Traveling with GPS,PDA assistance.

[Alex-Corsa]

white circle red border with number in is a speed camera

Have a look at www.pocketgps.co.uk

go to doenloads and you will find a large database of files for different systems

the one I use with tomtom is checkpoint  for speed camera databases

 

find a shop that has a wide variety of the type you are interested in and have a good play with them

 

Thanks again DVH and you can delete these attachements if you wish in order not to take of your global space. That featur of auto zoom is great don't know if other programs have that too bt sounds very usefull. I just look for a software that is as versatile as it can be,y'know won't really hang around to try the whole bunch ,one good is enough but it's got to be versatile.

 

Anyway yes I am trying to find a bargain in some ebay shops mostly from Germany , thay have a lot of stuff there and good prices. Bargaining on a Yakumo 300 with most Europe maps (hmm not the tomtom though) and 1G memmory for about 380Euros.New right out of the box.

Check out this page for updating speed cammera positions , there are for every nav.software. www.radarfalle.de Ok it may be in German but most words you'll need are English based.Blitz is the word for "flash"generally used for speed radars too. At the left board you'll find the names of the software thet supports as well as the below plug in:

Here is a plug in with an extra software for speed traps seems to be free (though is says that you have to register ti download-have not tried it yet)SpeedLimit 1.0

Here some payware inkluding some speed traps

Payware Speed traps Software

Here a plug in for Tomtom seems to be free to me with redar positions on Netherlands, Germany ,Austria, Switzerland. Nice pics there of the interface that looks more map familiar to me.

tomtom Plug in

Yet another for tomtom tomtom overlay with English language option

 

P.S.-(Edit) Do youget any altimeter indications with this software?

[DVH]

no altimeter readings, but estimated time of arrival, current time, count down time to arrival, distance to destination ( all of which can be switched off if required )

present speed, compass direction. If you log into the gps receiver you can record your trip to play back on your map later, unfortunatley it plays back in real time I haven't found a way to speed it up in play back.

Thanks for the links to cameras in europe, they will come in handy next time I am over, presently they cannot fine us back in the UK if caught sppeding in europe, but thats due to change.

Good luck with the shopping , if I can help anymore I am usually lurking around the forums or e-mail direct

[Alex-Corsa]

Alright , I will still doodle around ebay trying to find some best offers, so far this is the best value for money bundle that I have found containing a software with ALL Europe (though upgrade maybe neede to 4.2ver.)Bluemedia Pocket PC +Navigon 4

or this oneMEDION CYBERCOM MDPNA 150 I have no idea what or how good this last one is. ?Looks like a nice offer and handy design with lot of screen place.Looks like a cyber radio transistor..

 

I hope finding a few more so that I choose.

If you're going to traver Europe West France or Germany or Switzerland.Drop me a notice early enough so that I can put in my schedule and perhaps meet.

I do plan to go to Europe this Summer and intend to make the travel interesting by scheduling meetings ,events ect.ect. (Though I may not go to the MG fest in Mandelo)...dunno.

[Alex-Corsa]

Alex my PDA is blue tooth compatible, but I use an external ariel which plugs into the PDA cradle, this cradle also connects it to the 12v external supply should you require. I have found thsi more reliable than bluetooth.

 

Wooh I have missed this. Somewhere in a shop I have seen something like an old Ericsson type mobile phone antenna that can be pluged to the PDA and is a GPS antenna.Can you please post a pic. of your to see what it looks like.

A further question about it would be.Since this thing is installed does it need any charging at all, or extra charging, or ist it simply being charged when that PDA is on the charger.????

And at least and I hope last would be:Is there the possibility to calculate

routes to your PC and them sync them to the PDA??

 

Thanks ALEX

[DVH]

thanks for the offer of a meet, i extend the same offer should you come across to the uk.

the routes are planned direct in the PDA, and can be saved for later use, you can plan 20 watpoints per route. but if you spilt the journey up into chunks save them under itinery you can use 20 waypoints per chunk

example

20 waypoints through UK, load next part from itinary 20 way points through france, same for germany . etc etc however you wish to break the journey up. There is no limit as to how far the waypoints are are appart

 

be careful with the europe software there is 2 versions

[1 only has the major roads of europe on--- you can plan from one country to the next in one map

 

2 full europe mapping down to street level--- each country is loaded into the PDA from the memory card as you progress across europe ie drive through france approach border load german map into pda load pre planned route through germany.

easy to do in the car with the stylus or a pen whilst driving , takes just a few seconds. A bit more difficult on the bike, it would just need to pull over for a few seconds to swop maps over then continue

when I went to austria I used the major routes mapping to travel across, then switched to street mapping when nearing destination.

