GPS for beginners
 

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[Closed] GPS for beginners

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I've decided that this year's Christmas present to myself will be a GPS unit, after much time spent faffing with papier-maché maps and ineffective map cases. I borrowed a friends' Garmin Etrex Legend for a day a while ago and it was a revelation in being told where to go.

I'd like something which:
is waterproof (for riding in the UK winter...)
can be used as sat-nav for driving
can be clamped to my handlebars
can take memory-map or equivelant OS style maps

Something like the Garmin Dakota or Oregon? Or are they a bit too posh?

Cheers

Gareth


 
Posted : 09/11/2009 4:40 pm
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have a look at this [url= http://www.satmap.com/ ]SATMAP[/url], otherwise, I would recommend asking this same question on outdoorsmagic.


 
Posted : 09/11/2009 5:40 pm
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[url= http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/3540/v/2/sp/ ]This[/url] is a cracking article, thanks for pointing me in that direction.


 
Posted : 09/11/2009 7:19 pm
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The Garmin Edge series looks very attractive but is too fitness-training oriented. Expensive and difficult to get your head around for just navigating.


 
Posted : 10/11/2009 9:35 am
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I have a Satmap and I'm really impressed with it - nice big screen, pretty much bombproof, good battery life (off AAs or internal Lion) and you don't need to hook it up to a computer to use it. However the full package is quite expensive and it isn't designed to be a car-mounted satnav.

I'd say the best value and most versatile solution would be a PDA with a big ol' aftermarket battery, Tom Tom and Memory Map (or equivalents), and an [url= http://www.otterbox.com/ ]Otterbox[/url] for shock/water resistance.


 
Posted : 10/11/2009 11:38 am
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The Satmap does look good but I hear you can't use Memory map with it? I now have a reasonably comprehensive memory map collection so keen to get something i can us them with.

The Edge looks good but as you say I don't care about cadence and heart-rate.


 
Posted : 10/11/2009 3:17 pm
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The Satmap does look good but I hear you can't use Memory map with it? I now have a reasonably comprehensive memory map collection so keen to get something i can us them with.

The only thing that you can use memory map maps on the device itself is a windows mobile PDA. None of the garmins will load the actual maps on, so you end up having to buy the maps again even for the fancy ones (assuming you want maps on the device).

Joe


 
Posted : 10/11/2009 3:21 pm
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eh? That seems a bit weird. SO you have to buy the micro SD card with the maps already loaded? Can't you just transfer the relevant files onto your own SD card and go with that? I'm sure that's what my mate did with his. Being a pikey he would never have bought the maps anyway...


 
Posted : 10/11/2009 3:25 pm
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There is a Memory Map device coming out any day now, search for Memory Map Adventurer 2800.


 
Posted : 17/11/2009 3:53 pm
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I'm going to go a bit left-field and show a non-Garmin GPS...

http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Outdoors/Endura-Sierra/


 
Posted : 17/11/2009 4:05 pm
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Geko 201 for the bike, Cheap Garmin Nuvi for the car.


 
Posted : 17/11/2009 4:07 pm
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pda /windows mobile phone for memory map - works a treat I take this as back up really for my GPS /Map reading skills. WIll also take Car sat nav as well. Can change what map you need etc. Prefer a simple etrex though - points the way and I find you dont really need Memory map/OS mapping or a paper map- although I always have the later as backup.


 
Posted : 17/11/2009 4:32 pm
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got pretty decent maps on my Vista.... 🙂


 
Posted : 17/11/2009 4:54 pm
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