GPS questions....

Ok, before we start:-

Maps v GPS - heard the arguments, I'll be using both, so no need to waste
your bandwidth. GPS will be an add on, IYSWIM.

Looking for advice from those who have ,or have used, GPS. If you haven't,
your comments will be of little use, unless you are pointing to deals, ta
muchly.

So, the question is:

Dedicated GPS unit, or PDA based unit? Specific recommendations?

Ta.
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
96 Tiger.
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)

 

Some sort of Bluetooth Palm Pilot with Via Michelin and a Bluetooth GPS
receiver. You can also go for a PocketPC version, should you wish, with
either Via Michelin or TomTom.

I've got it working perfectly on my PalmOS Sony NX80V with a Globalsat
Bluetooth GPS. Works very nicely in the tank bag or on a holder in the
Cage.

I've gone the PDA route, as I use the PDA for so much more stuff than
just GPS, contacts, etc. I'm waiting for Skype to release a PalmOS
version next...

 

Fr Jack wrote

Not a fucking clue me but I am buying a new phone cos me old one is
breaking and being as all I want is a fucking phone which spends it's
life mostly being a pocket watch I am up for suggestions as well.

AOL.

 

I have a dedicated unit, it's waterproof and shock resistant. I've
dropped it and slid down the trail a few times with it taking a beating.
I don't know how well a PDA would hold up to that. I have a Garmin
e-trek legend and am quite happy with it.

--
Mike

SV650
UKRMMA#22
Skype: muddycat

 

On your bike I'd probably say dedicated unit. It's going to get
shaken around like something silly, blown here and there, then it'll
get soaked and then baked in the sun for hours while driving.

A PDA unit is excellent in a car, where you will have a controlled
climate, constant voltage and the time to fiddle with the stylus.

In my experience of car GPS PDAs, they're always too bright at night
and their TFT viewing angle isn't wide enough, imho, for someone
zooming around on a motorcycle who will position his/her body
around/on/above the tank depending on the speed.

Just my 2p's worth.

Let me know which unit you get as I'm also in the market for one.
Garmin appear to do some good ones. And as I've used a few Garmin
GPSers I'll probably stick with them.

 

Ok, before we start:-

ave a look
http://www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=71&Language=1

--


--
Robbo

Trophy 1200 1998
BotaFOF #19. E.O.S.M 2001/2002/2003/2004.
B.O.S.M 2003, 2004
FURSWB#1 KotL..YTC449
PM#7
..

 

It happens that Fr Jack formulated :

I think you mean Satnav... GPS combined with route planning and on the
road guidance?

If so, it depends upon what you expect from it. If you want voice
guidence for turns, a fast recalculate if you take a detour, covers
entire UK fully, small, waterproof and able to be used away from 12v
battery on internal source, then can I suggest taking a look at the new
Garmin Quest?

I've not used a paper map for the weeks since I got mine.

 

Defo dedicated GPS unit for weatherproofness and shock-resistance. I
have crashed-tested both the Garmin 2610 and the eTrex Vista which
both passed with flying (sic) colours,

 

Nick wrote:

I've got a Garmin 60CS that's tough, waterproof and sits well on my tank
care of the rubber suction mount I've got. I've also loaded a full
street level map into it, which is more useful than the limited one it
came with.

 

What happens if you're using as route planner, and you get a call? Been
interested in them.

Also, do you know if it can hook to a BT car kit and the tom tom at the same
time?

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS (Badly bent) 155 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

whatever you do dont ask Borg about GPS

 

Get the cheapest PAYG phone on the go and ignore the bells and whistles.

If you want to stay with your present network, no worries - the vast
majority of phones can be unlocked quite easily, these days - especially
nokias.
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
96 Tiger.
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)

 

Will it hold large chunks of Western Europe, with any kind of detail,
other than main roads?
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
96 Tiger.
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)

 

Saw that yesterday, as it appens... What is their definition of soon, I
wonder?
--

Cheers!
Fr Jack
96 Tiger.
FRJACKUKRM AT GMAIL DOT COM
skype: fr.jack (without the dot)

 

ave a look

Rumour has it on alt.satellite.gps is around April for the new stuff
generally for TomTom


--


--
Robbo

Trophy 1200 1998
BotaFOF #19. E.O.S.M 2001/2002/2003/2004.
B.O.S.M 2003, 2004
FURSWB#1 KotL..YTC449
PM#7
..

 

ave a look

Email me with a working email addy and I'll tell you summat you *will* like
to hear


--


--
Robbo

Trophy 1200 1998
BotaFOF #19. E.O.S.M 2001/2002/2003/2004.
B.O.S.M 2003, 2004
FURSWB#1 KotL..YTC449
PM#7
..

 

I wondered about that.

Not on bike no.

Oooh, get you.

While I'm sure a PDA is handy in the pocket with voice prompts, I
would prefer a dedicated unit that one can also see the other details
like journey time, distance to next junction. It's just personal
preference.

I also agree that the upgradability of a PDA will always win on a PDA
with new road layouts etc. However, my PDA which is armed with the
new TomTom still hasn't had the maps of my local area sorted 2 years
after the Channel Tunnel Rail Link was plumbed in and a few junctions
were moved. I bet the Garmin dedicated units will also miss out on it
too. I'm sure there's some long winded process about upgrading maps.

 

My Quest can sit in its holder/charger on top of the headstock, where I
can see the screen easily. It can easily be adapted to provide the
voice prompts via an ordinary stereo headphone under your helmet.

So far as map updates go, Garmin seem to release new updates free and
quite regularly. You just download them to your PC, then upload the
revised map to the Garmin. The process takes me just a few minutes to
complete. Over the past couple of months, where I have taken it
everywhere with me in the car and on the bike, I have found only two
small errors in the maps and both due to (very) recent changes in the
roads. It comes complete with street level maps for the whole of
Europe, but cannot store all of this in the Quest. It will store
selected parts and I choose to upload the entire UK and Ireland. Out
side of this area, it can still fall back on the less detailed map it
has built in. The detailed map allows me to enter an actual postal
address (number, street, city) and navigate straight to it.

It has a surprising amount of road detail included in the map. Last
week I deliberately got myself lost on some single track tarmac roads
to the south west of Blackpool. The Quest was more than happy to
navigate me out of there using what I can only describe as cinder farm
tracks. Tracks I would not expect to find even on a road atlas.

 

You can only download software updates for free from Garmin's website
(MapSuurce, GPSR firmware, USB drivers etc). Map data is generally
released on a annual / biannual cycle, is on CD and has to be paid
for.

Garmin are as tied as TomTom to updates supplied by their suppliers of
map data (ie Navteq?) and there is no mechanism for fixing errors
yourself. You can report errors and omissions to Garmin who will pass
them onto Navteq and the corrections may, or may not, appear in the
fullness of time.

 

What about universal kits, like my Parrot CK3100?

Heh. CheckPOInt?
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 2.0 TS (Badly bent) 155 TS
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk