Having used many different GPS units (and even LORAN before GPS) in my trail rigs, I have finally settled on the GPS/Netbook/Software route.

The GPS is a Globalsat BU353 USB puck that plugs into the netbook. I have both Delorme TOPO 7.0 and Delorme Street Atlas USA 2010 on the netbook. I had to install Franson GPSGate 2.6 to clean up the data from the Globalsat unit so the Asus Eee PC wouldn't crash. But everything works beautifully now and my GPS display is 9 inches diagonal.

Adding waypoints is easy because the netbook has a real keyboard. Its form factor is small enough to mount in front of the radio on a custom mount. I can add custom routes or even area boundaries that come in handy during our club's annual forest trash cleanup event. TOPO displays great looking maps and since the netbook is a touch screen, zooming and program operation is a breeze. This Eee PC has a solid state drive so I don't need to worry about head crash like on a hard drive.

I also carry a parts manual and factory service manual on the PC for those electrical gremlins that all JK owners learn to deal with.

As long as I save Garmin log files in a .gpx format, I can read and display them too. In the TOPO software I can turn GPS tracks into routable roads for navigation purposes.

The only downside to this is you have to wait for the usual Windoze 7 boot up and it will not fit into your pocket.

 

Having used many different GPS units (and even LORAN before GPS) in my trail rigs, I have finally settled on the GPS/Netbook/Software route.
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That's exactly my plan. I already have the Delorme LT-20, but don't have a netbook yet (laptop is too big). Can you post up some pics of your custom mount? I have some ideas on how to do it, but haven't implemented anything yet.

 

I have a Lowrance XOG. It was their crossover GPS that does street and trail. You can add topo maps via their online interface. It does cost money though.

The XOG is discontinued.


One thing to look at is how many points per trail you can have. Most of the Lowrance is ~10K points per trail. A lot of the other manus are 2K/trail. Its helpful for precise trail mapping. If you're just interested on where you were and if I need to trace your steps back then either one is fine.


There are many apps that convert any GPS data to any other GPS data. I use GPSBabel. Its free and works like a charm.

 

I run a Garmin 376c that I've added the topo maps and the XM weather which is a REALLY nice option. It's not too big and fits on my dash nicely.

Ben

 

These are also very nice units.

 

I rock a garmin oregon 450 IMO u can't go wrong its good for hiking, geocaching, and trail riding. I also have a garmin 205w that I use in my big rig and I love that one too! It comes with forrest roads and such, but u can also set it to show where i've been (trail of breadcrumbs)

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

Here's a thread describing how I mounted the Netbook on my dash.

Clicky

 

After seeing that, I have to second it!

 

I'm playing with a Garmin Rhino 530HCx (gps/frs combo). Currently I'm working with tracks and gpx files. I can copy the gpx files to my system then run them through Gebabbel and convert them to kml files for google earth or any other GIS standard file. I'm going to send and ESRI based file to a friend who's a GIS guru and try and make some cool 3D renderings of the tracks.

 

I ended up getting the garmin nuvi 500. I was going to get the lowrance baja one, but i have other things i want to spend money on. I think the garmin will do what i want.

 

post up what your experience is with it. i remember seeing one of the standard garmin nav units with topo capability... i cant recall which one it was.

i've used handheld gps units since 2001. i got a magellan Map330x and a Magellan Triton 2000. i would have suggested the garmins. just about any of the handheld mapping gps units will do tracks. most of them will allow you to store several tracks and you can then download them to your pc/laptop mapping software. garmin is very flexible and will integrate with other programs. most of their units are pretty user friendly.

magellan has good hardware, but they have almost no software support. accuterra is about the only company out there with good up to date stuff for their units.

i have no experience with Lowrance, but they've been in the business since it was in business.
i got one delorme unit for use with a laptop... the maps were horrible.

 

I use my Droid 90% of the time, but if I need Topography maps I can simply fire up my MacBook. I'm working on getting a 7" monitor so I can run the Mac in "clamshell" mode and leave it resting in a more secure location.

 

I'm running a Laptop/GPS puck antenna with Overland Navigator. http://spatialminds.com/Overland-Navigator-Software/M/B001TM05D0.htm
Very easy to use..uses the KISS method...just shows where you are on a map. The maps are seemless and it just scrolls through them on your route.
I used to run a handheld GPS and got tired of trying to focus on a 2" screen while trying to drive.

 

I'm kinda between the Oregon 450 and the Nuvi 500. Outside of the size, shape, interface, what are the differences between the two?

