GPS wanted that will work for roads and trails

[george_tlc]

Just checked out bing, to compare their imagery to google earth. It is somewhat different in the look, but for one area in particular (in the oz bush) the quality/resolution of the bing version appears much better than GE - so that's great news for me at least Thanks for mentioning bing, I will definitely have to look into what it can provide for future trips, especially if it can cache on tablets etc- there's no cell access in the bush...

The problem with an ipad/tablet etc, is that it is hardly portable when needed. I also have a small minibike that I use in the bush, so the ability to remove the garmin and use it while riding and hiking is something a large screen unit is not practical for. i.e. I wouldn't be too depressed if the $100 garmin bit the big one if I crashed it into a tree etc

Edit: Well, checked more with Bing and where they have aerial coverage it looks as good or better (resolution) than google, but there's also large areas that are satellite (poor resolution) where google has aerial. Hopefully bing will keep adding more & more coverage, but for now, some of the areas in western oz that I travel through have very poor imagery resolution. Other areas that are both aerial have google showing more recent imagery and bing has older (one place in particular has an old tin shed that clearly shows a missing roof section on google, but is intact (older) in bing). So, no "perfect" solution yet...

cheers,
george.

 

[RobRed]

The same 2.99 app for ipad can be bought for the iphone - portability problem solved.

The combo of iOS and some of these developers have really made a better mouse trap.

 

[lugueto]

I use the GPSMAP62S. Amazing unit, screen will be a little small compared to the nuvis and such but reception is WAY better and it behaves better IMO. Ive gotten los because of the nuvi's path restricions (least traffic lights, etc) My 62 has never let me down, always on the dot and it gets reception even while underground (ive tested it on a 4 story down parking garage.)

 

[Eshu Elegua]

Old FJ40 with old school: Garmin 376C + Dell 610d ,free topo maps here
GPSFileDepot - Free Custom Garmin Maps, Ximage hosting, tutorials, articles and more for your GPSr

 

[T-bones 60]

While the ipad has a very cool large display with lots of options, some peeps just don't have room for such a large display on their dash.

 

[RobRed]

While the ipad has a very cool large display with lots of options, some peeps just don't have room for such a large display on their dash.

Ummm sure.

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD

 

[Bogo]

I have several bluetooth gps dongles and one that has integrated memory that can store at least 1000 miles of tracklog (which beats any GPS unit since it's always running in the vehicle and always in my pocket on hikes). I have a tablet with GPS running ozi and androzic, a few handheld GPS units, a few garmin type vehicle GPS units and of course laptops that run ozi and the garmin nroute etc.

The Garmin GPSmap 60CSx will log tracks to a microSD card. Once set up it will do it automatically all the time the unit is on. A 2 GB microSD card will hold a large area of topo maps as well as months of track logs. You can't view past the last few hours which is stored a different way in the unit's normal viewable track log. That means you have to transfer the microSD stored track logs to your computer to view older tracks. The GPSmap 60 series was replaced by the 62 series. Note: you need one with a microSD card slot.

 

[Bogo]

Other areas that are both aerial have google showing more recent imagery and bing has older (one place in particular has an old tin shed that clearly shows a missing roof section on google, but is intact (older) in bing). So, no "perfect" solution yet...

I look at the aerial imagery and try to figure out the rough date they took it. Trimble's is two years old where my farm is. I can tell by the machinery, and hay bale locations as well as which fields the cows are in.

Trimble has some Android pay apps that allow cashing, but the amount of area cachable is small when using high resolutions. Also they limit you to 200MB per area cached, but you can choose the zoom levels cached. I was just able to squeeze my farm in at high resolution for aerial photos. The cached area covers a bit over 1 sq mile.

I grabbed MyTopo Maps Pro a few days ago. It is made for planning on a tablet. Not many features. Also looks like it is made to be used for setting up trips for Trimble Outdoors Navigator as MyTopo Maps Pro doesn't have track logging.

MyTopo Maps Pro by Trimble: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...e.outdoors.mapviewerpro&feature=search_result

Trimble Outdoors Navigator Pro: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...outdoors.navapp.android&feature=search_result

Edit: My other complaint is the user interface is too cluttered. Way to many bits that take up to much screen space and intrude into the map area.

 

[Bogo]

I use the GPSMAP62S. Amazing unit, screen will be a little small compared to the nuvis and such but reception is WAY better and it behaves better IMO. Ive gotten los because of the nuvi's path restricions (least traffic lights, etc) My 62 has never let me down, always on the dot and it gets reception even while underground (ive tested it on a 4 story down parking garage.)

Cool. That is better than the 60 series. With a 60CSx I could often get reception in above ground parking garages. Very dense tree cover and canyons were never an issue for getting a good fix. On trips I keep it hooked up to car for power, and turn on the laptop if I need more detailed images. I'd like to switch to a tablet or similar for the more detailed images. I now carry my tablet for meeting notes rather than the laptop. My complaint now is lack of wide area stored maps. They need to be stored in vector form so they can be very compact.

