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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on May 7, 2003 17:49:23 GMT -5
Is anyone using any PDA-GPS solutions ? please let me know, I am writing an article about the subject.
Fouad
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JonME4x4
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Post by JonME4x4 on May 9, 2003 11:53:18 GMT -5
I am. What do you need to know Fouad?
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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on May 9, 2003 12:43:18 GMT -5
Mainly the software used. As far as OS is concerned, there's Palm and there's Pocket PC. I have managed to hook up my Garmin to my Palm and used a freeware software. The other remaining part is Pocket PC, there's a multitude of softwares for GPS, but I dont have an opportunity to try any of them.
I know Ozie came up with a pocket pc version. what are you using ? I'd like to know how it works out ?
Fouad
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JonME4x4
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Post by JonME4x4 on May 9, 2003 20:53:32 GMT -5
I do use OziExplorerCE. Thanks to Alan Passmore, I made use of the downloaded NASA Satellite images of the region (huge files though). It allows you to log waypoints on the move, changing their default generated names and adding text details of the waypoint if you desire (useful for reminding you later what each waypoint meant!). Having a high quality moving map display works really well.
It also allows me to transfer data to the PC later on to make the files available for others. Download from say a Garmin GPS works well - upload is something that they haven't quite got sorted yet - instead there are feeware utilities that will do this.
The GPS receiver I use is an external one which plugs into my iPAQs serial port. Alternative hardware options use a CF expansion slot, but the Bluetooth versions are very interesting as well.
I'm happy with my choices and it works well for what I need. I didn't intend using it as a handheld GPS, but wanted better signal reception than the internal antennae options offer.
Hope this helps.
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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on May 10, 2003 5:10:03 GMT -5
Good combination, I would like to take pictures and feature it in my magazine, you will be ackowledged along with your club. Or you could send me pictures.
I have a Palm 505 and I have a QTEK Phone (works on pocket PC 2002). There is a GPS receiver that plugs into it. But I am thinking of getting the Bluetooth receiver. With the bluetooth, I can either use the Palm or even my laptop.
Currently, I have bought a cable that connects my Garmin to my Palm. But I dont use the palm for navigation, since I have the garmin. The reson behind the link is that my Garmin GPSMAP 76 has only 8 MB of memory that is non-expandable. By linking the Palm to the Garmin, I use the Palm as a storage device of waypoints and track since I am making use of the Palm's 136 MB of memory. When I spent 5 continous days in Liwa, my Garmin was full, so it started recording by deleting previous tracks, first-in/first-out basis. With the Palm link, I can save and start anew.
As for the Qtek, it takes only SD memory card, not flash, SD does not have a GPS receiver yet, so the only GPS solution for it is a receiver.
So basically I have narrowed down the article to this :
iPaq : - Compact-Flash GPS receiver. - Navman Sleeve - GPS Link Cable - Bluetooth solution. - Receiver
Palm : - Magellan Sleeve - GPS Link Cable - Bluetooth Solution (SD card bluetooth) - Receiver
Qtek : - Receiver only
As of now, devices with compact flash are the most flexible. What I am anticipating is an SD-Card GPS receiver. If that comes to the market, it would change things drastically.
Fouad
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JonME4x4
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Post by JonME4x4 on May 10, 2003 9:11:38 GMT -5
I agree with you about recording the track data. My Garmin 128 stores only 1024 track points - try doing a Liwa route with just that!
In truth, the 128 has a better display for navigation. I'm used to the 'compass arrow' format for navigating and comfortable with it. Ozi uses a yellow line on the screen to do straight line navigation and because it is a moving map display doesn't conform to the 'up is towards the next waypoint' method of navigation.
I suppose it's what you're used to. I'm still learning my way around OziCE at the moment and I'm also going to post a piece about using the iPAQ on my site. I've been meaning to do this for a while, once I got the configuration of the iPAQ right.
Another key point is the method of mounting the iPAQ in the vehicle. I use a RAM mount - it is seriously solid, even for a 'suction-cup' mount. I'm very happy with it. Thanks go to Dave Aldis for sourcing that in the USA for me on a recent trip out there.
