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Car Forum / Australian Car Forums / 4x4 Cars (Australian group) / September 2005GPS
G'day all I am after a GPS unit for use with topo maps. Have never used a GPS before but a friend has one and it is great to know exactly where you are particularly if you are driving on your own. I will not be using a laptop. Stuck on wondering if I need mapping on the GPS, I tend to think not but don't really know. What do others feel about mapping and non mapping GPS units. I have looked at Garmin and Magellan, I like the Garmin GPS 60. Thanks Wombatwal >G'day all >I am after a GPS unit for use with topo maps. Have never used a GPS before [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Thanks > Wombatwal Bottom line is you don't *need* a map type GPS, question is do you want one, two different concepts. I have used a garmin 12 &12XL for a number of years now and recently upgraded to a 76map. To be blunt the mapping quality in the 76 is not worth a pinch of the proverbial. No matter which you get its very important that you can still use a topomap and let the GPS confirm where you are. If you wok to this end you don't need a mapping type. Thanks Bert, will take your advice, I did not think a mapping type would be much with such a small unit, but I had to get others more knowledgeable opinions. Wombatwal >>G'day all >>I am after a GPS unit for use with topo maps. Have never used a GPS before [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > important that you can still use a topomap and let the GPS confirm > where you are. If you wok to this end you don't need a mapping type. > Thanks Bert, will take your advice, I did not think a mapping type would > be much with such a small unit, but I had to get others more knowledgeable [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >> important that you can still use a topomap and let the GPS confirm >> where you are. If you wok to this end you don't need a mapping type. Wombatwal, Dunno what your intended use is, but I'd suggest borrowing your mates' one for a trip before deciding one way or the other... I have owned a Garmin GPS12, and now have a GPSmap 76S. They both work fine as far as basic GPS functions, but I have to say I dont regret some of the functions the 76 can do. For me, the mapping isnt too bad, and it does fine for routing towns on a long trip. I can set up the GPS screen to tell me distance to next, speed, ETA, along with a map. It also keeps flashing up the name of the next instersecting road, which has been handy at times. The main reason I like the thing is it's easy to download routes for trips from my PC, and it can tell me distance and bearing to pretty much any town in Australia(I can select them from a list). It also does have street maps (I download the maps for the trip I'm travelling from the Garmin Metroguide CD) as much as I want. The 76 doesnt have the level of routing to take you from door to door, but this isnt essential for me. However, it does have sufficient options for me to not want to return to the (Non-mapping)GPS12. The GPS 12 could only tell you distance to points you already know, which is a bit annoying for trips. I mainly use the GPS for mapping fenceliness and roads on our property, but also take it with me when travelling. I get a lot more use out of it when I load the collected tracks & points into the mapping software I have on my home computer. We found it VERY handy when doing the holiday thing around Tasmania 2 years ago, and it performed well. Road detail was very good. Personally, I'd choose a model that has the capacity for having a basemap loaded (or factory installed), as this should give you most town locations. Travelling long distance, especially on my own, I find it handy. I'd also get a model that takes an external antenna, and can plug into vehicle power. My $0.02.... Cheers, Rod.......Out Back Thanks Peter, have joined the GPS forum, looks good, should be a good resource group. Thanks Rod something to think about. Wombatwal >> Thanks Bert, will take your advice, I did not think a mapping type would >> be much with such a small unit, but I had to get others more [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > > Rod.......Out Back >>G'day all >>I am after a GPS unit for use with topo maps. Have never used a GPS before [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Bottom line is you don't *need* a map type GPS, question is do you > want one, two different concepts. You could also try asking over in the forums on http://gpsaustralia.net/  SignaturePeter Degotardi peterdegYourHat@au1.ibm.com (remove YourHat to talk to me) IBM Australia I speak *from* IBM, not *for* IBM Having mapping on the GPS itself is very useful and lets you see your position relative to towns, roads etc. Even tho the rural mapping in incomplete, it is still worth having (and paying for). Check the size of the mapping products before purchasing a Garmin with fixed internal memory. >G'day all >I am after a GPS unit for use with topo maps. Have never used a GPS before [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Thanks > Wombatwal > G'day all > I am after a GPS unit for use with topo maps. Have never used a GPS before [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Thanks > Wombatwal The GPS/mapping function can be very useful indeed, especially if you need to find a particular spot (eg camping ). It can let you know how far to the next settlement so that you can make decisions with that info. I find it useful in all sorts of ways. However if you're alone, travelling distances and can't keep an eye on the screen