 

[Land Shark]

Bogo, does the 60CSx have an option to hook to a larger screen?

 

[Bogo]

Bogo, does the 60CSx have an option to hook to a larger screen?

Not screen, but you can hook it to a laptop via a USB cable. Some tablets should also be able to hook to it. It will power it's self from the laptop if you hook it up via USB. I use a USB power supply or 12V CAR power cable to power mine while in the car.

Note: the 60CSx is a discontinued hiking GPS. The Garmin 62 series replaces it and has many of the same features. In the 62 series is one that has full USA 24k Topo maps already loaded, plus some models have MicroSD card support for loading maps.

 

[Bogo]

While the ipad has a very cool large display with lots of options, some peeps just don't have room for such a large display on their dash.

Ummm sure.

Stick two people into the front seat of a mini truck and you will know compactness. With the shifter and everything, there really isn't a good place to put more than a 5" to 7" diagonal screen. Even then it needs to be mounted above the center vents and would block the view of a shorter driver. A floor mount could be used to hold a 10" tablet, but it's post would be just to the side of the legs of the passenger to get it out of the way of the shifters.

For now I just make my passenger hold the laptop or tablet. Otherwise I just set it on the passenger seat. Eventually I'll get a floor mount. I just haven't spent the money on it yet.

 

[Land Shark]

Not screen, but you can hook it to a laptop via a USB cable. Some tablets should also be able to hook to it. It will power it's self from the laptop if you hook it up via USB. I use a USB power supply or 12V CAR power cable to power mine while in the car.

Note: the 60CSx is a discontinued hiking GPS. The Garmin 62 series replaces it and has many of the same features. In the 62 series is one that has full USA 24k Topo maps already loaded, plus some models have MicroSD card support for loading maps.

Thanks! This may be the way I go

 

[Land Shark]

Hmm, if it can charge from a laptop I guess it will charge from a 12v outlet with a USB fitting as well.

 

[Tapage]

Hmm, if it can charge from a laptop I guess it will charge from a 12v outlet with a USB fitting as well.

but it does not have 2 USB ports .. so or you connect it to the laptop and have maps in it .. or keep seen maps in the GPS small screen ..

 

[Bryan E.]

Garmin 1490 GPS???

Does anybody have any feedback about the Garmin 1490 GPS? It's got lifetime highway maps and nice sized screen. I hope to be able to add some off road areas when I head on vacation with the Cruiser. I'm also looking into the IPAD idea but I still want and will be getting a GPS. There will be time my wife will want to use a GPS and we will move it from Cruiser, to Truck, to Car. Once IPAD or other larger device is all set up, I still will use the GPS for daily compact use as needed for roads.

 

[esh]

If you're lookin at the 62Csx, look at the eTrex 20 or 30. Same great features, $100-200 cheaper, plus you get russian satellite reception. The 30 is $100 more than the 20 and addes 3-axis electric compass/alt. Garmin should have a comparo tool on their site you can check the specs with. A coworker and I got them when we were looking to upgrade from our 60s.

 

[george_tlc]

I see no reason that Garmin wouldn't support downloaded topo maps etc to your 1490 via the mapsource program. Works fine on my nuvi 1300. Just add a microsd to get more room for the extra maps. Download via mapsource with a USB cable from your PC.

cheers,
george.

 

[retrofive]

I see no reason that Garmin wouldn't support downloaded topo maps etc to your 1490 via the mapsource program. Works fine on my nuvi 1300. Just add a microsd to get more room for the extra maps. Download via mapsource with a USB cable from your PC.

cheers,
george.

Uploading the 24k topo to my 1490 failed mine. It went completely wacko. Random reboots, the scale would bounce, never really got the map I was look for. Perhaps user error, but same 24k map I have running on all my other garmin pc's and devices.

Im really not sure what the deal was/is. But completely defaulting the 1490 and dumping everything back to new fixed it. I tried adding a 16gb sd card in hopes it was just a memory issue, but still wasn't stable.

I agree it should work just fine, still don't know why I had such issues.

Im happy with my 62 for hiking, skiing, biking, etc. I have my iPad with MotionX. I leave the 1490 for giggles in my cars.

 

[george_tlc]

Uploading the 24k topo to my 1490 failed mine. It went completely wacko. Random reboots, the scale would bounce, never really got the map I was look for. Perhaps user error, but same 24k map I have running on all my other garmin pc's and devices.

Im really not sure what the deal was/is. But completely defaulting the 1490 and dumping everything back to new fixed it. I tried adding a 16gb sd card in hopes it was just a memory issue, but still wasn't stable.

I agree it should work just fine, still don't know why I had such issues.

Im happy with my 62 for hiking, skiing, biking, etc. I have my iPad with MotionX. I leave the 1490 for giggles in my cars.

Did you disable the street map and select the topo stuff via the menu system? I've never had issues with the 1300 and I have the latest firmware installed. I've even loaded ozi street maps and ozi topos (for a non-garmin source) and never had problems.

cheers,
george.