Looking for a particular feature in GPS software

psbales · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3

Hi all, long time 'lurker'! I finally made an account to ask a question. I searched the forums, but I couldn't come up with an answer.

I'm part of a local driving club (Washington DC Metro MINIs). One item that would be of great use during our driving 'runs' is to be able to pre-plan a route down to the last detail. Our runs usually don't follow the most 'optimal' route (and often start and end in the same place, or drive a planned route that is 50 miles long, when it should only take 5 miles using a direct route). I'm currently using Destinator 3, and while I can use waypoints to sort of define a route, it's still of very limited functionality.

Is there any PocketPC GPS software application that would allow me to 'draw' an exact route? Or, failing that, an app that would let me place a large series of waypoints and show the entire route at once? (Destinator 3 uses waypoints, but will only navigate to the next waypoint. It won't navigate the entire route ahead of time.)

Thanks all!

-Paul

StevenGourlay · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:05 pm Post subject:

Have a look at Navman it allows you to make waypoints and place them in any order you want and if my memory is correct you can change the route type from shortest distance but fastest etc. In theory you could plan the route with multiple waypoints so you take the exact route you want.
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Bodo · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 1:37 pm Post subject:

I used to have a Garmin eMap and Mapsource data.

The Mapsource data was installed on my PC.

This allowed me to plot a route using my computer screen down to the finest detail, and finally download it to the eMap.

I suspect that most modern Garmin devices will allow you to the same.

ianhb · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:35 pm Post subject:

Paul,

I'm looking for exactly the same functionality for the same reason, although not mini metros ;o)

I know that TomTom Nav3 can do this using waypoints and saving an itinerary, but it is not perfect. It is fiddly to add a waypoint into the middle of an itinerary - they default to being added at the end. This is further complicated by the fact that this functionality is not present in the newer versions of TTN.

Some people are quite taken by the Garmin Quest, I don't know much more but I find it a pain to set a route using the Quest, rather than a PC.

I would like to hear more about your experiences with Destinator please. Perhaps in a direct msg rather than this thread.

Ian

Privateer · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 3:07 pm Post subject:

Hi Paul,

to the forum! Thumbs Up

If you already have TomTom Navigator 3 (not TomTom Navigator 2004) you could use the GPSAssist add-on program. Which has Route Navigation.

lbendlin · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 3:37 pm Post subject:

The best US program for planning multistop routes is CoPilot 5. To a lesser extend you can also do this with Mapopolis.
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psbales · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3

Thanks all for the welcome and quick replies!

StevenGourlay,
I currently have the version of NavMan that came with their GPS 3400/3420 sleeve. It cannot do waypoints, but I assume that there have been newer versions. To be honest though, I haven't been too thrilled with the SmartST software. I may check it out though if nothing else works. Thanks!

Bobo,
Thanks for the tip! But I don't think Garmin does a PocketPC version? (I don't think that I mentioned above that I'm looking for something to operate on a PocketPC. I would love to get a dedicated GPS system, but my wallet says otherwise! Smile

)

Privateer,
I have a fellow club member that uses TomTom Navigator 2. I think that the GPSAssist program will work with ver. 2, so I'll borrow his PocketPC and check it out! Thanks!

lbendlin,
I've actually heard that before. I wish though that companies would put out demo versions of their software! I actually thought that Destinator would do what I wanted (its website description seemed to imply it), but unfortunately, it doesn't. Anyway, not to be rude, but have you personally tried to specify an exact route with CoPilot 5? (I would just purchase the program myself and find out, but at around $200 a pop, it gets expensive fast!)

Thanks again all for your replies!

-Paul

lbendlin · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:07 pm Post subject:

Yes, I have reviewed CoPilot 5 and tested it extensively, including the route generation (I was most interested to see how the route optimization works - this is a unique feature of CoPilot)
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psbales · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3

barryd

barryd · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:49 am Post subject:

Oops - just noticed you're based in Washington DC. Someone else may be able to advise how easy it is to get free maps of that area for use in Ozi.
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