GPS receiver help

[Liam]

Hi all
Thinking about getting a Bluetooth GPS receiver for my Dell Axim X50v PDA and was wondering what to look for/avoid. Any suggestions on make,model etc. welcome,especially from those who have gone this route and have first hand knowledge. Hope to use it with Garmin maps. Thanks everyone.

[lacroupade]

Liam I think you can get these 'jacket' devices that wrapround the PDA but they're not cheap.

If your PDA is bluetooth equipped and can detect and use an external device, I'd suggest something like this:

http://www.blueunplugged.com/p.aspx?p=121063

I have this exact unit in conjunction with my laptop and it works a treat - its the size of a box of matches, works for 20 hrs-odd on battery, USB charging....ciggy socket provided, sound as a pound (or a euro in your case!).

Good little site actually if you're a gadget freak like me - I've bought quite a bit from them with no problems whatsoever.

Where are you planning to use it? Walking or in the car?

paul

[Liam]

Hoping to use it both walking and in the car. Had a look at the website but it did not say it works with a DellAxim X50v. Seems to work with everything else,though.

[lacroupade]

Hoping to use it both walking and in the car. Had a look at the website but it did not say it works with a DellAxim X50v. Seems to work with everything else,though.

Liam I'd be stunned if it didn't - at the end of the day its just a bluetooth device that needs detection by another bluetooth device - the protocols are unique to Bluetooth not the device.....I'm not even sure why theyv'e listed those PDAs and phones TBH....but if the Axim runs Windows it should be fine, so long as you are sure it has Bluetooth capability? Looking here it seems to...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DELL-AXIM-X50-X50V-X51-POCKET-PC-PDA-BLUETOOTH-WIFI_W0QQitemZ400037814616QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Au dioTVElectronics_PDAsAccessories_PDAs_JN?hash=item 400037814616&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1690|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18

If using it in the car you will need one of those charging screen mounts as well - look for one with extra USB charging sockets, always useful - otherwise battery life will be an issue.

The beauty of this device is you can also use it with laptop etc.. - and my advice for a better set up (as the PDA screen will be painfully small) is to get a cheap lappy (you can buy a Compaq N600 for example for around £100 these days - excellent little machine more than adequate for purpose) and a £20 inverter (200w or so)...that gives you much better visibility/resolution and you can record tracks etc..just need a £2.99 bluetooth dongle for the lappy.

But seriously, at £20 its worth a punt - if it doesn't work I'll send you the money! Worst case you just use it with a laptop. And thats my preference. TRied Fugawi on a PDA and it was fine at max resolution, but only showed you a mile or so around - if you wanted to look at a broader map for reference the resolution was next to useless....

This provides GPS capability and charging etc.. for in-car use..
http://www.morpethmobiles.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=AKX20a
....a basic mount that just charges is £10-£20 max.

Of course for even less money you buy something with integrated GPS second-hand, but make sure you get a decent sized screen. I used one of these for satnav (copied TomTom s/w!) until I caved in and bought a TomTomOne...but it runs Fugawi etc....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HP-iPAQ-hw6510-hw6500-6500-PDA-POCKET-GPS-PHONE-VGC_W0QQitemZ180347727349QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Aud ioTVElectronics_PDAsAccessories_PDAs_JN?hash=item1 80347727349&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18

[nejones]

I've got a Dell Axim x5 and the cradle it sits in can be bought for the x50 aswell. The cradle has inbuilt gps receiver and loud speaker aswell as oviously charging the pda on the go.
Good solution.

What i've also got is a twin 7" screen in car dvd player.
I've just ordered a cable so that I can use the 7" monitor with my laptop.
I'll mount the 7" in a good viewable position and stick the laptop in the seat pocket.
Something I need to do though is make the 7" screen touch sensitive.
Is there much involved in this?

[Deleted account DD]

I've had three blue tooth sat nav receivers. To be honest its like anything else newer are generally faster, more reliable with better battery capacity.

