Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Rondar on December 05, 2007, 07:40:59 PM

Title: GPS Units
Post by: Rondar on December 05, 2007, 07:40:59 PM
I'm kind of looking for a portable GPS unit.  I figured I would spend upwards of 300 dollars.  Can I get a good one for that?  Or what do you guys that have one recommend?
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Spikes on December 05, 2007, 07:55:47 PM
As in a car one? Or outdoors one?

I like TomToms and Garmins for cars.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Masherbrum on December 05, 2007, 07:56:50 PM
I'm in the full size 4wd area and am looking at Garmin.

I'm considering either the Quest or Legend HCx.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Maverick on December 05, 2007, 08:13:10 PM
It's doable. It all depends on how many bells and whistles you want in the unit and what you intend to use it for. Are you looking for a road data base style unit or just positioning data?
Title: GPS Units
Post by: midnight Target on December 05, 2007, 08:34:14 PM
I have a Garmin 350. No complaints. It really becomes a cruch though. I find it much more difficult to remember directions to a place after using it.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: rpm on December 05, 2007, 09:23:23 PM
My iPAQ has internal GPS with TomTom. I like it because it's in my phone, not tethered to my vehicle. I just ordered a new MotoQ. I think it has TelNav GPS.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Rondar on December 07, 2007, 01:22:01 AM
I ended up buying a Magellan 4040 GPS, as when I read some reviews on the tom toms, people complained they were not accurate, ie on the wrong side of street, wrong roads, etc.  I suppose none are 100% accurate 100% of time.  This one came with a usb cable, a/c adapter, 12v cigarette lighter plug, various mounts, and a storage bag.  Some other units I looked at didnt have the accessories included like the a/c adaptor/battery charger or the 12v plug.

Anyway this is what I bought and should work fine in our van.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: rpm on December 07, 2007, 01:30:23 AM
Just got my MotoQ and I'm less than thrilled. It's much less of a user friendly PDA.  Seems TelNav is a software program using GPRS not GPS. My iPaq had internal GPS hardware. I thought the MotoQ did also, seems it doesn't.

Does anyone know if I can run my TomTom software on the MotoQ using a bluetooth reciever?
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Nilsen on December 07, 2007, 05:26:31 AM
<---- SE P1i phone with bluetooth GPS unit that sits on the dash in my car. Works well enough for me.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Halo on December 08, 2007, 06:28:12 PM
Our Garmin Nuvi 350 has become an indispensable member of our family.  My wife has never loved any gadget as much as Jill (our favorite Nuvi voice).  

Great in the car and great walking around (battery good for something like eight hours).  For more than two years Jill has guided us flawlessly with visual and voice, and is especially valuable at night and in bad weather when difficult to read maps or see street signs.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Chairboy on December 08, 2007, 06:49:41 PM
I got the wife a Magellan Maestro 3500, it works great.  Her new Volvo XC90 has a built in nav, but she prefers the portable Magellan because the software is better.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: texasmom on December 08, 2007, 06:55:55 PM
wimps. i still use the maps.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Halo on December 08, 2007, 11:24:27 PM
(quote) wimps. i still use the maps. (unquote)

TxMom, you are in for such a treat when you get your first Garmin Nuvi 350.  This is a real good time to have a little chat with Santa.  :D
Title: GPS Units
Post by: MrBill on December 09, 2007, 01:12:03 AM
Bought wife a Garmin ... she loves it ... never saw the need myself ... moss grows on the north side of the trees. :D:D:D
Title: GPS Units
Post by: vorticon on December 09, 2007, 01:27:43 AM
Quote
Originally posted by texasmom
wimps. i still use the maps.


maps? who needs maps once you leave the house?

memory and roadsigns is all you really need.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: SD67 on December 09, 2007, 02:27:25 AM
I use a Garmin nuvi. My Wife got it for my birthday:D
It's great, I like it because I can enter locations as coordinates and it will give me the coordinates of my current location. The only thing we find annoying is the voice. I'll be turning that off next time we use it.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: lazs2 on December 09, 2007, 09:53:38 AM
I got the garmin street pilot.. one of the smaller units with less features and no touch screen.. I prefer it.   It is the easiest to use and I lend it out sometimes... everyone figures it out in a few minutes.  

lazs
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Halo on December 09, 2007, 10:05:38 AM
(quote)  The only thing we find annoying is the voice. I'll be turning that off next time we use it.  (unquote)

Voice is one of the most important features for us, especially in heavy traffic or bad weather and at night.  Three variations of English, male or female voice.  We prefer American English Jill although Svenska or Portugeus Brazilian Raquel were tempting (kidding of course, but the Nuvi has about 20 languages).  

We also like the Attention Tone to alert us to an impending voice message.  Can navigate anywhere without ever taking eyes off the road although we like the visuals too.