it's not much chop. In the bush, nothing beats a paper map , observation and a sense of direction. I guess in a strange city nothing beats a machine that tells you where to go :))) Cheers Jim Will be using it in the bush with paper topo maps. So maybe mapping facility might be an expensive overkill. Wombatwal >> G'day all >> I am after a GPS unit for use with topo maps. Have never used a GPS [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Cheers > Jim Wombat, just buy a little Etrex yellow one. I am not technical in my advice, but I use my Etrex most weekends. I dont need fancy stuff - all I need is confirmation that at times I am where I think I am. All the tech talk is only good if the GPS is actually working. Buy a few topo maps, get yourself a decent compass, and a couple of hundred $$ and you have a handy GPS which you will soon know how to use. In a few years if you have this urge to upgrade to one that you need to read the manual over and over to use, then buy one. BTW over the years of owning a GPS I have had many occasions when I have taught a male to use one....... no easy feat I can tell ya! LOL.. Stick to the basic model and you will be ok :) Kathy > Wombat, just buy a little Etrex yellow one. I am not technical in my > advice, but I use my Etrex most weekends. I dont need fancy stuff - all I [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Stick to the basic model and you will be ok :) > Kathy Not sure if the etrex will connect to a laptop for future expansion but I endorse the comments about keeping it simple. Simple is all that you need for moving maps also. Cheers Jim Thanks for the comments everyone. I will probably go down the track of getting a non mapping GPS with paper topo maps. Thanks. Wombatwal >> Wombat, just buy a little Etrex yellow one. I am not technical in my >> advice, but I use my Etrex most weekends. I dont need fancy stuff - all [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Cheers > Jim The way to go is to use an Etrex with your paper maps as a start system, and then later you can use it with a laptop running OziExplorer http://www.oziexplorer.com/ which enables you to use any of the 1:250,000 scale maps of Australia, (available on CD) or any paper map that you can scan yourself. The OziExplorer system is so far ahead of any of the map systems associated with particular GPS manufacturers that once you see and use it you would not even consider any other way. I run a laptop on a special mounting I made myself to fit my Landcruiser, which attaches to the "Jesus handle". I use a plug in GPS (smart card plugged into a PCMCIA adaptor) which has an external antenna. I still have the Etrex and use that as a portable unit, to record waypoints away from the vehicle and transfer to the laptop. Check out the information on the above website and I think you will see it is the way to go. So buy the simplest GPS such as the Etrex, I bought mine on Ebay at a great saving, and then added the Dconex Compact Flash GPS with external antenna later. External antenna vastly improves signal reception so you don't loose fix. Also needed with some laptops (like my Toshiba) that emit too much RF interference and mask the satellite signals if the GPS is too close to the CPU. The more expensive GPS units are a waste of money because the maps offered, particularly outside of capital cities are useless compared to the 1:250,000 scale maps or any map you want tou use with a system like OziExplorer. The basic Etrex will provide everything you want to use with paper maps as a start and will do all you need to work with a laptop later if you want to expand your use of GPS. I have been using this system for several years in Australia in the UK and all over Europe. > The way to go is to use an Etrex with your paper maps as a start system, and > then later you can use it with a laptop running OziExplorer [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > I have been using this system for several years in Australia in the UK and > all over Europe. Kanga I have a notebook and am in interested in doing as you have done fitting a PCMCIA GPS, ext aerial and maps. Once set up is there any ongoing costs, e.g subscription to a provider? Leo L > Kanga > I have a notebook and am in interested in doing as you have done fitting > a PCMCIA GPS, ext aerial and maps. > Once set up is there any ongoing costs, e.g subscription to a provider? > > Leo No Leo just get yourself a GPS there are PCMCIA GPS cards available now, they are much cheaper than a handheld GPS unit the GPS(Global Positioning System) is provided free of charge a couple of once off payments for equipment and software is all that is needed Cheers Kev No ongoing cost at all. The satelite signals are free to air. You can buy all the 1:250,000 maps on CG about $90 - links from the OziExplorer website. You can scan any autoclub map, street directory etc etc, that you want. You need image stitching software like "Panavue" to weld the A4 scans together and there is quite a bit to learn about maps to do it all and calibrate the maps, but the end result is a fantastic GPS system, far better than any "proprietary" system with their limited maps. Search for Compact Flash GPS on Ebay to buy one. However they are not "stand alone" GPS units like the Etrex, they have to plug in to a laptop or handheld like the HP2210. I use an Etrex and a Dconex CF GPS. > Kanga > I have a notebook and am in interested in doing as you have done fitting a > PCMCIA GPS, ext aerial and maps. > Once set up is there any ongoing costs, e.g subscription to a provider? > > Leo |
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