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Buff20
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Joined: Apr 06, 2006
Posts: 22
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 Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| oddsock wrote: | Is you car +ve earth as a lot of the older brittish cars were? If so you will have to wire the socket the other way round. eg socket center pin to earth .you will then have to completely isolate the socket body from the car as that would be -ve .
Dave |
Actually it is negative-earth. Positive earth was a new-fangled idea introduced in the middle 1930s (!) |
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Buff20
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Joined: Apr 06, 2006
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| 7andy wrote: | I wouldn't worry too much about the voltage, as long as it remains over 5.5v for most of the time. The PDA will just switch back to it's own battery when the voltage drops too low, and when it's back again, it will charge it back up again. Most PDAs only require 0.3 to 0.5 Amps to run anyway, so it's not going to be a significant drain on your system. The only thing that would worry me would be voltage transients, especially with Dynamos (a few years since I had a car with one of those!) which might damage the PDA.
As to the PDA itself, get one with Bluetooth, then you can use a Bluetooth earpiece to hear the commands, or even a Bluetooth Audio headset (better quality and covers both ears!). You will also be able to use a Bluetooth GPS receiver, which can be placed anywhere (the limit is about 10 Metres: with what I remember of an Austin 7, that won't be a problem...) and the PDA could live somewhere else close by. I use an Otterbox for my Acer N50 to keep it dry and save it from getting knocked about, but you'd have to take it out every three or four hours to re-charge it, but Bluetooth works fine with it inside the box. A car battery, by the way, is complete overkill! You can get nice little Gel batteries from places like Maplin - 12v at 2.1 AH will keep you going all day and its 6"x2"x1.5" - small enough to pop into a small plastic box with some foam to keep it still - don't forget to buy a proper charger for it though.
Best of luck - I remember many a day out in my brother's Seven being spoiled by 'tinkering'; what most people these days would call a Breakdown!!
Cheers, 7&Y |
Thanks :D The Maplin battery option sounds good to me. Something I can charge overnight and then will keep going all day. What's the minimum hardware you reckon I'll get away with to run decent software. (I don't need a pocket pc for anything else, just GPS) |
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Buff20
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Joined: Apr 06, 2006
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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| MarkHewitt wrote: | grr Why don't we have edit on this forum, it's extremely annoying!
The best solution IMO is to get a paper OS map and then select waypoints, then get something like a TomTom GO which has a long battery life and program it in as an itinery. It's fiddly but will do the job. |
I was very keen on the Anquet OS mapping I bought at Stanford's map shop. I was planning to load it onto a smartphone I can get as a free upgrade and use a bluetooth GPS. However, no voice directions! Plenty of contour lines, though..... I am half considering buying an old set of OS paper maps (cheaper than on CD) and using them in conjunction with Sat Nav to plan the routes on a PC.....I was hoping there might be another way.....  |
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Buff20
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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| MarkHewitt wrote: | | lbendlin wrote: | A few Pocket PC programs allow you to set routes avoiding motorways, for example CoPilot and Mapopolis, but also Navigon and TomTom to some extent). Mapopolis is particularly good at fine-tuning a route directly on the map.
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TomTom will avoid motorways if you select a cycle route. However it won't avoid motorway style dual carraigeways, nor can you effectively plan your route on a PC in advance, yet.
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But none of them have incline indication, so you will need an additional topograhic software for that (memory map was mentioned earlier(
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Which won't give you voice directions.
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Some PocketPCs come with replaceable batteries - that would be a good solution if you don't want any external power source. On my iPAQ 6315 I can attach a 3600 mAH extended battery that will keep the device running nonstop for two days with full brightness, and both BT and WiFi switched on. |
So basically the OP is wanting:
* Routes planned on a PC in advance
* Avoid motorways
* Contour information and avoidance of steep slopes
* Running without external power
It's just not available. |
Thanks for whittling the problems down to the bear minimum! 8)
If I can plan the route on a PC in advance then it doesn't matter about the motorway avoidance, I can do it manually.
