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Mobile mapping and GPS


gm100guy

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I would like to collect what geocachers are using in there cars for gps and mapping and thoughts on what works best.

 

I have tried S&T with my gps in the yard and it was able to show me my location. I have tried my Softmap with the gps option also and it showed my location.

 

I just bought a PDA and downloaded the trial version of Mapopolis with the GPS option but I need to get some connectors for the serial wires to try the software

 

What have others done and tried?

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

Ontario geocachers http://groups.msn.com/GeocachinginOntario/homepage

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I've used the Fugawi Palm application on my Palm m100. It shows your location in real time as well as recording your track if you want. Waypoints are limited to one symbol (all the same) with no labels and the map display is always north up. The 2MB memory of m100 limits the amount of map data but I can still load several hundred km of highways and a city. Unfortunately the small screen of the m100 is not much of an improvement over my GPSr's screen.

 

I recently was able to use a Sony laptop with the best monitor I've seen on any computer. Loaded it up with GPS Trackmaker and Toporama maps for a drive around Edmonton hunting down a couple of urban geocaches. The big display is great and Trackmaker was pretty decent for freeware. If has the track up option and a display of speed, bearing and elevation. One drawback with the track up option all the labels on the Toporama maps were upsidedown when traveling south

 

PDOP's GPS Pages

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I have a mount (more like a little desk) that I use in the car with my laptop and GPS. It sits right above the shifter (I drive a 95 Intrepid) and is right in perfect view of the driver and all the passengers. I have a complete map of North America with all the caches marked on it and when I go caching, I simply add all the caches I want to visit to the route, mark my place as the start and end and tell it to Optimize the stops and away I go. Once in the car, all I have to do is follow the hightlighted route, this way it elminates the frustration of driving aimlessly in strange cities. I always know exactly where I am. The whole thing is even better now that I figured out how to reduce the annoying 15 second delay to 1 second. No more missed turn offs now. I realize this setup is not for the 'purists' out there, but my blood pressure goes through the roof as soon as I realize that I am pretty much lost in a strange city.

 

Bullzie

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mount your notebook in your vehicle using a ram mount...

 

they are solid...

 

or put a PC in your ride, i just helped install one of these into my buddies ride...

 

nice...

 

expensive, but you get what you pay for...

 

you can do the same probably for less...

 

just gotta get one of those super small mother boards, and fit the entire pc maybe under a seat....

 

there are a few other companies that make auto pc's, but I can't remember the names right now...

 

lates...

 

http://www.xenarc.com/index.html

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I now have all the cables required and have the Mapopolis trial versin with gps option working.

 

I tried it in my yard and it showed me there on the palm with the map loaded.

 

mapoplis web site

 

You can download the software here. It has limited maps for Canada though. The one for Toronto seem to be accurate.

 

I will try in car later and let you know the results.

 

icon_biggrin.gif

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

Ontario geocachers http://groups.msn.com/GeocachinginOntario/homepage

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quote:
Originally posted by RobertM:

Sheez, those RAM mounts are pretty pricey. :-(


if you have a buddy who works for a utility company he might be able to hook you up with one. these would likely be the same as law enforcement mounts that are pricey as you say but not the same as the ones referenced here.

 

quote:
Originally posted by PDOP's:

...One drawback with the track up option all the labels on the Toporama maps were upsidedown when traveling south...


doesnt trackmaker have an option to automatically rotate the waypoint names so they are right side up?

 

'Get to the point---speak English!!!!'

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I tried the mapoplis mapping and my gps in the car tonight.

 

It matched the streets in Toronto almost right on.

 

You can also make and fellow a route with this software.

 

Just need to find a way to sort out all the wires and make it neat to look at.

 

The set up is also wife approved as she held the palm well I drove.

 

icon_biggrin.gif

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

Ontario geocachers http://groups.msn.com/GeocachinginOntario/homepage

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For my mount, I just built it. It cost less than $50 and a a little elbow grease. I just made it out of MDF so that is sat in the right place and had a big enough footprint that it didn't tip, and them I put some of that rubber stuff you put in cupboards on the surface so that the laptop doesn't slide around on it. It was was more ambitious I would carpet it to match the carpet in the car. One of those fancy mounts would be great, but this allows me to take it out of the car whenever I want, or just toss it into the backseat if I need the extra space.

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Hi,

 

I took the gps and the palm on an extended trip this weekend. I went from Toronto to almost Newmarket.

 

The mapopolis software woked really well. it matched the roads almost perfect.

 

The route it said was right on and maybe better then streets and trips...

 

The only thing I found was that the bearing reading is out about 10 degress, does not allow for declination. The speed was out from the gps by about 2 kph.

 

The routing takes time to come up on the palm.

 

It is battery eater on the palm also.

 

It is also a memory hog for the maps on the palm, glad I have 8 megs.

 

But for what it is worth and not having to put a lap top in the car and for the mapping it seems to be a good combination for a in car navigation system for where they have maps for.

 

i can't say I was lost now.....

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

Ontario geocachers http://groups.msn.com/GeocachinginOntario/homepage

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This all sounds pretty complex. I recently upgraded my GPS to a Meridian with Mapsend S&D Canada and have been using it in the car. Works perfectly and I've been very impressed with the detail - at least here in SouthWestern Ontario. Has every street, including the cottage one which is rare on maps (a short dead end) - the streetnames are easy to read once you zoom in. Has the roads in Pinery Provincial Park (although it marks them as ATV tracks which of course are strictly forbidden in the Park) and finding a street number seems to work although I haven't tested it exhaustively. The GPS tracks right down the streets and even gets the right side of dual lane highways. I did pan over to Grand Falls New Brunswick which I also know and it seemed to be pretty good on streets there too although I was surprised to find the St John River had gone missing icon_confused.gif Be interested in the experience of others in other parts of the country and cities like TO. Works well for me around here.

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My wife used the gps and palm with mapopolis software last night to go down town and she made it back.......

icon_biggrin.gif

 

She found it easy to follow and found following the dot on the palm easy. She did have someone with her to hold the plam and follow the route though.

 

icon_rolleyes.gif

 

gm100guy

http://members.rogers.com/gm100guy/cachepage.htm

Ontario geocachers http://groups.msn.com/GeocachinginOntario/homepage

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