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RRLover

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Posts posted by RRLover

    downloading plug in

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    We have bought our son a new Delorme PN-40 to get him outside more. We have a MAC computer and have loaded the Delorme send to GPS onto the computer. Whenever we try to load to GPS though a screen pops up that says we need to download the plug-in. Java scripts are on, etc. but I still can't get it to work. Any suggestions?

    Safari & Firefox are supported browsers, are you using either?

     

    Norm

    DeLorme PN40 and Macs

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    From what I understand, the DeLorme software lets you download logs and such from geocaching.com.

    DeLorme has free software (Send to GPS browser plugin, Cache Register 2.0) which does this.

    Both these features : "Send to GPS" & "CacheRegister 2.0", work on an Mac w/out

    having to load Windows in any fashion. Also, the "pre-cut" maps can be loaded to

    device sans Windows, as well as images from DeLorme's data site.

    Windows only comes into play if one wants to use the Topos 7, or 8, or Topo North America9

    software(s) for displaying routes, tracks, and waypoints, as well as cutting custom maps using

    user defined parameters that are either more, or less robust than what DeLorme chose to

    include in their pre-cuts.

    Usable with a Mac sans Windows? Yes!

    Can you avail all the features? No!

    What your needs are, and what hoops you're willing to jump? That's your call.

    I agree w/Lee, for out of the box seamless simplicity? Garmin may be the easier choice.

     

    Norm

    Double Track GPSr

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted · Edited by RRLover

    The Astro(?) line from Garmin is dedicated to working w/upland field dogs

    & possibly sight/scent hounds. Fairly close to what SAR and perp. tracking

    would entail.

    Working in conjunction w/the Garmin software on an portable or base PC

    should be fairly straight forward. Although working in 'real-time' on the PC

    may present some significant challenges, post event analysis should be

    "a cake walk".

     

    Norm

     

    P. S. : Lil' girl in my avatar has one leg towards a tracking title, we'll see

    how it goes, she is ambitious. The Groundspeak software squashed

    the image due to my not cropping to the correct dimensions.

    Ipone 4 compass

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted · Edited by RRLover

    Are you standing still or moving around when it points in the wrong direction? Generally, you need to be moving at a rate of about 2-3 mph to get an accurate reading from the ccompass.

     

    No, you don't. The iPhone 4 has an electronic compass. If the readings are off, move away from interference sources and wave the phone in a figure 8 pattern to recalibrate it.

    I have an 3GS, I found charging it and using the iHome IA5 alarm clock thingy has

    done some weird stuff to the compass. I suspect the magnet structure in the speakers.

    On-line I purchased an 30 pin male to 30 pin female cord so as to get some distance twixt

    the two.

    My suspicions arose when I noted that anywhere w/in 5-6 feet from the clock unit the

    compass would point straight at it, I think keeping the phone just a couple inches from

    it over night affected the compass. It usually took a couple hard resets simultaneously,

    and some vigorous shaking, and a re-cal. to get its wits about it.

    With the addition of the new cord and an "In your face" clamp on clip it's feeling much

    better now.

     

    Norm

    downloading maps into Delorme PN-40

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I am a newbie - I've tried to make this TOPO thing work but not much success. I do not understand the different types of maps.what size to make them,how to over lay them, how to cut ?? them, etc. Can anyone suggest I good tutorial? Any suggestions? Do you only add maps for a small area for that day of geocaching or o you load the device with a much large area in case you are out and about and find time for a hike?

    Multiple dedicated user/gurus can be found here :

    http://forum.delorme.com/

    "Cream o' the Crop" . . . so to speak.

    Be prepared to explain briefly where your difficulties lie,

    even if it is square 1.

     

    Norm

    Whats the Best Bluetooth GPS

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I am using an iPhone 3gs and live in Florida. Most of the trails here are thick covered with palms and such and I can never get ground zero with it. I want to purchase a very good but inexpensive Bluetooth GPS receiver to link to the phone. Any recommendations?

    You'll have to hack(jailbreak) the phone, and add a BlueTooth stack for it to recognize an

    bluetooth receiver.

    I don't know the software or procedures, but Apple doesn't want ya using outside hardware

    at this(or probably any) time.

     

    Norm

    Maps for Delorme GPS

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted · Edited by RRLover

    Perhaps you aren't aware, perhaps you are; DeLorme's PN-XX devices

    ship w/Topo NA 9. This software contains mapping data available to

    the user that pretty much all the competition sells over and above

    their handheld offering's base maps. So DeLorme sorta supplies you

    w/the free maps, and the software to manipulate data on your

    Windows computer. They have limited offerings presently for those

    who insist on native Mac use, and remain mum about any future

    offerings beyond CacheRegister 2(or is that II). BootCamp is an

    kluge that DeLorme quietly recommends, though a few have had

    varying levels success using the different Windows emulators,

    Delorme stops short of recommending their use.

