Posted 2005-06-06 7:27 PM (#26137) Subject: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Member
Posts: 16
Location: virginia
Ok I admit it I get lost almost every time I try to get to a new horse show ground or find my hotel etc. But my real concern is when I am forced to sit with the trailer in tow on the interstate due to a wreck and want to get off but have no idea where I am.
If you have suggestions for a easy to use GPS unit please give me a helping hand.
Posted 2005-06-06 8:35 PM (#26140 - in reply to #26137) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Expert
Posts: 2689
I have had a Garmin GPS III for about 7 years. It still works, but by today's standards it is very limited. The screen has developed vertical black lines, it is just about unreadable, but I have been using it as a receiver to my laptop and running Street Atlas (by DeLorme).
I recently got an upgrade to Street Atlas 2005 and took the package deal that included their EarthMate for about $40 over the price of the mapping software.
If you want DETAIL maps I think a software solution is the most flexible and I suggest you go for one that has regular updates. I have been avoiding the "subscription based" packages, sure roads close and move, the interstate system is still being built, but an update every couple or three years is enough for me. If you don't want to lug a laptop around but still want the detail you'll probably have to get a unit that can take the detailed maps from a computer and just load up the detail for the areas you actually go to. I know some motorcyclists who do it this way and seem to like it.
Even with the big goosie trailer behind me I havn't experienced any screening of signals, whatever the heading. Deep woods are another matter, so sometimes I don't get a fix just when I need it most - trying to find the way OUTTA the event, left or right here ?? Dunno...
BTW, it is illegal to have a GPS display within the vision field of the driver (in some States, perhaps most).
So, in answer to your question I like the DeLorme mapping software.
I did try MS Streets and Trips - its not for me, DeLorme are map PEOPLE.
Posted 2005-06-06 10:47 PM (#26148 - in reply to #26137) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Regular
Posts: 65 Location: TN
My husband is a Garmin dealer so we use the new Quest, however I like Street Maps 2005 on the laptop since I am over 40 and can see the screen as we travel
Posted 2005-06-07 6:51 AM (#26149 - in reply to #26137) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
New User
Posts: 4
Location: Kaysville, Utah
I have the Garmin 2610, it’s a year old and Garmin has a newer system out but for the money it’s great, it includes a handy remote and I like the fact that I can program a compact flash card, units with hard drives built in are subject to the heat in the car and can Easley be damaged. My wife travels a lot and has used the Magellan offered by some car rentals and prefers to use the Garmin 2610.
Posted 2005-06-07 6:52 AM (#26150 - in reply to #26137) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
I have a magellan 315 ... A few years old for the trail ..
I've eyed the Magellan Gold series for a while. The downloadable maps seem just what I want and the storage chips are getting very reasonable for the large amounts (<$70 for a gig sd card)
Posted 2005-06-07 7:43 AM (#26152 - in reply to #26137) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
New User
Posts: 1
Location: ct
Pioneer avic n1 or n2. it is Gps in dash dvd headunit. it has a 6.5 inch touch screen. you can even add a backup camera. find one on ebay just as much as any gps would cost. theres so many things this can do check it out.
Posted 2005-06-15 6:57 AM (#26579 - in reply to #26150) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Member
Posts: 18
Location: Danville, VA
hosspuler, I have a magellan sporttrak map for the trails. just figured out how to use it at Mt. Rogers. Have you found any trail maps that are downloadable?
Posted 2005-06-15 7:30 AM (#26580 - in reply to #26579) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
Originally written by anablackcris on 2005-06-15 7:57 PM
hosspuler, I have a magellan sporttrak map for the trails. just figured out how to use it at Mt. Rogers. Have you found any trail maps that are downloadable?
Magellan has their topo maps that are down loadable to the Gold unit. I don't know of any down loadable trail maps. The Mount Rogers area is covered by a map of the ???? It includes the Virginia highland horse trail and the Virginai creeper trail. I'll check later on the name of the map and where to get it.
Posted 2005-06-15 8:41 AM (#26581 - in reply to #26137) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Veteran
Posts: 115
I don't know anything about the "real" GPS systems but we use a laptop hooked up to an adapter that lets us keep it charged from the cig. lighter. We bought a copy of Microsoft Streets & Trips that included a little USB GPS locator for somewhere around $100. This thing is awesome, it will leave a GPS trail on your map, rotates the map automatically as you're driving and keeps "you" centered. My dad does a lot of FEMA work and used this setup in Flordia last year. He was able to find locations even with road signs missing. It can do a route planner and set up your different stops in the best order. Really neat. It's a bit bulky to have a laptop in the cab of the truck with you but we leave ours on the center console (dodge) and have never had a problem. It was the best $100 we've ever spent! (of course we already had the laptop, LOL!) I figured there would be additional subscription charges or something but there are not.
Posted 2005-06-15 9:09 AM (#26583 - in reply to #26580) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Expert
Posts: 2689
Originally written by hosspuller on 2005-06-15 7:30 AM
Originally written by anablackcris on 2005-06-15 7:57 PM
hosspuler, I have a magellan sporttrak map for the trails. just figured out how to use it at Mt. Rogers. Have you found any trail maps that are downloadable?
Magellan has their topo maps that are down loadable to the Gold unit. I don't know of any down loadable trail maps. The Mount Rogers area is covered by a map of the ???? It includes the Virginia highland horse trail and the Virginai creeper trail. I'll check later on the name of the map and where to get it.
My neighbor has DeLorme Topo for some local regions, I'm not sure about this but I *_THINK_* you get the whole thing on one or two CDs and pay per region to enable it. I can find out, I DO know that he uses it for hiking and camping and is VERY enthusiastic about it.
I'm also very enthusiastic about DeLorme's Street Atlas, but I've said that in other posts.
Re Laptop based systems generally: I find it handy to be on the web browsing events calendars, pull up a program to find the site, make my route, save it and when the day comes just take the laptop out to the truck, plug in the GPS unit and go. There's no need to down/up load anything.
Yes, cell phones will probably replace a lot of this function - I know that.
Posted 2005-06-15 9:23 AM (#26584 - in reply to #26137) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
On a side note .. I have the Delorme Topo Usa.. set of seven discs
I download a track from my gps to the Delorme and get a trace of the horse trip on the topo map. The biggest problem I've had is the magellan 315 doesn't pick up enough resolution. My buddy's Magellan Gold has better reception and resolution.
It's fun to keep a map record of all the horse trips in an area.
Posted 2005-06-15 11:50 AM (#26590 - in reply to #26585) Subject: RE: GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 524 Location: Lone Oak, Tx
I have a Garmin Legend that I use mostly to track the trails that we ride. We tend to sometimes make our trails and this thing has helped us from geting lost a few times. I also keep the tracks and download them from the GPS and make trail maps out of them with topos that I've got off the web. I also use it for trips to map out routes. I have the Mapsource Metroguide software from Garmin which lets you map out routes and download them to the GPS. I also have the Mapsource Topo software which I use frequently. Again I can download the maps to my GPS. As well, I also have a few of the DeLorme Topo disks. All of this I bought off of Ebay. Just my .02¢
GPS UNITS- WHICH UNIT DO YOU LIKE?
Ok I admit it I get lost almost every time I try to get to a new horse show ground or find my hotel etc. But my real concern is when I am forced to sit with the trailer in tow on the interstate due to a wreck and want to get off but have no idea where I am. 
