Portable Navigation

Submitted: Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 15:11
ThreadID: 59489 Views:2786 Replies:7 FollowUps:8
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I know this has been done to death, but I have been reading the relevant threads over the last couple of months and have come to the final decision. ( I think)

I am thinking of an ASUS EEE laptop PC (12G HDD, using Windows XP) connected to either a Navman S80, ( or Garmin Nuvi 360) and using a USB mobile card, for mobile Internet use. The plan is to then download either shonkymaps, or Oz topo maps for use when off road.

Is this a good plan, all comments welcome.

Barry H.
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Reply By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 15:31

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 15:31
Hi Barry,

Why is the Navman (etc) connected to the Laptop? What software is interfacing this setup?

Andrew
AnswerID: 313849

Reply By: Member - Olcoolone (S.A) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 15:35

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 15:35
I would use the Garman GPS (prefer GPS18 USB) because if you decide to run street navigation like Garmins "City Navigator and nRoute" you have to have a Garman GPS to be able to unlock the maps.

Regards Richard
AnswerID: 313850

Reply By: Lex M - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 16:36

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 16:36
Depnding on your degree of geek, you might find this interesting.

cheap gps running OZICE
AnswerID: 313858

Follow Up By: Member - Barry H (WA) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 17:49

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 17:49
Lex M it looks good , but as you said depends on your geekiness, and I don't think I am quite there yet

Barry H
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FollowupID: 579911

Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 17:21

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 17:21
Barry,

I used to always run the Laptop with an external GPS of one kind or another connected.
The "Navigator" didn't like it sitting on her lap, so I bought a Ram Mount and had it sitting between us. Not bad, but in bright conditions the screen was hard to read at times.

I Now use a PDA mounted in a Haicom 4in1 holder and love it.
Can run OziExplorerCE and CoPilot at the same time. It is easy to read in all conditions and one touch of the screen will register a waypoint in Ozi if you are into mapping. And it doesn't get in the way.
The holder mounts via suction cup to the windscreen, supplies power to the PDA and has an external speaker for voice guided directions (CoPilot) when required.

The only thing that would be better is something like the Hema Navigator which also runs OziExplorerCE and Route 66 for Voice guided directions around town. This unit has everything integrated in the one unit and would be good for someone who is not all that familiar with computing equipment.

As far as downloading shonkymaps or OzTopo maps, that is unique to a Garmin GPS unit and I don't believe they are suitable for a Laptop or a Navman GPS device.
If you wish to use this software the best device is the Garmin Nuvi.

Laptop or PDA devices that run Windows operating systems use mapping software such as OziExplorer or Trackmaster integrated with digital maps such as NATMAP Premium or Hema Maps. Most people would use a GPS mouse which connects to a USB port, or a bluetooth device such as a BT-338, unless the GPS is built-in. (like some PDA's)

All in all, different people prefer different solutions.

Bill.
Bill


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AnswerID: 313865

Follow Up By: Member - Barry H (WA) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 17:48

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 17:48
Thanks for that Olcoolone, I never realized that the sHonkymap download was unique to a Garmin, so it looks like it will have to be a Garmin 360 perhaps.


Barry H
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FollowupID: 579909

Follow Up By: Skippy In The GU - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 19:21

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 19:21
Correction Shonkymaps do work on the laptop and also can be used as moving maps via nroute

You can also use Shonkymaps on a PDA same as City Navigator
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FollowupID: 579932

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 21:28

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 21:28
A HEMA navigator is actually a MIO 520 in disguise and at twice the price.
On the gps Australia forum it tells you how to convert the Mio to be identical to the HEMA.
If you know where to access the maps it will work out even cheaper
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FollowupID: 579962

Follow Up By: Member - Olcoolone (S.A) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 22:19

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 22:19
You cannot unlock the Garmin City Navigator maps unless you use a Garmin GPS.

Shonky and Track for Australia will load and run OK via nRoute with out a garmin GPS.

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Follow Up By: Skippy In The GU - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 22:33

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 22:33
Olcoolone said " Shonky and Track for Australia will load and run OK via nRoute with out a garmin GPS "

Does that mean I can use a coat hanger as a reciever? lol
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FollowupID: 579966

Follow Up By: Member - Olcoolone (S.A) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 23:09

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 23:09
You can use anything as a receiver, it all depends what you call a receiver and what you want or who you want to pick up!

1. a person or thing that receives.
2. a device or apparatus that receives electrical signals, waves, or the like, and renders them perceptible to the senses, as the part of a telephone held to the ear, a radio receiving set, or a television receiving set.
3. Law. a person appointed by a court to manage the affairs of a bankrupt business or person or to care for property in litigation.
4. Commerce. a person appointed to receive money due.
5. a person who knowingly receives stolen goods for an illegal purpose; a dealer in stolen merchandise.
6. a device or apparatus for receiving or holding something; receptacle; container.
7. (in a firearm) the basic metal unit housing the action and to which the barrel and other components are attached.
8. Chemistry. a vessel for collecting and containing a distillate.
9. Football. a player on the offensive team who catches, is eligible to catch, or is noted for the ability to catch a forward pass: Jones was the receiver of the first pass thrown. He sent all his receivers downfield.
10. Baseball. the catcher.
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Reply By: Member - Barry H (WA) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 17:50

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 17:50
Oooops I meant Sand Man, sorry for that.
AnswerID: 313875

Reply By: Skippy In The GU - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 19:29

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 19:29
Hi Barry H, you won't be able to use the NavmanS80 or the Nuvi's GPSr to run moving maps on the Asus EeePc, you will need a real GPS reciever
AnswerID: 313892

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 21:25

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 at 21:25
Yes thats right a Navman is an integrated unit and you only need a GPS receiver
A bluetooth one works even better than most USB versions. A Globalsat BT338 would be ideal and only about $90
If u have a newish Nokia phone you can load TOMTOM on it and use the BT338 with that as I do, works a treat for town navigation.
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FollowupID: 579960

Reply By: Louie the fly - Saturday, Jul 05, 2008 at 10:19

Saturday, Jul 05, 2008 at 10:19
All this technology - where you guys going, Jupiter? Seriously, I've got a Garmin Nuvi with Shonkymaps, and a heap of paper maps, and I've never not known where I was. And I got reamed by the cops for using a laptop in my car once, so be careful.
AnswerID: 313962

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