Hello, everybody!
I looked at different GPS systems and cannot decide what to buy. I feel I will use it most in the car. However, the problem not simply to know where I am (I can use map for it without much problems), but how to find the best route when I know there is a traffic jam in front of me- I travel over 300 miles every Friday and Monday. I heart there is some GPS that receives traffic signals about traffic jams on the route and selects alternative routes, however I could not find one.
I also would like GPS to go for a walk on countryside.
And another important factor- I want to spend as little as possible. Whese are main requirements, the rest is not important.
Could you advise me what should I get?
Regards,

How odd, I was just reading a direct mail peice this morning from DeLorme. The offer their Earthmate GPS that can plug into a PDA. It works with both their Map USA (roadmaps) and Topo USA (topographical maps) products. You'll also need proper cables to match your PDA brand as well as a secondary desktop program to migrate maps and info back and forth between the PDA and desktop.

One cool feature is the ability to capture GPS readings along your trek, and then upload them onto a map on your desktop. This allows you to save your actual path and calculate distance traveled and changes in elevation, as well as any anotation notes you might want to add for future reference.

Check out the Garmin iQue 3600, it might be what you are looking for- except inexpensive. <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

If you want something which will tell you when and where to turn (auto-routing), then your options are somewhat limited. Here are your choices.

1) Laptop. Buy any cheap GPS and hook it up to a laptop. DeLorme makes good software to run on your laptop. This option is only a choice if you have a laptop and carry it. Your cheap GPS could then go on a walk with you after unplugging one cable. This is your cheapest option if you already have a laptop

2) PDA. There are several PDA software and add-on packages. If you already own a PDA, you can buy software for it (try DeLorme), and either buy a GPS to fit it, or just connect a GPS up to it with a cable.

3) PDA. Garmin makes a Palm PDA with a GPS receiver built-in. Not rugged. Would be OK for an urban treck, but not for a backpacking trip.

4) Automotive GPS. These are made for use in a car. Examples include the Garmin StreetPilot III, Garmin StreetPilot 2610, Magellan RoadMate series, and the new NavMan machine. Expect to pay at least $700 or so for these. They also are NOT made for outdoor use. Some do not even have the option to use batteries, but MUST be tethered to a cigarette lighter. These are perhaps the best option for serious road warriors.

5) Garmin GPS V. This offers turn-by-turn routing, but can also be hand-held. This is a good all-around choice for car/outdoor use. The primary disadvantage is that this unit only has 19MB of memory for detailed maps. This amount of memory could not even hold most states. If you travel over a large area, carry a laptop.

6) Magellan Meridian. Magellan has recently added DirectRoute software to their lineup with will allow this unit to do turn-by-turn routing. This software has just started shipping, so I cannot comment on how well it works. The Meridian series uses standard SD card memory, so you can add 256Mb of memory for under $100. I have seen 128MB cards on sale for $40.

If you carry a laptop or big PDA, then using those is the car might be the best bet with a cheap GPS.

If you do not carry a PDA or laptop, but want the best turn-by-turn routing, and have some money to spend, then getting a dedicated car unit (> $800) and a dedicated outdoor unit (< $200) might be a good way to go.

If you can only afford one unit, then getting a GPS V or a Meridian would be a good compromise.

Although this is not strictly a GPS, it is useful. My father has an item called a 'traffic master' attached to his dashboard. It is an item that uses electronic waypoints set on motorway bridges to tell you the state of the traffic ahead of you. I don't know if these are available in the US though. I can't find a URL but I seem to remember that these are inexpensive and that the company send you a new one everytime it is upgraded. Hope this is of interest.

Hot off the presses. Check this out:

http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap60c/

This is perhaps the coolest GPS that I have ever seen. For a few extra dollars you can also get a compass and barometer built-in. You will also have to buy the detailed auto-routable road map. Or you can install a topo map for those hiking adventures.

This product will liekly be right at $420 (plus maps - another $100), and is due out first quarter of 2004. What a cool GPS.

If you can afford it, this one would be worth waiting for!

This past summer, I played with my GPS while on our vacation, driving from middle Tennessee to central Florida--about a 15 hour drive, one way. On the return trip, we got stuck in a massive, miles long traffic jam south of Atlanta, GA, on I-75.

I used a combination of my handheld GPS (Lowrance GM100), a travel atlas (Georgia has atrocious highway maps), and reading highway signs to navigate off of the Interstate system & onto local roads and state & local highways.

I zoomed out to a view that encompassed the area, set a couple of waypoints by "guesstimating" the location (I was pretty close), & told my wife when to turn. We arrived right where we wanted, with no difficulty, & a whole lot more fun than had we been on the Interstate, traffic jam or not.

My GPS has a decent map database built into it; I would not have one that doesn't have a map capability. I can get software to add detail, but haven't yet. Other makes (DeLorme, & maybe Magellan) work with PC mapping software.

