let's see your laptop mounts and what do you use?

[cruiserbrett]

The USMC armored hmmwv's(humvees) have a very nice RAM mount for their touch screen blue force tacker computer. Its not a laptop(no keyboard) but the mount is like the RAM gps mounts on steroids. about 4 times the size. really nice and sturdy. It would easily hold a laptop, and has nice adjustability...

 

[esh]

This is probably easier to do in a 40 than the 62... especially if you have a cage.

I bent up some sch40 pipe to roughly follow my dash and mount things with RAM ubolt ball mounts. RAM has nearly any kind of mount you'd need. The advantages are that you can mount your gps/pc/phone/camera/whatever any length along the dash to fit your situation. Lots of interchangeability.

I use a ruggedized Itronix tablet PC for mapping. It has a pen or touch screen interface, which is all you need for map related stuff. RAM even has a mount made just for it.

Pic of my working draft bar. Tablet mount connects to an arm onto the 1.5" ball above the stereo. It really works well for keeping things out of the way and usable.

There is a recent laptop mount thread in the 60 forums with more pics.

I use gpscity.com to browse and buy the RAM stuff.

 

[DSRTRDR]

the last thing I want in my 40 is a computer............ gross!

 

[robtackett]

I don't use a computer my 40 never leads me in the wrong way. lol I should take a pic of my lap cause thats where my macbook usually is but not while driving

 

[vk7ybi]

my next project is to set it up with APRS.

Whats your callsign? I sometimes run my trackers in my 40s, but my licence has expired at the moment. My trackers are VK7YBI-9 and -14..

Heres a thought, you could run one of the new trackers that decode others trackers positions and see your wheeling buddies locations on the trail as you wheel with them..

 

[grant5127]

Ideas........

You Dudes can absorb an "idea" (Something that alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity.) from this Cat---> Welcome to hunt-one.com click on the inside equipment link.............

 

[Mark W]

The reason for the computer in my '40 is to map the trails I am exploring. there are no other maps of them, and some do not exist until I make them. It is nice to document them for my own uses even if I do not decide to share them.. The reason for a computer (Itronix go-book to stand up to the abuse) instead of a netbook or self contained GPS is for the alrger screen as much as anything else.

A dash mounted laptop does not work in the '40 simply because of space... Both for the vomputer to be seen and to not prevent a passenger from fitting and riding along with you.

Even if you can find/make a mount for the floor or the dash, there simply is not room for a computer without interfering with driving/shifting, passengers space or visibility out the windshield.


This is why I have homed in on the ceiling/roll cage mount. It seems to address all of this issues. I just have to upgrade my OS so that I can invert the screen image.


Plus it keeps the computer up where a water crossing gone bad will not normally leave it under water. All of my other electronics are mounted high for this reason. (2M, CB, amp, inverter, Stereo)


Mark...

 

[amaurer]

Hmm, actually this jogged my memory - my netbook didn't quite fit on the glovebox door. It was tantalizingly close. If you had/have a 10" netbook is might work great.

 

[CruisinFJ60]

here ya go i made your truck normal drive again.

 

[amaurer]

lol!!

 

[slickrock]

Well I had to make my own. I used a Ram Mount universal mount as a starting point and then fabricated the rest.

There is plenty of room for a passenger even when open. I need to state that this will never be used on a auto-road. I have a Garmin nuvi with USGS service roads. It is more for back woods geo-tracking (DeLorme Topo) and will only be used during slow speed or stopped. It doesn't block too much of the windshield and it doesn't need to be opened as much as it is for the pictures. Obviously it will be closed when on normal roads...strictky for location and tracking.

I also have a netputer, but it isn't able to handle the mempory until I can upgrade.

 

[Mark W]

Something I have discovered is that the bouncing over the trail is hell on lap top hinges. I would recommend keeping it closed when in motion as much as possible.


Mark...

 

[slickrock]

Yeah I figured that out. I don't really plan on using it while moving. I go places that I think I have explored most of the area, but when look at with the Delorme software, there are many more places I can go that I never knew about.


I also don't plan on using the laptop all the time, just when I am in new places and looking for fishing spots etc.

 

[terrx]

This is how I mounted a Toughbook CF-28. Originally it was a temporary install before a trip but it's worked out well enough that I haven't bothered to change it. The mount is home-made and ties into the seat frame.

I agree it doesn't leave a lot of room for the passenger. There's also the safety aspect since it doesn't look like enough room for the lap/shoulder belt to function in the event of a crash. When traveling with a passenger I remove it when on the highway.

Aside from being bulky and heavy the toughbooks work well. They stand up to long dusty trails very well. It's not so much a problem now with the hard top on, but a little rain doesn't hurt them either. Maybe a little old-school compared with what's out there now though.

The mount isn't very elaborate but gives an idea how it all fits.

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[grant5127]

That checkerboard would drive me nuts after awhile........

 

[numby]

There's something a little incongruous about all that tech on the inside of the rig and the rusting appliances sitting in the yard.

 

[slickrock]

First trip with the Laptop and the delorme software worked great. I couldn't be happier. THe mount even doubles for a portable CD player for my son on the long trips to the mountain

 

[voyager:01]

looks like it's gonna be hard to use a bunch of those keys under the velcro..

hey as long as it works for you and you are happy..

 

[slickrock]

I don't need to use the keys with delorme topo maps. I can't type and drive anyways. if I need to, jsut pull a strap.