I would like comments and suggestions on the various SAT NAV systems available.

There seems to be a leaning to the Garmin.

If so, which Garmin model, or which other make and model.

I use Tom Tom Europe, and would need a SAT NAV for guidance through Africa down to Cape Town.

If you want sat nav in Africa, then the closest you'll get to it is "Tracks4Africa"

Not sat nav as you know it - but the only option.

If you want T4A then you'll need mapsource software to read and down load it.

Mapsource comes free with Garmin products

Make sure whatever unit you buy has enough storage to download the T4A stuff onto.

Your choice is limited. But whats out there is good

Good luck

Niallo

,
,
Hi Niallo,
I have the T4A on my laptop, running Google Earth, very good.
Which hand held Garmin is good to go?

Sorry........

Not upto speed on handhelds - I'm on 4 wheels so have a Garmin 2820 with 52" plasma screen

Would be interested to hear what one is the man for the job - if you find out

Cheers

Niallo

Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx
It's often told to be the best to navigate everywhere (on the road, offroad, sea, mountains... moon).
I don't know if it's the best as I didn't do lots of comparisons, but I can say it's great. It's very versatile, wiht a wide range of functions, and the receiver is exceptional, really high sensitive.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=310

Bye!

Aye Aye Captain,

that will be the one then.

garmin to the rescue

Gotta agree with Cap'n jack on the Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx.
Not the best graphics as say a zumo, but when you are in the middle of nowhere where no fancy routable maps are availiable then it's very handy.
Runs on 2xAA batts which last quite well, has a very good ariel that seldom loses lock and is truly pocket sized and very useful at finding your digs after a or two, Ahem!
Got quite a few features useful overlanders and can accept blue charts for ocean going types!
There is a map unlock/upload programme here Upload Garmin Maps to GPS
which I have used and is quite simple and straight forward (needs to be for me) as I have had probs with mapsource and compatability.
I keep hearing that the wonderlust world map is good but have only played with an evaulation version.
Anyway, hope my two penneth helps.
Dave.
p.s. 52" plasma screen eh? Hope your car batterys a good un!

Just done UK to Cape Town on motorbikes and found the Garmin Etrex Vista Hcx to be fantastic. Wonderlust and Tracks4Africa are great and the device is even smaller than the 60CSx and also runs on 2AAs. Touratech mounts are one thing but the Hcx just fits straight into my pocket when I leave the bike unattended.

Interestingly we found it really useful in town where the (electronic and paper) maps are not very detailed or out of date. Gives a good idea of which way you should be heading when the town is heaving with people everywhere!

__________________
Find out details of my 2011 trip to Siberia on a lightweight dirtbike:
www.brighton2expeditions.co.uk

Yeah, the etrex is a smashin little gps.
Used one before the 60csx.
The screen is a bit bigger on the 60 and the ariel seems to hold a lock better but very similar in the way they both work.
I found the front mounted buttons on the 60 easier to use than the side buttons on the etrex, especially on the bike.
All the best, Dave.

I've got the Road Nagel Adventurer 7000
does what its says (gets you from a to b), and has the option of importing OS maps (not sure about other map formats, but seeing as you can use it with memory map Iwould say probably yes).
It's quite a relatively big touchscreen sompared to the more rugged Garmin units, but the user interface is a pain.
When it's working fine it's not too bad, but the touchscreen calibration on my unit keeps drifting making it almost impossible to enter certain letters.

It is waterproof, and has seen me around the pyranees, so can't complain.
Haven't taken it further (yet) so can't comment on that.

I am looking to change it though, as the UI part is really getting to me and the missus now (we use it in the car day to day as well).
Just seen some good reviews of the Garmin 60CSx on here, but any other suggestions greatfully received.

Maybe so about the Garmin, but mine can't find my house, or download safety cameras. So far after two weeks I have been unable to get ANY response from Garmin not even an automated reply. It is being parcelled up for return to the seller as I write this. So if you buy one be aware they don't have ANY form of after sales service other than what you can get from your supplier.

I have no idea how other brands compare, but it would not be possible to be worse.

Finding a specific address is a function of the map used as much as that of the unit. I have yet to see a map where rural addresses are correct. Obtaining accurate road data is difficult enough, but I don't think that addresses in most places have even been mapped to be useful for GPS. It's all still fairly new technology. Try a different map, although I wouldn't know where to get one from...

However, YOU know where your house is. All you have to do is set a waypoint at home and then your GPS should be able to route you home from anywhere, as long as the roads in your map are there and accurate.

I have to agree somewhat with the comments about Garmin support. What consumer article these days, especially Chinese made, has good support? Had the same with our Canon camera. 4 months to fix under warranty, although mainly the dealer's fault.

I have never tried to load speed camera data, but I have loaded other POIs (Points of Interest) and it worked as advertised.

Garmin is the only brand for which there are free maps available, afaik.

If you want a Garmin with a bigger screen then I have seen recommended elsewhere the 276C and the newer 620. Both are marine/auto units. The 620 weighs 490g!

__________________
Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10

I can type my address into a tom tom, Viamichelin or any of the online routers. The only device I have come across so far that dosen't know my address is the garmin, which is loaded with its EU streetmaps. By accident I have found it, but they have misspelled the name of here and of the neighbouring hamlet, by putting an extra S in the four letter name. IE Name is spelt NaSme which is why it cant find it.

Also it wont find names of places beginning with "saint" unless you type it in exactly as they have misspelled them. so for "St jean pied de port" you have to type in EXACTLY "saint-jean-pied-de-port" any other combination will not work. Sometimes ST is spelled st, sometimes saint sometimes sainte and sometimes one of the preceding plus a - symbol. My unit would not connect to the paid for speed camera database from Garmins website. (but it would connect through 'my dashboard' to update software).

Although as you say I can use a waypoint to navigate here, you cant put in waypoints for places you havent been to, unless someone else gives you the way point. The idea was to be able to navigate TO places rather than AWAY from them. Although it may well be useful to prisoners escaping from gaol, even then you will need a destination.

Of my first three destinations I tried on the unit, I could only find one. Which was Ouistreham. I could not find my start point or st jean (got around that by finding Ascarat instead), and for Pussy I had to go to Albertville then use the map for the final bit. So it means I have to carry maps in order to load the machine with a town it can find. The idea was to use the satnav for the final bits as it is easy to navigate using signposts for most of my journeys.

Yesterday I started my bike, it has been standing idle in a shed with a tin roof in temperatures down to -10c and untouched for about a month. It started first kick as usual (wearing slippers). I only wish the satnav was as dependable as my Enfield.

How easy is the Garmin 60CSx to use? I have had plenty of experience on TomTom Riders and a couple of random Garmins I've borrowed but all are the basic touch screen types you see everywhere.