Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 23:33:19 -0700
Reply-To: Florian Speier <groups.florian@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Florian Speier <groups.florian@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Get GPS system ditch these Atlas was ..Re: For the Newbies -
Vanagon secrets revealed-
In-Reply-To: <840405CC-9EFF-4147-BF7E-4694811DB664@knology.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Hi,
I have been with GPS for about seven years now, but the old type without
maps. So I have followed Garmin's evolution over the years, and am about to
do another purchase.
I am also outdooring (see one of my webpages at www.florianspeier.com for
our 2003 iceland tour) and have hence used garmin products as they are the
status quo....
But, I think things have changed. so there is two parts to it. the hardware
device and the software.
if you buy a garmin, you have to buy garmin software, as this is the only
thing you can load on your unit. now besides that garmin software is really
expensive, there is only limited availability of maps outside the u.s. /
canada (for example, no TOPOs) and if there are, they are superexpensive.
second thing is the hardware. today you can use nearly any laptop or PDA or
PDA phone and link it to a gps "mouse". the better ones do this wirelessly
via bluetooth. I recently bought a Treo 650 with my new verizon plan on
amazon for $39.99 (NLA now, but you can get the motorola Q for $99, or the
fabulous MDA on t-mobile for -$20). A bluetooth gps mouse weighs nearly
nothing, is supersmall, and costs about $180 including Tomtom software,
which seems to be about the best on the market, judging from amazon reviews.
if you want additional maps, you can use any provider, as they all work with
windows and palm OS. you can get 1:100000 topo the whole u.s. for about $90
(here garmin offers about the same) but you can also get 1:24000 topo for
about $90 per state (garmin offers this scale only within national parks).
plus, a garmin 60csx or 76 csx which is what you would want to buy sets you
back around $450 without any maps, these are an additional $180? for street
mapping U.S.......
the bluetooth gps mouse for pda/notebook apparently works perfectly living
in the glove compartment, or in your jeans pocket when you are walking
through town (based on reviews). and your cell, you carry anyway, or?
there is one problem, and that is battery life. the best gps mouses make it
to about 20hours of continous navigating. my cell makes a week. so i have to
fiddle an adapter for the gps on my solar charger......
this seems to me the best way to go
just my $.02
flo
On 8/30/06, Jim Felder <felder@knology.net> wrote:
>
> I use the little Garmin Vista C for backpacking and general
> navigation in a car. You can load about 90% of a typical US state
> into it (half of Texas, less of Alaska) but the results are superb.
> It does directions very well. Great color, good battery life, good
> user navigation. When you get off road, you've got great topos to
> guide you. Not enough memory for the entire US, though.
>
> What's the best solution for the entire US for the money, and does it
> include topos of off-road areas?
>
> Thanks,
>
> jim
>
> On Aug 30, 2006, at 5:54 PM, Allen Hill wrote:
>
> > Ok, so what are the specifics on the software? From where, how
> > much, etc.
> >
> > Route 66 Rider!
> > Ramon Hill
> > Live Long and Be Free
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> > Behalf Of
> > TC
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 5:07 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Get GPS system ditch these Atlas was ..Re: For the Newbies -
> > Vanagon secrets revealed-
> >
> >> In the same vein, my road atlas slides in very nicely between the
> >> cushion and swivel mechanism on the passenger side, with about an
> >> inch
> >> sticking
> > out.
> >
> > All these people with road atlas ... my my use the space under the
> > pass seat
> > to stash the laptop :) I just did 16K KM's Victoria BC to Quebec
> > City PQ &
> > back We went with only our Garmin NRoute S/W (not a plug for Garmin
> > S/W
> > realy needs work but does function), GPS receiver, & laptop no
> > Atlas here
> > any more :) (well we do keep out plastic covered map of BC & AB :)
> > But I
> > have got to say driving with GPS & routing software realy removed
> > the stress
> > I navigated in thrid world Sask. tractor trails from 11PM to 3AM
> > to the
> > Grass Land National park on the border of Sask & Montana with some
> > of the
> > roads no more than gravel tracks with out one wrong turn, and most
> > 'gravel
> > intersections'
> > w/o
> > a sign I never would have been able to do that so easy with an
> > 'Atlas' ...
> > or hitting the big city & just drving right to the historic point
> > or museum
> > w/o the usual 5 wrong turns and an xtra hr in the car are times of
> > the past
> >
> > And to be able to book mark waypoints to 'secret' lakes and beaches
> > that I
> > may not get back to for years but I can now just share those
> > waypoints with
> > friends is realy cool...
> >
> > which reminds me some one said they would start a memebers secret
> > vanagon
> > spots where was that again we can post simple gps coords ...
> >
> > end rant
> >
> > ps. so if your next vanagon upgrade does not include a gps think
> > again :)
> >
>
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