need a GPS guru

Whenever I'm creating stuff for upload I always turn off Antivirus programs.

- This is a recomendation from the Magellan yahoo group.

Try it - speeds things up - gives the computer less work to do.

Cheers
John (Perth) at present in Townsville

Stephen's right, had the same with a mate's. Sat on 30% for ages. Eventually does the last 60% really quickly.

LONG LIVE PAPER MAPS!!!!

HEAR HEAR !!!

Truckster/Baz et al...been through this before I now...but….all maps have their shortcomings - even paper ones. GPS units are very valuable tool - and one with maps on it is even better (detail on DiscoverAus overall pretty good). Paper maps are also a valuable tool - so choose "horses for courses" depending on your requirements. If you restrict your usage to one or the other (out of ignornace/technophobia/spite?) you’re just making it hard for yourself. If you have no need for a GPS with maps ..fine..but I can assure you some people find them indispensable for work and play. One good thing about a GPS unit is that you can actaully collect data in the field and go back home and add to or make your own paper maps!! I do it all the time - Yahoo!!
Cheers
Greg

Intrestingly enough, batteries have never gone flat on my paper map..

YMMV

Truckster your a bloody stirring cynic. LOL.

You are looking for or may now have a GPS for your self so what are carrying on about.

Once you have used a GPS with a Lap Top you wonder how you ever did without the convenience of the thing.
Besides which they are also good fun to use, my 14 year old son loves navigating with the system and it is a great learning curve in all aspects for him.
He gets a buzz telling others in the group where we are and how far to go before they have even unfolded the paper map.

My GPS has never run its batteries flat either as it is powered of the vehicles battery, same with the lap top.

But having said that I still carry the paper maps for the area in which I am in as I am not so blind as to realize that it is prudent to still do so, things do happen to electronics.

Eq,
all the hand held Magellans are less than $1000 and they will all record a track. Not just every 5minutes but almost continuously. One interesting feature is to select track profile and see your altitiude over the whole trip. Of course you can later download the saved tracks to your computer if you want.

Have a look at this.

Garmin Comparison

Which Etrex do you have?

The Venture, Legend and Vista allow you to adjust the track points for accuracy or more distance by time or distance.

The Legend and Vista allow 10000 track points but others only 2000. You can save 10 tracks in any of them using the available points.

I personally have the Etrex Legend and have tracked 8hr drives on the standard settings and it has used minimal memory. Even on long twisty drives such as in NZ I have had no troubles. Tracks the road perfectly on the GPS or when downloaded to mapping software.

Incidentally, with the standard software supplied on the Legend I was able to drive around NZ with all the main roads perfectly represented. Although we didn't rely on it.

equinox - If I need to keep lots of track points I use PDA equipped with GPS (Ipaq2210 + CF GPS unit + 256mbSD ~$750)...unit has 64mb onboard memory and whatever SD or CF card you feel like sticking in it - so storage not and issue. All (?) Magellan GPS units are limited to 2000 track points so this restricts you on big trips...unless you can hook up to a laptop/PDA after-hours. I have no idea what Garmins or other GPS units have with regards to track point storage but looks like others are in the know on this one. The number of track points required relates to your proposed use of the data and the map scale at which you are going to plot it. 2000 points will be enough in some circumstances..but in others a bit sad.
Cheers
Greg