Software For Handheld Computer

[+jeb and co]

Having just given my old MLR SP25 gps to my son. I am thinking of changing to a handhld pc with a bluetooth GPSR. What software will give me the same functionalty as my old gps ? i.e. the abilty to use waypoints downloaded from Groundspeak, the abilty to select a waypoint to 'goto' from an ordered list or a list of nearest. when using the goto function having a compass rose display showing direction of travel and direction of way point with the distance from it. The display of track and waypoint positions on a zoomable scale. Distance travelled, time to go, speed etc.

I am not particuarly bothered about mapping or navigation at the moment.

I have used Cetus gps on an old Handspring visor that I have which gives some of the functionality but is only available on the Palm operatng system and I am hoping to goto a windows base OS.

[Nediam]

I know you say you are not bothered about mapping at the moment but.........

 

I just use Memory Map for caching on my PDA. You can create a file from GSAK that will create all the waypoints from your Pocket Query. It creates a "double click" link on the PC based map which opens up the online web page for that cache. You can transfer the data to a PDA very quickly and also transfer the necessary maps.

 

It can show an arrow (and a bearing) showing the direction to the cache from your current heading and it keeps a track of your route which you can get properties such as distance, speed etc.

 

I don't know if you can select a waypoint to 'goto' from an ordered list or a list of nearest, but someone else may know (I really should read the instructions).

 

I'd also be interested in what software other people use on a PDA just to see if there are better options.

 

P.S. I also occasionally use TomTom3 for caching as well as actually driving to the site. It has a larger display and is better for taking photos of virtual caches etc where a photo of the GPS screen is required.

Edited June 8, 2005 by nediam

[+foxy04]

i have a pda and never thought that it could be used as a gps, is there anything i should look for to see if mine is compatible?

 

any idea of what software i should look at?

 

thank you

 

edel (foxy)

[+jeb and co]

Memory map sounds to do most of what I want, but do you need to have a map of the area you are caching in to show way points, or will it display them on a blank grid? We travel round the country quiet a bit and it could be expensive to buy the whole map set. Also we are going to Vancouver and the west coast of America in September. Would it be of use over there?

Edited June 8, 2005 by jeb and co

[Nediam]

It will display them on a blank area and will still navigate to the cache (as I found out at the weekend with ease )

I have no idea if it will work abroad but the people at the Memory Map customer help are very good.

They can also provide custom maps at various scales for whatever area you need

If you need any more help on Memory Map you could visit this link...Memory Map

 

Before you rush off and buy anything, I'd wait and see what other people suggest. I'm interested myself

[Nediam]

i have a pda and never thought that it could be used as a gps, is there anything i should look for to see if mine is compatible?

 

any idea of what software i should look at?

 

thank you

 

edel (foxy)

If your PDA has Bluetooth or a CompactFlash socket, you can buy a GPS receiver that should be compatible. If it has another port, you might be able to get a custom cable made to attach to your existing GPSr. Apparently this site is good for getting cables etc although I've never needed to use them.

 

The only software I use is TomTom3 (for SatNav) and then Memory Map for actually caching. But I'd wait and see what other people suggest first as Memory Map is expensive.

[+Gralorn]

Gosh, Memory maps is expensive! It must be cheaper just to buy a 1:25.000 map of the area one is going to and have it in your back pocket. Then utilise Mimee which is free to go from co-ords to grid references on your PDA.

[oddsock]

Try this Their tech support is very good

Dave

Edited June 11, 2005 by oddsock

[+dibbler69]

I have gpsdash on my ipaq. Lets you import .loc or .gpx files.

Gives you a compass arrow to follow.

[+jeb and co]

I now have a PDA and a bluetooth gps. GPXSonar and Spoilersync seem to be very good for storing and recovering data from gpx files.. I also have a copy of BeeLineGPS which provides some of the functionality of a hand held gps with the ability to use gpxfiles.

 

However, I boght a copy of memory map and although the appearance and accuracy are excellent it has one VERY MAJOR DRAWBACK. It does not seem to be possible to import data into the pda version. It is neccesary to import gpx files into the desktop version and then export the data. There is an item on the overlay menu of the PDA version - import NMEA. When one attempts to do this the 'Error' message 'License not found for Professional feature' This seems to be ridiculous. There is no 'professional' version available in the UK and as this function can be performed on the desktop one wonders why there is this limitation on the PDA.

