Vehicle-mounted GPS units

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Do you use a GPS while driving?

Frequently
12
33%
Occasionally
17
47%
Never
7
19%
 
Total votes : 36

Postby tncaver » Dec 26, 2007 9:51 am

No dought. Probably already are. It's the internet broadcasting
locations to everyone that is scary. Hopefully there will never
be a GPS - CD download of cave locations available to the general
public.
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Postby Wayne Harrison » Dec 26, 2007 10:53 am

On some GPS's you can input your own POI (Points of Interest) to your receiver and there are already sites that have downloadable POI files (like all the Starbucks and Speed Camera locations):

http://www.gps-data-team.com/poi/
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Postby Squirrel Girl » Dec 26, 2007 11:04 am

Wayne Harrison wrote:On some GPS's you can input your own POI (Points of Interest) to your receiver and there are already sites that have downloadable POI files (like all the Starbucks and Speed Camera locations):

http://www.gps-data-team.com/poi/
That's one of the reason I thought it would be cool to get a GPS.

I might add, that this is something I see very useful because I live next to a huge metro area that I only venture into now and again. I may or may not think it would be so useful in New Mexico. Though knowing how far to the next Stuckies might be useful on the interstates.

I just see it running amok wrt caves, tho.
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Postby NZcaver » Dec 26, 2007 11:17 am

Let's not turn this into *another* cave locations thread, folks...

We're talking about which vehicle GPS units we prefer and why.

POI's are definitely on-topic, though. I'm amazed at the number and variety of those things they managed to cram into my new Garmin.
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Postby tncaver » Dec 26, 2007 11:46 am

I see no problem with individual cave POI's on any GPS. Lets just hope
there is never a commercially available disk to specifically download cave locations to GPS units.
Garmin Eterex Legend allows input of POI's and has the optional vehicle
dash mount. However, it does not talk which means it would be best
used by a passenger or while parked if checking map or compass
directions. The screen is too small to be practical while driving. There
is an optional 12 volt adaptor cable available. So, although it could be
used both outdoors and in vehicles, it is not as safe to use in a vehicle
as a talking unit. Outdoors it is very compact and is water resistent.
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Postby Wayne Harrison » Dec 26, 2007 2:41 pm

Love my Garmin C340 it's been discontinued for the Nuvi series).

Took my wife and daughter to the Denver airport today to catch a flight and had the estimated time of arrival continually updating as we drove the 45 miles. It allowed me to adjust my speed lower because it showed we would make it with time to spare. Arrived within 1 minute of the ETA shown on the GPS. On the way home, I found a Starbucks just off the highway that I didn't know was there before by using the Starbucks POI addition!
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Postby tropicalbats » Dec 26, 2007 10:25 pm

Wayne,

Um, if the GPS is continually updating the ETA, wouldn't one suppose that it should have an ETA within a minute of actual arrival, given that it just updated as you drove up to the airport?

Cheers,

Keith
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Re: Vehicle-mounted GPS units

Postby Kevin Bruff » Dec 30, 2007 7:23 pm

the magellan crossover is the best of both worlds, you can mount it in the car and use it for navigation, and then input gps coordinates into it and take it hiking.

i got my parents the the magellan roadmate 1200 for xmas and they and i love it...very easy to use and pretty cheap. only thing it doesnt let you do is input gps coords. if you want to be able to do that then you have to get the magellan crossover
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Re: Vehicle-mounted GPS units

Postby Scott Parvin » Jan 2, 2008 4:15 pm

I've enjoyed my Garmin Nuvi 350. It has great maps that are suprisingly accurate. Garmin also has VERY good customer support. I have never had anything other than prompt friendly service. I also own the Garmin 60CSx for hiking, caving, and geocaching.
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