Bluetooth Gpsr Transmitter

[+Niss Feiner]

I was thinking of getting a GPSr transmitter that works on bluetooth so i can use my Palm Zire 72 as my GPS. Any body have personal useage with such an animal?

[+Marky]

I have one and use it nearly every day with my Zire 72. It's pretty cool, especially for car navigation (Tomtom Navigator came with it).

 

--Marky

[+Niss Feiner]

What unit do you have? Do you have a link, and how much did it cost?

[+Green Achers]

Thanks for showing it off to $ATM$ while hunting Dead Drop 238, Marky. That cost me. LOL. Now how do we make it goto a cache of interest in CacheMate?

 

Review so far? Excellent!!

Edited December 11, 2004 by Green Achers

[+Marky]

Thanks for showing it off to $ATM$ while hunting Dead Drop 238, Marky. That cost me. LOL. Now how do we make it goto a cache of interest in CacheMate?

 

Review so far? Excellent!!

I will be writing up a formal tutorial on how to cache with the Zire 72 Navigator pack at some point. Maybe I'll submit it to Today's Cacher.

 

Basically, you need to create a new POI category (I created one called Geocache) and then use GSAK to stomp over the Geocache.ov2 file that is on the SD card. If you stomp over the Geocache.bmp file, you can create what ever icon you want for geocaches. I made a 'chest' icon, similar to Garmin's.

 

To get the gps to work with CacheMate and CacheNav (download CacheNav if you don't have it), you need to download the GPS driver. That will allow you to do nearest searches in CacheMate, and then click the nav button and switch to CacheNav's compass screen from CacheMate. Clicking done takes you back to CacheMate. It's a pretty sweet setup. Used it all day today. Never turned on my Sportrak.

 

--Marky

[+Marky]

What unit do you have? Do you have a link, and how much did it cost?

See Green Acher's "that cost me" link and you will see everything I got and for what price.

 

--Marky

[+freezejeans]

I'm glad to find this thread because I'm tempted to buy that Zire 72/GPS bundle package! Sure looks like a great deal for what you get in the box. Is your tutorial available online, Marky? Thanks!

Edited December 14, 2004 by freezejeans

[+Roberts-tribe]

I use an Emtac CRUX III BT receiver ( it is identical to the 'Socket' one - just badge engineered ). I was put off getting the TomTom BT receiver as the reports I read indicated that it is/was very unreliable ( many of the problems centered around the soft on/off switch ). However, I use it with an iPaq. TomTom for road nav and ( until I got my Garmin Legend C ) GPSTuner for caching.

 

It works very well.

Edited December 14, 2004 by Roberts-tribe

[+Marky]

I was put off getting the TomTom BT receiver as the reports I read indicated that it is/was very unreliable ( many of the problems centered around the soft on/off switch ).

I'm not sure what you are talking about (soft on/off). Maybe that was a different BT GPS? The one I got with this Zire 72 GPS nav package (PalmOne branded BT GPS) seems to be rock solid. Haven't had any issues and I've taken it out on some long caching days on the trail and it performed great.

 

--Marky

[+Marky]

Is your tutorial available online, Marky? Thanks!

I am waiting a bit before writing the tutorial so that I get a good feel for the device. I keep finding out cool stuff.

 

--Marky

[+Niss Feiner]

I was looking online, at the battery powered units that seemed to be substantially cheaper than the one palm is offering, has anyone heard or used any of these aftermarket units?

[+keyman121]

Had my Zire 72 about 4 months now. Use it alot. Bought PalmOne Navigator two weeks ago. Street routing is fantastic for the price. Not very GeoCaching friendly though. But using Marky's suggestions, it's worked out pretty good.

 

See Marky's posts on the topic. Do a "Zire 72" search. Also see my recent post in this forum, "Palmone Navigator & Garmin Gps V Deluxe"

 

Found the PalmOne Navigator cheapest at

http://www.pagecomputers.com/cgi-bin/page/M1409532.htm.

[+freezejeans]

Had my Zire 72 about 4 months now. Use it alot. Bought PalmOne Navigator two weeks ago. Street routing is fantastic for the price. Not very GeoCaching friendly though. But using Marky's suggestions, it's worked out pretty good.

Thanks for the info, think I'm going to get that Zire 72/GPS bundle now. Just seems too good for the price, especially at that site you mentioned -- $389!

