Gps

[nathan]

So i am thinking of buying a gps in the near future and i am looking for a gps that does road way and trails. I mean this as in if i start going off the road way i can save the trail location and the trail its self. Does anybody know of a unit like this.

[nige]

garmin 60csx works good for that if you have the right maps for it

[Snafu]

Are you hoping to plug it into a laptop for live view?

[X-Treme]

Any of the Garmin handheld units are great for both road and trail use.

The main difference between the handheld units (of which you can buy dashboard or windshield mounts) and the larger ones that are meant for in-vehicle use is the ability to record a track (sometimes referred to as bread-crumbs) while you are moving. This track information is important as many of the trails you would be on don't show up as actual roads even on topo maps. Without the track information you could find yourself getting lost because you may not know how to back-track out of where you've been.

The Garmin 60 series are a popular, mid-priced GPS unit that many of us use. If you can afford it, the newer Oregon series are better as they allow you to store more track information and have a slightly larger, higher-resolution touch screen that makes the units easier to use. They also work with the newer topo maps that have elevation data in them to give you a 3-dimensional view of the terrain.

[Pezzy]

I also have the Garmin 60 series... works well for in the truck, on & offroad, as well as hand held for hiking/geocaching/biking.

[Snafu]

Where do you buy the garmin units? Any suggested stores?

[Pezzy]

I actually picked mine up on ebay. I have bought one (back in the day) @ Durham Radio.

I bought some accessories for mine @ Radio World... they were all about the same in regards to pricing.

[X-Treme]

GPS Mart - Internet sales only but you can pick up your order at their Brampton distribution centre.

GPS Central - Retail store in Calgary (#8, 711 - 48th Avenue)

Radioworld - Retail store in Toronto (4335 Steeles Avenue West, just west of Jane St.)

[Pezzy]

http://www.radioworld.ca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like we may have a coffee meet near there in a couple weeks... check the event section.

[HolidayNation]

Arghhh, I had typed out a big old response on my crackberry just to loose it when I answered a PM. Anyway, there is lots of good write up and eeviews on the net, so when you find a deal you can atleast check it out. I changed my mind numerous time after reading reviews. I went with a garmin maps76cx, basically the same as a 60mapsCX unit except the marine version. Mostly because it was the same as my older 72 model so operation is the same. The big thing is expandability and map sets. Canada topo and metroguide offer both off road and road calculations and work well for planning and trqacking on the computer. There are also touch screen cross duty units like the Lowrance XOG but the write ups were marginal and the little bit of playing I had a chance to do with one didn't lend itself to faith in the unit. I could be wrong however. Also, there is car computer/entertainment units that will allow computer gps use but to the tune of about 1000 bucks- this will probably be my next set up, I likey.

I ordered a heads up display bluetooth gps antenna from these guys and it was fair price and quick delivery.

http://www.canadagps.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As well kijji,used canada, ebay may yield a bargain. I found my 76cx with topo and metro guide mapsets for 200 beans on used ottawa.

Best of luck, you may have to spend a little more at first but it will serve you well.

[Snafu]

Sorry to take over the thread...

Thank you for the links!

I would like the usual features on the gps to map a route, know where I am (highway and off road), etc. I would also like to plug the unit into a laptop to view the map while driving (I may spring for a tablet pc for easier mounting/viewing in the truck).

I figure this would give me portability to move them between vehicles, use the gps unit on its own (when hiking) and use the laptop on its own.

If I have to spend $300-400 to be able to do this then so be it. At least I will know how many pennies I will have to save.

[Snafu]

I might even spring for the Garmin Oregon 300: $425-450

[nige]

i found my 60csx on kijiji, i think i paid about $300. I chose the older 60 series over the colorado and oregon because battery life was important to me. The glitzy screens on the new model gobble up battery power quickly. It's fine if you have it plugged into the truck while running, but i would like to get a day of use from one pair of AA batteries. The 60csx's screen is nice enough for me.

You can also get marine maps, which are really handy for fishing big lakes too.

[X-Treme]

Sorry to take over the thread...

Thank you for the links!

I would like the usual features on the gps to map a route, know where I am (highway and off road), etc. I would also like to plug the unit into a laptop to view the map while driving (I may spring for a tablet pc for easier mounting/viewing in the truck).

I figure this would give me portability to move them between vehicles, use the gps unit on its own (when hiking) and use the laptop on its own.

If I have to spend $300-400 to be able to do this then so be it. At least I will know how many pennies I will have to save.

Garmin has a number of applications for the computer that are all free and you can download now to try. I believe they all come with a basic basemap installed.

