GPS through laptop

[Waorani]

Panasonic Toughbook CF-30 with Delorme Earthmate GPS. Typically run ArcView 9.2 but often also run Delorme Topo USA with state specific USGS quad data. Nice thing about the Topo USA is I can turn current road data on/off over quad imagery. Recently also figured out how to convert shapefiles to display in Topo USA so I'm using it even more frequently.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Panasonic Toughbook CF-30 with Delorme Earthmate GPS. Typically run ArcView 9.2 but often also run Delorme Topo USA with state specific USGS quad data. Nice thing about the Topo USA is I can turn current road data on/off over quad imagery. Recently also figured out how to convert shapefiles to display in Topo USA so I'm using it even more frequently.

How do you like the Earthmate GPS? I was looking at it online and it looked like a good deal.

 

[Waorani]

I've several of the earthmates over the years. Early ones were a little difficult to use with batteries and serial interface but the current USP and Bluetooth Earthmates are great and have integrated WAAS. The BT can run all day on a charge and both run pretty much automatically with Delorme software. Takes a little tweaking to run with ArcView though.

You can get the LT-20 w/ Street Atlas 2008 for $50 on Amazon.

 

[bhmmapping]

I also use a bluetooth earthmate with arcview on a thinkpad tablet. I have been using the earthmate for several years now and have never had any complaints. I wedge it between the sunroof and sunroof cover and it gets great reception.

 

[T Y L E R]

WB, this is a copy/paste from a similar thread I just replied to:

I've had a laptop mounted in the 80 for several years now. I started with a Jotto mount, and have been very pleased with it. The only change I made in mounting was to use heavier screws thru the hump and a few dabs of loctite. I ran a Compaq R3000 15.4 until recently.

I've found, through experience, that trying to spy a cursor to click away at a GPS program on the fly was ridiculous. I started to pine away for a touch screen setup. Actually my wish list included a few fundamentals.

* Touch screen
* Daylight readable screen!!
* Relatively antiglare, non-transmissive
* Approx. 500 nit.
* Bluetooth
* Wireless
* Semi-rugged

Originally I thought I'd get a Mac Mini, and a touch screen, as mentioned earlier. I was going to build a box for the Mini, and throw the screen on my Jotto. Would have been nice as far as app sharing etc with my iMac 24 I have running at home. Stay tuned though .. I might just get Leopard up and running in the new laptop ...

Ah, yes the new LT. Lost my mind a got a new Toughbook CF74. A tad heavier, but not as much as the CF30. It satisfies my criteria, and the bright touch screen is a great boost in safety.

As far as software goes, I've usually got two programs running. MS Streets and Trips, and Garmins Mapsource (for topo in Canada). I am making initial inquiries right now into Sygic Driver. They currently lack a North American distributor but the product looks very promising. I'll keep you posted on that...

Cheers,


TY

-----------

This might be a tad overkill for you. If it's all about the 80 and GPS, go cheap serial GPS and beatup old toughbook (or any LT for that matter). I'd stick below 15" for room sake, but mount it on a Jotto universal mount. Good bang for the buck! For years I used a Delorme Tripmate serial GPS. That crazy old thing booted up insanely fast, and never let me down once. Probably find one on EBay for 12 cents ;p If you can get bluetooth in the LT, go for it. My Pharos BT GPS is nice .. came bundled with MS S&T's 2007.

 

[97 FZJ80]

Just get a Windows Mobile PDA and be done with it

Welcome back TY.

 

[pell53]

Hammerhead XRT Tablet PC

Some of you may be interested in the Hammerhead XRT. It is a Rugged Tablet PC that can be docked in your vehicle and has bluetooth and wi-fi capabilities. I saw a presentation with this once where the guy dropped it from 5 feet picked it up and it kept working just fine.

