GPS again

[Keith Willoughby]

I haven't been following the group for a while, but GPS topics cropped
up pretty often before and I guess they do still, but the state of the
art changes so often I hope you forgive me asking about it again.

I'm looking for a GPS for the bike (and also for walking), and other
things, but I'm totally bewildered by the choices. Here's what I would
like from one:

o Handlebar mountable or, at a push, worn on the wrist.

o The ability to upload routes to it, that I've plotted on Google
Earth/Maps or something equally free, and for it to direct me along
the route. Preferably a USB connection.

o The ability to download tracks from it to view on Earth/Maps, with
speed and elevation/climb data a plus, and also for uploading to the
OpenStreetmap project. I was thinking of trying to map all the streets
in my area, so a decent number of track points would be a plus.

o The ability to get my current position from the GPS in OS grid form,
or easily translatable to it, so I can use a paper OS map

o Related to that, something suitable for geocaching, which looks
pretty interesting. I see that some of them use cryptic computed grid
positions - do any of the GPSes allow you to enter a waypoint
grid reference manually in the field?

o A display of current speed/elevation. Barometric altimeter a plus.

o 8+ hour battery life, or removable batteries if less than that



What I'm not bothered about, although it would be a plus, I guess, is
actual mapping. It looks like the quality of maps you get on them is
pretty poor (I see many of them don't have rights of way), and I'm not
likely to pay big money for the expensive maps. If there was a GPS
unit that did everything else I wanted and also allowed me to upload
the OpenStreetMap stuff to it, that might be nice.

I'm not particularly looking for any training functions.

The snag is that it must be available from Amazon.co.uk (and
sold by them, not on one of their zShop/Marketplace partners) for
complicated gift certificate reasons. If there was something that
could do all this for less than a hundred quid, I'd be happy, but I
could probably stretch to 150.

Thanks in advance.

--
Keith Willoughby

[Andy]

Most GPS will allow you to do everything that you mention (with
exception of mapping). Anything in the Garmin eTrex range would fit the
bill, and vary in price from <100 to about 200 GBP depending on model
and features. Garmin website has an pretty handy comparison tool, and
Amazon sell most of them.

Since you mention Geocaching, I would suggest one with built-in
electronic compass too since that works when you're below a certain speed.

Apparently you can get Openstreetmaps maps onto the mapping etrexes, but
I've not tried this... yet!

--
Andy.

[Danny Colyer]

On 27/04/2008 09:22, Andy wrote:
> Apparently you can get Openstreetmaps maps onto the mapping etrexes, but
> I've not tried this... yet!

I loaded the OSM UK map onto my eTrex Venture Cx with no problems. You
must have a Micro SD card (which you'll need to buy separately, my 1GB
was £7.99 from play.com, they're £4.99 now) installed in order to do
this. You'll also need a suitable USB cable, which there's a good
chance you'll already have if you have a digital camera.

The map's not complete, but it seems to include most of the streets in
Bristol. At the time I downloaded it the map didn't include the road
that I live on. It does now.

You can get the map here:
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download

There's also a UK cycle map, which I haven't looked at.

--
Danny Colyer <http://www.redpedals.co.uk>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"The plural of anecdote is not data" - Frank Kotsonis

[Tim Dunne]

"Keith Willoughby" > wrote in message
...

> The snag is that it must be available from Amazon.co.uk (and
> sold by them, not on one of their zShop/Marketplace partners) for
> complicated gift certificate reasons. If there was something that
> could do all this for less than a hundred quid, I'd be happy, but I
> could probably stretch to 150.
>
> Thanks in advance.


Find one of the Garmin GPS60 series. I've been using one with a handlebar
mount for three years - resilient, waterproof, does everything you want.
They start with mono non-mapping versions (still do OS grid) to full mapping
colour versions. I use a GPSmap 60cSX and battery life is 20 odd hors on 2
AA's.

HTH

Tim
--
We got a thousand points of light | Greetings from Birmingham, UK
For the homeless man | All about me: www.nervouscyclist.org
We got a kinder, gentler, | Is your ISP pimping your data?
Machine gun hand Neil Young | www.badphorm.co.uk

[Mark T[_2_]]

Keith Willoughby writtificated

> I'm looking for a GPS for the bike (and also for walking), and other
> things, but I'm totally bewildered by the choices. Here's what I would
> like from one:

Next months issue of PC Pro has a group review of GPS units for walkers,
cyclists etc.

[Keith Willoughby]

Mark T <pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_r eply*.com.invalid> writes:

> Keith Willoughby writtificated
>
> > I'm looking for a GPS for the bike (and also for walking), and
> > other things, but I'm totally bewildered by the choices. Here's
> > what I would like from one:
>
> Next months issue of PC Pro has a group review of GPS units for
> walkers, cyclists etc.

