GPS Total Solution - Not there yet!
 

Hi there - I know there are a myriad of threads on GPS, but none seem to specifically answer the questions I have.

I am trying to build the complete GPS solution for our trip by land rover to Australia (and for all the fun before it too!). I startred off with an inherited Garmin GPS V, which although OK, seemed to be very basic. KNowing that I was always going to be taking a laptop on the trip, it seemed to make sense to incorporate a GPS system in with this.

I have bought from eBay a GPS mouse, the Holux GR-213U. I aim to hook this up with my nice Toshiba Tecra M5 and any appropriate software. I have Garmin worldmap, the European city select, V4 and have purchased smellybikers Wanderlust maps. I can see the GPS mouse works, at least at my house, as it shows the correct longitude and latitude.

What I want to be able to do is hook up all this kit and see a nice straightforward image of where I am on a map. I don't want to over complicate things, and I don't want to become the ubergeek of GPS, but I don't mind investing some time in figuring stuff out.

I have also downloaded the shareware version of Oziexplorer, but haven't really tried putting that piece of the puzzle in yet.

So, where I am now is with all these bits and pieces, but I don't know what software I should be running and how to configure it.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Now can see me on MapSource
 

Better add that after reinstalling the driver for the USB GPS mouse I can now see my position on Mapsource.

So I suppose from here I have the bare minimum to work with. And if I want to add my own maps I should get down to learning Oziexplorer.
Any other tips or advice?

My advice would be stick with the Garmin V and forget all of the rest. Your laptop you want sealed away from dust, water and view, not paraded on your dash attracting dust etc.

Everytime you want to get out and wonder around for a while you will have to pack the laptop away somewhere. Things like that you will have to do hundreds of times during the course of your trip and slows you down and puts you off from stopping etc

Spend as much money on the mechanics of your vehicle, on making yourselves comfortable and healthy, on extending your trip, doing cool things when out there and experiencing the local culture, not on gadgets and whizzbangs that will further alienate yourself from them (though I realise how tempting this is when your waiting patiantly to actually leave - spend this on learning mechanics and driving practise etc).

(I've plodded all over the place with a GPS 3 and waypoints from the internet combined with a good map)

Just my view anyway....

Ha!
 

Money spent now! No going back .......

We are having our first shakedown trip down to Portugal this summer, so will test out both there.

In the mean time I still will explore the the laptop route ....

Thanks for your opinion Darren anyhow ......

Less is best.

Consumption and materialism are rampant diseases in the west. Hopefully you will find a cure by the end of your trip ;-)

Too goddam true
 

You've hit a nail on the head there.

Half the reason we are going on this is because we found ourselves too excited with our new fridge (it does serve crushed ice mind you).

We have now replaced these consumerables with land rover/trip based goodies. It is a hard habbit to break. We are trying though ....

:)

laptop
 

I cant begin to tell you how invaluable the laptops proved to us. You ever try driving in Madrid with no directions. Or Rome for that matter. We used it non stop from London To Cape Town.

We had a rig built for the laptop in front of the passenger who navigated. It was then simple as pie to get around.

As for storage i agree with darrin. It was extra 5 minutes everytime we stopped to pack it and store it in the back. It gets irritating! You cant nip out. Cant wander off.

If it is somehow possible to build a bin behind the drivers seat or the likes that can lock, then you will be able to easily disconnect and bin it in seconds.

Hope it helps.

Hi Ollie,

I have thinking along the same lines concerning knowing just exactly where one is...I decided against a cab mounted laptop for all the reasons outlined above, especially dust and theft. I took one on a previous trip and it was a real nuisance, constantly having to feed it and hide it etc. Have now decided to keep it simple and have a Garmin 152 already mounted on the dash and will use a redundant PDA with Pathaway software (TTQV) as backup and to show a moving map for those confusing moments ! The PDA mounts on the 110 dash with no drilling and I will use an external aerial as the signals inside through the screen are very poor compared to the 152 on its external aerial.

The PDA can double up for other tasks no doubt and the whole thing is small enough to chuck a t shirt over in dodgy areas. It may be possible to bin the 152 if the PDA setup performs suitably, and use a handheld gps for backup.

Hope this helps,

Andrew.


(PS I 'm reminded I owe you the tubes-they WILL come !!.)