The standard software that comes with all GPS units and mapping software is Mapsource. MapSource allows you to manage and load maps, routes, tracks and waypoints. It works on Windows PCs only.

RoadTrip is Mac only and is similar to MapSource for the PC. It doesn't load maps on to your GPS unit (see MapInstall below) like MapSource does.

nRoute (discontinued - replaced by Mobile PC and no longer free) is the free live mapping software. It runs in Windows only and allows you to have a live moving map on a computer screen when used with a connected GPS unit. It also works with Garmin's stand-alone wired USB and wireless Bluetooth GPS unit. There is no longer a link to download this software from Garmin's web site. A Google search may reveal alternative download sites. There is no Mac equivalent to nRoute or Mobile PC.

Garmin has also just written some new software.

BaseCamp is designed for the new topo maps with elevation data. It displays the elevation contours in 3D. The new topo maps with elevation data come with this software now I believe. PC version, Mac version.

MapInstall is for loading maps on to your GPS unit. PC version, Mac version. The Mac version also includes MapManager for installing maps and unlock codes from a Windows install. Requires MapConverter for Windows to convert the Windows maps to a Mac compatible version prior to moving them to a Mac.

[buttsy]

x2 on X-treme. I'm running Garmin Mobile PC on my Netbook with the Topo maps. I can also run them on my phone (HTC Touch Diamond) to use as a handheld. Mapsource is a powerful program once you get to know it.

As for where to buy I would've said Tiger Direct or NCIX, but the websites don't seem to have handhelds anymore, just touch screen ones. That having been said, there's a few touchscreens that you can mod to run topo maps...

[Snafu]

Well I almost bought a Garmin Nuvi 775T but figured I didn't need the euro-maps or lane assist. So I ended up with a Garmin nuvi 265wt.

One day old but so far a nice little unit (map updated today - 2GB download!)

I will have to re-read this thread for some cool stuff to download especially after I buy a laptop.

Thanks!

[Snafu]

Thanks Gino for the links. Downloaded and ran a couple to try. Mapsource is very cool and highlighted some interesting info. I was able to read through my logs on the GPS on my computer. Some interesting (and some incriminating) info that has been wiped.

Basecamp runs but I am either slow at running it or it is a bit buggy - runs fairly slow and is slow to respond. Going to look for patches.

I could play with this stuff all day.

[X-Treme]

Yeah, BaseCamp is really only useful if you have the newer Topo maps with Elevation Data.

I haven't tried it in Windows, it would run slowly anyway since my Windows environment is virtual (VMware), but the Mac version, although slow doesn't appear to exhibit any bugs, unless you consider it being slow a bug. Which, in my case, I do. With the power in my desktop system I would expect it to redraw the screen in real time as I scroll around but it doesn't. They definitely have a lot of optimizing to do.

Play with the detail setting, I keep mine at halfway so you have to zoom in to get the most detail. You can also adjust Display settings in the preferences, that might help as well.

I haven't used MapSource since they released RoadTrip for the Mac but everything I hated about MapSource has been fixed in RoadTrip, although MapSource, I believe, still has a couple of features missing in RoadTrip. RoadTrip does a better job of managing waypoints, tracks and routes allowing you to group them in folders within the program so you can export only the ones you want to the GPS unit for example. In MapSource I had to create a different MapSource file for each group I wanted to create and it only opened one file at a time.

I hope they either update MapSource or release a version of RoadTrip for Windows.

[Snafu]

Without having done it, it does appear that you can create a map in mapsource and upload it into the unit. It also lets you categorise the waypoints. I still have to try this out when I have more time to play around (and don't have the boss hanging over your shoulder )

[Snafu]

I was easily able to run the apps at work but ran into trouble running them at home. At home mapsource will not run unless there is a "mapsource map product" = having basecamp installed (which I did at work).

Basecamp won't install unless microcrap .NET Framework is a newer version or updated.

So from work where I have access to decent net connection, I jaunt over to microcrap to download what I think is the latest POS offering. Get home only to find out that the microcrap POS is only the set-up file that now wants to download the real app. Not too bad except it is a friggin 55MB file that they want me to download over a modem (yeah billy-boy gates - you know where I want to shove your POS!)

Now back at work and cannot download the file from microcrap but have to go to a third party site to get the whole file <UGH!>

Well hopefully, tonight I will get the software running at home.

This brings up an interesting point for another topic. The net connection I am looking to upgrade to charges a base fee then an additional fee for downloads. Since I bought a license for microcrap including the support for the POS they sold, should they not foot the bill for what I need to download?

BTW - Billy Gates I owe you one huge boot to the ass!

Geez, mac's are looking more sensible now