But, while they're desirable, & make it much more versatile, it's quite possible to achieve your goal with just the GPS & a map (or just a map...but I had a compass, too...) <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Check out the Geocaching web page, particularly the forums. They'll offer much advice, & geocaching is a great way to learn to use your new toy...er, ah, tool!

David

>>My GPS has a decent map database built into it; I would not have one that doesn't have a map capability. <<

Assuming land use, of course.

In the middle of the Pacific or Atlantic... or just well out of sight of land, the cheapest GPS with no mapping at all is very nearly as useful as the best with mapping... and that's pretty darn useful, if you're in that circumstance. Mere coordinates are a huge help out there. In fact, it makes it well worth buying a cheapie or two as backups... not neglecting the sextant.

I have a Garmin StreetPilot 3 - an older model - but a good one - it's in the Jeep, I use it to find fire calls from time to time. I also have a Magellan 315, which I'd not buy again.

All in all, I like Garmin's interfaces better than Magellan. I have a Magellan handheld and it's not so great in deep woods.

I also used an eTrex (garmin) and it did real well in heavy forest canopy - and nice fast lockons too!

Battery life is a BIG issue with these handhelds, also the internal compasses STINK.

This is the exact opposite of what everybody else says -- and the opposite of my experience.

The eTrex line is nice for size/weight. However, these units use a "patch" antenna. The Meridian/Sportrak series uses a "quad helix" antenna, which has better gain (but a different gain pattern).

I have heard MANY complaints about the eTrex loosing lock under a forest canopy, but a Meridian or Sportrak holding the lock quite well.

It should be noted that the better (and larger) Garmin units (76 series, Street Pilot series, GPS V) uses a quad helix. The reason that the eTrex line uses a patch antenna is simply because of size. The performance is not as good, but they are a LOT smaller and lighter. Note that if you are out in the open, either antenna will work just as well.

The BEST site for GPS information is http://www.gpsinformation.net

Nice overview of the available options. Have you any experience or thoughts on the DeLorme Earthmate GPS. It's restriction is that it's tied into their software on a laptop or PDA as it has no unit display.

"Nice overview of the available options. Have you any experience or thoughts on the DeLorme Earthmate GPS. It's restriction is that it's tied into their software on a laptop or PDA as it has no unit display. "

I've had my Earthmate GPS for about 5 years now, and it's not a bad unit (in regards to being a GPS). I've got an adapter that uses the COM port on my PC for the interface, with a keyboard connector to power the GPS via my laptop. It otherwise will require 4 AAA batteries to power it without the adapter. Now the downside. No display, I have to use it with my laptop, and uses Garmin proprietary interface versus standard NMEA. The thing I do like about it, is it's ability to interface with Street Atlas, Topo USA and the other Delorme software series.

Now my opinion, if someone didn't give me the Earthmate as a gift, I would never have bought it. I have to have my laptop, cables, and securing this all in the car. I guess it depends on your application. I find in my cross country travels using my Garmin Street Pilot color is perfect for me with the standard base map. My eTrex (yeller one) is my perfect map/compass companion when hiking because all I want is to verify an azimuth, and my Garmin 45XL for general GPS'ing. If I didn't have a GPS today and had to have just one for my use, I'd probably get the Garmin Vista, for the ability to download detailed maps, size, and the ability to upload and download with any mapping software that supports NMEA.

Edit: Forgot to add, if I need detailed routing, I generally use my eTrex yellow, a homemade data connector (made from an old credit card and DB9 cable) and my laptop running Street Atlas 9.

Just my ramblings.

--Chris

No, but unless it is at a VERY good price, I would pass.

You can get a GPS for right at $100 (Garmin eTrex or Meridian Sportrak), and throw in mapping software (Delorme Street Atlas) for another $50 if you shop around. This gives you the same thing, but you have the option of taking the GPS into the woods. Even without mapping capability, a basic GPS can still help you find your way back to base camp or find a geocache.

Keep in mind that some new laptops do NOT have a standard RS-232 serial port. If you have one of these, you will also need to include an extra $30 or so for a USB-to-RS-232 converter.

I agree with the downsides. Have you ever tried connecting to a PDA? I think Garmin makes a unit that plugs into the Palm expamsion slot.

Not through the expansion slot. I have a dozen or so Palms and most of the time I've just used a serial cable from the Palm to whatever flavor GPS I had at the time. I've got Solus Pro from Delorme on it, and have used other mapping software to do it. Works OK, but you still have the GPS, cable, Palm thing going on.

Depending on your needs, I would just get a standard eTrex, build your own data cable (save your ~$40 for something else, all you need is ground, data in and data out) and you can basically hook it to anything that has a com port. This way I use my eTrex with my laptop, desktop (I have a GPS repeater above my head here at work), Palm, and for a standalone unit. This way I have my car navigation, playing at work, mapping availablity in the wild (using Palm) and map/compass companion with one unit.

--Chris