Topic: Anyone use GPS?

[c_kyle]

I bought a Garmin etrex VistaXC, a 2gb microSD card, and the MapSource Metro Guide.  This is my first mapping GPS, and it works like a champ.  I just need to get Topo and BlueChart and I'm all set for all the recreational activities that I do.  Besides the outdoor stuff, this is a great setup for a bike at less than half the price of the Garmin Zumo 450 (the cheapest motorcycle specific unit).  The entire North America (ie:  US, Canada, Alaska/Hawaii, etc) fits on the 2gb card, and the Metro Guide has all the major and minor roads that I need.  It even has points of interest (gas, food, lodging, etc.).  I wanted to be able to ride and ride, without trying to remember where I turned and all that crap.  Central Florida might not seem like the most exciting place to ride around, but there are tons of country roads that wind through farms, forests, rivers and lakes, the coast, etc. 

[cosmo]

So ahh...whats the question?

[c_kyle]

There's no technical question.  I was sharing what I'm using and seeing if anyone else uses a GPS receiver. 

[Bob Wessner]

Just thought I would toss out some feedback on a recent GPS purchase. Keep in mind that my amazement is as a result of my experience with a nearly 10 yr. old Magellan unit, two color, memory so limited that it only showed major roads. When you got off them, it looked like you were driving through a field.

Anyway, the new one is a Mio C220, compact enough to slip in a pocket, acquires sat signals even in the house (though it takes a bit longer), 65 colors, nice sized screen, voice directions, smart zoom (at highway speeds it auto zooms out, as you slow, or approach a route change it zooms in), smart back-lighting (at dawn and dusk it automatically changes the back-lighting scheme to reduce glare), will run for 4-5 hours on the internal battery and the best is the level of detail. The maps show even forest service roads and in the U.P. (Michigan), where we are headed in a week, it even shows the dirt road leading to the Hoop-N-Holler bar at the north end of the lake . I have to check it out when we get there, but I think it even reflects folks unpaved drives to their cottages around the lake.

I was impressed with the features for $170 considering others are 2-3 times as much. It has no built-in MP3 or anything and I don't need those anyway. It could be used on a bike and I believe their web site indicates there is an optional bar mount. I haven't found the mount locally yet as I believe it is a U.K. product.

I would normally not consider a GPS for the bike, but I can see some value in at least having it along. I usually just head off in some direction and wander around. It could come in handy to plot a fast/direct route home from the middle of nowhere, plus, I found while driving around testing, it shows every stream, lake, etc. Some lakes are screened behind trees along the road that you would never know were even there otherwise.

Anyway, just thought I would mention this for consideration if anyone is looking at GPS units and wasn't interested in sinking a ton of money into it. My only complaints are the interface could be a bit more intuitive. Since it isn't you will need the manual which is on a CD, not printed.

[KB02]

A freind of mine has a GPS on his bike. He had never gotten lost on the bike... untill he bought the silly thing.    His first trip out he got turned all around and took about an hour's drive to get his group back on track.    Since then he has gotten much better with it and hasn't gotten lost since... but we never let him live it down.   

[PanAmerican]

I have a Garmin eTrex Legend C on my '76 CB750K.  It's fun using it to find back roads I might never have known about otherwise. 

[johnny-from-bel]

Garmin Nuvi 350 Europe edition. Works like a charm.

[sandcastcb750]

I was told that regular (hand held / automobile) GPS can be damaged by mounting on a motorcycle over a period of time. This is because the vibration or pounding action causes the batteries to move in such a way that the contacts disconnect briefly and constantly and thus turn the GPS on and off so many times that the electronics die early; I know this is a consideration with military electronic equipment which mounts the batteries perpendicular to the force applied to the unit. A colleague from Africa told me that special Garmins are available for motorcycles. Any experience with you guy out there?

[gerhed]

Here's a chart that I made from a mass download of data aquired with and old
Garmin 12 GPS unit while riding in my electric 3-wheeler.
Data was dumped into some Microsoft graphing program.
I also made a pie chart out of the data--------------Please don't ask me why.

[PanAmerican]

I was told that regular (hand held / automobile) GPS can be damaged by mounting on a motorcycle over a period of time.

