laptop computer question

[topcat]

I am new to the sport and have a laptop computer and a Garmin Vista. Is there anything I can do with the two of them in a vehicle? I also have a ipaq, can I use it for anything in gps?

 

[This message was edited by topcat on April 03, 2002 at 06:04 PM.]

[+RAD Dad]

I use my laptop and Garmin Legend together. I Find the larger display of the laptop to be easier to look at. I use MS Streets and Trips and hook the GPSr to it, it tracks in real time where I am on the map. Plus I can have more info on the laptop. I also use my laptop to create routes, have driving directions handy and so forth.

 

ummmm....not sure what to say here....so ummm, well errrr, uhhhh, well I guess that's it.

[+northmill]

I work on a project for using ipaq-based pda's with GPS for the military. There are several mapping and route amangement software packages out there (i.e.teletype.com for one). Not sure if there are any freebies.

 

The tricky part is finding the interface cable. I was shopping for etrex<->handspring cable last night and have concluded I am better off making one myself.

 

I mostly want it for waypoint management (updload/download).

[JDMC]

USAPhotoMaps will show your location on a map made from aerial photos downloaded from Microsoft's Terraserver Web site (free).

[+park2]

I'm with RadDAD, I use MS S&T a LOT for both Geocaching and for work. Saved me from some real pain in a snowstorm 6 wks ago.

 

Park2

[OFF RODE]

I have a G3+ connected to a laptop loaded with N.G. TOPO! in the Jeep. It works great for live tracking while Caching or offroading. Much easier to see the screen and having multiple levels of map detail really lets you see where you are in relation to waypoints or landmarks.

 

"You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." Yogi Berra

JeepNAz@aol.com

[JordanM]

I use an ipaq with a pharos GPS CF card. It's pretty straightforward. You can get a free copy of ms trips and streets for PPC from http://www.microsoft.com/pocketstreets/ (and download a few free maps, or export one from listed software). You should be able to get a serial cable for the ipaq to hook to your GPSR, and you can just address it as a generic serial device. It all seems to work for me, I just wish the maps were more topo detailed.

[+Sal Manilla]

I've been using my Garmin 12 with a laptop and a Palm for several years now. I use Delorme's Street Atlas on the road with either the laptop or the Palm (on long vacations I bring both) and the Delormes TopoUSA with the Palm for hiking and caching. TopoUSA is nice, but not detailed enough for me. Delorme's programs setup and interface with Palms and Garmin unit nicely. I don't have any experience with the Ipaq but you can get info from www.delorme.com about it's compatability.

[+Sal Manilla]

I've been using my Garmin 12 with a laptop and a Palm for several years now. I use Delorme's Street Atlas on the road with either the laptop or the Palm (on long vacations I bring both) and the Delormes TopoUSA with the Palm for hiking and caching. TopoUSA is nice, but not detailed enough for me. Delorme's programs setup and interface with Palms and Garmin unit nicely. I don't have any experience with the Ipaq but you can get info from www.delorme.com about it's compatability.

[+trippy1976]

I actually use a combination of geocaching.com, geobuddy, easyGPS, and MS MapPoint 2002 on my laptop.

 

I d/l the cache points from the web site, then format them for MapPoint in Geobuddy.

 

I use Easy GPS to upload the points to my GPS.

 

I also purchased a nifty add on for MapPoint

http://www.techgt.com/agps/default.htm

 

Using these, I can do some pretty cool stuff. It makes it super easy to plan a caching run in a big way Plus with the agps add-on, you can get turn by turn directions mostly.

 

I can also use MapPoint to make HTML pages with my geocache runs documented. It's kind of a lot of fluff, but I find using my laptop and MapPoint to get (at the very least) driving directions to near the caches makes life easier. I think actually using my laptop as a GPS is a little less realistic, but I've done it and it is neat. You get better maps than you could probably get with some of the best GPS devices.

 

That's my 2 cents. I have a Venture BTW. You could do all this with the standard yellow one though.

 

--------

Trippy1976

[+trippy1976]

I actually use a combination of geocaching.com, geobuddy, easyGPS, and MS MapPoint 2002 on my laptop.

 

I d/l the cache points from the web site, then format them for MapPoint in Geobuddy.

 

I use Easy GPS to upload the points to my GPS.

 

I also purchased a nifty add on for MapPoint

http://www.techgt.com/agps/default.htm

 

Using these, I can do some pretty cool stuff. It makes it super easy to plan a caching run in a big way Plus with the agps add-on, you can get turn by turn directions mostly.

 

I can also use MapPoint to make HTML pages with my geocache runs documented. It's kind of a lot of fluff, but I find using my laptop and MapPoint to get (at the very least) driving directions to near the caches makes life easier. I think actually using my laptop as a GPS is a little less realistic, but I've done it and it is neat. You get better maps than you could probably get with some of the best GPS devices.

 

That's my 2 cents. I have a Venture BTW. You could do all this with the standard yellow one though.

 

--------

Trippy1976

[+haywyre]

What format do you save the file from geobuddy to mappoint?

[+quakemap]

Try http://www.quakemap.com - you will see your tracks and current position on the map. Easy to open .loc files and see caches around you.

 

http://www.quakemap.com - redefining Easy...

[+Renegade Knight]

You can use your ipaq with the vista and a data cable for routing wiht the right PDA software.

 

Same with the laptop. Anything the PDA does though the laptop will do better except for fit in your pocket when you look for the cache.

 

Get GPXview for your PDA and load the GPX file from your pocket query in.

 

Get MS STreets and Trips for the PDA also. The GPXview exports pushpin files for Pocket S&T wich is nice. S&T can be found cheap.

 

=====================

Wherever you go there you are.

[+Renegade Knight]

Double post.

 

GPXview lets you read the cached descriptions on your GPS and the last 5 logs. It also has a hint link.

 

Pocket S&T with puspins loaded gives you and overview of where the caches in an area are at. Good for planning.

[+benjamin921]

Use a III+ to hook up the the laptop

 

Ram Mount

 

[+SearchRescueDog]

I use my laptop in the car with MapTech for offroad navigation and inporting track logs from from the GPS for Search & Rescue applications.