How to work with GPS

[ahkeong_m]

Hi

I got no idea on the GPS, but after getting some info regarding the benefit of it if i carry it along with my RTW motorbike i think it will be a very useful tool. So hope you guys may give me some advise:

1. Any good recomendation of a good GPS gadget? clear at day time and sharp at night view.
2. Is that the GPS real time with our current position not matter where we are? even in the desert?
3. Is that we need to pre-load the related area map so that the GPS gadget can show where we are? if it is, how can it do that since it seems like we cut it in the middle way and want it point out where is the way we should go....
4. Will the map shows up even in the undeveloped area such as Myanmar? or as long we got the softcopy of map, it will works? if like that how could we get all the map because no body will go and develop the non-profit area
5. Will we need to pay for the use of satelite for positioning?


Hope kindness from you to answer my doubts

ahkeong

[Desert Rat]

It will work anywhere where the signal is not disturbed by buildings or overhead cover (ie: it does not work inside a building or where tree cover is too dense) In most units you need at least visibility/connection to 3 Satelites to get a fix. You only pay once for the unit, no subscriptions. The units whether Garmin or Magellan or any other will tell you where you are real time and to an accuracy of a few meters.
On the map issue , that gets a little more complex. Some units have the capability of downloading Maps other don't. You do not get Maps of all the countries/areas you want. But you can use third party software to down load waypoints etc on your unit. Best is to use a Paper map in conjunction with your GPS in countries where dedicated software maps are not available. Hope this helps. Try this site for some basic tutorials. Have fun!
http://www.trimble.com/gps/index.shtml

[a1arn]

Unfortunately, this is a slightly complex topic, and unless you read up a bit, you'll stay in the dark.

Lots of informative pages if you google for it. There are a lot of factors involved in choosing you GPS, and you have to know what is important to you - and what you can do without.

Quite a lot of great info on this site too, including some good links.

[ahkeong_m]

Originally Posted by a1arn

Unfortunately, this is a slightly complex topic, and unless you read up a bit, you'll stay in the dark.

Lots of informative pages if you google for it. There are a lot of factors involved in choosing you GPS, and you have to know what is important to you - and what you can do without.

Quite a lot of great info on this site too, including some good links.

a1arn

Thanks for your suggestion, will look through Desert Rat recommend website.

What GPS system that you are using now? can share some experience?

[Frank Warner]

If you want maps then you have to look at what areas of the world you want to cover. Garmin coverage looks to be better world wide.. but Magellan has better maps in some places .. there are more Gramin 'free' maps available for different places around the world.. if all depends on where you want to go

For my Africa/Europe/Asia trip I have a Garmin 60Cx .. the 'x' means it takes flash memory cards .. on one card I have Africa, 2 cards to do east and west Europe, and another card for Asia.. the number of cards reflects the quantity of data avalible.

"How far from a place" yes - they will do that .. but as the crow fly’s and only to places on their internal map.. I was 3 km out in 90 km from where I snapped a swing arm pivot pin to the next 'town' .. that 'town' was a mining operation .. it closed 2 weeks prior to my arrival .. only a caretaker there.. 3 year previous it was a booming operation looking at opening another site some km away... things change ..maps (of any description) are always out of date.

[Lone Rider]

They are neat gadgets, but what will it do for you...really?

Just to have one, OK...

They can supplement basic navigation very well, if that's what you're seeking.

[a1arn]

Originally Posted by ahkeong_m

a1arn

Thanks for your suggestion, will look through Desert Rat recommend website.

What GPS system that you are using now? can share some experience?

I have a Garmin legend C.

I needed something small (usable for trekking as well) with a reasonable colour display, and battery life was very important. It has auto routing as well, which I have not used, as there are no routable maps for India.

It is not a substitute for a paper map, but I have used it to navigate to places where I have already been using waypoints and the trackback feature. It also makes a very handy trip computer for the bike (avg speeds, compass etc).

Even though there is no autorouting, you can transfer co ordinates from something like wikimapia to it and make waypoints - which can be subsequently be used for ROUGH navigation - you'll reach within a 200m radius, using the bearing.

All in all, I've found it pretty useful, - at least one can backtrack and extricate oneself from wherever (urban or rural) if lost.

[ahkeong_m]

Originally Posted by Desert Rat

It will work anywhere where the signal is not disturbed by buildings or overhead cover (ie: it does not work inside a building or where tree cover is too dense) In most units you need at least visibility/connection to 3 Satelites to get a fix. You only pay once for the unit, no subscriptions. The units whether Garmin or Magellan or any other will tell you where you are real time and to an accuracy of a few meters.
On the map issue , that gets a little more complex. Some units have the capability of downloading Maps other don't. You do not get Maps of all the countries/areas you want. But you can use third party software to down load waypoints etc on your unit. Best is to use a Paper map in conjunction with your GPS in countries where dedicated software maps are not available. Hope this helps. Try this site for some basic tutorials. Have fun!
http://www.trimble.com/gps/index.shtml

Desert Rat

Thanks for your answer.

So if i really cant get the map even through thrid party software, will it show up anything? i mean where am i, how far to nearest city, stay connected with others by telling my actual position?

And as i know, some Garmen GPS gadget does support satelite radio, is it also free? can the radio used as local radio receiver?

thanks