Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 12:08:35 -0700
Reply-To: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: BRENT CHRISTENSEN <bchristensen@INFOGENESIS.COM>
Subject: Re: GPS (long and very little vanagon content)
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
Most of the smaller GPS units run from batteries. You can buy all sorts of
accessories for them that will allow them to run from 12v power.
I have a (~$200 USD) Garmin GPS II+ that I am quite pleased with. It takes
a while to master the use of a GPS (and I have to brush up each spring), but
extremely handy.
I have the following GPS related accessories:
1. Handlebar mount for my mountain bike
2. Dash mount that uses Velcro in the Vanagon
3. Combination 12v auto power cord and serial adapter cable for PC
4. Adapter cable for my Palm V (made it myself from plans on the web)
What do I use my GPS for?:
1. The coolest use is the "Moving Map" feature that was alluded to
yesterday. I run Delorme Topo! USA maps on my laptop which receives input
via the serial connection to the GPS on the dashboard of the car. As I
drive, the GPS will display heading, altitude, and speed, and the laptop
display (on the passenger seat) displays my exact location on a 15'
topographic map. Very handy when traveling criss-crossing networks of
logging roads!
2. Another use is marking and storing a route while backcountry tromping.
I'll go off road on either my bike or the Syncro, and after returning, open
the fridge, pop a beer, and fold out the laptop. I upload the route to the
laptop and overlay it onto a topo map, noting any detail points with little
flags and notes (i.e. "great view", "spring", or "abandoned mine"). Then I
save the maps and can refer back to them later. In fact, if I want to
retrace an earlier trip, I can load the waypoints into the GPS and hit the
trail. The GPS will guide me back to the spot or spots using the same route
that was originally taken.
3. Finding trail heads that are listed on a map. Sometimes trails on a
15-year old USGS map can be pretty hard to find in "real life". I note the
lat/long of the spot and punch it into the GPS, then use the GPS to find the
spot. I can also pull up the map on the Topo! USA CD and mark the waypoint
on the laptop, then upload the waypoint to the GPS.
4. Nautical navigation. This is the easiest and best use for a GPS, since
there are no "surface features" to deal with. You can always travel in a
straight line to get somewhere (unless there is a freighter in your path!)
and a GPS comes in very handy for marking and finding fishing spots, diving
spots, and secluded coves out at the islands (the Channel Islands off Santa
Barbara)
I don't find the GPS to be particularly accurate at determining speed or
altitude. It is more of a moving average than an actual reading. The
problem is that #1 you have to be moving for the GPS to take a reading, and
#2 any changes in course can introduce errors and distortion since the GPS
bases all the calculations on straight lines between points. (i.e. speed is
determined by time to travel from point A to point B; if you don't steer a
straight course, the calculation will be off.)
If anyone has any other neat ideas, or questions about GPS's in general, let
me know!
Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
Santa Barbara, CA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> Of Andrew Grebneff
> Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2000 3:31 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: GPS
>
>
> The GPS units people are fitting in cars: do these run off
> the car's power,
> or are they battery-operated? I'd find one useful both in the
> van (speedo)
> and out (locating geological localities). Maybe I need one of each.
>
> Andrew
>
[text/html]