Seems like to me the 450 would be a better offroad and the 500 would be a better mixed use gps.

 

I just picked up an Oregon 450T at Gander for $350 Check your local one and see if they still have the sale going

 

What are some of the good GPS sites to hit up that help you get the best use out of your GPS? I already checked out that gpsfile site someone posted

 

Benny

sending a pm

 

Anybody know how to get to the topo maps on a garmin nuvi 500? I just got mine today and dont know how to pull up the topo mapos.

 

yea, make the view into 2d flat mode not 3d mode. you will then see the topo lines and if you zoom out far you can see mountain contours.

 

I have used a GARMIN 60CSx for years and now I have added the Droid X. I have everything I need.

 

I love my Magellan Triton 2000.

There are two great software packages that I use w/ it:

National Geographic TOPO! State Series (freaking love this software, it allows 3d-flyovers of trails, and has a ton of features), which allows one to create custom Topo maps and upload them to the GPS.

Additionally, it also supports TOPO! Explorer, which is more of an online application, but you can build hybrid topo/satellite quads and upload them to the Triton. It's a little more expensive than the state series, but having support for hybrid maps is nice.

I know others have topo/hybrid mapping features, but I wanted to point out the Triton series has full support for them too. (most dont actually seem to know this -- I am able to store 1/3rd the state of texas in detailed topo maps using a 2gig SD card on the triton.)

The fact that it's water-proof adds more value for me, as I also use it in my kayaking adventures. =)

Some people like their phones, but I've yet to find one that had nearly the GPS antenna and signal my hand-held unit does (my hand-held works down in valleys, under full tree and cloud cover. My phone can't even find a satellite half the time when it's overcast. Let's not even talk about the time I couldn't find Long Ranch b/c I was relying on the phone nav, which not only stopped updating when I left 3G service, it also blanked out the existing map. Fortunately, I had a back-up plan and my triton was in the console, with a waypoint for the park.)

!c

 

I really want the Baja 540 that Hit described...........Now where to mount it??

 

I am looking at the Garmin Nuvi 500 for its dual purpose application, but does anyone know if there is a Lifetime maps update that works for this unit? I read that if you try to use the standard update, the topo feature is rendered unusable. I think this is a great option for me, as I would like to use it on my bike and while hiking, but I would want to update it in the future.

 

I am looking at the Garmin Nuvi 500 for its dual purpose application, but doe anyone know if there is a Lifetime maps update that works for this unit? I read that if you try to use the standard update, the topo feature is rendered unusable. I think this is a great option for me, as I would like to use it on my bike and while hiking, but I would want to update it in the future.

The only problem with using a Nuvi for hiking is the batteries. You can't just pop in some AA's and keep going. You'll need to carry along a couple of fully charged extra batteries and they run $30 each on Amazon. If you get into an area of heavy trees, and you lose the GPS signal, the Nuvi will begin automatically searching for satellites. This puts a fairly strong drain on the battery. The cheap solution then becomes using the Nuvi to only get a fix and then turning the unit off to preserve batteries. This is workable but can be annoying at times and if you accidentally leave it on, then you're almost certain to be left with a dead battery after a few hours.

 

You can always take most of the handheld units and interface them with a netbook/notebook for those times when you want a "bigger screen" etc. I used to have a laptop dedicated to just this purpose.

I'd use my Garmin when on foot or just collecting breadcrumb data. And when I wanted all the bells and whistles... just plug it all up and presto! laptop knows where it is and can show me all the map data I installed.

 

Backcountry Navigator on the Droid! For like $10 you have a system that is always up to date and have every feature of a stand alone GPS unit. You can download maps for an entire area before you go out so that even if you don't have a cell signal you will still have the GPS and the maps at hand. I'll never go back to stand alone GPS again.

 

Tell me more...

I downloaded the demo. But I fooked up and didn't download the maps ahead of time and had no data service where I was at.

Did you buy the "better" topo maps that they have? Or just the freebie ones?

The little bit I used the demo I wasn't overly enthused because it seems like the topos were just old charts that they scanned in and had horrible resolution from anything closer than like a mile scale.

Maybe I was doing something wrong...that could totally be the case.

 

I ended up picking up a Nuvi 1390 LMT for pretty cheap. I liked the Bluetooth feature and will load TOPO 24k. I may even try to find a used handheld unit.

 

Yeah I think that was a better choice, that way you'll have lifetime update on the City Navigator/NT map and can load the topo map on your computer. Just note that the downloadable version of Topo is locked to one device, whereas the DVD version is not (or at least was not)