Mapping: The next step

Submitted: Monday, May 12, 2008 at 20:37

ThreadID: 57544 Views:2708 Replies:9 FollowUps:3

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Willem

Well, it may be old technology by industry standards but I have upgraded from a laptop to a PDA for my bush mapping.

As mentioned in another thread my notebook has come to the end of its life and I couldn't find the right one for the job.

I now have a HP PDA rx5765 Travel Companion with more features than I know what to do with. It has Tom Tom 6 loaded. I also have a 4 Gig SD Card with Oziexplorer CE, Natmap Mosaic, Hema GDT and a host of other maps.

Now all I have to do is to learn how to drive it.....LOL

The in-car DASHBOARD DESK is gone and we now have a lot more space in the cabin again

My sincerest thanks to Glenn Pascoe of Redback Technologies, Berri,SA, for supplying and setting the good gear up so that I have less worries trying to figure it all out. Thanks also to EO Member Des Lexic for trying to explain all the pitfalls of starting with a new toy.

We are off to Alice and beyond in the morning

Cheers everyone

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Reply By: Member - Leigh (Vic) - Monday, May 12, 2008 at 21:40

Monday, May 12, 2008 at 21:40

Happy to hear you have upgraded!! PDA's can be a bit fickle in my experience particularly when batteries run flat and you try to turn on again unwittingly. I have lost the software on occasions due to this so you might want to store a copy of the executable program on your sd card so that you can reload it if that occurs. I also suggest you turn off your GPS on the PDA (as well as the program(CE) before turning off for the day. You will come to grips with it eventually but allow some time. Cheers, and have a good trip!

AnswerID: 303494

Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 06:51

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 06:51

Thanks Leigh and all the other replies.

I have been told and have found out just how finnicky the PDA is. Have had to use the reset button a few times already as I have been instructed to do.

I think I will be able to handle the 3.5inch screen and at last I will have some space up front without the cumbersome Notebook.

Away in 1/2 hour.

Cheers

FollowupID: 569634

Follow Up By: pjchris - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 10:42

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 10:42

All of the new PDA's run Windows Mobile 5 or 6 and the only thing you lose when the battery goes flat is the date and time set in the unit. All of your software remains as none of it is stored in RAM it's all in Flash ROM.

I have an old iPaq hx4700 (like Toolman below)that I use and I have upgraded it to WM 6 and you can take the battery out for a week, put it back in, turn it on, set the date and time and use all of you programs again straight away as they're all still there.

You will have to find an alternative to TomTom 6 eventually (Soon?) as TomTom are no longer developing any Nav products for PDA's (V 6 is the last) and no new maps are being released that will work with it. The 675.1431 Australian Map (iirc) is the latest and it is an April 2007 map.

Peter

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FollowupID: 569658

Reply By: Gramps (NSW) - Monday, May 12, 2008 at 21:52

Monday, May 12, 2008 at 21:52

Willem,

No need to be on the bleeding edge of technology. My PDA is seven (7) years old and runs OziCE just fine. Secured to the windscreen with a $20 Dick Smith plastic mount. Has handled corrugations OK so far.

AnswerID: 303499

Reply By: Member - JohnR (Vic)&Kath - Monday, May 12, 2008 at 21:54

Monday, May 12, 2008 at 21:54

Have a great trip Bro, Jude too. There is a bit to learn with PDAs and you have the warnings. Having said that they are great in providing the information.

Having said that Glenn set it up, I am sure he did it right, I just hope he taught you how to use it and turn it on an off correctly, shutting down the Bluetooth connections though you will have Mobile 6 I imagine, where I have Windoz2003 which is out of date a bit.

Have fun

AnswerID: 303500

Reply By: Member - Footloose - Monday, May 12, 2008 at 22:10

Monday, May 12, 2008 at 22:10

Have a great trip Willem.

AnswerID: 303504

Reply By: Member - Dennis P (Scotland) - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 02:30

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 02:30

Have a great trip youse two.

AnswerID: 303515

Reply By: Member - aussichef (SA) - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 08:46

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 08:46

Have a great trip Willem
warren aka aussichef

AnswerID: 303530

Reply By: Dasher Des - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 10:16

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 10:16

Well since you made it home OK using it, The warranty has just run out on the after sales advice service department. LOL
Have a good trip mate and see you at Innaminka

AnswerID: 303539

Reply By: Member - Toolman (VIC) - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 10:24

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 10:24

Willem,
A few things I'll add to this conversation about your PDA, based on my experiences with one (HP Ipaq HX4700). Things may have changed with yours but here goes.

The battery life when used solely on its battery is not good. I always have it connected to the 12 volt vehicle supply when travelling.

Even when I think it is turned off it is not, it is just pretending, so be careful to make sure you turn it off properly. Even then it drains its battery so after sitting in you pocket for a few hours you may get a surprise when you go to turn it on. When at home, mine always sits in its cradle attached to the charger.

I've been trialling Tom Tom 6 on my PDA lately and it seems very good. My only disappointment with it is that I can't make it "Moo" at me when I exceed the speed limit of the road I'm travelling on.

Glare can be a problem with the screen so I've now mounted my PDA as low on the dash as I can and built a screen shroud to reduce the glare.

I have lots of fun with the PDA and hope you do too.

Toolman

AnswerID: 303541

Follow Up By: Member -Signman - Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 13:40

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 13:40

Why is it that PDAs run the battery down- even when turned off ??
I can have mine charged to 100%. If I turn it off and let it sit- in about 5 days it's gone down to about 80% !!!

FollowupID: 569878