Can you email me your address please, lost the original.

Hello all,

I have a Panasonic Toughbook PDA (CF-P1) running Pathaway and Walkabout HH3 tablet PC (built to military spec) running TTQV4 under Win2000Pro.

The Panasonic is fine for following a route pre-programmed on a big screen but fairly useless for reading maps - you can't expect both high resolution and speed from a personal organiser, can you?

The tablet computer did very well during four weeks in the Sahara last February. It easily withstood impacts, dust, water and vibrations. I had more problems with TTQV4 which, being used in route tracking mode, had a tendency to hang up quite often, especially when the cursor reached an edge of a the map.

In Tunisia and Libya, I did not feel it necessary to remove the toys from the dashboard while leaving the car for a few hours, but I would not dare doing it in Europe (!)

Both computers were purchased on ebay for a fraction of the original price and I would not hesitate to recommend this setup for most in-car navigation tasks.

Software/Mpas
 

Right well i have recently bought a Toshiba Tecra M5 laptop and have the GPS mouse. So what I really need to know is what software and maps would people recommend.

I've got plenty of time to learn, but would rather a nice simple method. I have read on Oziexplorer website they recommend photocopying the maps in. Is that really an effective way to get them onto electronic format? I can't imagine with my clumsy hands it working very well?
If it is a good idea, what scale maps are appropriate to be used?

Is TTQV4 another sort of Oziexplorer? Is that the one you recommended Andrew?

Thanks for all your ansersso far.

PS Andrew have PM'd you with my address - thanks :)

Ollie,

You could put all your maps on to the laptop to use for backup and route planning. (Get maps in various formats (CD/DVD/download(?) from Daerr, Woick, TTQV - do a google search or email me if you wish). Did I give you the Woick catalogue? They sell maps of absolutely everywhere.

Simple solution - use a handheld (small) or chartplotter (bigger) type gps (Garmin 152 for example) for day to day navigating or get a PDA if you prefer colour maps. I don't know what ozzieplorer is, only TTQV - see their website TTQV.com. Use the latest TTQV 4 standard version for the laptop or TTQV Pathaway for a PDA.

Depending on your prerefence I personally would take a book full of paper A4 maps printed off the screen too.

You could keep the laptop packed away until you had to change a route. A laptop of any size in the cab is going to get in the way in addition to security and unless you have a toughbook you'll have dust problems, especially in a LR.

That's my suggestions ...let me know if you want any help.

Andrew.

Don't do it !!
 

Ollie,
leave the laptop packed in the back. Upfront in a cramped Defender on rough roads it will get in the way, and it will break. Guarranteed. Plus when it gets sunny you won't be able to see the screen anyway.

Like Darren says - Keep it simple. I've tried all the gadgets and am happiest with custom-printed maps - batteries last for ever, dust-proof, shatter-proof and bend-proof etc. etc. try finding tech like that! Get yourself a cheapie Etrex and you are away.

If you really, really, really want a screen-based gadget get a PDA and mount it on the dash like someone has already suggested. You can run TOMTOM for Europe and Ozieexplorer for everywhere else on it. Your GPS mouse should work with it too.

You can use your Garmin map on a notebook (as navigation tool not just displaying them like in Mapsource) using the free nRoute (I think it is called), which you can download from the Garmin website.

The only drawback is that it would only work with a Garmin GPS connected to the PC.

Hello Richard,

Being a bit technophobic, aren't we?

Out of interest, how many 1:500 000 paper maps do you reckon are needed to cover the route from Europe to Oz?

GPS logger/transmitter
 

I agree with those who suggest that using laptop while driving is way overkill. It is too much hassle to continiously manage it, hide it etc.

My favorite is PDA with built-in GPS running software like PathAway (using Soviet 500K military maps as basemap). The problem with PDA is that it is not rugged enough for outdoor use, for example on motorcycle, plus battery does not last too long for outdoor use. If anyone knows a rugged weatherproof PDA with GPS, let me know (I know there are weaterproof boxes available).