Using battery only and in its leather case, the Garmin Nuvi 350 weighs only 6.2 ounces and measures 4x3x1 inches.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Chairboy on December 09, 2007, 10:49:40 AM
Quote
Originally posted by vorticon
maps? who needs maps once you leave the house?

memory and roadsigns is all you really need.
You need road signs?  Real men find where they're going by smell.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: AKIron on December 09, 2007, 11:31:28 AM
Chuck Norris never goes anywhere, every place comes to him.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: bj229r on December 09, 2007, 11:41:12 AM
Quote
Originally posted by texasmom
wimps. i still use the maps.
When ya get old enough, you've BEEN everywhere, and thus don't need gps:D
Title: GPS Units
Post by: texasmom on December 09, 2007, 11:54:29 AM
This evolved into something entertaining. :)
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Maverick on December 09, 2007, 11:56:09 AM
We have a Garmin legend that I set up to interface with the laptop and MS streets and trips. The laptop has a far larger screen. We used it a couple of times but it has stayed in the storage compartment most of the time.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: FBplmmr on December 09, 2007, 12:14:35 PM
I can't see spending hundreds of dollars for a map.

If I am going out of town I just google.

If I am in town I don't need a map.. I already know where I am.

If I somehow end up in a new town unexpectedly, I just stop and buy a map.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Halo on December 09, 2007, 06:51:17 PM
Think R2D2.  Think Stepford Wives.  Think Yul Brynner in that robot western.  You don't want a pocket size whiz that can tell you where to go?

You trying to set back progress or sumpthin?  :noid
Title: GPS Units
Post by: john9001 on December 09, 2007, 07:06:57 PM
last time i took the airport shuttle (a large van) from the airport to home the driver had a laptop on the seat beside him, he put in the addresses of the passengers and it gave him present position and best route and in what order to drop everyone off.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Pooh21 on December 09, 2007, 08:15:56 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Halo
(quote)  The only thing we find annoying is the voice. I'll be turning that off next time we use it.  (unquote)

Voice is one of the most important features for us, especially in heavy traffic or bad weather and at night.  Three variations of English, male or female voice.  We prefer American English Jill although Svenska or Portugeus Brazilian Raquel were tempting (kidding of course, but the Nuvi has about 20 languages).  

We also like the Attention Tone to alert us to an impending voice message.  Can navigate anywhere without ever taking eyes off the road although we like the visuals too.

Using battery only and in its leather case, the Garmin Nuvi 350 weighs only 6.2 ounces and measures 4x3x1 inches.


does it have a German chick voice?

can you adjust the interface language?
Title: GPS Units
Post by: SD67 on December 09, 2007, 08:34:13 PM
Yes it does, just for a laugh I put the Swedish chick on. couldn't understand a thing she said, it was funny though.
The voice feature has become old for me and usually if we don't have the little one in the car we've got no chance of hearing it over the tunes :lol I generally use it to log interesting locations, monitor speed, time and distances (have you used the virtual speedometer yet, according to it my speedo is out by about 2% :D).
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Pooh21 on December 09, 2007, 08:35:45 PM
I have not got one yet but now I will next week.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: E25280 on December 09, 2007, 09:54:12 PM
And now "they" can track your every movement . . . :noid
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Rondar on December 10, 2007, 01:16:30 AM
Quote
Originally posted by E25280
And now "they" can track your every movement . . . :noid



How can they do that?  The GPS unit does not transmit anything.  Only way would be if you use your cell phone with the blue tooth and even then the gps doesnt send a signal, the phone does.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Rondar on December 10, 2007, 01:32:04 AM
I used mine this weekend.  We went to Kansas City to a TSO concert downtown in the new Sprint Center, which is slated to replace Kemper Arena.  Anyway, I have never been downtown in KC, only in the southern part of city twice.  It was foggy, freezing drizzle, 20degrees, very low viz, etc etc.  When we got out of the concert, it is like usual for events of large amounts of people, you get sent in all directions to get you out of there.  

The little gal that lives in the gps unit told us what direction to turn, how far the turn was ahead, whether to turn or not at an intersection, etc.  For instance she said to turn left in .5 miles then at .1 reminded again then it dinged just before the intersection to indicate this was the one she wanted.  Right after that she would tell you whether your next turn was left, right or straight ahead and for how far ahead your next move was and would even announce the street and exit ramp names.  Sometimes you have to turn left then immediately be in the proper lane to turn right in say a block or two, and the gps knows this and tells you.  

Anyway it really helped us as like I said it was foggy and bad conditions and it really helped us get out of there quickly without all the backtracking to get the right street and on and off ramps located so we could get the heck outta dodge.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: SD67 on December 10, 2007, 02:15:56 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Rondar
How can they do that?  The GPS unit does not transmit anything.  Only way would be if you use your cell phone with the blue tooth and even then the gps doesnt send a signal, the phone does.