Is there software out there that combines contours and voice guidence? Most examples with contours seem to be intended for walking, so I want to make sure it can keep up with me!
The external power problem will be sorted if the Maplin battery packs mentioned earlier work.
I feel we're getting closer.... |
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MarkHewitt
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Joined: Nov 16, 2004
Posts: 1077
Location: Chester-le-Street & York
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Buff20 wrote: |
If I can plan the route on a PC in advance then it doesn't matter about the motorway avoidance, I can do it manually.
Is there software out there that combines contours and voice guidence? Most examples with contours seem to be intended for walking, so I want to make sure it can keep up with me!
The external power problem will be sorted if the Maplin battery packs mentioned earlier work.
I feel we're getting closer.... |
I'm not aware of any that do voice guidance and contours together. You will appreciate your problem is slightly unusual!
I still think planning it out on a paper map and then programming it into your sat nav is the way to go  |
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Buff20
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Joined: Apr 06, 2006
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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| MarkHewitt wrote: | | Buff20 wrote: |
If I can plan the route on a PC in advance then it doesn't matter about the motorway avoidance, I can do it manually.
Is there software out there that combines contours and voice guidence? Most examples with contours seem to be intended for walking, so I want to make sure it can keep up with me!
The external power problem will be sorted if the Maplin battery packs mentioned earlier work.
I feel we're getting closer.... |
I'm not aware of any that do voice guidance and contours together. You will appreciate your problem is slightly unusual!
I still think planning it out on a paper map and then programming it into your sat nav is the way to go |
OK, this option had occurred to me. You can get 10-20 year old Landranger maps very cheap on eBay. The roads might have changed slightly, but the hills probably haven't got any worse!
This means surely that I don't need very special software, just relatively simple stuff that does have good coverage of minor roads. Any suggestions?
Also, I note that there is a family of very cheap handhelds on the market at the mo - Mio/Medion/Navman/Acer N35. The principal differences between them seem to be the software they come with - Destinator, etc.
The only worry is that there is no bluetooth, so if the built in GPS turns out to be feeble wires are the only way forward. (Although I note that the AcerN30 does have bluetooth). Oh decisions, decisions!  |
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oddsock
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Joined: May 01, 2004
Posts: 706
Location: Monmouthshire
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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I tried my Tomtom car cradle with the wired receiver pluged into 6volts and it would not light up the mouse led.
BTW the Garmin topo maps have voice instructions on a suitable Gps.you can also plot a route on the computer taking into account the contours and M ways and then transfer to the unit.
dave
Dave
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TomTom one v1,tomtom one v 3,TT Start20,Garmin Oregon 300,Nuvi 300
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Buff20
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Joined: Apr 06, 2006
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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| oddsock wrote: | I tried my Tomtom car cradle with the wired receiver pluged into 6volts and it would not light up the mouse led.
BTW the Garmin topo maps have voice instructions on a suitable Gps.you can also plot a route on the computer taking into account the contours and M ways and then transfer to the unit.
dave
Dave |
Is this the same oddsock who said:
"The minor roads may not be as traffic free as you think .They could be crawling with vehicles guided by Garmin Sat Nav"
A change of tune re. Garmin, or a last resort for an awkward sod like me?! |
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oddsock
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Joined: May 01, 2004
Posts: 706
Location: Monmouthshire
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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I'm sorry you did not get the humour in my first reply,I won't give up my day job .  I believe one of your many requirements was that you wanted to stick to minor roads?? to avoid holding up modern vehicles so in this respect and most of the other criteria on your list a Garmin unit such as the Quest + topo software comes pretty close to fitting the bill.
With the Quest you also get Mapsource City select GB and Europe which has a free upgrade to City Navigator v8 just in case you decide to venture further away, choices choices!  :D
Dave
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Buff20
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Joined: Apr 06, 2006
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Sorry Oddsock.....Iwas trying to return the humour (obviously failed!) I'll definitely look into Garmin) |
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oddsock
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Joined: May 01, 2004
Posts: 706
Location: Monmouthshire
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| Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Buff20 wrote: | | Sorry Oddsock.....Iwas trying to return the humour (obviously failed!) I'll definitely look into Garmin) |
I did wonder!... Its sometimes useful to add an Emoticon or two.