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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on May 10, 2003 10:46:48 GMT -5
Heh, Lucky you, the cup holder stand that I found doesnt fit Chevy. Anyway, I could never navigate using the arrow, I tried it on an e-trex once, didn't feel comfortable, but that's just me, I have to see the "whole picture" (map) . On my Garmin, the map stays still, it's the cursor that moves (my position). a few months back I tried the moving map option on a Streetpilot 3, I tested, and I almost lost my sense of orientation, to tell you the truth, I got dizzy..heheh. with the whole map constantly turning, I felt the world was turning around me. One of our members, Mark, he once strapped his entire laptop to the passenger seat and hooked it to his garmin, and navigated in host mode on his laptop. Up and down the dunes the laptop was doing fine. Fouad
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Pawan
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Post by Pawan on May 10, 2003 13:34:15 GMT -5
Fouad, I have the navman sleeve, I just got my hands on it a week back, and ever since then I have not yet used it, as I havent really got the time to set up the whole thing as yet.
If you want you can borrow my sleeve for your review and check it out, atleast till i get the chance to set it up.
Btw just for your info, I was using the QTEK a while ago, it just has an normal SD Slot. So all you can basically use is memory. The iPAQ 39xx/54xx series have an SDIO Slot, which is necessary to use any perhiperals. So in the future if an SD GPS receiver comes out I dont think you would be able to use it in the Qtek!
What I have heard for the Qtek, and seen it on the net as well some time back (dont rem the link now) is that you can get an add on option for the Qtek to allow it to be Bluetooth enabled. Its an addon option to make the Qtek bluetooth enabled, and then i guess you could use the upcoming bluetooth receivers or the Socket/Emtac ones which are already available, to link up with your Qtek.
I hope that helps.
Jon, how huge are the NASA Satellite images you have of the region? Would it be possible by any chance you could share them with me. Thanks.
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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on May 10, 2003 13:53:53 GMT -5
Pawan, Thanks for the offer, that was kind of you, maybe we could meet up and do a trip together to test it. I need someone to hold it so I can take pictures . You're right about the QTEK, but I am sure when the sd-gps comes out they will figure a way around it, I think they will use a sleeve for the QTEK rather than SD slot, the SD-GPS will have other uses. As for MY QTEK, well, I didnt buy it for GPSing, I bought as a business tool, checking my e-mail on the go, advanced contact database, writing down notes...etc. I have the Palm for GPSing, but the thing is Palm does not relate with windows the way PocektPC does (duh!!). So far for GPS-PDA solutions, the iPaq is ideal, it has all the flexibility you can ask for. Fouad
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Post by Littlefoot on May 10, 2003 13:59:49 GMT -5
The mrsid maps can be downloaded here zulu.ssc.nasa.gov/mrsid/ you have to select where in the world you want maps for its a bit of a flap to get to the right page and its a 43MB download approx as far as i know they only work in the full version of Ozi or any other software that uses MrSid images.
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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on May 10, 2003 18:09:05 GMT -5
Thanks for the info Stuart, I'll check if I can fit them on a Palm
Fouad
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JonME4x4
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Post by JonME4x4 on May 10, 2003 20:30:34 GMT -5
There's an additional utility you will need to make them fit with OziCE called img2ozf. Basically, it converts the files to a format that OziCE uses, which involves making 'tiles' of the image which are about the size of the iPAQ screen. A fully registered version of Ozi is needed to use the MrSid files as well.
When the files get converted to Ozf format, they bloat in size because it produces these 'tiles' for several different levels of zoom. The idea is to speed up the running of the program by only loading what is needed on the screen and the eight tiles immediately surrounding it, as opposed to a 50 meg file all in one go!
I'm currently trying to play around with it to reduce the number of zoom levels so that the file sizes comes down a bit. My first attempt (which covers most of the UAE and Oman, but crucially you some people not Dubai and the Northern Emirates) was 143MB and this needs to be reduced.
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Mcflem
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Post by Mcflem on May 12, 2003 23:13:02 GMT -5
Fouad and all. I have a contact with a company in the states that handles all GPS Units and all accessories for good prices. If any wants something I get a price and we can compare this with Dubai? Colin
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Klaus
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Post by Klaus on Oct 13, 2003 6:45:32 GMT -5
These Mrsid images are very old, look at the roundabouts on the AD - Dubai road.
Klaus
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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on Oct 13, 2003 14:17:13 GMT -5
VERY old, dont have to go as far as Abu Dhabi, just look at the trade center roundabout, it's still a roundabout on the image when it's been a bridge for a long time now. But the good thing is they are calibrated.
If you can find any newer just let me know, I can calibrate them
Fouad
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