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GPS for Laptops and PDAs Feedback

Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 13:02

Member - Peter S (QLD)

Article Overview - GPS for Laptops and PDAs
Laptops and PDAs are very popular devices and it’s great to know that you can power them with GPS equipment. View Full Article...
I am going from Brisbane to Broome and back I already have a Dell laptop, I assume i now have to purchase 1) a Compact Flash Chip. 2) a GPS mouse. 3) some Oziexplorer soft ware. Is that all I will need? and do regular computer shops have them or is there a beeter source
ThreadID: 69980 Replies: 9
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AnswerID: 370887   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 13:14

Member - Troll 81 (QLD) replied:

What do you want to do with the compact flash chip?

All you will need is the GPS receiver and the software. Both which you can buy from the online shop

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Regards, Troll 81

Reply 1 of 9
AnswerID: 370889   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 13:22

Member -Signman replied:

And don't forget the 'digital' maps !!!!
As far as a source goes- why not the ExplorOz shop !!



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Reply 2 of 9
AnswerID: 370892   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 13:27

Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) replied:

Hi Perter
I am not sure what you want the Compact Flash Chip for, but this is what you will need to have moving maps on your laptop.

1. Some form of GPS Receiver, either hand held or mouse type.

2. programme that talk to your GPS and the Maps that you have loaded.

3. Best buy would be the 2008 Digital Natmap Topographical Maps.

Once you have mastered the use of Ozi, you will find that it is the best tool for any trip, starting from making a set of waypoints of where you intend to go through to plugging it in your vehicle and hitting the road.

All the Best and have fun learning the use of a great Navigational tool.

Cheers

Stephen
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FollowupID: 638157   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 13:53

Member - Mfewster(SA) posted:

Sorry, I don't mean to hi jack the thread, but you sound as though you may be able to answer this. Hema or Natmap? I would be using them on a smallish screen. Is there any difference in the clarity of the maps for these two? I need to download the maps onto SD card (s). How much space do they take up? Is it possible with eithewr set of digital maps to split them onto a few cards as I will be limited to 2Gig sd cards?
Many thanks
FollowUp 1 of 13
FollowupID: 638240   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 19:35

On Patrol & TONI posted:

Mfewster
I have all of Australia on digital maps, Hema great desert tracks all 6, Hema Cape York, Hema Vic High country, All vic High Country Rooftop maps, all govt 250k maps, NSW25k, NSW100k, Victoria 25k +++

All of these take up about 6.5gb on an 8gb SD card in my Asus EeePc.

Your 2GB SD will not be big enough to hold a large collection. You can buy an 8GB SD, I got mine from Officeworks.
Cheers Colin.
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FollowUp 2 of 13
FollowupID: 638242   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 19:44

On Patrol & TONI posted:

Mfewster
when I said Govt. 250k maps, I meant the same maps that are on the Natmap disc, I find the Hema equivalent maps are easier to read on the 9"screen.
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FollowUp 3 of 13
FollowupID: 638253   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 20:13

Member - Mfewster(SA) posted:

Thanks On Patol and Toni.
Is there an Sd 8gig card or is it an SDHC card? I was told that anything more than 2g had to be sdhc and my Mio doesn't seem to like these.
FollowUp 4 of 13
FollowupID: 638280   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 23:02

Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) posted:

Hi Mfewster,
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you, but have been on the phone most of the night with plans for our next trip very shortly.

Like most have replied, here are details of file sizes for the Maps.

2008 Natmap series is 8.51gb in data size

Hema 2008 4WD Raster Map Collection is 1.70gb.

The Natmap is on the scale of 1:250,000 and the Hema Maps series are to the scale of 1:1,250,000.

I mainly use the Hema for a general overview of an area that I am going to travel to and the Natmap series for moving map running for greater detail. Are you going to load them into a small mini notebook or a street Navigation unit? If a small mini notebook, do what I did get a 8GB USB Pen Drive, transfer the Data that way and load just as you usually do.

Please feel free to ask any further questions.

