Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > GPS....Advice / experiences???

[Mr C]

I have a Customer who trialed several Handheld GPS's over the last few months and the actually ended up but 250 of these
http://www.dabs.com/uk/productview?q...&referrerid=TS
So could be worth a look

[AndyVR6]

Am also planning to get a PDA-based system. This was going to be a Palm T3/T4, which will fit landscape-mode on the top yoke of a 916 (if I can waterproof/mount it neatly) therefore in line-of-vision rather than under your chest. Am also considering the new X50 Dell, but am not sure if you can flip it it to landscape mode the same.

Anyway, Tom Tom software seems to get the best reviews and it has points-of-interest (err, speed cameras!). My question is ... can you use it in a non-directed way, ie. roaming freely, on whatever road looks interesting, with the map there on the screen for general guidance ... then when you get home upload your route to a PC to get a good view of where you went ... then use that route as directions if you wanted to retrace those steps? I like the idea of having a dynamic map on the top yoke, but not sure I want to be told where to go all the time!

[Desmondo]

Only had mine aday or so but as far as I can tell you can just leave it free roaming to follow on the map. I'll check it out on the way home tonight.

Only problem you will have is that the TomTom software won't let you run in landscape mode, regardless of what PDA you have.

[Desmondo]

Just confirming that TT Nav3 can be set to just follow the map as you're driving along.

[AndyVR6]

Thanks for that Des. Whilst the Pocket PC machines do portrait mode, the Palm T3/4 definitely do landscape as well, and I'm pretty sure I've see screenshots of TomTom working in landscape. Last I heard though, the Palm version didn't accept points of interest to be loaded, but they're expected soon I think.

[Mr_S]

TomTom 3 definitely only does landscape on the Palm platform

For mounting to the yoke have a look at RAM mounts, the Veypour datalogging kit uses them.

http://www.ram-mount.com/index.htm

I'm looking to get one for my mountain bike, and have toyed with the idea of using the same system to mount to the 748.

[Jools]

Originally posted by Desmondo
Just confirming that TT Nav3 can be set to just follow the map as you're driving along.

Yep, the StreetPilot does that as well. I know that it's only marginally useful but I do get a childish delight out of seeing it display which number house you are just passing as you drive down the street, looking out the window and finding that it's spot on.

It's also useful having a GPS readout of the speed you're doing. Am I right in thinking that the speed that the GPS says you are doing is more accurate than your speedo?

[Desmondo]

Yeah Jools. Most speedo's over-read by around 10%. The GPS will be a lot more accurate.

[the phantom pieman]

Just buy a Garmin Quest and be done with it...

Small ... but yes, you can read the screen ... and its colour

20 hrs battery life
enough meory to store all you want
And aout the size of a TV remote
Also water resistant

350 GBP from PC world On-line ...