SatNav / GPS help

Submitted: Monday, May 04, 2009 at 17:41
ThreadID: 68514 Views:3757 Replies:5 FollowUps:9
This Thread has been Archived
My Shell road maps have just about reached their "use by" date so I was considering buying a Navman or equivalent but being an old coot, I got lost in trying to understand all the sales pitch techno crap surrounding these new fangled Satellite Navigation aids. Basically, I want to use them for (a) local Perth directions, (b) other capital city road directions and (c) any bush tracks whenever I go offroad. My question is :- is there any one product that I can buy, plug in and it gives me all of the above features or alternatively, is there a website that spells out in simple terms what I need to know about these things ie additional software I need to buy and how to upload new maps etc ?
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: The Explorer - Monday, May 04, 2009 at 17:51

Monday, May 04, 2009 at 17:51
A Garmin Nuvi which comes with city navigator + (for out of town and a few extra bucks) Garmin Topo or Oztopo sounds like what you need.

Cheers
Greg
I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message
Moderator

AnswerID: 363181

Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Monday, May 04, 2009 at 18:21

Monday, May 04, 2009 at 18:21
AS a reasonably experienced user I would say the TOM TOM GO730 is the easiest to use and the directions are better than the Garmins.
I have used Copilot on the Laptop ,A Garmin Nuvi 310 and Tom Tom on my Nokia and found the Garmin gave indistinct as in too late to manouver directions.
The Navmans have a more complicated menu system and a qwerty keyboard setup which may not suit you.

However Im not sure about loading off road maps on the Tom Tom.

If you are technically challenged you may have trouble modifying units to do what basically they can but arent supposed to do.

All up you are looking at over $500 at least to get what you want.
If money is not an issue the Hema navigator at $959 will do what you want.
It is however a rebadged Mio so the modification way might be cheaper

Cheers
AnswerID: 363193

Follow Up By: The Explorer - Monday, May 04, 2009 at 18:34

Monday, May 04, 2009 at 18:34
Hi - AFAIK there are no "offroad" maps for Tom Toms - so its not really an option worth considering in this instance.

Cheers
Greg
I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message
Moderator

0
FollowupID: 630828

Reply By: troopyman - Monday, May 04, 2009 at 18:24

Monday, May 04, 2009 at 18:24
Advice for old coots . You need a garmin nuvi 255w gps . garmin nuvi 255w Then you need to buy the garmin topo map on sd card for noobs . garmin topo australia map on sd card You simply insert the little card into the side of the garmin as it just clicks in . There you have it , just type in an address ane press go or find the spot on the map that you want to go to .
AnswerID: 363196

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 08:10

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 08:10
Hi Troopyman, does the TopoPLUS AU card have all of the 'common ' outback roads / tracks like the Gun Barrel, Simpson tracks etc ?

.
0
FollowupID: 630913

Follow Up By: troopyman - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:22

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:22
It has every road in aus that i can see . I just had a quick look and it has qaa line , the french track , etc etc etc . I just looked and it has the gunbarrel with all tracks as well and contours , intermittent streams and lakes etc . It has everything .
0
FollowupID: 630919

Follow Up By: KennyBWilson - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:30

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:30
If your traveling with a laptop then it's better to buy the Garmin Topo Aus DVD also the upgrade would be cheaper too
0
FollowupID: 630922

Follow Up By: troopyman - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:57

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:57
I have the dvd myself but he said advice for old coot which i interpreted as noob . Why would you need an upgrade ? If you are going to upgrade anything it would be the preloaded city navigator map 2009 but not for a couple of years unless you are a delivery driver or something . A question if you dont mind . Why would you use a laptop for navigating if you have the garmin unit ? I am new to this as well ya know .
0
FollowupID: 630929

Follow Up By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 11:59

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 11:59
Thanks Troopyman, I do have to be carful that we are both talking about the same software. Topo Australia and TopoPLUS are different programmes. TopoPLUS is contours only and about half the price of Topo Australia which has contours and roads / tracks.

.
0
FollowupID: 630942

Reply By: Jedo_03 - Monday, May 04, 2009 at 19:23

Monday, May 04, 2009 at 19:23
Not hijacking this thread, but... I have had a Garmin Emap since they first came out and find it quite adequate for our navigational needs when out in the country... Has served me well in the Pilbara, Kimberleys, across the top, across the middle and down the left hand side and up and down most of the right hand side...
What I like best about it, is, the damn thing doesn't talk... It doesn't tell me to GO BACK, TURN RIGHT or LEFT...
It just sits there with its moving map and shows me the way...
Jedo
AnswerID: 363217

Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 08:57

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 08:57
Here you are the bees knees and a good price if you are quick


http://www.4wdaction.com.au:80/forum/showthread.php?t=69090








AnswerID: 363294

Follow Up By: KennyBWilson - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:28

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:28
that was posted 9 months ago the warranty would have run out by now ...LOL
0
FollowupID: 630921

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:43

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 09:43
In the top left corner it says it was posted 10 hours ago.

$400 is too dear on reflection as I think Dick Smith had them for $388

Is a good model if thats what u want


0
FollowupID: 630925

Follow Up By: DesF - Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 17:20

Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 17:20
Hi . I have just bought a Garmin Nuvi 760 from DSE for $388.00, magic unit, I have a Tom Tom as well and you can't add offroad maps.
I have down loaded Shonky maps ( free) and Tracks Aust 4 onto a card and use it in the 760,
My mate has bought the Garmin topo CD and loaded it on to his new 255W, I have it on my mapsource but cant load it onto the 760,( just a point if you buy it on the Sd card you cant load it onto you PC, we just loaded it on to the unit from Mapsource)
it is by far the best mapping setup , the towns have more street detail than CN 9, and it has every track around here marked on it , the only thing is that you cant set your route on the tracks ( shown as bird tracks ) only on the solid line tracks , it is only the very minor tracks that are marked in the bird tracks, it also has the route feature letting you load 10 routes on from the PC, also has FM and the instructions come out the car radio, and the bluetooth for the phone is great, when I get a call it comes up on the screen and you just touch it to answer call, safe as,
Is a nice small unit .
I have just got back from a bike ride thru the hills and wirrabarra forest and over the Bridle Path, and it saves the tracks ( breadcrumbs) and it works great and it was on for 4 1/2 hrs in my jacket pocket and it still has one section of the battery left. On dirtroad rides ( not to rough) I put an earpiece in and it gives you the route instruction from my pocket, Magic.
As you may have guessed by now I am wrapped in it ,
Cheers Des.
0
FollowupID: 630989

Sponsored Links