 

I hoped that with a pda capable of receiving email, I would be able to set up pocket searches when I was away from home, which I could then download and use. It seem that although I can do this with GPXsonar and BeelineGPS I am unable to do this with memry-map.

[+Pengy&Tigger]

Save the file as an*.mmo file, and it will import into the PDA version. Or just export the data to the pda from the PC version.

 

Pengy.

[+Sue and Bernie]

We second P&T take on MM.

 

We use TT3 & MM in an Ipaq to do the route guidance thing, then resort to a Vista for the foot bit - backed up with the Ipaq (in a metal case) and its BT GPS for any off-road map referencing we need.

 

MM is pretty clunky at handling waypoints. We find it easier to maintain various datasets of waypoints in a source folder and keep "Delete All..." to clear the lot out of the MM display each time.

 

Then we re-import what we need fo the next session.

 

Once we've got what we want back into MM, a simple "PDA/Export Data to PDA..." selection sends whatever waypoint data is currently in MM to the Ipaq.

[+milvus-milvus]

The iPaq hw6500 is being billed as the first PDA to feature a built-in GPS (rather than a bolt-on via SDIO card, bluetooth or cable) - sounds like just the job for Joe Geocacher. No WiFi though, so field reporting needs to be via GPRS. Not released in the UK yet either, so you'll have to wait a while to spend your pennies...

[Remote Part]

It's not the first PDA with built in GPS, the Mio 168 (and a few others) have been around for a while.

Though it might be the first PDA with built in GPS and GSM/GPRS etc.

[+Pharisee]

The iPaq hw6500 is being billed as the first PDA to feature a built-in GPS (rather than a bolt-on via SDIO card, bluetooth or cable) - sounds like just the job for Joe Geocacher. No WiFi though, so field reporting needs to be via GPRS. Not released in the UK yet either, so you'll have to wait a while to spend your pennies...

Nahhh..... My iQue 3600 is a Palm based PDA with built in GPS and voice navigation. I've had that for 18 months or more

[+jeb and co]

___________________________________________________________________

MM is pretty clunky at handling waypoints. We find it easier to maintain various datasets of waypoints in a source folder and keep "Delete All..." to clear the lot out of the MM display each time.

 

Then we re-import what we need fo the next session.

 

Once we've got what we want back into MM, a simple "PDA/Export Data to PDA..." selection sends whatever waypoint data is currently in MM to the Ipaq.

 

____________________________________________________________________

 

That's OK if you have access to MM on a PC, but what I am wanting to do is get pocket queries straight on to the PDA and use the GPX file without processing it through a PC. If the format of the .mmo file was a bit more clear I could write something to do the conversion myself. I still think it's a bit naughty of MM to sell a product with functions that do not work and are incapable of working in the UK.

[Lactodorum]

Have you tried posting your question on the Memory Map support forum?

 

I've found them to be very responsive in the past.

[+Happy Humphrey]

If GPX Sonar could be made to send waypoints to a GPS, you'd be in business, but I don't think it can. Does GPXView do this?

 

If not, perhaps G7toCE will do it.

 

If you connect the PDA to the GPSr using a cable, open the .GPX file using G7toCE (or another application), then export waypoints to the GPSr, then use MM to import the resulting waypoints from the GPSr, Bob would be your uncle.

 

 

HH

[+molrams]

I Use GPS Tuner on my mio 168. I accepts both loc and gpx files and includes all the usual geocaching functionality. For maps I download the appropriate 1:25000 from the OS web site and then calibrate it using the map calibrator program. The only niggle is that the calibration cannot be done using OS grid references so I have to use OSGB to convert them to Lat/Long.

 

If I need a bigger area than one map download i just stitch bits together using the software that came with my digital camera. A much cheaper option than getting than getting Memory Map for the whole country at 1:25000 scale.

[+Happy Humphrey]

Molrams,

GPXTuner looks superb, but do you know whether it's capable of exporting waypoints to an external GPS (or even better, to Memory Map PDA format files)? If it can, it would answer Jes and co's question but it doesn't appear to be specifically mentioned in the manual.

 

HH

[+molrams]

From my limited playing around GPS Tuner allows you to export routes and waypoints in gpx format files. I've never had a standalone GPS but i always assumed this was a standard format. I use EasyGPS to edit the files.

Edited July 1, 2005 by molrams