteries and I still could not get the unit to turn on. I contacted DeLorme customer support and with no questions asked they issued me a return authorization and I sent the unit back to them.

In the meantime DeLorme sent me the TOPO USA Version 8.0 CD. I wanted to wait until I received the GPS unit back from DeLorme before I installed the software.

After about 10 days I received the PN-40 back and the unit turned on. However, when I attached it to my computer via the USB connection the computer did not recognize that the device existed. So, I contacted DeLorme again and they told me that they would send me a new PN-40 since I encountered so many problems. I received the new PN-40 in about 5 days. This new GPS was already configured for TOPO 8.0. So all I had to do was install TOPO 8.0 on my computer. It would not install and I had to contact customer service again. I had to delete TOPO 7.0 and all my data and install a patch to have the software run correctly. Basically I was starting from scratch.

After getting the waypoints for my Yosemite trip in the TOPO 8.0 software there was no issue transferring them to the PN-40. I was familiar with the way that TOPO 8.0 worked since it was similar to TOPO 7.0. I could not reproduce my saved "Tracks" but at least I was able to add my waypoints and my routes in again. Lucky for me the new PN-40 is working great. There has not been a single technical issue to this date that is of any major relevance. I like the "Midnight" color scheme feature. When the sun sets I have the screen set to be easier on my eyes at night. The background is mostly black in color. The only issue with this is that the "Map Page" sometimes has the midnight background but has the midnight color and the daytime colors, as seen in the photo to the right. This occurs when the map is zoomed in. I spoke to DeLorme about this issue and they are aware of it. The new geocaching features that are found on the latest firmware and on my new device are pretty neat. I would find them handy if I geocached regularly. I can upload field notes, view the notes, sort by name, and find nearby geocaches. I am still learning all the capabilities with using the unit effectively with geocaching.com.

The battery life with my replacement PN-40 is still less than stellar. The batteries last from 6 to 7 hours. Once in a great while they will last 8 hours. On one of my trips I carried an extra set of batteries, but for multi-day use I find this not practical.

I mounted the PN-40 to my mountain bike handlebars using a RAM mount. The PN-40 sits nicely and snug in the cradle. Even with the vibration from mountain biking the PN-40 remains on and can record a "Track". The screen is sometimes difficult for me to see while riding due to the sunlight on the screen or because I have to pay attention to the trail. But, when I stop I can look at the PN-40 quickly on the handlebars.

The PN-40 became exposed to rain and submerged in water. The unit is working just fine. No water leaked into the housing or caused any damage to the buttons, the USB connector, or the screen. I have wiped the screen clean by using a damp cloth.

Summary

The PN-40 has proven to be accurate and easy to use after getting myself acquainted to the functionality of the device. I encountered several issues with my original PN-40 that were very frustrating. However, DeLorme customer support was a wonderful resource and I believe they resolved my issues the best that they could. I have not encountered any major technical issues with my replacement PN-40. I am still concerned with how long the batteries last in the device. The only issues I encountered with obtaining a GPS fix were after a firmware install and in the canyon country of Utah.

Remarks

This concludes my reporting on the DeLorme PN-40. Thank you DeLorme and backpackgeartest.org for providing me with the opportunity to test the PN-40 GPS.