Nice, thanks! And thanks to everyone else who has responded. I'm still
finding it hard to fine one unit that has it all, but it looks like
I'd find it hard to make a bad mistake - they do all seem to do the
basics of what I want.

[rothers]

On Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:54:40 GMT, Keith Willoughby > wrote:

>Mark T <pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_r eply*.com.invalid> writes:
>
>> Keith Willoughby writtificated
>>
>> > I'm looking for a GPS for the bike (and also for walking), and
>> > other things, but I'm totally bewildered by the choices. Here's
>> > what I would like from one:
>>
>> Next months issue of PC Pro has a group review of GPS units for
>> walkers, cyclists etc.
>
>Nice, thanks! And thanks to everyone else who has responded. I'm still
>finding it hard to fine one unit that has it all, but it looks like
>I'd find it hard to make a bad mistake - they do all seem to do the
>basics of what I want.

If you want proper full OS mapping have a look at the RA7000, Satmap, a Windows
Smartphone or Rugidised PDAs, some good info here:

http://www.memory-map.co.uk/board/index.php?s=43e7450aa36df30562f86f15a16c9411&showforum=22

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewforum&f=16

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewforum&f=133

I've got a RA7000, it's not perfect but with an external battery pack it does me
fine. Main advantage was I'd already got Memory Map PC with an extensive range
of maps so didn't need to buy any mapping, just the basic RA7000 navigator (can
be had cheap on E-Bay).

If you rhappy to do without OS maping then some of the Garmin units are avilable
with Topo maping:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=160

Edge 605 and 705 look especially nice.

Or even the new Colorado:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=145&pID=11019

Cheers

Neil

[Sam Salt]

Keith Willoughby wrote:
> I haven't been following the group for a while, but GPS topics cropped
> up pretty often before and I guess they do still, but the state of the
> art changes so often I hope you forgive me asking about it again.
>
> I'm looking for a GPS for the bike (and also for walking), and other
> things, but I'm totally bewildered by the choices. Here's what I would
> like from one:
>
> o Handlebar mountable or, at a push, worn on the wrist.
>
> o The ability to upload routes to it, that I've plotted on Google
> Earth/Maps or something equally free, and for it to direct me along
> the route. Preferably a USB connection.
>
> o The ability to download tracks from it to view on Earth/Maps, with
> speed and elevation/climb data a plus, and also for uploading to the
> OpenStreetmap project. I was thinking of trying to map all the streets
> in my area, so a decent number of track points would be a plus.
>
> o The ability to get my current position from the GPS in OS grid form,
> or easily translatable to it, so I can use a paper OS map
>
> o Related to that, something suitable for geocaching, which looks
> pretty interesting. I see that some of them use cryptic computed grid
> positions - do any of the GPSes allow you to enter a waypoint
> grid reference manually in the field?
>
> o A display of current speed/elevation. Barometric altimeter a plus.
>
> o 8+ hour battery life, or removable batteries if less than that
>
>
>
> What I'm not bothered about, although it would be a plus, I guess, is
> actual mapping. It looks like the quality of maps you get on them is
> pretty poor (I see many of them don't have rights of way), and I'm not
> likely to pay big money for the expensive maps. If there was a GPS
> unit that did everything else I wanted and also allowed me to upload
> the OpenStreetMap stuff to it, that might be nice.
>
> I'm not particularly looking for any training functions.
>
> The snag is that it must be available from Amazon.co.uk (and
> sold by them, not on one of their zShop/Marketplace partners) for
> complicated gift certificate reasons. If there was something that
> could do all this for less than a hundred quid, I'd be happy, but I
> could probably stretch to 150.
>
> Thanks in advance.

As a previous poster suggested I would opt for the Garmin 60CSx.I have
the 60CS which along with UK Topo does all you desire.

Unfortunately I can't seem to get along with it on the tandem ( fine for
walking and the car ).Perhaps it is the small screen I don't know but I
much prefer a paper map ( usually printed out from Memory-Map ).

So perhaps it might be as well to try and borrow one or give it some
deep thought before splashing the cash if you only want it for cycling.

Sam Salt


---
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[[email protected]]

On Apr 27, 9:19*pm, Sam Salt >
wrote:
> Unfortunately I can't seem to get along with it on the tandem ( fine for
> walking and the car ).Perhaps it is the small screen I don't know but I
> much prefer a paper map ( usually printed out from Memory-Map ).

Is it on the pilot or stoker's bars? The stoker has much more time to
look at it, fiddle with controls, etc.

I found this site very useful http://www.soi.city.ac.uk/~jwo/landserf/audax/
for explaining different ways of using a gps on a bike.