 

I will take some photos of how it fits in the van and the bike tomorrow in daylight

[Alex-Corsa]

O.K thanks again for all the info,I have just heared from others that one can add routes from PC to PDA and others that say the opposite.Be as it mayin most cases though when on the bike I mostly add new waypoints right on the spot.

Right now I am on the www.totalpda.co.uk and look some stuff, I don't know how is, this aerial that you told me about, called to find it.

This one looks nice, powerfull and in nice price

 

DELL Axim X3 -400mhz

What do you think will it be able to do the navigation thing whith an added GPS aerial ?(will ask them too)

 

Thanks

 

P.S. I have a buddy that lives in Brighton I may as well visit him sometime,thinking of Isle of man visit too, but not really planed for this year.

[Alex-Corsa]

Yep here I found something, here is what I had in mind

GPS antena+SD card

But it is too pricey

[DVH]

the sd ariel is ok if walking, but the one I first tied was very unreliable,plus it takes power from your PDA battery so must be connected to a vehicle for long distance use. the one i bought with the vehicle kit is a tom tom item. it plugs into the right hand side of the mount I just rest it on the dashboard in the corner. the left connector is the batt supply, which charges the PDA abd powers the ariel.

On the bike the pda sits in the map window of the tank bag, the ariel tuck underneath out of the way

 

If you go the sd /cf card ariel bear in mind that your navigation maps are held on the sd/cf card so it must be able to operate both at the same time.

As for price last year it was a Hp ipaq2210+tomtom europe maps+1gbcf card+vehicle kit(ariel,mount cables) from total pda £438

 

 

If you come to the UK do let me know would like a meet. I live in Leeds which is roughly central so it is very easy to get anywhere.

[DVH]

http://www.totalpda.co.uk/Tomtom-Navigator...10-car-kit.aspx

you would only need to buy the Pda on top of this, you might be able to do a deal for the full europe maps.

the dell axim x3 is very similar in spec to the ipaq

[Alex-Corsa]

If you go the sd /cf card ariel bear in mind that your navigation maps are held on the sd/cf card so it must be able to operate both at the same time.

As for price last year it was a Hp ipaq2210+tomtom europe maps+1gbcf card+vehicle kit(ariel,mount cables) from total pda £438

If you come to the UK do let me know would like a meet. I live in Leeds which is roughly central so it is very easy to get anywhere.

 

Saying only thank you it won't be enough,well I have gathered some info from PDA forums and asking ebay sellers about stuff, but nothing is better that a fellow motorcycle user's opinion.

Here in Greece needles to say that it is NOT possible to test any of the PDAs or systems like GPS , the people who sell them also know very little about the capabilities or + & - of each of these kind of devices,there are few and mostly just sitting on the shelf waiting to be bought by someone ,but I 'm not that kind of someone..

You saved me $$$ about the SD card and I did suspect that the programs should be on the card, but I didn't know about the systems reliability and

also the power consumption.I guess the BT (blue tooth) has less power consumption than that and is also very reliable in it's function.The only question is about BT how does someone charge it?

Has it's own charger in the packet.--Yes I understood than when in the car is connected and takes power from the cigarette lighter of the car with cable.

But is there any additional "normal" charger for it (and generally except the software packet-it there isn't there-may as well be an aftermarket.

As far as "car lighter" type of jacks (so that chargers and other stuff fit in), I think I have seen somewhere on the net long before also a pattent(system) that you could fit and have a jack like that in a bike But I don't know where.

I have no clue till now how things (concerning this Power of the BT) are in the motorcycle. I guess it is self powered but somehow you have to charge it.

 

I have also found several ebay offerings of complete packets and I get soon responce to my questions of the sellers.This one is also interesting

Siemens Pocket Loox 410

 

So concluding:

If using a PDA without an intergrated antenna, BT GPS is the way to go, as far as antenna goes.A workstation like this gives better flexibility in having possible defect parts changed (i.e. like battery or antenna)BT is wireless and that is also an option on having it placed in the best suitable position.