For the most part, the average GPS unit is a receive only unit. There is another type of GPS unit which is a transponder type, that relays a location over a wireless network to allow companies who deal in logistics, transit, law enforcement, public protection services and wayward spouses :lol to trace the movement of their assets.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: DREDIOCK on December 10, 2007, 07:54:10 AM
Quote
Originally posted by FBplmmr
I can't see spending hundreds of dollars for a map.

If I am going out of town I just google.

If I am in town I don't need a map.. I already know where I am.

If I somehow end up in a new town unexpectedly, I just stop and buy a map.


Ditto.

And Texasmom.
Your more of a real man then 90% in this thread.

And I mean that in a good way..well for you anyway.
For the 90%.
Not so much
;)

GPS = another step in the sissification of men
Title: GPS Units
Post by: midnight Target on December 10, 2007, 08:04:11 AM
Quote
Originally posted by DREDIOCK

GPS = another step in the sissification of men


I wrap the raw meat that I slaughtered with my buck knife in old maps. Then I use my GPS to help me walk outta the mountains with 300 lbs. of raw meat on my back. Sissy!
Title: GPS Units
Post by: lazs2 on December 10, 2007, 08:40:38 AM
call me a sissy.. I like em.   I like to travel.  I like to get off the beaten trac..  My girlfriend can't read a map and I can't read one while I am driving.   I don't like pulling over to read some old outdated map.    I can... but

why?

lazs
Title: GPS Units
Post by: GtoRA2 on December 11, 2007, 03:03:23 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Masherbrum
I'm in the full size 4wd area and am looking at Garmin.

I'm considering either the Quest or Legend HCx.



Seeif you can find a Garmin 2720. They are discontinued, so i got one for about 370$ It was a really high end unit, and comes with a wireless remote.


The nice thing about it for offroad use is, it loads Garmins TOPO software as well. Garmin Does not support it but it works well. So you use the stock road map to get to the trail area, then switch to the topo maps and you are set off road.

Garmin updates all still work. I have the current citymap NT and TOPO on it.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Scca on December 11, 2007, 03:19:47 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Pooh21
does it have a German chick voice?

can you adjust the interface language?
My Garmin C330 does..  It has several languages..
Title: GPS Units
Post by: GtoRA2 on December 11, 2007, 03:27:46 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Scca
My Garmin C330 does..  It has several languages..


My Garmin 2720 has several voices you can select.  Including a chick with an aussy  accent, but we couldnt figure out everything she said, they call offramps something else lol.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: airspro on December 11, 2007, 03:40:23 PM
Quote
Originally posted by lazs2
call me a sissy.. I like em.   I like to travel.  I like to get off the beaten trac..  My girlfriend can't read a map and I can't read one while I am driving.   I don't like pulling over to read some old outdated map.    I can... but

why?

lazs


That hit the nail on the head lazs .

I can read maps fine but my wife can't very well . I have the same unit that Hajo has Garmin 350 , my oldest got it for us . I tell you it most likely saved my marriage :P hehe .

We drive alot to my youngest house , and that takes me through Chi Town , this is a nightmare without the GPS . My wife calls the voice Thelma :) , I like to call her me my "bi tch" hehe . That does piss my wife off a bit .

Best is getting lost and it finds you a new route right away , or if u want to go eat in a strange town , will show you closest or what ever eat place you want . Chinese , American , etc , etc . Same with motels etc .

Great tool IMO .
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Halo on December 11, 2007, 09:56:58 PM
Amen to all those points, airspro.  My wife also is challenged by maps.  Maybe that's why the Garmin Nuvi is her new best friend?
Title: GPS Units
Post by: DREDIOCK on December 11, 2007, 11:31:33 PM
Bah!
For thousands of years men have been able to find their way from point A to point B without a GPS.

Give it another 10 years and you all wont be able to find your way to your bathroom without em.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: Vulcan on December 11, 2007, 11:48:48 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Rondar
How can they do that?  The GPS unit does not transmit anything.  Only way would be if you use your cell phone with the blue tooth and even then the gps doesnt send a signal, the phone does.


Thats what THEY want you to think, and don't get me started about the anal probes being installed in all new car seats from 2008.
Title: GPS Units
Post by: SD67 on December 12, 2007, 03:00:01 AM
:rofl :noid
Title: GPS Units
Post by: lazs2 on December 12, 2007, 08:18:25 AM
yep.. I also like that if I decide to go off my chosen route.. I like to do that.. the thing will always get me back on track.. it recalculates the route...  I know that isn't as manly as just stopping, setting up the laptop and google maps and then printing one out but...  works for me.  

It simply cuts down on the girlfriend angst.    detours..  trips into big cities on the way.. fog.. weather..  poorly marked roads or not marked at all..  

I like to travel but I don't like to argue with the person I am with... this cuts that down to almost nothing.

lazs