    If one doesn't need the features of Topo as a whole product

    Mac users do have the ability to load pre-cut vector maps to the

    device natively via Mac. I've not pursued knowledge regarding

    the various flavors of Linux.

     

    Norm

    TwoNav Sportiva and Adventura

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    Yes, this is true, Guess who was one of the first that reported this to them? Me..

    I'm a Mac user myself, There's a simple solution, Use Bootcamp. Works with no problems with Windows XP in Bootcamp on the Mac.

    It's not a simple solution, it's a kluge; using VMs, and BootCamp.

    Their devices are expensive, purchasing XP is a cost over and above, and dealing w/all

    of the compatibility issues of Windows and the attendant software SNAFUs make

    that option less appealing.

    When I went on a search of their USA mapping data it sends you to some mini airplane/

    hang gliding website that you have to join just to navigate the site, still got a lot of

    wrinkles to iron out, but I'll still keep an eye on them.

    The Adventura(?) is like $750.00 w/out NA maps, too rich for an experiment to me.

     

    Norm

    Delorme PN-40, Oregon 450, iphone 4 accuracy

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    On each device there is a screen with gps accuracy stated in + or - feet (or meters). If the PN-40 says 7 feet, the iphone usually says 16 feet (iphone doesn't say how many satellites it's tracking), and the Oregon says 24 or 25 feet. I would expect this difference between the gps units and the iphone but not between gps units. Garmin says 24 or 25 feet is good enough and PN-40 is probably not accurate. This is with both units tracking 8 satellites, the same satellites, same strength as well. But, the ratio stays the same when PN-40 goes down. So PN-40 says 20 feet, now Oregon 450 says 80 feet and iphone is about 32 to 35 feet.

     

    So, is what Garmin says true. If the PN-40 is overstating the accuracy, psychologically it make me feel better :) . PN-40 seems pretty good at locating caches. The Oregon 450 is a better interface. One thing about the iphone. If I look at satellite imagery map, I am usually within 8' to 10' of the location it pins me at.

     

    Has anyone else experienced this wide range of accuracy on these units?

     

    Thanks

    All of the above use proprietary algorithms to state what they consider to be their best guess

    as to how close the device is to the reported coordinates. These formula are not shared w/us,

    or each other. It's just a way to say you have a nebulas percentage of being within this

    "guestimate" of feet to the stated position. The proof is in the pudding, take them out and check

    them against a known corrected 'benchmark' and weigh for yourself the accuracy of each device.

    Do this on different days and at different times, as the satellite constellation plays a major role,

    . . . and is in a constant state of flux.

     

    Norm

    Iphone 4 GPS is rubish

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted · Edited by RRLover

    HTC EVO

     

    High Tech Computer

     

    It is a computer.

    so this is an airplane then, right? :)

    Well, . . . Saab does make a mean fighter, or @ least they used to.

     

    Norm

    (former owner/pilot(?) of a model 97(ninety seven, NOT nine-seven))

    now lusting for a Land Rover 101 fc, my, how times change one!

    Iphone 4 GPS is rubish

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    How is the OP holding the device?

    The iPhone 4 has different areas of the housing acting as

    antennae for the different aspects of radio transmission/

    reception. If one holds adjacent areas of the housing

    all bets are off, antennae are tuned for their specific

    needs, human tissue conducts enough to upset the

    balance, especially when contacting(in close proximity)

    two antennae @ the same time. Presence or lack of a

    cover also could have an effect on X/R efficiency.

    The little lines of demarkation between the different

    "zones" are quite fine and may not be noticed w/out

    close scrutiny.

    This is a hardware issue in the design of the case;

    ya win some, ya lose some.

    I'll wait for #5

     

    Norm

    PN60W-se

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted

    I found this comparison chart here (I'm unable to format this table correctly, but the first number is for the PN-60 and the second for the PN-40)

     

    Average Battery Life Under Typical Usage Conditions PN-60 PN-40

    With Li-Ion rechargeable battery (available from DeLorme) 13 hrs 10 hrs

    With 2 e-lithium batteries 31 hrs 18 hrs

    With 2 AA batteries (included with device) 19 hrs 9 hrs

     

    I believe the 2 AA's included with device are the Energizer Advanced lithiums, while the e-lithiums are the Energizer Ultimates.

    Under GPS Specifications in the linked PDF; shouldn't the first line have an green check mark for :

    "GPX file exchanges to SD cards(waypoints, routes, tracks, geocaches) " in the column for PN-40?

    (TNA9, & firmware 2.8/3.1 inclusive)

     

    Norm

    Mac Geocaching

    in GPS technology and devices

    Posted · Edited by RRLover

    Lee :

    I'm guilty of reading the post lightly, and taking it at face value, also,

    of not doing more in-depth research towards ascertaining the posters

    device of choice.

    My apologies for bringing you into the fray w/an offhand, off the cuff

    response. Better attn. to detail should be the fix, . . . or not.

    I'll work harder at that task.

     

    Norm

     

    <edit> above post stricken from record, & this one ammended

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