Hi guys
I've had a nav system for two years on my Matrix (Blaupunkt DX-V) and I decided I couldn't live anymore without one in my Cruiser
.
But as I was a little bit cash-strapped those days, I wanted to go DIY and low priced, ie second hand or bargain. After I looked a Romer's setup, I thought that was the way to go: PDA+GPS receiver, allowing for future software updates.
Romer's setup was still a bit expensive for me, as the Dell Axim PCs are seemingly sought after. So I chose the Palm TX, ie a good sized, well built PDA, with two nice features: wireless and Bluetooth.
Retail is more or less $250-300 depending on the sources. I got one used from eBay for some $180. Added $29 for a 2 GB SD card, on sale at Staples. A better deal on the net is possible, but the shipping costs will likely kill it.
Then came the GPS receiver. Numerous reviews made me choose the Holux GPS slim 240, a Bluetooth device. I bid on one on eBay and nabbed it for 50ish.
Pairing those two devices was a bit of a pain but I finally managed to. The setup now works with a TomTom nav 5 application and I still have to install some kind of Topo handheld in the event of an offroad trip.
Going on with low-tech and not willing to invest in some mounts, I velcro'd the palm on the RPM meter. Who needs one with an auto gearbox, anyway? The receiver can be put pretty much everywhere in the car once it catches a sat signal, which can take some 30 seconds depending on where I am. But this stuff works even in the first of seven levels of a mammoth parking lot.
I power/recharge those two through an inverter, but I'm mulling some fresh setup to reduce the number of wires running amok around the dashboard.
Pics:
1°) The two devices (quarter for scale)
2°) Installed and working
I've had a nav system for two years on my Matrix (Blaupunkt DX-V) and I decided I couldn't live anymore without one in my Cruiser
.But as I was a little bit cash-strapped those days, I wanted to go DIY and low priced, ie second hand or bargain. After I looked a Romer's setup, I thought that was the way to go: PDA+GPS receiver, allowing for future software updates.
Romer's setup was still a bit expensive for me, as the Dell Axim PCs are seemingly sought after. So I chose the Palm TX, ie a good sized, well built PDA, with two nice features: wireless and Bluetooth.
Retail is more or less $250-300 depending on the sources. I got one used from eBay for some $180. Added $29 for a 2 GB SD card, on sale at Staples. A better deal on the net is possible, but the shipping costs will likely kill it.
Then came the GPS receiver. Numerous reviews made me choose the Holux GPS slim 240, a Bluetooth device. I bid on one on eBay and nabbed it for 50ish.
Pairing those two devices was a bit of a pain but I finally managed to. The setup now works with a TomTom nav 5 application and I still have to install some kind of Topo handheld in the event of an offroad trip.
Going on with low-tech and not willing to invest in some mounts, I velcro'd the palm on the RPM meter. Who needs one with an auto gearbox, anyway? The receiver can be put pretty much everywhere in the car once it catches a sat signal, which can take some 30 seconds depending on where I am. But this stuff works even in the first of seven levels of a mammoth parking lot.
I power/recharge those two through an inverter, but I'm mulling some fresh setup to reduce the number of wires running amok around the dashboard.
Pics:
1°) The two devices (quarter for scale)
2°) Installed and working
