Let's Talk GPS's

[DonTX]

Thanks, he is a pro. Got to take him in for his 65,000 mile checkup soon. He spent this summer breaking in a replacement, a dog.

good info..... nice cat Don/Tx:-laf

 

[R C Cola]

G P S

I have a Tom Tom One about a month old that is giving me some trouble. Cheap model does good in the states. In Canada which also came preloaded when I bought it, the arrow that shows where I am is about 1/2 to 1 block off of the hiway. Then the darn thing spends the day telling me to turn and get back on the road because it can see on screen I am not where I should be. Back in the states and everything is honky-dory again. Any ideas ? ?

 

[wcjp]

I have a Tom Tom One about a month old that is giving me some trouble. Cheap model does good in the states. In Canada which also came preloaded when I bought it, the arrow that shows where I am is about 1/2 to 1 block off of the hiway. Then the darn thing spends the day telling me to turn and get back on the road because it can see on screen I am not where I should be. Back in the states and everything is honky-dory again. Any ideas ? ?

Is this Tom Tom capable of an external antenna? Maybe the satellite coverage isn't great at your Canadian location.

 

[MFalkinham]

I really like my "old" Garmin StreetPilot 2610. It has the same form factor as Don's 2620, but instead of having a hard drive the 2610 uses a CompactFlash card so it has no moving parts. I've accidentally dropped my Garmin several times and it just keeps on working. Using the maximum-sized 2GB card allows me to load and store all of the US and Canada maps with plenty of room left over for waypoints and tracks.

As far as the map software, Garmin releases updated maps every couple of years. The latest ones just came out and they want $75 for them, but I'm going to wait until the next set is available. If you want the latest/greatest Point of Interest (POI) database (for finding restaurants, for example), then spending the $75 is probably worth it.

 

[DonTX]

Ah yes, the old 2610. I put many thousands of miles behind one of those, and my old ones are still happily doing daily duty with their new owners. That brings up another point, one of my 2610 models quit one day, only GPS failure I ever had, both were bought used on ebay. I was about to put it in the trash can, but got ahold of Garmin to see if they had any ideas for it. They allowed me to send it to the factory, and for as I recall $125 they ran it thru the assembly line, checked, updated, reloaded etc. Try THAT with some of the other models!

I really like my "old" Garmin StreetPilot 2610. It has the same form factor as Don's 2620, but instead of having a hard drive the 2610 uses a CompactFlash card so it has no moving parts. I've accidentally dropped my Garmin several times and it just keeps on working. Using the maximum-sized 2GB card allows me to load and store all of the US and Canada maps with plenty of room left over for waypoints and tracks.



As far as the map software, Garmin releases updated maps every couple of years. The latest ones just came out and they want $75 for them, but I'm going to wait until the next set is available. If you want the latest/greatest Point of Interest (POI) database (for finding restaurants, for example), then spending the $75 is probably worth it.

 

[yogibear]

The Garmin factory is in Olathe, Ks.

 

[ccie]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 660 and love it. It is very portable. Like mentioned above the TTS (Text To Speach) is a nice feature. Basically instead of saying “turn right in x feet” it says “turn right on Pacific Ave in X feet” etc.

 

[Radshooter]

We have an ol' reliable 2610 too. Once the power plug broke on us, and Garmin sent us a replacement cable free. Our unit was several years old when this happened too.

One thing I like about it that I haven't seen mentioned yet is the ability to select different modes, depending on what I am driving. When we are tooling around in the Tundra, we set it to "car" mode, and we get along pretty well. But, when pulling our 38' fiver, I set it to "truck" mode. That way, it takes me around the bypass routes instead of right through the middle of town with all the stoplights. I forgot to set it to "truck" once and I was really regretting it by the time I got through the 27th stoplight downtown.

There are others beside the 2610 that have that feature, and may be worth looking for if you pull anything big.

