GPSr a must have or??

Hi,

Excuse my ignorance, but are you talking about a gps, or is a gpsr something different?

Thanks

TonyG

bouncer

Whether its a must or not depends on where you intend to go.
If you intend to spend all of you time on main roads (sealed or dirt) then maps should be fine.
I run a flash GPS on my laptop. That way the GSP is powered via the laptop.
The drawback I guess is you need to purchase software for the laptop.
Up untill recent times we have been able to do without GPS, its just a little more convenient if you are heading to some out of the way places.

regards

Hi Bouncer (Hello Wim & Judy) - I love maps (and do not have a GPS - yet) but it's way down my list of priorities because I love maps. So are you going off road - into the nigglies or just around Australia. I become very concerned that people spend their whole time looking into their beautifully set up computer on the dashboard with their GPS thingies (and DVD players etc for the tiddlies) and forget to look out the window and see the birds and plants. (Don't mind me, I'll get a real bagging from the regulars on here who know my feelings on this subject - especially those who have just such a set up in their vehicle).

I don't think its a must have at all, especially if you are staying close to the main roads. I have one as backup in case I'm stranded etc, but it was bought years back for fishing - maps are good for most needs - and anyone can use them.

Bouncer

Always have a good supply of maps no matter what. Experience at reading maps is essential. While you are on the right track it seldom matters but when you suddenly find you are not on the track then map reading can become serious.

I use GPS as a confidence thing to my map reading. Near the coast I navigate by "lay of the land" but out west the "lay" is all flat so sometimes it is great to have your map reading reinforced by the GPS.

Unless you do a lot of travel through such terrain, you may also find GPS useful to show where you are and to get a better idea of how far you travel. It is easy to over or under estimate distance travelled out there. As said before GPS is also great to help not missing turnoffs or confirmation of correct turnoffs especially if towing.

As to whether a GPS is essential. I'd say not but I'll always have one. Go to the DIG tree and contemplate Burke and Wills leaving a single tree on Cooper's Creek and then travel huge amount of kms to the north and then to come back (half starved) and find the same tree. We don't know the meaning of the word navigation.

That said, be careful out there and be sure you can read the map. The main skill of navigation is to know when you are off track long before you fail to reach your destination.

Cheers

Bouncer, if you do decide on a GPS, don't forget to look at marine makes/versions as well, like Furuno.

I have a Furuno GP32, it came with the mushroom type antenna. It has a good sized screen so there is no eye strain and is readable whilst driving. The price was about $560.00. It has to be hardwired into the vehicle which wasn't a problem for me.

:) Thanks all for replies,
So I am getting from this that they are not essential items but 99.9% of you wouldn't be with out one hmmmm?

I guess I might try the flash receiver with some good software to start with and see if a backup handheld is needed from there.

Oh and I will definately have plenty of paper maps on hand too.

Hi Bouncer - My 2c worth. We recently did Longreach to Winton via jundah with around 400km on dirt road. I put in my waypoints and POI and it gave me hugh peace-of-mind knowing that I was travelling in the right direction and not going off onto a farm road LOL. I have a hand held Garmin eTrex Legend stuck on the dash - well worth it no matter which type you buy :o)

Nothing wrong with paper maps, compass and odometer. GPS a nice to have

GPS Toyz for Boyz

Save your money. Good paper maps and compass will do unless you are going OFFROAD

I see you use maps... what if you always had a "YOU ARE HERE" pointer moving along the map accurate to 2m that showed your speed, bearing and the direction you need to head to get to a secret spot you've never been to? From there it can tell you lefts and rights, distance to your camp site, the time you will get there and a wealth of useless figures and letters.

If you get a GPS, as good as the ones attached to a laptop are, if you decide to go for a geocache and have to leave the car, you better have good laptop battery life and decent arm muscles to carry your laptop infront of you, or alternatively I'd recommend a handheld GPS that you can download maps to so you can go walkabout when needed. I find this handy also as the GPS can show street level whereas the maps I use on laptop (Natmap) only show towns and main roads.
A map is great, but unless you have reference points, you are in trouble.

Hi bouncer,
I too love maps, just like everyone else here!!

But I love all kinds of maps..... old, new, paper and electronic!

You have to keep one point in mind, there are limitations with all kinds of maps!

The information on those maps!

Paper maps are harder to update than electronic maps.
Electronic maps are very easy to update, with a couple of clicks of a mouse you can change just about any info in an instant, then view it on screen.

GPSr's use electronic maps.
Whilst the GPSr manufacturers try to make it hard to update your GPSr's maps, there are always people that succeed!

If you're in two minds about getting a GPSr, and funds are tight, then best advice is "don't get one".
Or better still if you can justify throwing out ~$100, then get a cheapie old secondhand thingy off ebay!!
This will get you into the GPS groove, learning, etc.....

But a good modern mapping GPSr with good modern maps!!! :))
That's 99.99% a "must have"!