I also like to continiously log my entire route. For this I have hidden GPS logger/transmitter (Royaltek RBT-3000) in my car that uses external antenna and that is wired to car electrical system. So it is always on and you don't need to mount any GPS/PDA to log your route, it works all the time. Then in the evening or once a week you can download your route from the logger to your PDA or computer (via Bluetooth). And the logger also doubles as wireless Bluetooth mouse GPS, so you have wireless GPS in your car and 5 m around all the time! That is great and I really suggest to spend this little extra money and go for (Bluetooth) logger over usual mouse type of GPS for car use. :)

Globalsat DG-100 is a new and cheap GPS logger, however it has no Bluetooth support (only direct USB connection).

Ahto,

Take a look at this: [url=http://tinyurl.com/32nofl]

I get your point, BUT most travellers would get away with none at all. <500k maps are only really needed if you're route-finding in remote areas - typically a small enough proportion of the trip to carry printouts.

Bigger maps you'll want to take on paper anyway.

I spent days setting up a PDA with 200k maps for my last trip, it worked OK although a pain to read in bright sunlight. A custom-printed map book brought by a client with pre-marked waypoints proved much more useful in the end and unlike the PDA no one accidentally wiped it's memory!

A funny thing happened to me on the way to Wales ......
 

We have just returned from some very nice off roading with our local club in Wales. Heading there though I discovered I had forgotten the the instructions to get there, but thought we would be OK as I had them on the laptop, which we were testing out with the GPS.

What we didn't count on was the auxillary battery packing out, which the inverter was wired into. So, just as we realised we only had 15% battery, we realised that we couldn't charge it without a major headache!! This left an interesting last two hours of navigation and battery conservation! We made it, but it certainly taught us a lesson to on how an over realiance on one technology can leave you exposed.

Anyway, this and our experiment with the laptop has left us favoring navigating with our Garmin V, with laptop as backup. A most probably a paper store of maps too.

Thanks for all the advice, I still reserve the right to change my mind several times before the big trip though :)

Ollie,

Your conclusions are basically correct - you can't relay on any piece of technology unless it can be fixed with a big hammer :-). But they need a bit of fine-tuning.

I've been using electronic navigation for many years and can say that in 99 per cent of cases it gets me there and back. The remaining 1 per cent can be made up by using such cheap tricks as asking for directions or using paper maps.

If my past experience is anything to go by, here are some points which I hope someone may find useful:

Rule No 1 - If you want to use any electronic navigation tool, make sure it's right for the job and you have enough practice in using it. Enter coordinates into your GPS using DMS while DMM is needed and you'll know what I mean.

Rule No 2 - If you decide to use it, make sure it works 100% and you know how to fix it if it doesn't. Otherwise you may end up carrying around plenty of dead weight - too expensive to throw away and too knackered to be useful.

Rule No 3 - Use sufficient redundancy built into the system. These days GPS receivers, hard disks, PC computers or power supplies come so cheap you can buy them by the pound. It's better to have two or three cheap spare items than one all-singing-all-dancing ultra expensive Halfords gizmo that can leave you stranded or get stolen.

I'm looking to go down the laptop route for a trip around Morocco in April, having used laptops for offroading in the UK.

A friend has been offered some second hand Panasonic Toughbook CF-28s - the military spec ruggedised ones for around £360 + VAT + Delivery.

These usually sell on ebay for £595 or above so it's a pretty good price.

I need to find 4 other people to fill the minimum order of 5 so if anyone is interested, please drop me a private message via the forum here.

The spec is similar to the spec of this one currently on ebay (see eBay.co.uk: SALE NOW ON! PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK CF-28 LAPTOP (item 230106346763 end time 28-Mar-07 21:45:00 BST)) although it is running Windows 2000 pro, not WinXP.

You can pickup 12volt to laptop (variable voltage) power supplies for not much money nowadays which will be a lot cheaper and more energy efficient way of powering your laptop.

Certainly worth looking out for one.

Interesting thread, but i must say, i'm very confused?? Are you all in the dark ages? Why not get a GPSMAP, like a Garmin 60, load it with Worldmap (if it doesn't already have it), Buy the harness and a cradel, weather it be $30 from RAM, or $120 from Touratech, and your set. You can leave the laptop at home (i'm packing one now, but it's a mac and doesn't comply with Garmin stuff...f#$kers!) Your set! You have a moving realtime map, which is adequate and you can see in the sunlight, and you can relate to your paper map on your tankbag. If you really want, you can load the Wanderlust maps and have complete detail. PDA's, laptops on the dash? Wierd! Seriously, i say this all in jest, but just pay a little more for a GPSMAP and be done with it! Simple! Personally, i recomend the 60cs, or the latest csx. Very durable and weatherproof, and small enough to fit in your pocket so you can find you way home in Bogota in the middle of the night (bad idea actually, just take a cab :) )

The advantage with a laptop or carpc is that you have a decent sized screen that is a lot easier to read when bouncing along a track than the small screen on the Garmin.

