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Originally posted by CLSCLS
I'm about to purchase a GPS CF unit, software, and a powered speaker amplified car mount. What models should I get and where should I get them. I am a bit of a novice, so they should be rather user friendly. I value your opinion.
Thanks for the advise
C.
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Oh, no, you don't drag me into any "religious" wars over what's best!
Most of the GPS receivers are about the same these days. It's what you want to do that is different. Among the CF variants the Holux GM270 is a solid performer, as is the Haicom 303 series (MMF and E are the ones I personally have tested). I like the Haicom because it has the flexibility to use as a mouse as well as a CF, so when I am in my car I can use the cables and have the CF slot for BIG maps and when walking around use it as a CF card with the smaller maps on my SD card. Of course, that added expense because I had to get the power cord and cables to attach the receiver to the Ax, but that was ok by me.
A new CF receiver I am just now experimenting with is the Pocket Xtrack from Fortuna. What they have done is to put advanced digital signal processing in their receiver to pick the signal out the noise on satellites with weaker signal strength. The overall effect is that the GPS is a "hot" receiver. I got a solid 3-D lock in my basement, when no other CF card can hold a lock even on the top floor. For hiking, trekking in heavy foliage and walking around in urban canyons, this receiver could be really sweet. The price you pay is in responsiveness. The receiver is slow to calculate fixes and therefore lags behind where you are. When walking that lag is not a problem, but when driving it is noticeable. I'm still testing and will have a review up in a few days. Fortunately, you can turn off the DSP processing and just use it in the "standard" mode, so it should be ok for driving in that mode until you hit the heavily treed narrow road or urban canyon driving and lose the signal.
I don't use a powered mount. In my car I have an old Arkon mount with a solid windshield mount. Instead of the new side grips on their mounts, this one has top and bottom grips that can be adjusted. Getting it right means that the side buttons are available and all cables connect, the CF and SD slots are open and the Ax is firmly held. Unfortunately, Arkon discontinued the mount. I bought a second one when they discounted it as discontinued so I have one in each car. In my wife's car I use a vent mount with the old Arkon holder.
I don't need the amplifier. I flew in military jets for 20 years and learned to pick out the voice in the noise (it was usually important when anybody spoke to you) so I apply that same skill and can hear the directions just fine on my Ax internal speaker. (My wife describes this as "tuning her out." She's right.)
Software is a personal choice. I have used Mapopolis, Routis and am now playing with Co-pilot. I've also tried Destinator, PocketMapNavigator and M$ Pocket Streets. Each has a set of good and bad points. It's all in what you want to do and how you think. Some folks want "guidance" not maps, so for them the 3-d display and voice directions are key. Others want maps and will find their own way, so for them the key is a good map display with accurate maps and the voice directions/3-D display are not as critical. Still others want to go geocaching, or hiking/trekking, so for them the availability of topo maps/bearing and distance information and altitude is more important, but the routing and highway info is not so critical. You have to decide what is important to you and then look for the package that supports what you want. Most reviewers put in enough information for you to see if a package does what you want, and some vendors even have demo/trial versions so you can play.
Good luck with it! My best recommendation is to see if anybody near you has GPS with their PPC and get them to show you how it works. Failing that, read the reviews on lots of websites, haunt the vendor sites and read tons.
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