For me.......now it's a must have. Paper maps have been relegated to organising the "grand plan" and backup duties.

Ha ha Bonz. Wondered what that white stuff was on JohnR's fancy screen and 'puter set up was when he was showing it off - it was Liquid Paper! Hahahaha.
I'm a luddite, Willem (although I do appreciate the new thingies).

About one month ago I bought two e-treks for $209 each. At that price I fail to see why anyone who has the cash to do bush touring in Oz would not?

Mike Harding

These things are not a must. They are for most of us who travel via roads a toy. If you don't mind getting lost occassionaly then spend your money on something else if your disposable loot is limited. If you're out in the sticks just remember where you turned left and right incase you have to back track.

Hey Bouncer, Good first post mate, I get all the maps and use them and also use the GPS to tell me exactly where I am, has helped me out several times and would have saved a night in the bush had I had one 6 yeras ago. In my humble opnion, theyre fun to have and very useful but not necessary for everyday travel. Nice to have but not a necessity.

Bonz is right with his analysis :) re-think your requirements or budget!

If you are looking for new equipment!

Autorouting is MY least required feature in a GPScdridm :))
(but that's just me)

The GPS reciever will almost cetainly become a "must have" only when you are lost in the bush, with only the bushes to give you directions!!
Around town(s) you stop, get a bearing, locate a feature, look for the street names etc.
In the bush I've come across some of those spider junctions, not marked on the map!...... Very confusing!!

Forget Autorouting, and concentrate on big screen, and good maps!

If you are going with a Non-handheld type (USB mouse, CF or BT reciever...etc) on a laptop or PDA, then again you're limiting yourself with the available mapping images!

If you want a handheld, my preference would be Magellan, Garmin, Lowrance.
(because Magellan currently have the best available maps!)
With all three you can alter the maps, but it's an involved process, easiest on the Garmins (currently)
My Garmin concerns are the limited memory available on the GPSr!!
For a, round the country, trip you may need your computer(with you) to upload complete detailed maps of Aus to the Garmin
Magellans DAST topo maps are fantastic!!!
All of Aus on a single card (SD) and off you go! (you choose which State you are in)
No other software would be needed, to travel around the country!

(But how many times are we going to travel around the country?)

**Note!!! Garmin are about to release the hugely anticipated 'x' version of their handhelds.
They will have expandable memory for loading more detailed and more coverage mapping, AND should also force the price of the older hardware down!!!

Personal opinion??
Magellan explorist 500(color) or Meridian Color, with DAST topo.(~$1K)

The past few months I've been calibrating maps in Oziexplorer, and seen some of the most remote tracks on the DAST topo maps, (very handy for calibration accuracy). Lots of the 4wdtracks in DAST topo are marked "un named", but there is some confusing detail, because there are also some farm tracks marked "un named"!! :o
As a courier I could navigate my way around VIC using just DAST topo, instead of my Melways/VicRoads directories!

The Meridian series has only recently been "discontinued" in the USA/Europe, but there appears to be some confusion about what exactly??

Wait to see the pricing on the Garmin 'x' models and decide then!!

But for those that insist that GPS is "toyz for the boyz" you have to take into context that aeroplanes, ships, rockets, missiles, etc.. navigate with the system.
They rely on the system to autopilot these things more accurately than any human can.
Granted, the system they use is better/more accurate, but you get the idea, that this GPS system is not a toy, it's a serious navigation aid.
An it's only going to get better!
I believe that at some point in the future, it's going to create the situation where paper maps will no longer be produced! (due to limited demand).

The toys are the, all purpose, MP3/camera/DVD/coffee making GPS devices out there, trying to please everyone.
I don't know enough about Navmans and TomToms to comment on the extent of the maps they supply, and if you can update them.

Considering the low cost of basic GPS these days, it would be crazy to go bush without one.

They all display your recent track. If you get lost, you can just follow your track back to a point you last recognised, whether driving or on foot to get back to your vehicle. No GPS or mapping knowledge is needed for this. I'm a very experienced bush navigator and mapreader, but I still find this feature very helpful to avoid embarassments ! A lot of bush looks the same.

If you want to know exactly where you are, you can read your Latitude Longitude off the GPS with limited GPS knowledge, but even experts make mistakes in reading a Lat Lon off a map.

Just by looking at your track on the GPS, it is often easy to compare this to a map and work out where you are.

Mike

hey...we're looking at buying a uniden105 uhf gps off ebay next time one is available....usually go for around the $499 in shops but this guy in ebay auctions them off and usual winning bid gets them for $365...the most ive seen one go for was $405...and the cheapest being $325..i missed out by $5!! spewin'!!!! i think they are good idea incase of emergancies, following our 4wd touring map book by the Moon's where the map has gps plots on it, gives acurate speed, directions on how to get to where wher you are...!!!! there are so many benefits..just look around and do your homework.....laura