Currently using a holux m1200, you sholdnt have probs with it and ebay should provide one £25 absolute tops complete with usb lead, car charger and an unintelligble instruction leaflet :thumbs

[ern1e]

what a top pda it is i also use it for the net any as for receiver i used the one i got with my nokia n76 and its over 3 years old now only thing i find with it that it doesnt last long if i was you look for ones that can a charger like mobile phone jack that would be alot eaiser

[dinky]

i use a hard wired one tzzrs used bluetooth on mac and kept losing signal

[Deleted account DD]

Hoping to use it both walking and in the car. Had a look at the website but it did not say it works with a DellAxim X50v. Seems to work with everything else,though.

I use the holux with an ipaq pda, a toshiba notebook and used to use it on one of the nokia phones. No problem with retaining connections on any.

When we're walking its buried away iin an internal rucksack pocket and even if the the missus is using the sat nav and its in my pack no problems. In the car its usually in the centre console pocket or plugged into the charging point in the boot.

The longest spell I've used it for without charging, and it lasted fine, was just over ten hours.


I've just looked on ebay for one and theyre up to £45 :eek::eek::eek:

Sorry I said £25 earlier which is what I paid last summer for mine :D wtf is going on????????

I reckon theyre still worth that if you go for one of the "make me an offer" ones

[lacroupade]

i use a hard wired one tzzrs used bluetooth on mac and kept losing signal

Wonder if it was the bluetooth signal he lost or the GPS losing its signal?

Even on the weediest bluetooth device, range is typically several metres, so shouldn't be a problem. The bluetooth dongle I bought is a 150 metre range jobbie...picks up peoples phones in the house across the road from indoors!

If your GPS device can't get a signal indoors upstairs in a bedroom then it won't be up to the job. My TomTom does, the device I bought for offroading does but my iPaq PDA doesn't, and it loses signal when sitting on the dashboard for no apparent reason, even when theres clear line of sight, i.e. no trees above etc..

[Liam]

Wow!!! Lots of great info there. Thanks a lot lads,just need to read them all again slowly and decide which route to go. Both my offspring have laptops so I should be able to use one when required. The PDA is primarily for use while on foot as I have a small Garmin unit with no voice (Emily lost her voice shouting at me to take turns when I didn't want to) and my daughter has a Garmin Nuvi 760 which I borrow when required. The Axim is my plaything and I just want to see what I can do when out and about, probably be useful for finding the car when returning from evening hunting and also for checking distance when engaged in a bit of steel target shooting at long range. Might also try to get something that allows me to check weather before travelling to the West of Ireland, although if I plan for rain on arrival I probably won't be too far off. Thanks again, I now have the wheels turning regarding other uses which have been mentioned and I hadn't thought of.

[lacroupade]

Wow!!! Lots of great info there. Thanks a lot lads,just need to read them all again slowly and decide which route to go. Both my offspring have laptops so I should be able to use one when required. The PDA is primarily for use while on foot as I have a small Garmin unit with no voice (Emily lost her voice shouting at me to take turns when I didn't want to) and my daughter has a Garmin Nuvi 760 which I borrow when required. The Axim is my plaything and I just want to see what I can do when out and about, probably be useful for finding the car when returning from evening hunting and also for checking distance when engaged in a bit of steel target shooting at long range. Might also try to get something that allows me to check weather before travelling to the West of Ireland, although if I plan for rain on arrival I probably won't be too far off. Thanks again, I now have the wheels turning regarding other uses which have been mentioned and I hadn't thought of.

I can just hear him telling his missus "the boys in the club put me up to it love, honest!"...:eek:

[lacroupade]

Liam what Garmin have you got out of interest? Is it the eTrex?

[Liam]

Liam what Garmin have you got out of interest? Is it the eTrex?