Steve

 

[Short Stack]

I have the lowrance I-Way 500c and have been totally happy with it. It has a nice color screen and when it was time to update lowrance sent me a cd update for free. You can find things by address, by name or buy category. It has all the rest stops truck stop Loves, Flying J and more. Very easy to use, has 3d mode, night mode or just dim thescreen. It also lets you know in plenty of time witch way you are going to turn. It has 10gig HD for mp3 storage. I don't remember how many POI it has but it is alot. They also have a I-WaY 350 which has 4gig for mp3 storage and is also has a battery so it is portable, it has a smaller screen but I think it does all the same stuff. I like the bigger screen myself. I use it on my boat too because it also has all the water way bouys and markers which you can turn off or on. This unit does alot of things and like I said is so easy to use. It also has an external magnetic mount antenna but so far in the few years I have had mine I never have had to use the external atenna. You will get alot of info on all sorts of units, everybody has there one opinion of the GPS they have, this is mine. Good luck you should enjoy anyone of them you get just make sure it will dothe things you want. Good Luck

 

[jandtjil]

I have the Lowrance I-350, zero problems in one year of use so far. Like others, about 6 mil point of interest, plus you can create an address book with existing database... plus your own added points. Definitely easy on the wallet.
The truck / car feature mentioned above sounds awesome!

JJ

 

[DonTX]

With years of 2610 use, I never knew that existed! That would be useful, I will have to check to see if my 2620 has that feature as well.

We have an ol' reliable 2610 too. Once the power plug broke on us, and Garmin sent us a replacement cable free. Our unit was several years old when this happened too.



One thing I like about it that I haven't seen mentioned yet is the ability to select different modes, depending on what I am driving. When we are tooling around in the Tundra, we set it to "car" mode, and we get along pretty well. But, when pulling our 38' fiver, I set it to "truck" mode. That way, it takes me around the bypass routes instead of right through the middle of town with all the stoplights. I forgot to set it to "truck" once and I was really regretting it by the time I got through the 27th stoplight downtown.



There are others beside the 2610 that have that feature, and may be worth looking for if you pull anything big.



Steve

 

[Radshooter]

I can't remember how to get into the menu to change the options. (My wife has the GPS with her in Houston now, I am still in Nebraska. ) I think in is under "Routing" or something like that. If you find it, it will ask you to select from motorcycle, car, bus, truck, and there are a few others I think, ranging from very mobile (motorcycle) to cumbersome (truck).

We have been shopping for a new GPS, and this is the first feature I look for. If it is not there, we do not even consider the new unit.

Good luck... . Safe travels..... Steve

 

[Pavemen]

the c340 streetpilot has that feature. not sure how well it works as it put me and my 11. 5k load right through a small town with a bunch of lights. at least a it was straight through and it might have been the best way across anyway.

 

[RJOL]

I've owned several GPS/Nav systems. I've used a laptop with a gps attached to it (Street Atlas), a Palm PDA with the Tom Tom navigation program data and gps receiver (the same database you get with the Tom Tom stand alone systems), and my current one is the Magellan RoadMate 800 with the built in gps receiver.



Here is my experience. They are only as good as the data that they use. Most of them use data from two primary providers, but it must be up to date, which means the device must be able to upgrade to new maps or it will quickly become obsolete. I found the laptop, with Street Atlas, the easiest to set up routes, especially if you want to avoid some roads, or want to choose your preferred route over the computed route. It also allows you zoom in and out and see the whole route, or a segment in high detail. I had a mount that I put the laptop on, and it sat on the center console. It's a little bulky, but it works.



The Palm PDA with Tom Tom installed, was the next best one. It's a little hard to see, when mounted on the dash, but it works. The only problem is that even though it was supposed to allow you to select "vias" (other routes rather then the computer route) it didn't always keep to the new route. It wanted to route me back over to the road I was trying to avoid. Also, when I used it to get me to a relatives house, out in the country, it tried to route me over a logging road, as that was supposedly the shortest route. Not good, if you are towing a trailer.



I tried it again with a Magellan RoadMate 800 and that was a mistake. It is very hard to use (i. e. doesn't like you to chose roads), only let you program one leg at a time, and if you went off route (i. e. tried to take a road you knew was better or quicker) it keep wanting you to turn around and go back to the old route for miles beyond the change.



Here is my advice. Most of these units are very good at getting you to a destination in town (i. e. restaurants, etc. ) but I'd be very suspect using one while towing in out of the way places. I've had every one of them try to take me down a bad road, dead end, or wrong way on a one way street. Not good when you are towing a 30'+ trailer. They also work pretty well while traveling down main roads or freeways. When I really have to go to an area I don't know much about, I look at a good map, so I know where I really should be going...

 

[Graphic man]

good info guys... thanks !!!





Scott

 

[Bill Stockard]

We have an ol' reliable 2610 too. Once the power plug broke on us, and Garmin sent us a replacement cable free. Our unit was several years old when this happened too.



