GPS.... is not equal to another GPS

[KSXJ]

I do all of that with my Magellan Crossover....and it works pretty well for me. It has a street mode (turn-by-turn), topographic mode (tracks, waypoints, geocaching, etc...), and even a marine mode (I have not used this mode, as I don't fish or have a boat)

so you didn't have to load any more software for the topo to work?

 

[IntrepidXJ]

so you didn't have to load any more software for the topo to work?

nope....the Topo of North America comes pre-loaded on the device.

 

[XJCreeper]

I have a Garmin Rino 120, no colour screen (520 out now does tho) built in radio (FRS/GMRS) and is centered on handheld, clipped to your belt, carried use. But I have a CB mount on my dash that it sits perfectly in. Other than being small for a 'view while driving' unit it still quite good for that too. I haven't figured out if or how to have it stick to the roads, but I can use my Canada TOPO Map on my computer, program the road route I wish to take where ever I go and it will send me on my merry way.
On in the bush it gets rather good reception, will keep my tracks for upload later and update my TOPO map to show where I have gone.
Added bonus of this model is when I head out with others that have this GPS, with a single squelch (radio feature) I can show my buddies where I am on there screen, and they can show me where they are. Handy when hunting in the bush, running dogs, or when you live near a buddy but don't feel like phoning all the time... if its left on.

X2. I've got the rino 160 and love it for all the same reasons. Plus you can get a 9 pin serial adapter to sycronize maps & data with the garmin maps from you old laptop.

 

[XJedi23]

Sorry for the hijack but...

Just curious what type of mount other Carmin GPSMAP 60 and 76 use in their vehicles?

 

[IllianaXJ]

Dad and I were GPS shopping online on Thanksgiving, mainly for him. He was looking for one for his motorcycle. We settled on either the Magellan Crossover or the TomTom Rider.

The TomTom has a couple neat features for motorcycle use that may not cross over to Jeep use, like a Bluetooth headpiece for turn-by-turn directions.

I was trying to get him to buy the Magellan so I can borrow it for Jeepin/geocache trips

 

[ROOK1]

Here is what I have. Magellan Explorist 500 with the Travler Bundle (car mount, detailed road maps and car power supply) I am able to store tons of maps on the SD card. I can get Topo maps if I would like but I have only to a few places that haven't been on the maps and most forest roads have been on my maps. It has point to point or turn by turn directions as well as reroute option, backtrack option, geocache as well as thousands of preinstalled points of interest (gas stations, shopping, restraunts......) I am sure there are other features I have forgotten too. Overall good GPS unit for the day to day street driver as well as the off road, hiking and fishing person.

 

[FishPOET]

Here are the 2 most important things I think a GPS suited to Jeep use should be able to do.
1) Automatically generate a route from point A to point B, using roads stored on maps that you can easily download to the unit.

2) For those situations where the cartographers don't know about the roads/trails you use: The ability to download a track or route from saved from a previous trip, from the internet, or even made from scratch on your computer (all of which I have done with Garmin GPS's), put said track/route in your GPS and have it route you to where you want to go.

If you are running Trail A you can manually input the trail into your GPSr at home and have the GPSr follow the route. Many of todays GPSrs have that capability.

But...If you get to Trail A and the sign reads "Road closed due to wash out" and the group decides to run Trail B, does your GPSr have the capabilities to create a route on the fly for you to follow? Unless you loaded Trail B into your GPSr at home, I don't think so.

Although many GPSrs can autoroute onroad quite accurately, I have not used any GPSr that has the software to autoroute from topo maps. It has been my experience that the cartographers who created Garmin topo only programmed "major" trails (fire roads) and left off most of the trails that we run. And since Garmin has proprietary software, you cannot choose to download a 2nd party topo software with the minor trails.

Although I have never owned or used one, if I were in the market for a large screen offroad GPSr I would go with Lowrance 540c. It is baja tested tough and capable.

If I was in the market for an offroad handheld I might give the new DeLorme GPSrs a try. Their topo software is universally well liked and the early reviews on the PN-20 are good.

 

[Handlebars]

Thanks, beakie, Randy and Chris for giving your first-hand experience with your GPS units.