The missus will be told very little,in fact she will be in Sheepsville for a few days next week,maybe I'll tell her to go visit you while she's there. Wish it was the eTrex, the Garmin is an old I3 or IQ 3, the small funny shaped one that takes the micro SD card. Used to be portable until I lost the battery cover. The one in the pic.

[lacroupade]

Not there in the week, but missus would welcome her so long as she doesn't mind three pigs, seven sheep, six cats and four dogs :eek:

I have an eTrex which costs around £60 these days.....useful little gadget with a good spec and you can get a USB cable to connect it to your laptop. No maps in it but it records your track, waypoints etc, with electronic compass - great for walkers in the wilderness!:D

[Deleted account DD]

If your GPS device can't get a signal indoors upstairs in a bedroom then it won't be up to the job.

Strange evaluation technique :augie

In all seriousness my old one would not get a signal upstairs but it would downstairs no problem at all except in the study which seems to be TMobile, Vodaphone and satellite signal proof , the the latest one grabs a signal all over the place.

[lacroupade]

Strange evaluation technique :augie

In all seriousness my old one would get a signal upstairs but it would downstairs no problem at all except in the study which seems to be TMobile, Vodaphone and satellite signal proof , the the latest one grabs a signal all over the place.

wajya mean, its technical eevaleweashun!

Seriously, if it gets a signal indoors through the roof in a reasonable time, then you're unlikely to lose it under trees etc, which happens with a lot of GPS-equipped PDAs/phones.

[Liam]

Not there in the week, but missus would welcome her so long as she doesn't mind three pigs, seven sheep, six cats and four dogs :eek:



Cats and dogs would be ok but I think the piggy smell would be too much,unless of course it was piggy in the oven, in which case she would be very happy. And don't even mention lamb or she'd have them raw.

[lacroupade]

Cats and dogs would be ok but I think the piggy smell would be too much,unless of course it was piggy in the oven, in which case she would be very happy. And don't even mention lamb or she'd have them raw.

Jeezuz! Now I'm scared!!! :eek:

and my piggies are squeaky (or is that oinky) clean I'll have you know....:)

[Liam]

She's just going for a girly few days (I know what you're thinking) and probably going to spend a lot of time giggling and doing girly things at the beach if the weather is good.<a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253F partner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNfox000%2526i%253D28%252 F28%255F1%255F13%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/28/28_1_13.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252F nocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egi f%253Fi%253D28%252F28_1_13%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a> Hope it doesn't turn into one of those "what a lovely skirt,mind if I try it on) type of breaks, you know the type you sometimes see in some of the better films that are encrypted on some people's hard drive.
<a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253F partner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNfox000%2526i%253D4%252F 4%255F18%255F7%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_18_7.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252F nocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egi f%253Fi%253D4%252F4_18_7%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a>

[lacroupade]

She's just going for a girly few days (I know what you're thinking) and probably going to spend a lot of time giggling and doing girly things at the beach if the weather is good.<a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253F partner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNfox000%2526i%253D28%252 F28%255F1%255F13%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/28/28_1_13.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252F nocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egi f%253Fi%253D28%252F28_1_13%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a> Hope it doesn't turn into one of those "what a lovely skirt,mind if I try it on) type of breaks, you know the type you sometimes see in some of the better films that are encrypted on some people's hard drive.
<a href="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fwww.smileycentral.com%252F%253F partner%253DZSzeb008%255FZNfox000%2526i%253D4%252F 4%255F18%255F7%2526feat%253Dprof/page.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_18_7.gif" alt="SmileyCentral.com" border="0"><img border="0" src="http://plugin.smileycentral.com/http%253A%252F%252Fimgfarm%252Ecom%252Fimages%252F nocache%252Ftr%252Ffw%252Fsmiley%252Fsocial%252Egi f%253Fi%253D4%252F4_18_7%2526uiv%253D3.0/image.gif"></a>

i think people have separate hard drives for that stuff - or so i've heard...i mean 500Gb of artistic cinematography is a lot of culture for one PC...I keep mine on a nice new Fujitsutachi MonkeySpanka. :eek:

I'll keep an eye out for the hen... ;)

[Liam]

Just an update on the Garmin + PDA. Got a bluetooth GPS receiver,looks the same as yours,Paul, only no name other than Blue Tooth GPS on it. Also managed to get Garmin maps 2010 free from somewhere and the whole thing is working quite nicely at detailed map level. I was wondering if it is possible to also run some Topo maps from somewhere, UK & Ireland would suffice but I don't know where to find them or whose maps to use. Ideally these would be free maps as I don't do enough in the wild to justify buying maps. Previous information from all posters was very helpful so hopefully you will all come up trumps again.

[Liam]

Found a link to these Contour Maps. I haven't tried them yet but thought I'd post the link as they may be useful to some of you out there.

http://www.smc.org.uk/ContourMaps.htm

[lacroupade]

Just an update on the Garmin + PDA. Got a bluetooth GPS receiver,looks the same as yours,Paul, only no name other than Blue Tooth GPS on it. Also managed to get Garmin maps 2010 free from somewhere and the whole thing is working quite nicely at detailed map level. I was wondering if it is possible to also run some Topo maps from somewhere, UK & Ireland would suffice but I don't know where to find them or whose maps to use. Ideally these would be free maps as I don't do enough in the wild to justify buying maps. Previous information from all posters was very helpful so hopefully you will all come up trumps again.

not sure what you mean by topo maps versus whatever the Garmin ones are Liam?

Big problem here is that with Memory Map, for example, you have to use Ordnance Survey maps that are hellishly expensive. Not sure what the Irish equivalent is??

You might try and see what map types the Garmin can read and then download some pirate versions via bittorrent?

[Liam]

Thanks Paul, OS maps are available here too and are also expensive. I suppose what I'm looking for is like the OS maps with contours,elevation etc. I'm using Garmin City Nav Europe with the PDA at present which is fine for on road, just thinking there may be something more like th OS maps available to use with this setup.

[lacroupade]

Thanks Paul, OS maps are available here too and are also expensive. I suppose what I'm looking for is like the OS maps with contours,elevation etc. I'm using Garmin City Nav Europe with the PDA at present which is fine for on road, just thinking there may be something more like th OS maps available to use with this setup.

Liam just re-read the thread; if your device is an I3 like the pic below then you are stuffed - its like the TomTom and suchlike, only works with the standard mapping and nothing else. Only way you can do what you want is to go the PDA route with Memory Map or Fugawi, or get a Garmin type device that will load OS-type maps. But thats expensive potentially; I've not found a 'download' for Ireland anywhere....

Its the cost of maps that will kill you; OS licensing is really expensive, after all they did all the hard work...getting naughty downloads for UK is easy but not to the Republic sadly...

This is worth a read - check all 5 pages...

http://www.gpsdaily.co.uk/off-road/introduction-to-outdoors-gps/

[Liam]

Good info,Paul, thanks. Checked with the OS Ireland site and they have a Irish ITM system which is similar to that used by OS UK. Still reading up on it. I am using a Del Axim 50v with Garmin City Nav Europe 2010 maps, the I3 is purely vehicle based and very limited as Emily has lost her voice and I lost the battery cover. Checked out the PDA with Garmin today and it seems to work fine on roads, I may need to purchase an Etrex for off road trips unless I can figure out how to use routes and waypoints with the PDA. Fugawi seems to cost money,which is low at present. Thanks for all the advice so far, it has been really useful.

