your favorite GPS...and why

G

Geoff in Philly

Joined
Mar 7, 2000
Messages
458
What do you think is the most convenient, durable,reliable and versatile? Are some brands to be avoided. Your thoughts are always welcomed.

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Garmin 12...Reason-Basic, cheap $, and "rather" rugged (kept up with me so far)
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GPS's are very much like computers, though; new models and options are coming out all the time, so its hard to keep up.
 
So far, I only have the kind that you use with a laptop. I just recently replaced the one that came with the DeLorme software with a Garmin G35. It's great! Lightening fast acquisition of multiple signals. The only problem is that it has to be plugged in to a 12volt "cigarette lighter" socket. That's fine in my pickup, since there's two sockets. In the car, I plug the voltage inverter into the socket, plug a power strip into that, plug in the laptop and a converter back to 12volt, and plug the GPS into the 12volt converter. Hey, it works!

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Protect your Right to Keep and Bear Arms!
Second Amendment Sisters
 
Y'know, Ewok, you can get a thing at Radio Shack that plugs into the lighter socket, then has multiple (2 or 3, generally) sockets, kinda like those things you plug in outlets at home to get multiple sockets from one.

--JB

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e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
I just bought and am reading a great book called Understanding GPS by Letham, Mountaineering Press...it is technical, readable and informative.
 
you can get a thing at Radio Shack that plugs into the lighter socket
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Yeah, that would work too. I also wanted to be able to use the GPS in the house, just to be able to set my route start without being in the car, and to monitor the SA situation.

I'm probably going to buy another GPS soon.
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Protect your Right to Keep and Bear Arms!
Second Amendment Sisters

[This message has been edited by Ewok (edited 05-17-2000).]
 
Gentlemen; your assistance please. I am in the market for a GPS device, but am somewhat confused.

Some models offer DGPS (Directional GPS); this was a method of decreasing the dithering (error) purposely introduced into the satellite signals so that your location could not be determined as precisely as possible without the dithering. DGPS involved contacting a land directional beacon, and interperolating your position from its' input together with the GPS data.

Now that the gov't has stopped dithering (well in GPS broadcasts anyway), is DGPS a desireable feature anymore?

Thanks in advance, Walt
 
DGPS is differential GPS, not "directional." It uses more than one receiver, figures out the error, and corrects for it. AFAIK, it is still desirable. For instance, I still see the elevation wandering around, even with SA turned off. With a DGPS system, you could probably get a better fix.

There's an experiment in using a signal over the net for DGPS. If you search for DGPS, you'll get lots more info.

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Protect your Right to Keep and Bear Arms!
Second Amendment Sisters

[This message has been edited by Ewok (edited 05-21-2000).]
 
EWOK; I stand corrected. Differential GPS it is. I am still confused as to why it would still be useful, however. Here is the URL I looked at:
http://coverage.cnet.com/Content/Gadgets/Techno/GPS/ss01.html

And here is what they said:

DGPS

Fortunately for you, SA errors can be greatly decreased with Differential GPS (DGPS). First implemented by the U.S. Coast Guard, DGPS incorporates a second signal from a nearby land-based beacon. Since the beacon is fixed at an exact location, it can calculate its distance from the GPS satellite without worrying about errors in the original GPS signal--it already knows where it is.

When connected to a GPS reciever, a DGPS receiver picks up the information from the beacon, compares it to the readout on the GPS receiver, calculates the error, and makes the proper adjustments to the location. The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operate the DGPS beacons, so the signals are free. But DGPS receivers cost extra, and you must already own a GPS receiver that is DGPS-ready.
Click to expand...

This I interpt as meaning that DGPS is a cure for SA. Since SA, aka dithering, no longer exists, what utility is the DGPS?? It would seem that you believe that there is an existing uncertainty in the GPS system, above and beyond what the accepted standard is.

I await enlightenment. Walt
 
Perusing this site:
http://www.computerworld.com/home/print.nsf/all/990628B132

I found this very interesting information:

I tested three products that embody the latest in GPS for business users. Garmin International Inc.'s NavTalk is a combination cell phone/GPS receiver (by 2002, all cell phones must have GPS for emergencies, the Federal Communications Commission says).

...All cell phones will eventually have GPS chips so emergency calls can be traced.
Click to expand...

This is the first I have heard of this, can anyone comment?? VERRY interesting!! Walt

[This message has been edited by Walt Welch (edited 05-21-2000).]
 
I don't know if they make hand held units but Northstar is head and shoulders above anything else made for a boat.Durable,reliable and user friendly.
 
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