Alpacas Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 (edited) High accuracy GPS recievers have been around for years, usually using omniSTAR and beacon corrections to get <8 inch accuracy. The problem is that the've usually been huge, and haven't shown submeter accuracy with regular WAAS and EGNOS signals. Well, the other day I stumbled upon this... a handheld Sub-meter accuracy Bluetooth and Wifi enabled, fully customizable handheld GPS reciever. Just take a look at it: Delorme, in this case, is the closest GPSr in terms of functionality as compared to a survey level unit like I mentioned. But what do we actually need in a GPSr? One thing the trimble allows is uploading over 50 types of GIS files. The most important of which are the GeoTiff and DEM (Digital Elevation Model). On such a GPSr (the trimble that is) you are able to overlay DRG scans of official USGS Quad Maps. But also... you can drape these maps over elevation data (similar to Global Mapper or ArcMap) to get a nice and useful shaded contour relief map on your GPS. What's more, with this elevation data your GPS can perform line of sight calculations, which turns out to be pretty useful when bushwacking through a maze of hills looking for a creek down below. What else is the modern GPSr missing? Aerial Photography! True, Delorme has some aerial photographs, but we're not talking DOQ (Grayscale USGS images) or Google Earth quality. On this survey GPSr you are able to load any GeoTiff file and have it show up on your display. Wouldn't it be nice to know where a lamppost you're looking for is located? Just look at an aerial photo. So what makes this GPSr different from a consumer GPSr? It is basically a fully featured GIS viewer sans the editing features. One day (if all goes well) we too will enjoy the luxury of all these features, but without having to pay $3500. The name of the GPSr is the Trimble GeoXT handheld BTW (although you're obviously not going to buy it). Edited January 27, 2007 by Alpacas Quote Link to comment
+benjamin921 Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Give me the $3500 and I'll buy one Quote Link to comment
+Red90 Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 And it is not sub meter by itself. It is only submeter with post processing using differential data. Quote Link to comment
+Red90 Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Only $2600 for an XM Quote Link to comment
Alphawolf Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 (edited) The "market' for such a sophisticated receiver is soooooo small, that it wouldn't be worth the R&R $$$ to develop it for the consumer market. Holy Cow...Just look at the number of posters here that can't figure out how to load City Navigator on their units or can't figure out how to input a manual waypoint. Edited January 27, 2007 by Alphawolf Quote Link to comment
sakis Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 (edited) Unfortunately Alphawolf is very very right. a couple of day now i try to find some info about a problem that i face (i try to convert dted1 file to USGS dem file without loosing the cordinations) and in my question nobody answer!!!! Definetily this GPS is HI-END utility but many users here use the GPS only to hide taperware with goodies inside.They dont care to learn anythink moore Any way some day maybe........ Edited January 27, 2007 by sakis Quote Link to comment
Alpacas Posted January 27, 2007 Author Share Posted January 27, 2007 (edited) Unfortunately Alphawolf is very very right. a couple of day now i try to find some info about a problem that i face (i try to convert dted1 file to USGS dem file without loosing the cordinations) and in my question nobody answer!!!! Definetily this GPS is HI-END utility but many users here use the GPS only to hide taperware with goodies inside.They dont care to learn anythink moore Any way some day maybe........ This is true... but the main thing is that the aforementioned GPSr is basically am ultra-rugged PocketPC with a great chip and GIS software. The thing that's great about this is the customization that is possible with a PDA based system. What I'm looking for Garmin et al. to strive toward is customization in their products, and a PDA based system that's actually rugged. The day when we will be able to use USGS Topo maps instead of the substandard Mapsource Topo maps and have REAL satelite imagery (instead of the cheap Delorme variety) instead of what we've grown to use, we will all be a happy bunch of people. Geocachers might not benefit the most ("tupperware hiders"), but for hikers like me this would be great. Edited January 27, 2007 by Alpacas Quote Link to comment
+Timpat Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 And it is not sub meter by itself. It is only submeter with post processing using differential data. Red90 is correct. For 1/10 the price I can carry my 60Cx and achieve 2-5 meter accuracy 95% of the time. I use Trimble Pathfinder sub-meter units (including the GeoXT) and of course they are quality GPS receivers. For the GIS professional it's the way to go. And, I've used them to geocache! (Had to field calibrate them you see!). Quote Link to comment
+Lucky46 Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 It looks just like mine... only different. Quote Link to comment
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