If you are running Trail A you can manually input the trail into your GPSr at home and have the GPSr follow the route. Many of todays GPSrs have that capability.

But...If you get to Trail A and the sign reads "Road closed due to wash out" and the group decides to run Trail B, does your GPSr have the capabilities to create a route on the fly for you to follow? Unless you loaded Trail B into your GPSr at home, I don't think so.

This makes no sense. You are expecting any GPS to auto-route on a trail that is not on its map? I have been wheeling long enough to know that the places I love to drive are usually not on any map. That is why I feel any GPS that is to be used in a Jeep must have the ability to accept tracks from other sources and be able to route you on them.

For those times when I don't have a road to auto-route with, or a track saved that I can follow, yes I can punch in waypoints and manually create a route. It is merely a series of straight lines connecting however many waypoints I put in the unit. This I can do in the field, here is an example of just such a situation:

Although many GPSrs can autoroute onroad quite accurately, I have not used any GPSr that has the software to autoroute from topo maps. It has been my experience that the cartographers who created Garmin topo only programmed "major" trails (fire roads) and left off most of the trails that we run.

Garmin Mapsource National Parks Topo 24k will let you auto route any of the roads or trails on its map, you should check it out. It only covers a small part of the U.S, luckily many of the places I go, such as Moab, are covered. Here is an autoroute of a road using that software:

And since Garmin has proprietary software, you cannot choose to download a 2nd party topo software with the minor trails.

I have not needed this since I have the ability to find tracks on the internet and download them to my GPS and follow them. A couple of my favorite places to find tracks:

http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php
http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

I :heart: .gpx files!

Although I have never owned or used one, if I were in the market for a large screen offroad GPSr I would go with Lowrance 540c. It is baja tested tough and capable.

If I was in the market for an offroad handheld I might give the new DeLorme GPSrs a try. Their topo software is universally well liked and the early reviews on the PN-20 are good.

Is that another sound bite from the Lowrance website? I still don't understand why people who have never used one endorse it.

I feel the future for trail sharing will be the swapping of .gpx files over the internet. People who write maps of any kind wield a surprising amount of power over where you or I go. The environmental groups know this, why do you think they drag the USFS and the BLM into court so often? The ability for any person with a GPS to map trails with their own equipment and submit them as part of the legal planning process will become more important as various resouce management plans come up for review.

Can any of you Magellan, Delorme or TomTom GPS users extract routes, waypoints and tracks from a .gpx file to load in to your GPS? It would be nice to be able to share trails with you.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Can any of you Magellan, Delorme or TomTom GPS users extract routes, waypoints and tracks from a .gpx file to load in to your GPS? It would be nice to be able to share trails with you.

I can into my Crossover. However, it's not as simple of a process as it is on a Garmin. I must convert it from GPX to the format that the Magellan recognizes. It's an extra step, but that really doesn't bother me too much.

I do really like your Zumo.....and had I known about it when I bought my Crossover, I probably would have had a hard time deciding between them. But overall, I am very happy with the Crossover

 

[FishPOET]

Thanks, beakie, Randy and Chris for giving your first-hand experience with your GPS units.

I have owned a Garmin 12, Garmin 12XL, Garmin V, Garmin GPSMap60cs and a Magellan Sport Trak Pro in the last 10 years.

I have worked on many GIS projects for the USFS with a gentleman who was on the team that wrote the original software for Garmin maps. This gentleman has also created a special map set for Garmin GPSrs with EVERY trail in the San Bernardino National Forest.

I teach map, compass and GPS classes for the USFS.

My girlfriend was a west coast distributor of Lowrance products for a short time.

Do I need more first hand experience necessary to participate in a GPS thread?

Garmin Mapsource National Parks Topo 24k will let you auto route any of the roads or trails on its map, you should check it out. It only covers a small part of the U.S, luckily many of the places I go, such as Moab, are covered.

Lucky for you. What is everyone else supposed to use for topo mpas on Garmin where their coverage sucks?

I have not needed this since I have the ability to find tracks on the internet and download them to my GPS and follow them. A couple of my favorite places to find tracks:

http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php
http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

I :heart: .gpx files!

You are assuming that GPX files will not work on a Lowrance 540c?

