Potential huge U-turn

Okay, do your worst.

I'm thinking of buying a GPS.

Reason: I'm going to the Dunes, and I reckon it would be good to avoid
getting lost. Getting lost in the desert means dying. I'm also going
to Ace's at some point soon, and though I know the region reasonably
well, it *may* prove easy to find his house with the help of a GPS (as
far as I'm concerned, the jury is out, though). And I'm going to do a
bit of motorcycle touring in California in the autumn, and I wonder
it'll be easy without a map.

So, which GPS is the best one? I don't want any cheap-arsed rubbish;
if I'm going to do it, I want to do it right.

 

The new TomTom Go looks pretty good - especially for the money - that
kind of kit cost close on a grand a year ago, now it's about £400.

Other than that, the Garmin iQue would be my choice.

 

Garmin 276c, if you want a dedicated gps unit, rather than a PDA thang.
Talk to ash, he's got one. Very fast and durable which is why is supect a
PDA isn;t quite gonna be up to the job in the desert.

 

Cheers Steve. I will google for some details when I've got a minute.

Are there any good newsgroups or web forums?

 

Yeah I want a dedicated unit. I don't want a PDA one, because I'm
going to get an iMate.

Oh, not him. He's a ****.

I know. I went bitch last September in France.

Oh, I see what you mean,

I want proper gear.

 

Empirically speaking, you think a GPS will help you _avoid_ getting
lost?

****'s sake man, get yerself a compass, an OS map and a Vincent Black
Shadow.

 

alt.satellite.gps
alt.satellite.gps.garmin

but it's been a while since I last looked at them. Quite useful at
times, though.

Garmin iQue is a combined PDA and GPS routeplanner. Quite handy in that
it fulfills 2 roles, and doesn't cost any more than other alternatives.
Advantage of a PDA/GPS is that you're not stuck with the software the
manufacturer provides - you can upload your own alternatives.

http://www.garmin.com/products/iQue3600/

The TomTom Go is purely a GPS device, but TomTom kit has a big following
amongst those who add GPS to their PDA - I've used early TomTom software
in the past and found it to be very good.

http://www.tomtom.com/

Other alternatives would be a Windows Mobile PDA with add-on CF GPS
receiver and TomTom software, ISTR there's also a handful of Windows
based PDAs with built-in GPS as an alternative to the Palm based iQue.
Be aware that with PDA solutions, the Palm does a lot more with it's
specs. that the Windows solutions do, IYSWIM.

Whatever you get, ensure it has:

1. USB interface. Not many won't but it takes absolutely ages to upload
maps using a serial cable.
2. A standard memory card slot - older Garmin GPS receivers used their
own memory cards at several times the price of MMC/CF etc.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, ogden

No, for desert work he wants a Brough Superior.

 

Good point. It may help me find myself if I do get lost, then.

You're a brick.

 

My swerver has this...

...but not this. Oh well.

Good point, but I'm going get an iMate, and I'd have to give myself a
massive beating if I went from no PDAs to two.

I definitely want a dedicated GPS thingy.

I saw the Tom Tom GO you posted, but it didn't look very hand-held to
me. I want something that'll go easily in a jacket pocket, and,
ideally I'll be able to fish out with an ungloved hand and read
without pulling over and stopping.

Serial? Do they still exist?

Wilko. Thanks.

 

http://www.trimble.com/index.html

 

The iMate might well be a potential solution - you can get a Bluetooth
GPS 'mouse' and Windows Mobile mapping software.

They're really designed to be mounted on a vehicle. In terms of being
hand held, the best are definitely the integrated GPS PDAs, IMHO.

Sticking it in your pocket whilst on the bike isn't the ideal solution -
much better to get a handlebar mount, or stick it in the top of a
tankbag.

I can see the point about ruggedness - in which case Kiran's suggestion
is probably the best - Garmin stuff is very durable, my several year old
eMap is still working well, even though it's been used in all weathers
on a bar mount on the bike.

 

Okay. It won't be very fully-featured, though, will it?

Yeah, but in California, for example, I'll be on a rented bike.

I reckon I'll have a look at that Garmin one that Kiran posted.

 

The iMate seems to me to be pretty much a Windows PDA in a phone.
Probably not the best solution, but cuts down on the gadget count.

Good point, bar mounts are easy to fit if using a bike with tubular
bars, though. About 5 mins to fit - the same to remove when you hand it
back.

Just looked it up - looks good to me. I'd still want to have it mounted
in front of me whilst riding, though.

 

Ben Blaney

Hmm, three quite different demands there. For the dessert you need
something quite sturdy and well covered. For Ace, decent citymaps and
search functions would be nice. For California routing and hotels/motels,
restaurants and gas stations. Although the pda/gps units are quite neat
I don't think they would stand up well for some constant rough usage.
I would investigate more dedicated units by Garmin or similart companies.

Sound approach.

 

Well, I'm going to be in a Land Cruiser. I'm not going to be actually
out getting sand in my shoes. Christ, do you know how hot it is out
here?

Hey, I think I'm going to like this GPS lark.

I pretty much thought I'd be after a dedicated unit. And of the ones I
saw in the shop, I'd only heard of Garmin. And they look pos.

So, which Garmin?

 

The iMate thing is realy a work tool. Something to help me do my job
when I'm not at my PC.

Yeah, I'm not that bothered. I'm not going to be navigating by it -
I've a good enough sense of direction for that. I'll use it for: "oh,

Bah humbug. I'm going to be looking at the scenery,

 

<pats head>

Good law monkey. Law monkey get biscuit.

 

Ben Blaney

Yup. But trust me, sand gets everywhere.

http://www.garmin.com/products/quest/

I think, that should do it nicely.

 

I am not getting out of the fucking car.

That looks nice. ta