GPS Newbie

[BarePaw]

I have always sworn off GPS in favor of a map and compass while hiking. Now that I am moving to the big city, I'm thinking it could be very useful (I decided this while trying to find an apartment in said city). Since I'm getting it for navigation while driving, I might as well make it a model that could also be carried while hiking. I have a few questions first:
When you get GPS do you have to subscribe to a service? If so, how much does this cost? Do they make a GPS unit that would connect directly to an ipaq? If not, can I leave it on in my pack while hiking and carry the iPaq out and still recieve the bluetooth signal? Is there a software that will give me city street maps for driving and remote topographic maps for hiking?
I like the looks of this one that was recently reviewed here. Would it work for me?

[BarePaw]

I have always sworn off GPS in favor of a map and compass while hiking. Now that I am moving to the big city, I'm thinking it could be very useful (I decided this while trying to find an apartment in said city). Since I'm getting it for navigation while driving, I might as well make it a model that could also be carried while hiking. I have a few questions first:
When you get GPS do you have to subscribe to a service? If so, how much does this cost? Do they make a GPS unit that would connect directly to an ipaq? If not, can I leave it on in my pack while hiking and carry the iPaq out and still recieve the bluetooth signal? Is there a software that will give me city street maps for driving and remote topographic maps for hiking?
I like the looks of this one that was recently reviewed here. Would it work for me?

[G M Fude]

Any GPSr will perform the tasks you mention, but BT will give you more flexibility, for example putting the receiver in your backpack while carrying your PDA. I do exactly this when hiking with my Emtac and my Tungsten T and a raster mapping program. For turn-by-turn when driving, Destinator on my Axim points the way very nicely. An iPAQ will do just as well.

You do not need to subscribe to a service, the GPS signal is free. (I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the American taxpayers for funding this excellent service for me. Cheers, guys!).

You'll need two different types of software for turn-by-turn routing when driving, and when using maps while hiking. Note that the maps in the latter will need to be georeferenced, that is, calibrated so the software knows their latitude and longitude coordinates.

Well, that'll get you started, Bare. Another site outside this one that's worth checking out for GPS basics is Dale DePriest's page, and for software and hardware reviews you might like to look at GPSPassion and Pocket GPS World.

[Jon Westfall]

Originally Posted by G M Fude

Any GPSr will perform the tasks you mention, but BT will give you more flexibility, for example putting the receiver in your backpack while carrying your PDA. I do exactly this when hiking with my Emtac and my Tungsten T and a raster mapping program. For turn-by-turn when driving, Destinator on my Axim points the way very nicely. An iPAQ will do just as well.

EEEEK - A Tungsten T User!!! Well, since you own a PPC as well, I guess we'll let this slide. As one of my fellow editors pointed out to me, we're not Anti-Palm here, we're Pro-PPC (Better PR ring to that).

Originally Posted by He also

You do not need to subscribe to a service, the GPS signal is free. (I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the American taxpayers for funding this excellent service for me. Cheers, guys!).

You're welcome. We're quite happy with what we got for our money.


I particularly like my BT receiver for the same reason that it fits nicely on my dash and also will fit in the cell-phone pouch on the shoulder strap of my backpack. BT is just nice in general due to its inherent lack of wires!

[G M Fude]

Originally Posted by Jon Westfall

EEEEK - A Tungsten T User!!! Well, since you own a PPC as well, I guess we'll let this slide. As one of my fellow editors pointed out to me, we're not Anti-Palm here, we're Pro-PPC (Better PR ring to that).

No, not any more, it just recently went to a workmate. I was just being accurate; I've not yet hiked with my Axim. Whereas the T|T was a faithful companion over many kilometres, mostly in Hong Kong -- they have some amazing country parks there, it's not actually wall-to-wall city despite having the highest population density per square kilometre in the world. I've little doubt the PPC will serve me as well -- it just needs the occasional soft reset before connecting the Emtac!

Originally Posted by Jon Westfall

I particularly like my BT receiver for the same reason that it fits nicely on my dash and also will fit in the cell-phone pouch on the shoulder strap of my backpack. BT is just nice in general due to its inherent lack of wires!

It's possible that BT is a little 'safer' with a PDA when hiking too. I don't know that any PDA has especially robust connectors and tramping through the bush with a GPSr cable latched onto the device could be risky; one slip and expensive bits could break.

[Jon Westfall]

Originally Posted by G M Fude

It's possible that BT is a little 'safer' with a PDA when hiking too. I don't know that any PDA has especially robust connectors and tramping through the bush with a GPSr cable latched onto the device could be risky; one slip and expensive bits could break.

Keeping everything in the backpack and the PPC on a lanyard also gives you the security to drop the ppc from your hand (and have it secured by the lanyard) if you should have to steady yourself or grab onto something.

[ADBrown]

Originally Posted by G M Fude

You do not need to subscribe to a service, the GPS signal is free. (I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the American taxpayers for funding this excellent service for me. Cheers, guys!).

You're welcome.