I :heart: .gpx files as well. I have uploaded many .gpx files, as well as topo maps for ANY Jeeper to use on any GPSr that works with waypoints, tracks and routes. Are you assuming that a Lowrance 540c does not work with waypoints, tracks and routes?

This is my favorite website for exchanging .gpx files and sharing topo maps.
http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=50

Is that another sound bite from the Lowrance website? I still don't understand why people who have never used one endorse it.

Why does anyone become so "brand specific" (Garmin) that they are not able to see the virtues of other brands? I was honest with everyone in letting them know that although I have never used a Lowrance 540c, I would not hesitate to purchase the unit if I was looking for a GPSr that size.

I feel the future for trail sharing will be the swapping of .gpx files over the internet.

Hey we agree on something

Can any of you Magellan, Delorme or TomTom GPS users extract routes, waypoints and tracks from a .gpx file to load in to your GPS? It would be nice to be able to share trails with you.

The answer is yes.

My favorite site for working with GPS and mapping files is
http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/gpsbabel/convert

It is a user friendly interface for converting multiple file types using GPSBabel. I recommend anyone interested in using or sharing files to become familiar with GPSBabel. It is a powerful tool.

 

[Fish'nCarz]

http://gpstracklog.typepad.com/gps_tracklog/2007/01/delorme_earthma.html

DeLorme sells aerial photo data you can use as a layer on your PN20, and their mapping software just went from 6.0 to 7.0 last month. Aeriel photo images are pricey now, but you can see tons of detail that the maps don't show. They cost a quarter per square mile now, but look for the price to come down as more units are sold.

Check out the web site above for some good, detailed, comparisons to Garmin.

 

[Handlebars]

My favorite site for working with GPS and mapping files is
http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/gpsbabel/convert

It is a user friendly interface for converting multiple file types using GPSBabel. I recommend anyone interested in using or sharing files to become familiar with GPSBabel. It is a powerful tool.

First of all, thanks for sharing this link. I just converted a National Geographic Topo track into a .gpx file! I have a bunch of stuff I saved on NG Topo from before I realized I would be better off having it in a format that I could put into my GPS. You have made my life much better just by posting that gem of a website.

This is my favorite website for exchanging .gpx files and sharing topo maps.
http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=50

I love what you have done there! My whole point of prodding information out of you guys is to make something similar on . I want to know if the average user will be able to make real world use of track files posted here. I have a bunch of Moab trails saved in .gpx, I can also make .pdf maps that should print out nicely on an 8.5x11 piece of paper for people without GPS units. Those seemed like the 2 easiest ways to make trails available to anyone with average computer skills.

Lucky for you. What is everyone else supposed to use for topo mpas on Garmin where their coverage sucks?

I don't expect any map to be 100% correct. Nor do I expect any map to show all of the roads/trails that are actually on the ground. It is obvious to me that you don't really expect this either after seeing all of the work you have contributed here: http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=50.

I have owned a Garmin 12, Garmin 12XL, Garmin V, Garmin GPSMap60cs and a Magellan Sport Trak Pro in the last 10 years.

I have worked on many GIS projects for the USFS with a gentleman who was on the team that wrote the original software for Garmin maps. This gentleman has also created a special map set for Garmin GPSrs with EVERY trail in the San Bernardino National Forest.

I teach map, compass and GPS classes for the USFS.

My girlfriend was a west coast distributor of Lowrance products for a short time.

Do I need more first hand experience necessary to participate in a GPS thread?

Your experience is very much welcome! Everything I have learned about using a GPS came the hard way- by going out and trying to figure out how to get my device to tell me what I want to know. It is nice to talk with someone who can teach me something new... like you just did with your GPS Visualizer link.

You are assuming that GPX files will not work on a Lowrance 540c?

I :heart: .gpx files as well. I have uploaded many .gpx files, as well as topo maps for ANY Jeeper to use on any GPSr that works with waypoints, tracks and routes. Are you assuming that a Lowrance 540c does not work with waypoints, tracks and routes?

You are assuming that GPX files will not work on a Lowrance 540c?

