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Chalky7 Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 21, 2005 Posts: 2
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:11 pm Post subject: Versatility AND Functionality ? |
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Right, here goes......
I'm a brand new member and a GPS virgin but have spent the last couple of evenings perusing this site and concluded that if anyone can help me have my cake and eat it, then it's you folks.
Not only that I'm also pretty new to PDA ownership and am not really 100% conversant with all the possibilities it holds. I have an Xda IIs, so that, I suppose governs to some extent what GPS hardware I can use ?
What I'm after is something that day to day will function as an in car sat nav for an engineer visiting multiple addresses and needing to take the PDA in and out of the car with me each time.
Then at the weekend I'd also like the flexibility to take the system into the hills hiking, biking etc (I realise I'll need to buy OS map type software and probably another memory card to put it on ?).
From what I've learned over the last 2 evenings I would lean towards a bluetooth reciever (I like the thought of solar powered one but are they any good ?) with tomtom for the roads and memory map for the hills. I'll also need a larger memory card as the one i have is only 32mb I think.
So I'd appreciate any "if I was buying that type of package I'd get......" advice you can offer.
Thanks in advance folks and I look forward to getting mobile. |
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lbendlin Pocket GPS Staff
Joined: 02/11/2002 22:41:59 Posts: 11878 Location: Massachusetts, USA
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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you're on the right track (pun intended)
The solar BT GPS is a nice gimmick but nowadays you're better off buying a SiRF III based receiver. They are just so much better.
Get a big, big storage card (1 GB is good) and you can put both programs and maps on it.
For your outdoors stuff think about a rain cover for the PdA and the receiver. Otter Box or similar. _________________ Lutz
Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ |
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discopanda Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 21, 2005 Posts: 3
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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The Globalsat BT-338 receiver is what I'll be buying soon. Seems to be the one to get at the moment. Great reception and battery life. |
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Chalky7 Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 21, 2005 Posts: 2
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:17 pm Post subject: thanks |
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Thanks for all the help folks. I've gone for a global sat BT338 reciever with tomtom (will have to save up for the other maps and more memory) and the silver shield cradle for the van.
cheers again. |
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s79 Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 16, 2005 Posts: 18 Location: North Wales
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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anything cheaper that will do just as good job?
I am looking for something to work on my iPAQ 4150
I spoke to someone recently who said it was a waste of money buying anything with >12 channels as he has never picked up more than 8 satellites. _________________ Afton bladet (Sweden) 'Were Liverpool worthy champions? What do you mean? I see Xabi Alonso dance, Steven Gerrard weep and 45,000 people sing You'll never walk alone . The question is not whether they were worthy. The question is whether we were worthy to |
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Darren Frequent Visitor
Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40 Posts: 23848 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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s79 wrote: | I spoke to someone recently who said it was a waste of money buying anything with >12 channels as he has never picked up more than 8 satellites. |
It's confusing marketing speak but the more channels the quicker the signal aquisition. Most SSIII chipsets have 20 channels but you are correct that in most situations you are unlikely to be able to see more than 12 even given perfect unobstructed conditions.
If you're buying a GPS now, it really ought to be an SSIII chipset model. My favourite is the Holux GPSlim236 or G-Space 238. _________________ Darren Griffin |
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s79 Occasional Visitor
Joined: Nov 16, 2005 Posts: 18 Location: North Wales
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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Darren wrote: | s79 wrote: | I spoke to someone recently who said it was a waste of money buying anything with >12 channels as he has never picked up more than 8 satellites. |
It's confusing marketing speak but the more channels the quicker the signal aquisition. Most SSIII chipsets have 20 channels but you are correct that in most situations you are unlikely to be able to see more than 12 even given perfect unobstructed conditions.
If you're buying a GPS now, it really ought to be an SSIII chipset model. My favourite is the Holux GPSlim236 or G-Space 238. |
Thanks for the info, but yikes... the cheapest I can find either of those for is £80. I was looking to spend up to £50 _________________ Afton bladet (Sweden) 'Were Liverpool worthy champions? What do you mean? I see Xabi Alonso dance, Steven Gerrard weep and 45,000 people sing You'll never walk alone . The question is not whether they were worthy. The question is whether we were worthy to |
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Darren Frequent Visitor
Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40 Posts: 23848 Location: Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Believe me, the difference in performance is worth the extra dosh. The GPS receiver is THE most importat part of your set-up, skimp on it and it'd be like buying a 42" LCD TV and plugging it into a £5.99 set top aerial. _________________ Darren Griffin |
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StevenGourlay Frequent Visitor
Joined: Sep 28, 2004 Posts: 808 Location: Ullapool
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Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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Darren has a valid point go for a decent receiver if you want high performance but if you don’t mind getting lost as you cant get a signal get a cheap low performance receiver. Also make sure you that get decent software to go with the GPS as if you go a get a good receiver but 3 year old map data then again is going to be pointless. _________________ Regards
Steven Gourlay
Bike Pics! Bike Chat! Visit-Ullapool |
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