Readability is good and can be placed in the tank (or holder ect.ect.)I have imagined so would be a safe and sound way for the PDA also.

 

The only question should be about the power (and or charging of the BT system)

and btw. how much time can it be used before recharging??

 

Thanks again

 

 

P.S. I have a friend that has studied and got a master as a Dentist in Leeds

(some years ago) Yes he is my dentist.A Venice to Leeds route is about 1100miles

I'l may have to try this sometime.

Cheers

[DVH]

The blutooth gave me reliability problems due to wanting it to run 12hrs at a time msotly when working in the van, therefore I used a wired receiver, otherwise I only got 4hrs out of Bt ( the wired a receiver can just be seen on the van photo )

the BT came with an external charger, the wired version draws power from the cigerette lighter socket along with the Pda.

 

On the bikw I use an insulated jack plug just below the headstock to plug the power cord for the pda in ( I cut the cigerette plug off too big and bulky )

If you go this route make sure it is the socket that connects to the bike, the centre pin is batt + so there is no risk of shorting on the chassis. and the plug fits to the PDA/receiver lead ( be careful not to mix + /- at the plug and end up with it wrong at the PDA, they don't like it . Don't ask how I know

 

I haven't used the bt on the bike I don't know if there is any electrical interference issues with it been so close to the ignition etc

 

 

Have a happy easter

Dave

[DVH]

Bring the bike if you come over, we could do the Lakes and scotland

In the end I still find these the most reliable

[Alex-Corsa]

Bring the bike if you come over, we could do the Lakes and scotland

In the end I still find these the most reliable

 

As I understood oyu have amde your own "system" for the power supply when in bike.O.K.This is a good solution for having the PDA working all the time.

I guess my next step it to try it for my on and see what happens.

There is nothing more to ask at this point now, you have covvered most if not all of my questioning.

I plan and hope to be ablr to travel to Europe this summer. I want to combine this with track driving lessons that are organized from Moto Guzzi GermanyMoto Guzzi -Aprilia Training2005

But also meet some other friends that I have there and I also plan a castle tour I Germany,after that If I can go more I may as well give you a call. . Of course better would be for you to come somewhere down and meet in the middle..

I calculate here... ....= too many kilometers...

England has many of those castles, Scottland too(I guess) I have heared of great scenery up there.

Cheers

[Guzzirider]

I have been reading this thread with interest as I have been considering getting a GPS sytem for some time now, but have been waiting for the prices to fall.

 

I was convinced of the benefits of GPS after following a friend through Dublin and finding the ferry terminal in 10 minutes flat whereas it would have taken us ages using normal maps.

 

After a bit of research, I have decided to purchase a Garmin Quest with a custom made bike mounting bracket.

 

Its a lot smaller than the other Garmin units, but also a lot cheaper. It is waterproof and comes with maps of the UK and Western Europe.

 

I will probabaly adapt it to run from the bikes power supply but it comes with rechargeable batteries that last up to 20 hours.

 

Not a lot of room to install it on the V11 but I reckon I will be able to squeeze the bracket on somewhere. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

Guy

[Alex-Corsa]

I have been reading this thread with interest as I have been considering getting a GPS sytem for some time now, but have been waiting for the prices to fall.

 

I would the suggest also the Touratech company that sells Garmines and many accesories as well as mounting gear for these. And car power adaptors for havig the devices charged bike -onboardTouratech-UK-Shop

GPS-Navigation and Stuff

This one looks like a PDA (indeed it is one..LOL)

Garmin GPS iQue 3600

And a more portable with color screen

Garmin GPSMap 60C

Check them out

 

I have ordered for my self a little bit more "old school" thing and that's a Siemens loox PDA, it is more flexible and can be used also for others stuff as a small PC , like find a translator program and overcome some "communicating" difficulties in Itally.. LOL...

It cost me abot 360GBP, neu with complete software of analytical Europe +1Gig memmory card + all extras with GPS antenna and car kit chargers. On ebay shield pack.Still waiting for it to come , will post a review if anyone likes after using it for a while.

 

Be carefull though that in the software you'll be getting it is Europe analytical and not just only "the main roads" because that's what many times offer and it's not worthy since the Garmines are compatible I think only with "their own" software,and updates can be more expencive that other Pcs.Dunno may the iQue from Garmine (PDS) gives options for other software???: ) Other than this little drawback they're the best GPS devices.