navigation and a netbook?

[mike.]

hi chaps, looking at getting setup with a laptop, gps and the memory map software. i could do with a little advice. i havent a clue how to get these things working.
can i use a cheap 2 gig netbook with an external gps antenna or is there anything in particular i need to look out for? i could use a stick for most of the storage.
would i be better off just using a smart phone?

thanks,

mike.

[excossack]

I use my Garmin 12xl with a cable into a serial port with mem map.
I have only done it the once and worked OK.
Also, I have used a bluetooth GPS reciever and a PDA with mem map., THe PDA does have a small screen.

[mike.]

thanks john, looking around the gps reciever seems to be the easy bit, finding a netbook that would support it for less than 150 quid could be fun

[excossack]

The other option would be a tablet PC such as a HP TC1100
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HP-Compaq-Tablet-PC-Lapto...sh=item2eb2b05669

USB ports, stylus screen etc. No CD rom though, WIFI as well

[HardTopsUK]

[clbarclay]

[Twiss]

If you're using memory map, you can use most older garmin satnavs
(if you're a cheapskate like me)

It does all sorts of nice stuff - like plotting your route on the map, giving you a nice route/elevation profile when you're finished...
You can print out a map of the route, which is useful if you go out laning with people who don't have GPS!

[aniesigh]

how do you do it on the older garmin sat navs? boss kindly donated his old one

[chrisvitarasport94]

older Etrex's are fine, and you can get series port cables for the laptop

an old laptop will do, take off all the old programs except the basics that it came with and you'll be fine

PDA's & smart phone don't give enough detail to be enjoyable

[mike.]

thanks for the advice, paper maps are always a necessity but there are always moments where we're second guessing ourselves, it'd be nice for the reassurance, i suppose a pda or smart phone would do the job for that but if i wanna navigate with it it'll be a laptop.
i'll see if i can pick up an old laptop cheap, failing that it'll be a pda.

anybody got an old laptop

[bird_2112]

I used to use a HP pda and MM with external receiver. I now have an Asus R101 netbook £195 plus £27 to take take it to 2gb running XP as required by MM. Bought a USB gps receiver for £27 off ebay plus a twin suction netbook mount for £16 off ebay. All sorted and much easier with the bigger screen. You may want a usb extension cable so you can put the receiver outside the vehicle. On disco's the slope of the windscreen is better for receivers on the dash than 90/110's.

[mike.]

thanks,

a friend of mine has just bought a pda thing with gps, it looks fantastic but i agree it is quite small. i shall keep trying to get a laptop setup given that i'm completely retarded when it comes to navigating.

[mike.]

big thanks to john excossack who has sold me a nice old laptop for a very reasonable price. I should be getting a gps reciever soon.
stand by for some completely retarded pooter/mem map based questions .

anyone got the overlays for north wales or know of an online walkthrough? I think I have the very basics so far.

[jeepmadmike]

for me

Paper map and iphone with ordinace survey app - fantastic for fast location confirmation and short route planning.

i use the OS map app daily its fantastic for finding routes around temperary traffic lights, finding a quicker route than the chav-nav finds (by using un classified route etc) busted my phone a couple of weeks ago and was lost without it!

[mike.]

paper maps are a necessity no matter what gadgets you have!