Purple Daizy Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 Hello all!! I was wondering, when you get a GPS what additional (if any) equipment do you need? Thanks! ~*Purple Daizy*~ Quote Link to comment
dave and jaime Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 no accessories are absoultely necessary. having said that the pc cable, carry cases, 12vdc power cables, gis mapping software, waypoint managers and rechargable batteries are all accessories that you are likely to accumulate over time if you use you gps any large amount and find indespensible. as to the order of importance i guess i priortize like this: 12vdc power cable for vehicle. also for safety of the gps i would reccomend that this accessory above all others be purchased. could also get pc/power cable combo, while more expensive it allows power and data transfer at the same time. vehicle mounts may also be necessary for in vehicle use, i made my own system for my vehicles and work fleets, not necessary but nice depending on the make of your car. case/screen protection. if you just paid good money for the gps it makes good sense to spend a few extra bucks to protect it. alot of people here make their own or use cell phone cases etc. dont really need to buy a factory case but a case of some sort is pretty essential. waypoint manager and pc cable. there are a number of good waypoint managers available as freeware such as easygps which can be used to interact with this site. using the pc cable you can then upload the caches directly to your gps which eliminates the risk of user error and the pain in the a$$ of doing it. if you are handy you can easily make this cable if you want to 'demo' it before buying one. depending on how much you use the gps, rechargable batteries will pay for themselves over time. gis mapping software and topo maps is a nice addition but not essential. programs such as oziexplorer(pay-for-use) and gpstrackmaker (freeware) can be very useful in route planning. as for uploading the maps to the gps only the manufacturers properity software does this currently. as for the accessories that come with the gps---that depends. some gps come with cases, cables or software or nothing. shop around and look for the best deal. if you shop you may get package deals, or if you call the manufacturer after purchase you may be able to get some freebies if you get the right service rep. btw, if you buy a new gps leave the plastic on the screen to protect it until you get a case. you can also get laptops for realtime mapping and a host of other accessories but these thing are mostly fluff for the guy who tinkers, like me!! 'Get to the point---speak English!!!!' Quote Link to comment
+Stunod Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 Batteries You dont NEED anything else. "Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson Quote Link to comment
+The Cheeseheads Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 Other than batteries, not much! Seriously though, what might be helpful is: Rechargable batteries. I won't spark a flame war by saying which kind is best, although I use the NiMH type.Protective case. Mine serves two functions: 1: It protects the unit (I've been doing this almost a year and my Legend looks like new) and 2: the velcro flap on the back of the case attaches to a piece of velcro with a peel-off backing that I put on my dashboard to keep the thing in place while drivingIf you don't like the velcro idea, there are dozens of mounts available depending on your vehicle type.Software. While you technically don't need any software to use your GPSr, a program like EasyGPS or its bigger brother ExpertGPS which are helpful for uploading large numbers of waypoints to your unit. ExpertGPS also has functions where you can see your waypoints on topo or arial maps.A compass. Even though your GPSr can tell you which way to go, unless you have one with a built-in compass, it won't know which way is north unless you're moving. Frequently, if you're under the trees, it will lose track and it may be difficult to get moving fast enough to get north back. A compass can eliminate that need. Just a few suggestions. I'm sure others will think of more... - - - - - You'd have to be an idiot to click here! Quote Link to comment
Purple Daizy Posted July 31, 2003 Author Share Posted July 31, 2003 Hey thanks so much!!! Wow, I'm kind of..what's the word..ok I can't think of the word, but it seems like so much stuff. Ok, I'm not sure if I should put this in the Getting Started Forum or not...how would I use all those accessories you all described? I would probably just be using the GPS for geocaching. Also I saw this GPS and it said something about needing a PDA or something. What is that? Thanks! ~*Purple Daizy*~ [This message was edited by Purple Daizy on July 31, 2003 at 11:51 AM.] Quote Link to comment
dave and jaime Posted July 31, 2003 Share Posted July 31, 2003 pda and laptops are nice gadgets for realtime mapping but are not necessary, and are costly. to get started you need a gps only. power cables, data cables and all the other accessories come into play as you become a more advanced user of gps. if you are only using the gps for geocaching check out a package deal that has the data cable included and youll be ok for a while. with a data cable you coudl upload 100 cache waypoints in about 2 minutes. easygps is a good starting point until you figure out what other features you want. 'Get to the point---speak English!!!!' Quote Link to comment
Purple Daizy Posted July 31, 2003 Author Share Posted July 31, 2003 Ok thanks! What is a PDA? What about this: http://page.auctions.shopping.yahoo.com/auction/77387434?aucview=0x74 I know the auction's closed, but is it a good one? Is this one that you have to have a PDA for? Thanks! ~*Purple Daizy*~ Quote Link to comment
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