I've definitely heard that about GPS units that use an internal hard drive.  Anything with delicate moving parts would certainly take a beating on a motocycle.  My unit is solid state and I have well over 20K on it, on two different bikes, with no problems at all.

[malcolmgb]

Anyway, the new one is a Mio C220

Hi Bob, what stores stock them in the US, over here in the UK they are £120+, with the current exchange rate I may look around for one next time I am over there.

[333]

I can't see it.  I have lived in the same area all my life.  Maps have always worked for me.  I may not always know where I'm going, but I don't get lost.  But I do have some stories.

My wife's neice had a handheld model for a couple of years.  During that time she had been to my house at least a dozen times, if not 20.  Mothers Day this year it died before leaving to come over, and she had to call for directions!!!  And last fall, when coming to Grandmas for the first time(new apartment) she got lost watching it instead of the road.

Then there's my sister-in-law.  She's not as directionally challenged, but she got a new car with one built in.  We were all in Hilton Head this spring and were using it to find some shopping center.  It missed the very last turn and told us to "make a legal u-turn".  This happened twice that week.  I think we'd have done better with directions from a gas station!

On the other hand, I've always wanted a marine version.  Not neccessarily for directions, but for the stuff you can't see under the water(sandbars, submerged hazards, all of which are on the charts built in to them).

[Bob Wessner]

Anyway, the new one is a Mio C220

Hi Bob, what stores stock them in the US, over here in the UK they are £120+, with the current exchange rate I may look around for one next time I am over there.

I did the research and pricing via Google searches. Bought it on-line at "Abe's of Maine." It was around $170 plus shipping.

[bryanj]

BOB if its a UK model and you cant get the bracket, send me the info and i will get one and ship it for you.
Bryan

[Bob Wessner]

Bryan,

Much appreciated, thanks. I'll let you know.

[bryanj]

No prob Bob, just email direct to blj@blj.org.uk as i am getting less and less "Keyboard" time

[roadkill savior]

I use a Garmin Etrex Venture CX. It does everything I need and more. It's small enough to fit in my pocket, it runs on 2 AA batteries, so if it dies, I can get new batteries anywhere.

 I had the basic Garmin Etrex model, I bought it many years ago for hunting in the UP (Michigan). It was durable and provided me with what I needed.

I recently found out about geocaching and used it for that too. It worked very well.

I took a ride on my bike this summer, alone and went 1600 miles in a few days. I left Detroit and drove south through Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Before I left I upgraded to the Venture CX. I didn't take any maps with me nor did ask for directions. It worked great and I wouldn't leave with out it. They are about $220, I got mine used from ebay for $100.

The one thing I do want is the City Navigator software but that's another $100. I guess that's the only complaint I have.

[techy5025]

I have a Garmin "Zumo 550" which works great....totally waterproof and was designed for bikes. Comes
with a car mount also. Links with bluetooth headsets....lots of other neat stuff including an MP3 player.
It talks so you don't have to look at the screen. Has lots of points of interest including GAS STATIONS. 

I wouldn't want anything with an operating hard drive on a bike...including the Ipod's that have one. The
ones with flash memory are the way to go.

I use the Zumo in the car, the CBR, and the 750's.

Jim

[RRRToolSolutions]

A little off-topic, but a true story and a question someone might answer...

I have to use 5 different GPS units. 1- Humminbird 797SI with side imaging in my boat, a Garmin Street Pilot 2730 in my truck, a Garmin Street Pilot III in my wife's truck, a Magellan hand-held on the bike, and a Magellan Never-Lost when I am using a rental. None of them operate similar. Each has it's very own and unique way of inputing destinations, different ways of saving a waypoint, and the simple task of entering an address is almost as tough as rocket science.

One wants you to enter the street name first. Ok, simple enough, right? On say "West Woodland Court", the Garmin demands you spell Woodland first. It will then pull-up all of the options available for Woodland, - Woodland Ave, Circle, Court, Street, ect. Then it will go to East, North, South, and finally West.

The Never Lost system wants you to spell West Woodland and then will offer the available entries.