Why does anyone become so "brand specific" (Garmin) that they are not able to see the virtues of other brands? I was honest with everyone in letting them know that although I have never used a Lowrance 540c, I would not hesitate to purchase the unit if I was looking for a GPSr that size.

I have no experience with anything other than Garmin units. That is why I am asking here... to learn first hand experience from those who have it. I really want to know if the Lowrance 540c can do these two things:

1) Automatically generate a route from point A to point B, using roads stored on maps that you can easily download to the unit.

2) For those situations where the cartographers don't know about the roads/trails you use: The ability to download a track or route from saved from a previous trip, from the internet, or even made from scratch on your computer, put said track/route in your GPS and have it route you to where you want to go.

I don't work for Garmin, nor do any of my relatives. I just want to know from someone with first hand experience what GPS units on the market will do those 2 things. The Lowrance Baja 540c is the only GPS unit out there that seems to be marketed for off road use and it always comes up in these discussions. That is why I am asking.

I hope I have not offended you by asking direct questions about things you have stated in your posts. It seems that my goal is to implement on exactly what you have already accomplished on MJR and I appreciate the very valuable information you have shared.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

I can also make .pdf maps that should print out nicely on an 8.5x11 piece of paper for people without GPS units.

If you haven't already, use the website above and use GPSbabel to convert the tracks to Google Earth to play with them in there.

You can also post the KML files (Google Earth is free so anyone can download it) to share and print out maps.

 

[FishPOET]

I have no experience with anything other than Garmin units. That is why I am asking here... to learn first hand experience from those who have it. I really want to know if the Lowrance 540c can do these two things:

1) Automatically generate a route from point A to point B, using roads stored on maps that you can easily download to the unit.

To the best of my knowledge any GPSr with autorouting capabilities will take you from point A to point B using roads stored on maps that you can download to the unit. Having never used a Lowrance 540c I can only assume from reading others experiences that it does not have an autorouting feature.

If I had a Lowrance 540c I could upload 1,000 waypoints/1,000 event markers/100 routes/100 savable plot trails/10,000 points per trail. I could for instance upload every track/route I have for the SBNF. I could the follow any of the tracks/routes without autorouting. (which is what I do now with my GPSV. Even though it has autorouting, that feature is disabled with the custom set of maps I have uploaded) My GPSMap60cs has autorouting and Garmin Topo uploaded and it only works on about 10% of the trails in the SBNF. On the other 90% of the trails autorouting does not work and I have to follow tracks/routes that I have manually uploaded to the unit. Until Garmin produces better topo maps, or allows 2nd party topo software to be uploaded, the autorouting feature on their units is useless for a large portion of the country once anyone leaves the main roads.

The Garmin National Parks software has much better detail than their regular Topo software. Not quite sure why.

2) For those situations where the cartographers don't know about the roads/trails you use: The ability to download a track or route from saved from a previous trip, from the internet, or even made from scratch on your computer, put said track/route in your GPS and have it route you to where you want to go.

I'm pretty sure your Garmin will not autoroute you on tracks you have uploaded. It may autoroute you from point A to point B to point C on a route in a generic way since it does not know the names of the trails you are on. It can tell you to turn left on Broadway Street in 500' because it hes been programmed to know where Broadway Street is. The software has no idea where or what 3N30 is or 2N25 and no idea where they intersect. At best the unit will tell you to turn left on road or turn right at point B in 500'. Autorouting is a very complex software that has to have hundreds of thousands of intersections programmed in to work properly across the country.

The Lowrance Baja 540c is the only GPS unit out there that seems to be marketed for off road use and it always comes up in these discussions.

It is one area where Garmin has really dropped the ball. A shame really.

Years ago when I rode dual sports I had to have my GPS V hardened so the vibration woudn't wreck the unit. It also had to be hardwired as the batteries would bounce around and lose contact shutting the unit down. Then Touratech came out with awesome mounting units and solved the vibration problems.

I hope I have not offended you by asking direct questions about things you have stated in your posts. It seems that my goal is to implement on exactly what you have already accomplished on MJR and I appreciate the very valuable information you have shared.

No offense taken. Until allows the uploading of .gpx, .mps, .tpo, .tpg, .wpt, .loc, etc. it w cannot have the system that MJR has. I know very little about websites, but I have been told that allowing certain types of uploads creates a serious security threat to the stability of the website.

