...fair enough, but truthfully, if you can read your dash guages when your riding down a gravel road, you can read the GPSMAP. Just zoom in on your location so it only covers say 2km. People ask me all the time if i can read my GPS, and the answer is i've never wished for a larger screen. The new 60csx takes cards that you can load before you leave, or at any internet cafe you encounter. I do carry a laptop that i use for camera and video editing, but as someone posted befor, you can't see the screen in the sunlight anyway...the gps you can. The GPS can take a tumble, the computer can't, and you will crash or fall over. Trust me, just try it and you'll be convinced

If you get a laptop or a CarPC sunlight on the screen won't be a problem.


Hopefully won't crash or fall over in our LC - don't forget this is a 4WD section ;-)

For me, in a car, a decent laptop setup or CarPC will always win hands down - you can do more with it and see more of the map atr a time on the screen, which is easier to read when driving along.

Yes there are security issues and you need to hide it away when you stop, which you most likely will have to do with the Garmin anyway.

As a portable backup, I have a PDA phone and a bluetooth GPS, running a cut down versions of the mapping software on the laptop.

__________________
Cheers,

Julian Voelcker
Overland Cruisers - Specialising in Land Cruiser preparation and servicing.

My apologies to everybody! I didn't notice that this was the 4WD section! Wow, if i had the luxury of travelling in a cage (oops, easy there Ron! ) I would be taking advantage of the resources you speak of. Man, who carries an open laptop on a motorcycle??
...that being said, although Worldmap, well,sucks! It has become an ever important tool for me. Most of the cities i've discovered in C and S America have not even been closo, or do not exist at all. Oddly, what has been relevant info is rivers and major cities, along with major highways (give or take a kilometer or two ). With these i can always discover my placement on my trusty old paper map with minimal effort. I've never been through Africa, but will in the future and will be looking to all of you for advice when i do. For now, i feel over my head and will be backing out of this thread. Enjoy!

Ha, ha I've seen weirder things on motorcycles - a lot of them on this site! But back to the cages, the temptation to fill them up with toys and gadgets can be hard to resist sometimes!

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

As you see there are different opinions. Some people say Garmin Worldmap is great, some think it is useless (unless you get it for free in your GPS).

The reason is that people have different needs and they ask different things from a map. For basic overland traveller, Garmin Worldmap may be OK as are Michelin 4M regional maps. On my last trip in Africa most other travellers I met just used basic Michelin regional maps, they drove on main roads and were happy. If you travel main roads mostly then no need for sophiscated navigation systems and expensive maps. You can also do without a GPS as well.

On the other hand, I like *adventure* travel and for me that means I usually pick the smallest track that takes me there. Picking a small track can make you feel like an explorer, you find places less travelled, remote and unspoiled.

So it comes down to what one really wants to do.

Hey Ollie
How you getting on with the Tecra ?

Intersesting to see - as mentioned above - everyones different needs from mapping - I have thus far kept only Mapsource/Google Earth on the laptop and used dash mounted GPS(s), good paper maps and local knowledge to get about - even on some well out of the way routes, I dont like the laptop out all the time, but I see where people are coming from if thats the set up they like.

Whichever way you do it - dont forget to enjoy the Scenery and spend some time (and money) with the Locals - IMO that is what separates an Overlander from a Tourist......

Later
Grif

__________________
Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

Hi Griff,

Loving the Tecra so far. Haven't really tested out its dropp/spilling ability (just as well!) but it is doing everything I won't fast. I am only using it for 'trip' related stuff, so not pushing it too hard so far. ONe thing has surprised me is the fingerprint scanning actually being useful. Really easy to swap between user sessions, or load up username/password combos. But I have noticed if I've been doing some manual work, or waashing up etc, it doesn't like that (on the fingerprint id'ing). I would defo recommend it for the price I paid, although haven't any toughbook/rugged laptop experience to compare it to.

As for the GPS setup, this thread has een incredibly helpful. It's amazing there are so many preferences, and what I have figured out is I need to understand what suits my eeds best.

Currently (and this is bound to change with the wind) I am thinking of using the garmin V for main navigation, with the maps etc all stored on the Tecra. I will also use the laptop for Oziexplorer when I get east of Poland. Also I'd like to get the main route in paper maps, so maybe a visit toStammfords is the order of the day.

Any thoughts or where to get world paper maps. What scale is the most appropriate?

Again - thanks everyone for contributions

__________________
Ollie

www.jollyfollies.com

Land's End to Sydney 2009

Ron,

In Africa, as Andrew said, Garmin maps may be just sufficient for major roads. These can often be driven even without a map - just follow the tarmac and if in doubt, ask the locals or take a picture of a map sketched for you with a stick in the sand. Why bother with a GPS?

Try going to places of interest in remote areas, which for most of us is the main reason to travel the world, and you will find that navigating with your shiny GPSMAP or whatever is still like it used to be in the dark ages.

Ron, have you successfully downloaded many files in African internet cafes, not even large files like maps? I am not talking about places in villages, but large towns too.

Oh, I have tried it and am convinced such trust would be, euphemistically speaking, very misplaced.

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Roman (UK)

Ollie,

I don't know what route you intend to take to Oz but thinking about it, if you are happy with a gps system that mainly will take you from town to town, out of the box so to speak, then a unit with the Garmin Worldmap may be the ticket.

I've just tried it again for India and while it again doesn't offer the detail you could get by researching and obtaining better maps, which could possibly get complicated, it may be enough for you at least as your main system, backed up with paper maps of any local areas required. SImple!

Have a look at this -
Garmin: MapSource - WorldMap


Click on the top right "Map source map viewer" and have a play to see what it can do.

Andrew.

I've just tried Worldmap for the UK and it doesn't show the town where I live - Crowborough...population 21000....

Andrew.

Get them for Africa. brilliant.

Also read about this system. Its basically a laptop that you can tear the screen away from the actual pc. The pc reacts via bluetooth to the screen which is also a touch screen.

So one could but the unit permanently behind the front seat. the Screen could then be used in a very small mount in the front or wherever you need it.

Will find out name of PC soon.

Ollie,

Should you decide that you want highly detailed maps for the whole of your trip instead of Garmin worldmap's basic details the simplest answer is use these Russian maps available from TTQV on CD. You'll need TTQV v4 to use them and download to your gps/pda/laptop.

Although in Russian, major locations are also marked in English and the level of detail is very good although IGN mpas of Africa re certainly better in this regard.

You shouldn't get lost with these!

TTQV Australia/Asia maps (Russian)
http://www.ttqv.com/download/pdf/karten_asien_e.pdf

Andrew

Wow - those maps aren't cheap are they! My god.

Must be a cheaper way of getting maps surely?

I'm off to search the net ........

thanks again Andrew. I've not ruled them out yet!

__________________
Ollie

www.jollyfollies.com

Land's End to Sydney 2009