[+Marky]

Had my Zire 72 about 4 months now. Use it alot.  Bought PalmOne Navigator two weeks ago.  Street routing is fantastic for the price. Not very GeoCaching friendly though.  But using Marky's suggestions, it's worked out pretty good.

Thanks for the info, think I'm going to get that Zire 72/GPS bundle now. Just seems too good for the price, especially at that site you mentioned -- $389!

That sounds like a great price. I paid list price for the bundle and thought it was a good deal.

 

--Marky

[+keyman121]

One nice accessory that comes with the pack is the car power adapter. From cigarette lighter to both the Palm and the GPS, while driving from cache to cache you are recharging the batteries in both units. Set the Palm in the included car mounter and toss the GPS on the dash. Works great.

 

I took a piece of velcro and put it allong the top front of the Palm. Then put a couple strips together on the back of the GPS unit. When I'm in the field I just attach the GPS to the top of the Palm and I have an all in one single handed unit.

[+Green Achers]

For what it's worth, $ATM$ loves her new set up. It saves time and money in both work and play. Now when someone gives her an address (or coordinates), she enters it in and the PDA tells her (audibly) where to go. No getting lost. No missing turns. No distractions. She can now drive while talking on the phone, drinking coffee and paying full attention to the kid's screeming.

Edited December 20, 2004 by Green Achers

[+Marky]

I'm going to write a small palm app that will allow you to create POI entries on the fly by entering coordinates. That's one of the missing pieces to Tomtom's routing capabilities. In most cases, I've been able to just use Tomtom's great map browser to scroll to the area I want to go to and click Navigate there. It's a pretty easy and effective method.

 

--Marky

[+keyman121]

Here's a possible forum topic (Imagine it's been done before)

Do purists think it is cheating to use street map routing software with marked waypoints to find the closest street or parking area to the cache?

[+freezejeans]

One nice accessory that comes with the pack is the car power adapter. From cigarette lighter to both the Palm and the GPS, while driving from cache to cache you are recharging the batteries in both units. Set the Palm in the included car mounter and toss the GPS on the dash. Works great.

Agreed, the fact that they include the adapter that charges both the Palm & GPS is great, as was your velcro idea How well does the window mount work while driving, by chance?

[+freezejeans]

Here's a possible forum topic (Imagine it's been done before)

Do purists think it is cheating to use street map routing software with marked waypoints to find the closest street or parking area to the cache?

Hmm, I can see using those in dense urban areas, perhaps those new to caching or when in unknown areas...but it does kind of take the fun out of the hunt to have the GPS route you directly to it!

[+keyman121]

Decided to start a new topic:

Geocaching Topic: Is Autorouting Cheating?

 

Check it out.

[+Green Achers]

How well does the window mount work while driving, by chance?

We've found the Bluetooth GPSr does just fine tossed up on the dash. If you drive like a bat out of heck, you'd need some type of retainer.

 

One complaint that we've kind of worked around... That darn thing flashes all the time. In the day light it's no problem but at night it's a big distraction! The only cure so far is placing it out of sight (up in the sunroof works best - but the trucker then see the flashing). Too bad there's no way to turn the lights out. It would additionally save on the batteries.

 

Do purists think it is cheating to use street map routing software with marked waypoints to find the closest street or parking area to the cache?

The 'purists' think using a GPSr is cheating. Start using maps and a compass - the way navigating has been for years. IMHO, Geocaching is about enjoying yourself and the adventure. If getting lost on the road is an adventure to you, feel free to turn off the navigation. I have a better adventure if I can look around while driving to the next hunting area. Sticking my head into the GPS map and trying to figure the roads out doesn't cut it.

 

Back to the topic. Does anyone have the Bluetooth GPSr Transmitter on their wish list?

Edited December 24, 2004 by Green Achers

[+George501949]

Here's a possible forum topic (Imagine it's been done before)

Do purists think it is cheating to use street map routing software with marked waypoints to find the closest street or parking area to the cache?

I started caching just using a gps, and now I use a computer, pda, and gps. I can get to the cache faster but it still does'nt mean that I can find it.

 

I have also been looking at a blue tooth gps to add to my system,

I just love tech stuff.

Edited December 24, 2004 by George501949