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Date:         Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:08:55 -0800
Reply-To:     neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: What are my best PC GPS options?
Comments: To: craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <d1ea9acf0801161223x4cc80d5fif72e6f29891ee929@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Cool thanks.

It seems that the 60CS is still some available from various resellers.

I appreciate the input re: "trail" type GPS.

I'll keep researching!

Neil.

On 1/16/08, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> wrote: > The screen size isnt really a problem at all. Since you suction cup it to > the windshield it's pretty my in your line of sight and the screens really > not much smaller than some of the TomTom style newer units. It works > smashingly. (The only advantage to the CSx is the expandable memory option) > -Craig > '85GL > > > On Jan 16, 2008 3:18 PM, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote: > > Interesting. I'm such a newbie to this stuff. Didn't even think to > > look at handhelds. The newer CSx looks cool. (CS discontinued) Except > > for a smaller screen, these look da bomb for both worlds. > > > > Any issues with screen being too small when used while driving? > > > > Thanks! > > > > Neil. > > > > > > > > > > On 1/16/08, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com> wrote: > > > We have a Garmin 60CS which is perfect for us. Its a handheld unit not > > > "designed" with automobiles in mind, but with the addition of the > upgraded > > > Garmin Streets software, it is very easy to use (though, no touch > screen) > > > with accurate, fast, turn by turn directions. Where it really shines is > the > > > fact that we also have it loaded with TOPO software for backpacking, and > its > > > always accurate with good trail information. Most recently, i used it in > > > Vermont to give me altitude readings while climbing Mt. Mansfield, and > it > > > operated well even in the cold and wet conditions we were presented > with. > > > > > > With the suction cup mount, it mounts to the windshield and works as a > good > > > "best of both worlds". We even have the bluecharts software that lets us > use > > > it while sailing/boating (also works well for this). > > > > > > -Craig > > > '85GL > > > > > > > > > On Jan 16, 2008 1:42 PM, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com > wrote: > > > > Hi all. > > > > > > > > Was curious about GPS myself. Did some searching/reading on the > > > > TomTom's and the Garmins. > > > > > > > > Found this on the Garmin 660 > > > > > > > > http://www.garminnuvi660.net/ > > > > > > > > (it's like 6-8 min long) > > > > > > > > Not knocking the TT or touting the Garmins, but this video basically > > > > shows a user going through the features of the Garmin 660. I found it > > > > useful as a newbie to see a decent GPS in action. > > > > > > > > Any Garmin users out there know if there are big diffs between the > > > > Garmin 650 and 660? > > > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > > > > Neil. > > > > > > > > > > > > On Jan 16, 2008 7:58 AM, Doug Alcock < doug.alcock@gmail.com > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I had a Garmin handheld GPS (which was stolen) --- it would work > with a > > > > > laptop but I didn't like the cumbersomeness (if that is indeed a > word) > > > of > > > > > the arrangement. And the display on the GPS unit itself was way too > > > small > > > > > for my aging eyes. > > > > > > > > > > My stepson recently bought a TomTom One for his car --- I've > borrowed it > > > a > > > > > number of times and I'm sold. They're about $250 Cdn --- nice big > screen > > > > > that I can read while driving and a really good touchscreen > interface > > > that > > > > > is also usable while driving. Coverage and accuracy is good --- I > have > > > both > > > > > found and been navigated to some pretty obscure addresses and > locations. > > > And > > > > > it is sooo much more convenient than messing around with a laptop. > > > > > > > > > > Don't know for sure about the backroads coverage but my experience > with > > > the > > > > > TomTom is that if you can find the road on a map it's going to be in > the > > > > > TomTom. May not apply to the backroads of BC --- but worth checking > > > into. My > > > > > experience with the logging/backroads of BC when I lived there is > that I > > > > > could find them on a map and they had names/designations --- which > > > suggests > > > > > to me that they'd be in the TomTom. YMMV of course........... > > > > > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > Doug > > > > > Mississauga, Ontario, Canada > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 1/15/08, Loren Busch < starwagen@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I'm glad to hear that Delorme has improved the coverage in Canada. > > > The > > > > > > issue Dave was trying to address is coverage in more remote areas, > > > > > > specifically he was asking about the interior of BC. Here in the > > > States I > > > > > > didn't have any complaints about the coverage on the Delorme. But > on > > > a > > > > > > trip > > > > > > two years ago I ran the laptop most every day for three weeks. I > > > > > > alternated > > > > > > between Streets & Trips and Delorme software. And I'll stick to > my > > > > > > opinion > > > > > > that the Delorme software sucks, a really bad user interface for > any > > > > > > searching or planning. I found it very frustrating and ended up > using > > > > > > only > > > > > > Streets & Trips for the last week of the trip. But, given that, I > > > found > > > > > > both > > > > > > very poor for use in town. Both got lost and gave wrong > directions > > > when > > > > > > driving in traffic if the signal was lost for a few seconds. If > you > > > > > > pulled > > > > > > up to a stop light neither could figure out what direction you > were > > > going > > > > > > when standing still and started providing directions that were all > > > wrong. > > > > > > In a severe test, getting to a friends place in Kennsington, Ca. > (next > > > to > > > > > > Berkley) I'd still be driving in circles if I hadn't known where I > was > > > > > > going. Summing up so far, unless you have a second person on > board to > > > act > > > > > > as navigator the laptop based systems fall far short. Dedicated > units > > > > > > meant > > > > > > for use in vehicles seem to be a much better solution. BUT, those > > > tend to > > > > > > lack the detailed coverage in the boonies, are set up for urban > > > > > > navigation. > > > > > > BTW, to any reading this, I'm all ears for any better solutions > that > > > have > > > > > > been found. My experience is limited at this point. > > > > > > > > > > > > On Jan 15, 2008 11:48 AM, Mike Collum <collum@verizon.net> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > I don't know what year the DeLorme software you tried was from > but > > > the > > > > > > > 2008 version has greatly increased Canadian coverage. I used > the > > > 2008 > > > > > > > Street Atlas Plus and even the small streets (and phone numbers) > in > > > > > > > Almonte as well as Head of St. Margaret's Bay and Halifax were > > > shown. > > > > > > > Apparently, all of Canada is shown that way but those places are > > > where I > > > > > > > really used it. The version I had before that only showed > "most" of > > > > > > > Canada's main highways. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > http://www.dougalcock.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco" > > > > http://web.mac.com/tubaneil > > > > > > > > Engine swap beginings: > http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco" > > http://web.mac.com/tubaneil > > > > Engine swap beginings: http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/ > > > >


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