[lacroupade]

Good info,Paul, thanks. Checked with the OS Ireland site and they have a Irish ITM system which is similar to that used by OS UK. Still reading up on it. I am using a Del Axim 50v with Garmin City Nav Europe 2010 maps, the I3 is purely vehicle based and very limited as Emily has lost her voice and I lost the battery cover. Checked out the PDA with Garmin today and it seems to work fine on roads, I may need to purchase an Etrex for off road trips unless I can figure out how to use routes and waypoints with the PDA. Fugawi seems to cost money,which is low at present. Thanks for all the advice so far, it has been really useful.

The key for you Liam is getting Irish maps....I can give you Fugawi full for nothing but its only got UK maps......the actual programme isn't the issue, its getting the maps to use it with....they are what costs the money and as I said, no downloads around...

[Deleted account DD]

One word of warning re using "mixed systems" they may work nicely independently and sitting in the living room but when youre on the hills and the batteries running low you do not want it crashing and getting its electronic knickers in a knot over everything its trying to work out.

I use mem maps for walking. Theyre excellent but far from perfect. For example if the battery runs out whilst its tracking it sometimes creates a corrupted record that can wipe out your routes. That happened this week about 30 miles into the 53 mile walk across the N York moors we finished yesterday.

I've also had problems importing older version routes as well as some that are available as helpful free downloads, they go on then play up.

Please trust me KISS is best ;) settle for one system and dont intermix. Fugawi is good, used that quite a lot and mem map seems pretty good too but I've only had that a cfew months.

[lacroupade]

Well for walking and implicity, the Garmin eTrex does it, and cheap!

[Deleted account DD]

yes it does, I've got one of those, used it a lot. Not sure if its exactly the same model though mine may be a bit older. You can put waypoints etc in but not the os maps ?

I think you can still get them or very similar for well under a hundred quid.

We've been thinking about putting hands in pockets for one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-eTrex-Legend-Handheld-System/dp/B000UNFLNS/ref=pd_cp_ce_1?pf_rd_p=136153791&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000UNHA4Q&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1GFM9755E475EPZNABNP

mid range and competant without having silly functions like telling you what your average blood pressure was at the time of the fastest ascent when it was raining and its batteries were less than 33% charged ;)

[Liam]

Thanks Paul and Dave, I will probably have to put my hand in my pocket for an etrex, I spent time over the weekend trying to work with Fugawi and haven't managed to sort it yet. The PDA is working fine with Garmin maps at the minute but it is something for off roads that I would like also. It's not a huge issue really as I'm not likely to get lost in the sort of areas I want to use it, more to save a bit of time and work out the less strenous routes up mountains /hillsides etc.

[lacroupade]

eTrex exactly the same as it always was...cheap, yellow and cheerful. Abt £65 at the moment new.

Only downside is it doesn't have maps built in but it works with a mapping capability I forget for the moment (Mapsource??), so you can plan your walk beforehand against a contour map, plot in waypoints, then make the eTrex guide you there. Also great for retracing your steps in wooded terrain as it backtracks as required, not to mention the electronic compass. The GPS and Lat/Long function (can't recall if it does OS-type refs) mean you can always plot your location on one of those thingies, what are they called now, oh yes, paper maps :)

this is the original baby....Amazon not necessarily cheapest source....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-eTrex-H-Handheld-Navigator/dp/B000PDV0CE/ref=pd_cp_ce_1?pf_rd_p=136153791&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000UNFLNS&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=135DC33WQSSPTQ8ZDCQS

[Deleted account DD]

one of those thingies, what are they called now, oh yes, paper maps :)



never without them :thumb2

leads to a nice new game with the missus.............how to use :augie

[lacroupade]

never without them :thumb2

leads to a nice new game with the missus.............how to use :augie

women...maps...same sentence?

naaaaahhhhh! :lol:lol:lol

[lacroupade]

Liam - i have already got install files for Fugawi 2 plus all UK maps but not Eire. Now have install files for Fug 4.5 which I can post you, or point you at the download if you have bittorrent, but can't for the life of me get 4.5 to see the maps in 2, even though they are FX4 and therefore compliant....is Memory Map any use over there?