 

[Flyingdog5000]

Motorola ML 900

This isn't in my LC, but is in my Jeep Wrangler that I use for Search & Rescue. I have a Motorola ML 900, which is their version of the Toughbook type laptop. It is a beast, but has GPS and WAN onboard as well as a touch screen which is handy for use with mapping software. Also has a hard drive heating element to keep the thing spinning on cold icy days in the Cascades. The external antenna for the GPS is permanently mounted on the Jeep's roof, but a mag mount is also available. I use a Ram pedestal mount to hold it.

My setup also includes some other features that you wouldn't need to bother with, such as radio and full Mobile Data Terminal hookup, but frankly I don't use that stuff much because I'm usually out of range.

I use Maptech Terrain Navigator software, which is about $299 per state and includes both 7.5' quad maps and 100,000:1 maps from USGS. Lots of great tools for navigating etc. This is one of the most popular mapping applications for SAR use, but is also great for any outdoor travel.

Doug

 

[Flyingdog5000]

This isn't in my LC, but is in my Jeep Wrangler that I use for Search & Rescue. I have a Motorola ML 900, which is their version of the Toughbook type laptop. It is a beast, but has GPS and WAN onboard as well as a touch screen which is handy for use with mapping software. Also has a hard drive heating element to keep the thing spinning on cold icy days in the Cascades. The external antenna for the GPS is permanently mounted on the Jeep's roof, but a mag mount is also available. I use a Ram pedestal mount to hold it.

My setup also includes some other features that you wouldn't need to bother with, such as radio and full Mobile Data Terminal hookup, but frankly I don't use that stuff much because I'm usually out of range.

I use Maptech Terrain Navigator software, which is about $299 per state and includes both 7.5' quad maps and 100,000:1 maps from USGS. Lots of great tools for navigating etc. This is one of the most popular mapping applications for SAR use, but is also great for any outdoor travel.

Doug

I forgot to mention that the laptop also has a built in GPS antenna, so you don't need to attach to an external antenna when not connected in the vehicle. Price for the laptop was about the same as a mid level laptop with similar ram/HD/DVD.

 

[EricG]

I suppose the same reason why we drive super luxo yachts vs horse carts

It's a good question, really.

Some of the reasons why I use a laptop with a USB GPS receiver:
-street maps with restaurants, hotels, POIs
-various Topo software for varying degree of drill down
-ability to interact with a keyboard is MUCH easier than a dinky touch screen and look for the A, B, C, keys
-Double duty as internet access during the trip or when you get to the destination. Check the email at Burger King while eating lunch.
-Able to download pics from camera cards on the fly.
-USB ports to charge phones, cameras, etc
-a 13" screen is much easier to see than a 3.5' screen. Especially topo mapping.
-Much easier to insert Waypoints using keyboard. For example: Great camping spot, next to the brook on the west side, vs C_spot_1
-Passenger can watch movies to past the time.

I'm sure there are more but these come to mind right now...

All good! Another reason is to have access to my electronic copy of the FSM.

I'm considering the Eee as well, though I'm not sure how good the Linux GPS software is at this point. I'm really hoping that the nex rev comes with a touch screen, But I've heard that it doesn't

 

[woytovich]

I ran an ancient Toshiba 320CT Portege in my 60... it's a 10.5" screen... Windows 2000... color.

Good UltraLite Laptop. - Toshiba Portege 320CT (PA1274U-T2A) PC Notebook - Epinions.com

Works just fine hooked up to a Garmin V with Topo maps and others loaded onto the HD. I built a combo cord to power the computer and GPS and also to connect the two... GPS is mounted on a custom mount up above the rearview mirror. I have a front bullbar mounted external antenna too.

(I recently got a big Lowrance unit that speaks to me... better for the road but not as helpful in the woods as the Garmin/laptop combo.

 

[topcat]

I use a Garmin GPS II and a fujitsu laptop with seperate screen mounted in the front, as software i use GPS trackmaker , which u can download for free on gpstm.com

It works fine during off road navigational rallies

I like it !!