Cheers

Stephen
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FollowUp 5 of 13
FollowupID: 638289   Submitted: Saturday, Jun 20, 2009 at 05:36

On Patrol & TONI posted:

Mfewster
Yes you are correct it is an SDHC, sorry.
Colin.
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FollowUp 6 of 13
FollowupID: 638300   Submitted: Saturday, Jun 20, 2009 at 09:02

Member - Mfewster(SA) posted:

Thank you Stephen and On Patrol.
Does anyone know if it is possible to split the maps up when downloading them from the DVD so they can be spread over a few 2G SD cards? If this can't be done, guess I need to look at a small laptop.
On the Hema unit however they have all the OZ explorer maps plus city navigation and I understand that the Hema unit is a Mio Moov 360. Same as mine. Anyone have any thoughts/knowledge on this?
FollowUp 7 of 13
FollowupID: 638309   Submitted: Saturday, Jun 20, 2009 at 09:27

Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) posted:

Hi Mfewster
You would be able to only do the Hema Great Desert Tracks on 1 2gb SD card.
To make the Natmap run, you will have to uses all the directories required to run it, and there is no way one section would work correctly without all the "extra little bit"
We have always used a standard 15.4" laptop. To save space now, I am using a 8.9" Toshiba on the consol. We have given it a few shake down trips, but the real test will be very soon when we head into the Great Victoria Desert and some real trying conditions. This is what it looks like set up

Cheers

Stephen

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FollowUp 8 of 13
FollowupID: 638353   Submitted: Saturday, Jun 20, 2009 at 16:59

Member - Chris & Debbie (QLD) posted:

Hello Mfewster
I have a mio520, I use a 4gig sdhc card with Ozice. I have loaded all 6 GDT maps plus the 250k mosaic map form Natmap 2008, so yes you can just load which maps your require from the dvd. If you are having trouble with the mio not being able to run the sdhc card try a different brand of card, I am not home at the moment but think mine is a Toshiba.

I have now gone to a Dell Mini 9 which sits on a home made mount and Garmin BU-5353 gps mouse. Since the wife likes to type notes while traveling I also added a 10" screen for Oziexplorer. (gotta love gadgets)
Generally I switch between Natmap 250K and GDT depending on where we are.

Chris

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FollowupID: 638354   Submitted: Saturday, Jun 20, 2009 at 17:25

Member - Mfewster(SA) posted:

Ta for that. I have been trying an 8G Sansdik sdhc but the Mio 360 doesn't seem to want to talk to it. I think I will eventually go down the same path as you and run the Mio around town and get a netbook for the bush. That's a neat looking setup in your car
FollowUp 10 of 13
FollowupID: 638359   Submitted: Saturday, Jun 20, 2009 at 18:01

Member - Chris & Debbie (QLD) posted:

Have you tried to format in a different format such as just fat? I am not sure now if I had to or not and being away at work cannot check for you.
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FollowupID: 638935   Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 17:43

Member - Mfewster(SA) posted:

G'day all. I have been impressed by the photos of setups and I have decided to get an Acer Aspire netbook and run it with Oziexplorer plus Natmaps. Going with Natmaps just because they are considerably cheaper, unless someone can make a convincing argument for Hema?
I think this is a better answer than trying to get my Mio working properly. Saves all the storage space issues and will give a biger/better screen view.
Thanks everyone.
FollowUp 12 of 13
FollowupID: 638956   Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 24, 2009 at 18:49

Member - Chris & Debbie (QLD) posted:

Hi Mf
If I was going to convince you of any maps it would be Natmaps Raster 2008 and Hema Great Desert Tracks.
For what those two would cost though, you could purchase Hema 4WD Map Collection which will give you Natmap Raster, Great Desert Tracks and a heap of other maps. Just be aware though that the raster collection is an old version and not as good as the 2008 version.
If you can convince yourself to spend more, go the 4WD collection and Raster 2008.

Chris
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FollowUp 13 of 13
AnswerID: 370893   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 13:33

pprass replied:

A GPS mouse is fine, but if you want to use the GPS for anything else - eg bushwalking, geocaching or any navigation when you don't have the laptop with you, then I would suggest you get a regular handheld GPS with mapping capability eg Garmin extrex and connect that to the laptop.