 

[FishPOET]

If you haven't already, use the website above and use GPSbabel to convert the tracks to Google Earth to play with them in there.

You can also post the KML files (Google Earth is free so anyone can download it) to share and print out maps.

Google Earth is amazing and getting better everyday. This is not my pic, but a good example of how powerful Google Earth can be for offroaders.

I still have much to learn about Google Earth and it is hard to stay current as it is changing rapidly. IMO Google Earth is cutting edge and positioned to make most other maps obsolete.

The future is using real time moveable maps like the on above on a screen in your Jeep connected to a GPSr. Add in APRS and you would be able to see where all your buddies were on the map at the same time. Amazing.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

BTW- Alex.....here's another good link for you:

http://rockymountainextreme.com/forumdisplay.php?f=78

 

[Handlebars]

FishPOET, I think I see why the baja guys like the 540c, that thing has a huge track log capacity. I guess you could prerun an entire 1000+ mile race and have every turn saved in your GPS for the 10/10ths effort of the real thing.

Have you read my post about the Zumo? I show the different ways that GPS can route you. I also talk about the various maps Garmin offers for their GPSs. I wonder if any of the SBNF dirt roads are on the City Navigator map. Quite a few of them here in NM are in there.

I also am happy to see the advent of satellite photos becoming widely available. However, I think of them as a more valuable tool to use at home while planning a trip, or afterwards to show others where you went then while you are actually out there. A GPS display is hard enough to read with the bright sun shining in the windows of your moving vehicle. The switch to cartoon-like brightly colored moving maps has made it a lot easier for me to read what my GPS is telling me without having to stop and squint. The subtlety of an aerial photo would be lost on me in my Jeep. I tried using NG Topo's 1:24k maps on a laptop hooked to a GPS for a while, that was a pain to read. Too much information for me to figure out where to go! I would usually plot some waypoints and send them to my GPS to follow anyways.

Randy, that RME trails page is what got me thinking about setting up something similar here. I don't want to pay for a subscription to be able to load the tracks into my GPS, now I can convert them with GPS Visualizer so I will spend some more time there! One thing I do enjoy about using Garmin's Mapsource program is the easy access to Google Maps and Google Earth. One of the choices in the "view" menu is to see your file in either Google program. I use that option with everything I run through Mapsource.

 

[karstic]

I wonder if any of the SBNF dirt roads are on the City Navigator map. Quite a few of them here in NM are in there.

To a certain extent, yes. The problem is completness/currentness. Through trails don't always show as through trails. As an an example, we did a geocaching run a few years back in the El Paso mountains/Randsberg area in the Mojave desert. The topo maps showed a trail going through a canyon. The CN software had the same trail except for a 1-2 mile section was missing. When I tried to set up a route with the autoroute function the software threw out a 15 mile detour around the missing section.

 

[Handlebars]

That reminds me... I have a couple of maps I bought in a store there that are collecting dust. Hillman's Gem & Minerals Maps, of Randsberg and Last Chance Canyon. Do you know anyone who will give them a good home?

 

[Fish'nCarz]

I also am happy to see the advent of satellite photos becoming widely available. However, I think of them as a more valuable tool to use at home while planning a trip, or afterwards to show others where you went then while you are actually out there. A GPS display is hard enough to read with the bright sun shining in the windows of your moving vehicle. The switch to cartoon-like brightly colored moving maps has made it a lot easier for me to read what my GPS is telling me without having to stop and squint. The subtlety of an aerial photo would be lost on me in my Jeep. I tried using NG Topo's 1:24k maps on a laptop hooked to a GPS for a while, that was a pain to read. Too much information for me to figure out where to go! I would usually plot some waypoints and send them to my GPS to follow anyways.


Yeah, I thot the same thing, but when you are in the boonies and run across a trail that doesn't show up on your vendors map or the USGS 7.5 minute topo aerial photos rock. Not only can you see where you are, you can usually see where the trail dumps out. Give them a try. They are certainly not in everyones price range, but once you get comfortable looking at the world from an airplane they really add a new dimension to land navigation.

Now if they would only show stereo pairs of air photos!!!