Cheap GPS option

[+teamhillside]

I have been getting increasingly frustrated with my non-WAAS old basic yellow eTrex, and had been considering a fresh model. However, difficulty to justify +£100 to SWMBO when "you've already got a GPSr"!

 

Spotted a thread over at the UK sub-forum talking about bluetooth receivers being cheap, and plumped for a "Copilot" branded one for about £13 delivered.

 

As I already have a bluetooth enabled phone (albeit a quite old one) with java capabilities I thought I'd give it a whirl.

 

Have to say I'm really pleased with the outcome. Phone obviously has reasonably nice screen, in theory I could also post logs straight from it to the internet (though don't because it costs money!). Accuracy of the GPS seems very very good. I was 20m inside a shop at the weekend and it still got a signal, something my etrex would never have done.

 

In terms of software I've tried two - GPSJ (costs 9 Euros for a licence) and trekbuddy (free). Trekbuddy seems better (can import GPX files, retains all of the narrative details etc etc) but unfortunately works badly on my Sony Ericcson k750i due to file permission issues. However, it does work nicely on my wife's newer Nokia 6303 Classic, so I'll use that from time to time. GPSJ is simple, functional and works.

 

Obviously I have to carry two devices now, but I did find that if I just popped the bluetooth GPSr in my pocket (or in my hood one time!) that things still worked fine, so I ended up just holding the phone.

 

A nice cheap way to replace my etrex!

 

Matt

[+Mosaic55]

I'm rather surprised that bluetooth receivers aren't more popular. (Or maybe they are, but just not glamorous to talk about.) I got one to use with my Palm Treo and it works quite well. With Cachemate and the cachenav plug-in it seems easier to use than my Explorist.

[+Native20559]

I have been getting increasingly frustrated with my non-WAAS old basic yellow eTrex, and had been considering a fresh model. However, difficulty to justify +£100 to SWMBO when "you've already got a GPSr"!

 

Spotted a thread over at the UK sub-forum talking about bluetooth receivers being cheap, and plumped for a "Copilot" branded one for about £13 delivered.

 

As I already have a bluetooth enabled phone (albeit a quite old one) with java capabilities I thought I'd give it a whirl.

 

Have to say I'm really pleased with the outcome. Phone obviously has reasonably nice screen, in theory I could also post logs straight from it to the internet (though don't because it costs money!). Accuracy of the GPS seems very very good. I was 20m inside a shop at the weekend and it still got a signal, something my etrex would never have done.

 

In terms of software I've tried two - GPSJ (costs 9 Euros for a licence) and trekbuddy (free). Trekbuddy seems better (can import GPX files, retains all of the narrative details etc etc) but unfortunately works badly on my Sony Ericcson k750i due to file permission issues. However, it does work nicely on my wife's newer Nokia 6303 Classic, so I'll use that from time to time. GPSJ is simple, functional and works.

 

Obviously I have to carry two devices now, but I did find that if I just popped the bluetooth GPSr in my pocket (or in my hood one time!) that things still worked fine, so I ended up just holding the phone.

 

A nice cheap way to replace my etrex!

 

Matt

 

 

"However, difficulty to justify +£100 to SWMBO when "you've already got a GPSr"!"

 

Geez dude, man-up would ya ... making the rest of us feel for ya!

 

Be safe.

 

N

[+teamhillside]

"However, difficulty to justify +£100 to SWMBO when "you've already got a GPSr"!"

 

Geez dude, man-up would ya ... making the rest of us feel for ya!

 

 

I can't, she won't let me

 

Matt