In that way you have a full moving map set up when in the vehicle and a portable handheld when you are away from it or just can't be bothered to set up the laptop.

In addition to your list of items to get, you will obviously need maps.

All of that equipment can be purchased from specialty map shops (GPSOZ in Sydney) or from here of coarse.

Not sure why you need a compact flash chip unless your DELL hasn't enough memory or that is how the maps come.

Reply 4 of 9
FollowupID: 638161   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 14:12

posted:

What you suggest makes sense but might I suggest consideration should be given to buying a gps than can take an external GPS antenna via an mmcx type plug. I have the Garmin Etrex and used to do as you suggest but the Etrex is not all that flash at keeping a signal in difficult terrain (under tree casnopies for example). An external anyenna may help.

I have a bluetooth GlobalSat BT-338 that runs rings around my Etrex for signal retention.
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AnswerID: 370898   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 14:03

Member - John Baas (WA) replied:

You will also need a USB cable and preferably a 12v power cable. You could also think about a 12/220v inverter to save batteries.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/

Cheers.

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JB
Reply 5 of 9
AnswerID: 370914   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 15:17

Richard W (NSW) replied:

Peter,

FWIW I'm running a Dell Latitute ATG D630 mounted on a RAM mount. GPS reciever is a Globalsat BT338. Software is Copilot for street navigation and Oziexplorer for out and about. Copilot comes with its own maps whilst the maps for Oziexplorer are the Hema suite which also includes the Geoscience 1:250,000 for Australia. The laptop now has about 35,000KM of in use outback travel on it and hasn't missed a beat.

IMHO you are probably better going to a GPS specific shop for this stuff. I've used both GPS OZ and Johnny Appleseed in the past.
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Reply 6 of 9
AnswerID: 370916   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 15:29

austastar replied:

Just to add to the e-trex losing signal.
My e-trex works fine running Ozi, sitting on the dash of the truck.
It can only look forward, and can lose signal on a tight turn.
I now have a puck style GPS and I am amazed at where it can pick up signals. On reviewing one trip, I found that it had kept the signal even in a fully covered, but with one open side, Coles car park.
No way would the e-trex do that.
cheers
Reply 7 of 9
FollowupID: 638252   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 20:10

Member - John Baas (WA) posted:

Hi AS, were you using an etrex or an more recent etrex-h. I have the latter and it's been brilliant in picking up the signals. Cheers.

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JB
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 638291   Submitted: Saturday, Jun 20, 2009 at 07:10

get outmore posted:

ill second the old Etrex not being the best. I think they were fine sitting on the dash but mine is from 2001 and the new GPS even my street nav slays it for speed of signal and will get it in places the etrex gave up long ago
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 370969   Submitted: Friday, Jun 19, 2009 at 21:32

austastar replied:

My e-trex is probably 6 years old, software is version 2.4. It can be foxed with tall trees, especially if it is raining.
cheers
Reply 8 of 9
AnswerID: 371109   Submitted: Sunday, Jun 21, 2009 at 04:20

Blaze (Berri) replied:

Gday Peter,

I have skimmed over most of the replies you have recieved and agree with them all, especially re: whether to buy a full operational GPS so you can take it out of the vehicle. If you dont want to do this, I'm assuming you're Dell Laptop has bluetooth and I would buy a Bluetooth GPS, saves on all those dam wires that any setup needs.


I do get a little confused that people seem to need big screens to find there way around. Let’s all be honest here, if you are tracking your way through an area you're not familiar with you aren't doing 60klm's per hour. I have a 3.5" screen and if I should get misplaced I stop study the map, put in a few waypoints then carry only looking at the screen if I'm lost again, otherwise I just glance at it now and again IMHO I can't see this as a problem. If the guys in the Dakar on the bikes can follow a 5" scrolling map at 160k's per hour, I can handle a 3.5" screen at 25kph.. LOL





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