Palm GPS hardware/software advice needed

[DrHydeous]

I'm looking for a good GPS hardware/software combination for use with a Treo 680. I do lots of hiking and want to get into geo-caching, and would like to be able to use my Treo to see where I am on a map. I can supply all the maps myself as I have high resolution map images covering the whole country. All I need is an application which will scroll the map on screen as I move (including doing the right thing at map boundaries), let me plan a set of way points in advance, and record my route as I go. I thought that Pathaway would be the right choice, but they seem to require a Windows desktop to convert my maps into their proprietary format, whereas I'm a Mac guy.

 

I do *not* need any map data, or any route finding, although I suppose it might be nice to be able to add that later with just some software and not have to buy another GPS receiver. I don't mind paying for the software, but it *must* play nicely without Windows.

[+admo1972]

As far as I know, there are hardware gps add-ons for palms, but I would think that once you buy the add-on and the software you want, if it exists, you might as well have bout a dedicated GPSr.

 

And I am not sure how the maps you have would work. How would an app know that whatever coordinates it gets from the GPS receiver is a specific location on your maps?

 

I also use a mac, but it has been easier for me to boot into windows to transfer maps and waypoints to my GPSr.

[DrHydeous]

As far as I know, there are hardware gps add-ons for palms, but I would think that once you buy the add-on and the software you want, if it exists, you might as well have bout a dedicated GPSr.

 

And I am not sure how the maps you have would work. How would an app know that whatever coordinates it gets from the GPS receiver is a specific location on your maps?

 

I also use a mac, but it has been easier for me to boot into windows to transfer maps and waypoints to my GPSr.

 

I want to stick to using the Palm because I'm going to be carrying it everywhere I go anyway (it's also my phone) and if I'm going to have to carry an extra piece of hardware to handle the GPS I'd rather it be a small and dumb bluetooth GPS instead of a bigger, more expensive unit with screen and buttons.

 

I would have to tell the application the precise lat/long of opposite corners of the maps, from that it can interpolate points in between.

 

Since posting, I've heard back from both the GPSpilot and Pathaway support people. Pathaway have a Mac file conversion tool <a href=http://pathaway.com/prerelease4/PWMacMapMan.html>here</a>, and GPSpilot supports GIF files natively.

[+NightPilot]

I think lots of people over there are using Memory Map, so you might give them a look also.

[DrHydeous]

I think lots of people over there are using Memory Map, so you might give them a look also.

 

Memory Map doesn't support Palm OS

[+NightPilot]

I thought it did, or at least used to. I vaguely seem to remember trying it on an old Palm Z71 long ago, but perhaps that was a false memory.

[+razorx1302]

After buying my Palm T|X I wanted to use it for GPS my self so I bought a Holux GPSslim240 Bluetooth GPS Receiver since it was small and fits in your pocket really easy and If i remember correctly has an 8 hour charge on its batt before needing to be charged (course in your car you can charge it and just run off the batt) I use TomTom 6.030 for City driving and I've found that GeoNiche is good software to use for finding caches which might be of interest for you.

 

Well I don't know if any of that helps but hehe at least its something to look into.

[+Team Darcins Digs]

I will be glad when they come out with an equal to Backcontry for the Palm. TomTom is too expensive and Geonich looks like an old Atari game...(lame) I have a Garmin 76CS, Palm T/X w/ GSAC and Cachemate which do the job easy and well. I just like the visual exp.

[DonRolph]

Well I am not sure it helps you, but I have done the following:

 

1) I purchased a Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx because it had a serial port

 

2) I established a serial connection between the GPSMAP 60CSX and in my case a Palm IIIx and transfer nmea data streams

 

3) I installed solus 3 on the Palm IIIx

 

4) I downloaded Topo 5 maps to the Palm IIIx

 

The result is that one can in fact watch ones travel on the Palm device quite nicely.

 

My observation is that the true standard for interconnection here is the serial connection and nmea protocol.