Whilst I feel I've embraced most technologies of the digital age with some aplomb, I've never got into GPS. Never seen the need, can always use a proper map, etc, etc. However... what if my friend 'It's Me Shins' wants to do some miles over unfamiliar territory, and wants to be able to track where he's been afterwards? What would be the best GPS approach to (a) not getting lost and (b) having something to show to his neighbours when he gets back home, to prove how far (and where) his trusty steed took him? Is a smartphone with an app good enough, or should he buy a Garmin or similar device. And if so, what (at a sensible price)?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Computers, GPS, 'Smart' 'Phones
GPS for a friend...
(12 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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I caved in for the NI tour - Google Streetview suggested that the routes weren't signposted (although on the ground Sustrans folk had marked them up reasonably).
I ended up with a Garmin Etrex Vista HCx - top of the range, but their previous range, so picked it up for £114 (using price comparisons) - about the RRP of their current bottom of the range Etrex 10.
It happily did what you want, has some space for recording routes to follow, and as much snail trail tracking (plotting where you've been) as you care to add via micro SD (I had one lying around handily - 4GB max I think).
The base map is pants (Largan instead of Lurgan), really small scale and sketchy as a result (we'd often be cycling in the estuary instead of the docks).
I think it's also not so compatible with the current paid for maps, as Garmin appear to have moved on from the format used in this version. Oh, and if you're downloading routes, they can't have more that 500 waypoints, unlike recorded traces that can have 10K. That was a bit of a gotcha, but track conversation web tools are easily available to reduce the number of points.
You could drop the electronic compass or barometric altimeter (don't drop that bit, as GPS derived altitudes aren't as accurate and you want to know your hills, don't you?), but the previous generation looks like a good buy...
If you want to get hands on with the Vista HCx, then PM me.
My supplier may be providing OEM models, as the box was very plain, but the beastie works grand for my purposes.
Robert
Posted 11 years ago # -
If
youhe had no other use for a smartphone it wouldn't be the best reason to buy one. Their battery life is not great when the screen is on and GPS is active. Handlebar mounting is possible but genuinely waterproof enclosures are expensive.Could I suggest that your friend borrows my little used Garmin eTrex handheld GPS which has a handlebar mount, runs off AA batteries and will function happily in the rain. It can be attached to a PC allowing GPX files to be transferred to it and it will function on the road as a big compass, pointing out programmed turns or pointing
youhim back toyourhis route. Ifyouhe uses a PC, I also have Memory Map and complete OS 1:50,000 maps for Scotland whichyou'dhe'd be welcome to borrow. I'd don't use that software any more.If
youhe gets on with it and thinkyou'dhe'd like one asyourhis own, a more modern one with better onboard mapping might be a good buy or older units can be picked up cheaply.Posted 11 years ago # -
I have an Etrex legend hcx. This works very well. You can also download free Open streetmaps for it. If one is trully exploring, ie without plotting the route in advance, its good to have another map that you can see the wider picture on (paper or phone).
The downside of using a phone for bike.navigation are cost (they would need to be more robust before I would take mine out routinely on the Handlebars) and battery life.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I use the Etrex-on-steroids-but-not-really GPSmap 60CSx. As with the others it's robust and waterproof compared with a smartphone, and easily does 15-20 hours between battery changes. I bought mine from Handtec.
I had no good words before for Garmin's 'Roadtrip' software for Mac (see the thread Best touring GPS?) and still don't after TalkyToaster's maps crashed the software so fundamentally that I had to delete it, but 'Basecamp' is actually pretty decent.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Just to echo amir's comment, OSM puts fully detailed maps on any garmin for free. Really is very neat given you can pay silly money for similar stuff from elsewhere.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thanks for the feedback and offers of hands-on try-outs. Mr Shins will doubtless research further and may follow up. Downloading freebies is very much his preferred M.O.
PS. Not sure where this confusion between myself and my friend is coming from; me and Mr.Shins are clearly very different people.
Posted 11 years ago # -
For handling the "unknown territory" and "track where I went" topics, garmin edge 800 does the job, if you get it with the os base map. Alas, I suspect it might fail on the "sensible price" request you have, unless you are a vigorous believer in "you get what you pay for". But it does both the gps/maps job superbly for me.
Posted 11 years ago # -
After the thread mentioned above, I became the owner of a satmap, (cheers for the pointer Min) you are of course welcome to have a look/play sometime :-)
Posted 11 years ago # -
A follow-up: Its_Me_Shins had his current (unsmart) phone dropped on a tiled floor resulting in some damage to the screen. When he looked for a replacement he found that a Samsung Galaxy Ace was actually cheaper than a direct replacement for the Sony he was using. So he got the smartphone. The young shop assistant in the Carphone Warehouse was training for a half marathon and recommended Endomondo as a freebie app for the phone. Nothing to lose, thought Shins, and one month on he is now merrily tracking his training runs, commutes and even his efforts on the Pedal for Scotland last week - all with an unexpected level of accuracy for a simple and cheap fix. The bespoke unit may yet come, but for now....
Posted 11 years ago # -
Its_Me_Shins had his current (unsmart) phone dropped on a tiled floor resulting in some damage to the screen.
A tragic coincidence that could never have been foreseen.
Posted 11 years ago # -
We've got a Garmin Oregon 300 ( now replaced by more modern version) which we use for geocaching. We downloaded TalkyToaster's maps for free and they've proved to be great.
The GPS has been very accurate under some challenging conditions ( inside caves for example)whereas the iPhone has been some distance out ( Garmin was accurate to one foot)
It's a substantial bit of kit but has some great features which we've used outwith Geocaching. It has cycle mounts but they really seem to be a supporting flat surface and a lot of cable ties. Have to rake about to see where we got it, but it is way better than our old Etrex.Posted 11 years ago #
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