sat navs????help

Babs,

Any device is only as good as the informations supplied to it.

Having said that, any GPS will provide a reasonably accurate location and has the ability to maintain a track.

So what you need to determine is for what uses you require a "sat nav" and how you will run it.

One way is to download maps to the GPS unit and in this way you have a self contained and portable unit you can use both in and away from a vehicle.
The downside of these is the relatively small display screen which may present problems if you are using it for navigating whilst driving.

Another way is to connect the GPS to a laptop computer running something like OziExplorer. This is very good with the digital maps available which must be loaded separately to the PC. The downside of this solution is the "bulkiness" of the Laptop, however some people connect a smaller "touchscreen" and shove the laptop under the seat, etc.

Still another way is to purchase a PDA unit with a GPS card inserted into its card slot and which also has the ability to run OziExplorer, etc.
I haven't had personal experience with these, but people who have say they get the best compromise. A screen with a reasonable sized display and portability when you wish to use it away from the vehicle.

There are several solutions to choose from, you just need to research each option and choose the one that best suits your needs and budget.

I had always used paper maps

The time came along however to spend some money on toys to keep up with everyone...lol

Through this forum I sourced all the info I needed.

My setup, now three years old, is a Magellan Map330 GPS, hardwired to the aux truck battery. I run Oziexplorer software on a Notebook which I power by means of a Kerio DC charger through the cig lighter socket. I utilise Hema Great Desert Tracks maps and Natmap Raster Mosaic 1:250,000

I only use my Notebook if I am travelling through a remote area as normal road maps are good enough for the mundane things.

I have tried all ways to fit the Notebook inside the cabin but my vehicle is not conducive to easy storage. Friends have tried to make me a laptop carrier and I have made some wonderful unworkable units. These days I pull the Notebook out when I need it and rest it on the console next to me and look at it ocassionally if I am bushtracking somewhere..

A friend has a PDA setup but as much as I would like one I find them too small to read.

There are lots of more modern and convenient setups so hopefully you will get lots of advice here.

Good luck!

I always carry paper maps of course as backups

I have a PDA running Oziexplorer and not running but available is a laptop.

I find the PDA while small is great to just keep track of where you are or when turnoffs are coming up which is helpful when towing on narrow tracks and missing turnoffs is a problem.

The PDA is solid state (no moving parts) compared to a running laptop which could suffer hard drive damage from bumps while spinning.

I use the PDA mostly and if I am in real trouble I pull up and start the laptop and have a large map to get my way out of the problem.

The PDA is positioned very close to me on the dash stuck onto the windscreen.
PDA is a HP 4700 mounted in a Arkon mount which has GPS incorporated into it so only one power wire to the cigarette lighter is required and the whole gadget can be quickly unstuck from the windscreen and removed for security or swapped to any other vehicle with a cirgarette lighter socket.

Alan

I use a Mitac Mio 168 and I am happy with it. Mio 168t

I use it with CoPilot around Melbourne but for the bush I use OziExplorer CE which also runs on the 168.

Refer also to Post 26568 for more information on this subject.

If you want digital topographic maps at a reasonable price forget any GPS - get a PDA running OziExplorer CE.

The 25,000 and 50,000 Top maps of NSW are now FREE in Ozi format. These are much better quality than the previous version that were scans off the paper maps.

G'day,
Some people are now running pc's in their vehicles with a touch screen mounted into the console, that way you can run any mapping you like
Rolande