Dave
_________________
TomTom one v1,tomtom one v 3,TT Start20,Garmin Oregon 300,Nuvi 300
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alanf
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Joined: Mar 13, 2006
Posts: 39
Location: NW London
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| Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 12:53 am Post subject: |
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| Buff20 wrote: | | Also, I note that there is a family of very cheap handhelds on the market at the mo - Mio/Medion/Navman/Acer N35. The principal differences between them seem to be the software they come with - Destinator, etc. |
I intended to use my Acer n35/Destinator3 in my MGB later this year. It has dynamo and no 12v socket. I was going to fit one discreetly out of sight, carefully insulated and positioned because of +ve earth.
I wasn't anticipating problems mounting the pda on the windscreen with the usual cradle. Not too worried about hearing the voice as long as I could check junctions visually as I got to them. Your vehicle takes adaptation a little further!
How useful would the cheaper hardware be? Well, you could run the hardware off a battery box as already suggested or maybe a rechargeable 'jumpstart' pack with cigarette lighter socket built in if you had the space. Something like http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=N36BF.
It does have an earphone socket if you could stand being wired and need the voice. No contours on the supplied map, and the 'avoid' feature is only set for toll roads. If destinator can automatically avoid motorways I don't know how.
You can use 'trip planner' to set a route via waypoints, and the waypoints can be imported as 'favorites' from a csv file. That's probably as close as you get to importing a route unless someone knows better.
Good luck with your search. |
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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: Sat Apr 08, 2006 3:56 am Post subject: |
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| Buff20 wrote: | | Thanks for whittling the problems down to the bear minimum! 8) |
I don't think a bear would fit into that car. And the animal huggers would probably object too. 8O
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Lutz
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mrgrumpy23
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Joined: Mar 26, 2006
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 9:11 am Post subject: |
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One to avoid for your use:
Dell Navigation. I have tried using this by listening to the voice commands only. The instructions sometimes come too late to be of use at complicated junctions. If you had been with me this morning trying to navigate from the A1400 onto the A406, you would probably have ended up on the M11. The voice instructions need to be followed with reference to the map (or local knowlege) at times.
HTH.
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Cheers,
mrgrumpy23  |
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Buff20
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| Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 11:45 am Post subject: |
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| alanf wrote: | | Buff20 wrote: | | Also, I note that there is a family of very cheap handhelds on the market at the mo - Mio/Medion/Navman/Acer N35. The principal differences between them seem to be the software they come with - Destinator, etc. |
I intended to use my Acer n35/Destinator3 in my MGB later this year. It has dynamo and no 12v socket. I was going to fit one discreetly out of sight, carefully insulated and positioned because of +ve earth.
I wasn't anticipating problems mounting the pda on the windscreen with the usual cradle. Not too worried about hearing the voice as long as I could check junctions visually as I got to them. Your vehicle takes adaptation a little further!
How useful would the cheaper hardware be? Well, you could run the hardware off a battery box as already suggested or maybe a rechargeable 'jumpstart' pack with cigarette lighter socket built in if you had the space. Something like http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=N36BF.
It does have an earphone socket if you could stand being wired and need the voice. No contours on the supplied map, and the 'avoid' feature is only set for toll roads. If destinator can automatically avoid motorways I don't know how.
You can use 'trip planner' to set a route via waypoints, and the waypoints can be imported as 'favorites' from a csv file. That's probably as close as you get to importing a route unless someone knows better.
Good luck with your search. |
At last! a fellow nut-case..... I guess if I buy the Acer and find the software not up to my purposes, I could then shell out for some proper stuff from Garmin and run it on the Acer.
There seem to be at least four versions of this machine out there - The Acer running Destinator, the Navman PIN running SmartST, the Medion version running their own/Nacteq software and the original Mio running CoPilot.
Do any of these packages allow for routes to be planned on a desktop PC and then uploaded? (It could very tedious listing a hundred waypoints with a small joystick!) |
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