 

[woytovich]

Did you take the screen off of the body of the laptop? If so what did you use for a cable? I was thinking I'd like to do that to my Toshiba...

I use a Garmin GPS II and a fujitsu laptop with seperate screen mounted in the front, as software i use GPS trackmaker , which u can download for free on gpstm.com

It works fine during off road navigational rallies

I like it !!

 

[reffug]

OK previously I ran a Garmin V in my 80. However I no longer wish to do this. I want to move my GPS to my laptop for all the previously mentioned reasons however I am not up on the latest and greatest. How does one go about hooking there Garmin ant. to their laptop? I have an old I mean really old Compaq that has windows 98 but should function perfectly for a GPS application. How do you connect the ant. to just the laptop. I already have the garmin software on this laptop so thats not a problem but the connector coming from the ant. isn't going to connect to the LT and after searching on Garmins website they weren't really any help.

Any insight you fella's might have would be appreciated.

Course this is also leading me to think I should get a new laptop to have the movie, FSM, and general truck data right there at my fingertips.

 

[woytovich]

OK previously I ran a Garmin V in my 80. However I no longer wish to do this. I want to move my GPS to my laptop for all the previously mentioned reasons however I am not up on the latest and greatest. How does one go about hooking there Garmin ant. to their laptop? I have an old I mean really old Compaq that has windows 98 but should function perfectly for a GPS application. How do you connect the ant. to just the laptop. I already have the garmin software on this laptop so thats not a problem but the connector coming from the ant. isn't going to connect to the LT and after searching on Garmins website they weren't really any help.

Any insight you fella's might have would be appreciated.

Course this is also leading me to think I should get a new laptop to have the movie, FSM, and general truck data right there at my fingertips.

You need the GPS... the software on the laptop just displays what the GPS sends it as far as current position. I "hid" the GPS up on a mount by the rearview mirror. YOu could put it anywhere: glovebox, centerconsole... you only need access to turn it on/off (I wish I could get it to turn on/off with ignition power without needing to do it manually). Antenna to GPS, GPS to laptop....

YOu need the GPS unit in the loop...

 

[reffug]

You need the GPS... the software on the laptop just displays what the GPS sends it as far as current position. I "hid" the GPS up on a mount by the rearview mirror. YOu could put it anywhere: glovebox, centerconsole... you only need access to turn it on/off (I wish I could get it to turn on/off with ignition power without needing to do it manually). Antenna to GPS, GPS to laptop....

YOu need the GPS unit in the loop...

thanks thats kinda what I figured but was hoping it wasn't the case. guess I'll just hide it in the glove box or center console and work something out in that area. I H8WIRES.

 

[woytovich]

There are other GPS units without a screen or user interface you could use BUT you already own the V... There are plenty of options if you want to spend $$$... but like me I presume that's not your goal here.

 

[woytovich]

Speaking of using a Garmin V in this situation... anyone have any thoughts on getting it to power on/off with ignition power? Maybe I could just leave it on all the time (direct power) and not worry about the tiny battery drain?

 

[Bogo]

What ports does the laptop have? There are still GPS units available that connect to serial ports, but I'd go for a USB connected one if the laptop has a USB port. That way the laptop can power the GPS. Anyways I'd just get a cheap display-less GPS for use with the laptop. Should cost less than $90 for it and a cigarette lighter power cord if needed. Save the GPS's batteries for remote use.

 

[reffug]

Speaking of using a Garmin V in this situation... anyone have any thoughts on getting it to power on/off with ignition power? Maybe I could just leave it on all the time (direct power) and not worry about the tiny battery drain?

In my last 80 the V was on 24/7 and never even touched the battery power.

Course I was running dual Optima Yellow Tops.

I might look into a cheap GPS with no screen if that makes hiding it easier and the cost is doable. Not sure if the V is going to be what I want in the long run especially since I want to upgrade the laptop.