Date:         Fri, 4 Apr 2003 16:15:23 -0500
Reply-To:     Larry and Avery Johnson <larry_avery.johnson@SYMPATICO.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry and Avery Johnson <larry_avery.johnson@SYMPATICO.CA>
Subject:      Re: GPS in a Westy?
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Hi Doug
We have been using a DeLorme GPS with Toshiba notebook in our Westafalia for about three years. Up until this year, we have used DeLorme TopoUSA v3.0 which plots and moves your location over the map as you drive. In may respects this software is an overkill. It gives details down to about 25 ft. with topographical info and all the trip planning tools you need. This software comes in 7 CD's. As I said, an overkill. Recently I acquired a copy of MicroSoft Streets and Trips. It only comes with 2 CD's but has plenty of trip planning tools. Better yet it covers Canada. It even shows the tiny lake I live on up near Algonquin Park :-)
The GPS we use is a DeLorme Tripmate. It was very cheap and is no longer in production. Their current GPS is $99, has USB and tracks the satellites much faster than my Tripmate which has a serial link.

You are welcome to copies of my software if you cover my costs.
You are even welcome to my Tripmate. I'd love to trade up to their latest GPS unit.
Larry
_________________________________________________________________

Hi gang,

        I've been saving this for Friday since it doesn't directly involve
leaky heads or tires or conversions. I'm looking for a GPS solution for my
Westy. I'm leaning toward a GPS receiver hooked into a laptop because it's
cheaper (already have the laptop) and you get that nice big display. So
I'd like to hear from anyone using this sort of thing ---- with comments
about hardware and mapping software etc. I'd also like to hear from people
who are using handheld units, in terms of how useful they find the
displays etc and how easy it is to navigate  on the highways and at street
level. I'm particularly interested in comments from people who have used
GPS in Canada with regards to mapping software --- because the options are
fewer and less sophisticated here in the Great White North.
        Speaking of Great White North, Toronto is in the midst of a
three-day freezing rain/ice pellet storm. This would be bad enough under
usual circumstances, but all the snow plowing contracts with the city
expired March 31 --- so they're having a hard time getting plows and crews
on the road. What a mess........

Cheers,
Doug
'84 Westy Bluebelle (with I4 conversion)
"Still waiting for spring"