Simple enough, anyone able to chew gum and talk can do it right? Well, I thought so. Two weeks ago I'm NYC, then onto Toronto where I rent a new Volvo with Never Lost - a system I've used a hundred times. It works flawlessly though the many appointments I have for the next two days and I'm happy since so far - I'm never lost. On Saturday I have to make the 5 hours drive up to Montreal for 2 days of appointments - darn, I can't seem to find the street I'm looking for. No sweat - I'll just punch in Montreal city center and find "downtown". My plan is to call the hotel and get the correct spelling as surely my itenerary is mis-typed. No, it's "1050 de la Gauchetiere Street West, Montreal" just as typed on my itenerary. I try it again at the next fuel stop - still no go. I tried everything I knew to do, even try to locate by hotels and lodging - nothing.

2 hours later, I'm in downtown Montreal and I key in "Hertz Car Rental Return" - I've had it, I want a refund and I'll hire a cab - I can't be late for my appoitnments and this thing can't find a single address for me. I go in with a bad attitude and really was in no mood for chit-chat. The young woman behind the counter ask "sir, do you mind if I try? I'm really pissed now - me, the "king" of GPS" and this little girl assumes I'm a dummy and the problem is my own. It's Saturday and I'm tired and just a hotel and shower I give in. She takes my address from the itenerary and types "Rue de la Gauchetiere" - Bam - my destination is right there - I ask her to go to my next one - "Rue xxx" Bam - my next destination is right there.

The beef? If going to a city where every street is preceded with "Rue" in it's spelling, then put it on the signs and put it on every internet address and business address. If a GPS company is going to program that requirement to "spell the invisible word Rue, then program a pop-up ballon in the GPS to tell you this!! First - I'd never heard of this Rue silent, invisible but mandatory prefix, and if it's not required in Toronto, but is in Montreal - why wouldn't the darn thing tell you? Speaking logically - "if a fellow needs a Never Lost GPS in Montreal, it might just be because he's from out-of-town! He might just not know about this Rue thing and he may not have the "guts" to take his rental back to Hertz for the purpose of telling them where to "stick it".

Why, why? and warning to anyone using Never Lost in Montreal - "regardless of what you see as the written, spoken, or advertised street name - you absolutely must precede it with the word Rue, else your GPS won't find it's butt for you... "

I'm better now.

Gordon

[Bob Wessner]

Maybe the Garmin programmers in Kansas don't like the French.

[RRRToolSolutions]

I should add - I'm from South Carolina where a street is a street and there aren't any invisible prefixes. Maybe I should stick to these hillbilly roads.

 

Gordon

[johnny-from-bel]

Gordon,

In belgium most towns have a French and a Dutch name so do streets.

I never had a problem with my garmin Nuvi . It accepts 'Rue Haute 'as wel as 'Hoogstraat'. Both are the same street I just type 'Rue Hau' and then it proposes the rest of the streetname. For the Dutch name I type 'Hoog' and then it proposes the rest of the street.

[clarkjh]

Gordon

You have just stumbled onto the "French Only" law.  The government of Quebec is more French the France.   Quebec's official language is French, so all signs are in French.  New Brunswick is officially English and French, and the rest are English.

James

PS: I said Government not the people

[kpier883]

I don't have a gps and thought I wouldn't want one.  However, after a 1200 mile trip with a friend who had one on his Harley, I have changed my mind.  We could turn on any road we wanted to in the mountains and ride as long as we wanted, then just let it tell us how to get from wherever we were to where we wanted to go.  Liberating. 

[ken74-550K0]

As an alternative to a traditional GPS unit - I just started using telenav on my Blackberry.  This is a GPS service you can purchase from your cellular service provider (I believe Cingular/AT&T and Sprint sell the service).  What I like about this service is - you can use it with your bluetooth wireless headset and you don't need to look at the unit itself.  You can of course look at the display if you wish, but it's something I would rather not do when riding.

I don't know how well this will work on a regular GPS capable cell phone, but it works really well with a Blackberry, typing in addresses is very easy and the system has most of the stuff you get in an stand alone GPS units (e.g., business finder, etc.).  I think the cost is only about $10 per month.  Fortunately for me, my company picks up the cost for this service.

Here is a link to their site:

http://www.telenav.com/campaign/index.html?SOLICITATION_KEYCODE=SRO_2_032607&ovchn=GGL&ovcpn=Meta+Campaigns&ovcrn=sr2TN37go4254cb108pi9ai1+TeleNav&ovtac=PPC&SR=sr2TN37go4254cb108pi9ai1&SR=sr2TN37go4254cb108pi9ai1