Rob

[[email protected]]

On Apr 27, 11:22 am, Danny Colyer > wrote:
> On 27/04/2008 09:22, Andy wrote:
>
> > Apparently you can get Openstreetmaps maps onto the mapping etrexes, but
> > I've not tried this... yet!
>
> I loaded the OSM UK map onto my eTrex Venture Cx with no problems. You
> must have a Micro SD card (which you'll need to buy separately, my 1GB
> was £7.99 from play.com, they're £4.99 now) installed in order to do
> this. You'll also need a suitable USB cable, which there's a good
> chance you'll already have if you have a digital camera.
>
You don't _need_ the usb cable - you can put the micro-SD card into a
card reader (mine came with adapters so it can be used in a standard
SD card reader. (If you want to transfer a lot of data to or from the
card then this is faster for me)

I think I've got the etrex legend HCx.

I'd recommend the high sensitivity chipsets (the H). I wouldn't bother
with the electronic compass (I've also got an old summit) as I find,
especially on the bike, it's _extremely_ inaccurate (often out by 90
degrees plus) - probably due to the steel in the bike even if I
callibrate it while it's on the bike.

If you want to do OSM mapping then get the legend or vista with the
micro-SD card. You've basically got unlimited trackpoints (only so
many thousand are recorded in the unit itself where you can see it on
its display but it also writes a gpx? file to the sd card)

One negative - mine doesn't have NMEA output. (I think there's some
open source stuff now to achieve that but I haven't investigated it).
This is a pain if you want to link the gps up to a laptop with
realtime tracking. My old summit does have NMEA but it doesn't have
the new high sensitivity chipset and cannot take external power (other
than by a mod of the battery compartment)

Tim.

[Craig Wallace]

wrote:
> On Apr 27, 11:22 am, Danny Colyer > wrote:
>> On 27/04/2008 09:22, Andy wrote:
>>
>>> Apparently you can get Openstreetmaps maps onto the mapping etrexes, but
>>> I've not tried this... yet!
>> I loaded the OSM UK map onto my eTrex Venture Cx with no problems. You
>> must have a Micro SD card (which you'll need to buy separately, my 1GB
>> was £7.99 from play.com, they're £4.99 now) installed in order to do
>> this. You'll also need a suitable USB cable, which there's a good
>> chance you'll already have if you have a digital camera.
>>
> You don't _need_ the usb cable - you can put the micro-SD card into a
> card reader (mine came with adapters so it can be used in a standard
> SD card reader. (If you want to transfer a lot of data to or from the
> card then this is faster for me)

A card reader lets you send maps to the card, or read tracks (as GPX
files) from the card (assuming you have set "log track to card" to on).
But its not possible to transfer routes or waypoints to or from from GPS
unit with a card reader, or transfer tracks to the GPS (at least it
isn't on my eTrex Venture Cx, I assume the other eTrexes are similar).

The cables are available rather cheaply on eBay etc anyway (look for USB
A to mini B).

[al Mossah]

Keith Willoughby wrote:


>
> I'm looking for a GPS for the bike (and also for walking), and other
> things, but I'm totally bewildered by the choices. Here's what I would
> like from one:
>
As a runner and cyclist, I upgraded to the Garmin Forerunner 305.
Here's how it stacks up against your spec.

o Handlebar mountable or, at a push, worn on the wrist.
Yes; I clip the strap using a device from SJS Cycles, Bridgwater.
It's also wrist-mountable. It seems more accurate mounted on the
bike.

o The ability to upload routes to it, that I've plotted on Google
Earth/Maps or something equally free, and for it to direct me along
the route. Preferably a USB connection.
Yes.

o The ability to download tracks from it to view on Earth/Maps, with
speed and elevation/climb data a plus, and also for uploading to the
OpenStreetmap project. I was thinking of trying to map all the streets
in my area, so a decent number of track points would be a plus.
Download from GPS s/w - Yes; I use GPS Utility. Never used OSM.

o The ability to get my current position from the GPS in OS grid form,
or easily translatable to it, so I can use a paper OS map
No. Only lat and long.

o Related to that, something suitable for geocaching, which looks
pretty interesting. I see that some of them use cryptic computed grid
positions - do any of the GPSes allow you to enter a waypoint
grid reference manually in the field?
Don't know.

o A display of current speed/elevation. Barometric altimeter a plus.
Yes. I think elevation is done through GPS. But it can be very
accurate; it got the top of Pen-y-Fan spot on the other week.

o 8+ hour battery life, or removable batteries if less than that
12 hours, IIRC.

Pluses; it's a very sensitive radio compared to the older Forerunners
(the 101/201/301); works well under trees.
Minuses: Its display is very poor; you don't want to be relying on it
to navigate you through a forest in poor visibility if you've lost
your glasses!. But if you've got your route and waypoints in it, it
gives you an audible alert plus a big arrow to point to the new
bearing.

Summary: As a runner's device, it's pretty usable on a bike and for
hill walking. Also has a heart-rate monitor. If you don't need this,
the 205 is cheaper.

Peter.