One thing I like about it that I haven't seen mentioned yet is the ability to select different modes, depending on what I am driving. When we are tooling around in the Tundra, we set it to "car" mode, and we get along pretty well. But, when pulling our 38' fiver, I set it to "truck" mode. That way, it takes me around the bypass routes instead of right through the middle of town with all the stoplights. I forgot to set it to "truck" once and I was really regretting it by the time I got through the 27th stoplight downtown.



There are others beside the 2610 that have that feature, and may be worth looking for if you pull anything big.



Steve

Also on my old Garmin StretPilot 2620 has a setting to avoid unpaved roads. It works too! As an experiment, I set it for a route out in the country that I knew had a choice of paved or gravel roads. It routed me over the paved only roads.



A couple of years ago, while driving in Gillespie County Texas, I had routed it for a location out in the country. I had it set up for "no unpaved roads". As I turned off the state highway on to the county road, it was gravel. I thought I "caught it" in a mistake, but as it turned out, the county was re-paving the first quarter-mile of county road.



Bill

 

[TFucili]

What would you guys recommend for a "crossover" GPS/Nav unit? It would be used for auto use, but the primary reason would be mounted to an ATV for desert search and rescue work. A unit with Topo maps and highway maps, and that is weather/shock proof would be the goal. So far the Magellan 2500 looks like it would fit the part. Any opinions? Also, can these units be updated from a Mac, or will I have to resort to Windoze? None of the specs I have seen say whether thay are Mac friendly.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

(Edited)

Here is my experience. They are only as good as the data that they use. Most of them use data from two primary providers, but it must be up to date, which means the device must be able to upgrade to new maps or it will quickly become obsolete.



and if you went off route (i. e. tried to take a road you knew was better or quicker) it keep wanting you to turn around and go back to the old route for miles beyond the change.



Here is my advice. Most of these units are very good at getting you to a destination in town (i. e. restaurants, etc. ) but I'd be very suspect using one while towing in out of the way places. I've had every one of them try to take me down a bad road, dead end, or wrong way on a one way street. Not good when you are towing a 30'+ trailer. They also work pretty well while traveling down main roads or freeways. When I really have to go to an area I don't know much about, I look at a good map, so I know where I really should be going...

AMEN to all the above - been there, done that with virtually EVERY example above with my Garmin C-340...



Don't get me wrong, it's a great unit with dandy features - but it and Google and Mapquest have ROTTEN and out of date street/road info once you get out of metropolitan areas - some of the routes on the above named sources are over 30 years out of date for rural towns! According to my C-340, my 10 year old house and part of the city street getting to it don't exist!



Not the unit's fault, it's just no better than the source the maps come from...

 

[RJWEST]

I have been using the Delorme Latop programs since Version 4,
Tried to use the little Self contained, To frustrating punching menu buttons,
and as stated, once you get use to seeing the whole route, it's hard to
live with the little box's
Also, I did not like the 'blind' faith the little units require, Many times with the
Laptop, I can see there is a shorter cut off, or a way around congestion/construction that the little guy does not depict. .
Also, with the Laptop, as soon as I see interstate problem ( or hear it on CB )
it's " get off time" the laptop is real easy to find a way around... .
I get to see route,with no programing required... .

I have an OLD laptop just for the truck, stays there, The map programs work fine on old hardware. and 98se. .

As for In the field topo work, the Delorme " TOPO " programs
are a great tool, May want to check them out. Lot's of usefull functions for SAR

I have used them for search pre route planning, I believe they are downloadable to a PDA. I used them for planning best routes into
a search area and than marking up a topo map, great with elevation
as the program has a route profile display

 

[JHardwick]

I have been using the Delorme Latop programs since Version 4,

I thought about the DeLorme, but bought Streets and Trips with GPS locator instead. I delivered a horse to a guy who worked at Delorme right about the time they were going into a buy-out or changing from doing their own mapping to using NAVTEQ or something, so I steered clear ... ... ... probably no big deal.



Mapping and construction information is updated monthly, and as stated, using a notebook is more like reading a "virtual map" rather than having a voice steer you into places you don't want to be. I have a trailer with me at all times, so this is huge in my book.



I'll never go back to a self contained GPS unit.



One thing I noticed before I sold my last Magellan was that they were changing to NAVTEQ too, which should be good for them. They used to use Thales Navigation and seemed to never update their maps.