You can also store more detailed maps as well as things like Satellite images to backup the maps you have. If you are lucky you can even go to the extent of looking at 3d renders of routes to help you get an idea of the road ahead.

My ideal would be a proper built in CarPC that would also be used for entertainment - virtually all the music I have is on MP3 now.

...fair enough, but truthfully, if you can read your dash guages when your riding down a gravel road, you can read the GPSMAP. Just zoom in on your location so it only covers say 2km. People ask me all the time if i can read my GPS, and the answer is i've never wished for a larger screen. The new 60csx takes cards that you can load before you leave, or at any internet cafe you encounter. I do carry a laptop that i use for camera and video editing, but as someone posted befor, you can't see the screen in the sunlight anyway...the gps you can. The GPS can take a tumble, the computer can't, and you will crash or fall over. Trust me, just try it and you'll be convinced :)

Ollie,

We agree with the replys you got, We have been on 5 pre trips and found the Laptop was a pain, good for internet cafes and writing up diarys and dont forget watching films.

We have finaly gone with the Garmin Nuvi 660 after advise from Tom Bird at Garmin UK, we have used the laptop to create a list of waypoints of places to visit in the european mapping and saved areas of the world map passed Turkey then being able to download the mapping with waypoints to the nuvi as we go along, saves memory in the unit not that we need it with 2 Mb innt the nuvi.

Another good thing with the nuvi is its discreate, bright screen, you can use it on its btys. We have also bought good old paper mapping from Stanfords.

What club did you go to wales with was it Shire as we used to live in Gosport?

But good luck on your trip planning, get away as much as you can for a minimum of 1 week to 10 days at a time, then write a Post exercise report in a log book as you go along full of all the things you need to change sort out.

Check it out!
http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/garmin/nuvi370.htm

Just to end your confusion -- the GPS basemaps available for most of Africa (and probably other less 'mapped' places around the world) are pretty useless. For Africa you need to scan and calibrate your own maps or fork out for a very expensive all-in-one solution like Touratech's. Either way, if you're doing anything half-way serious off the tar, and need to read terrain you'll have to mess around with a PC at some stage in the game - even if only to print out your reliable paper sheets!

Just looked at Morocco on Worldmap v4 (which I've never heard of) on the Garmin website. Detail compared to the IGN or Russian maps is minimal to say the least. Would probably be adequate for navigating town to town but for specific pistes or finding discrete features it's pretty useless.

I'll stick with my original plan of dash mounted gps pre-programmed with routes and a pda to show position on a map. Backed up with paper copies, and if I was doing a west africa circuit or similar, maybe even a used toughbook for comprehensive map and photo storage.

Andrew.

If you get a laptop or a CarPC sunlight on the screen won't be a problem.


Hopefully won't crash or fall over in our LC - don't forget this is a 4WD section ;-)

For me, in a car, a decent laptop setup or CarPC will always win hands down - you can do more with it and see more of the map atr a time on the screen, which is easier to read when driving along.

Yes there are security issues and you need to hide it away when you stop, which you most likely will have to do with the Garmin anyway.

As a portable backup, I have a PDA phone and a bluetooth GPS, running a cut down versions of the mapping software on the laptop.

So much to think about!
 

Wow - thanks for all the naswers and keep them coming.

Now I only want to go and spend £400 on a brand new Garmin GPS .... :)

Its all good fun finding out anyhow, but I do think the number one issue is making sure you have the quality of maps. I may well take you up on your offer for a tutorial for buying maps and converting them to something useful Andrew! (P.S. thanks for the PM).

Andy - yes it was the shire we were out with. Our first time with them and it was a great weekend. A really good way to learn what the vehicle can do. Hopefully we will be out with them again soon. When do you guys leave?

If you had an infinite supply of mpney, does anyone have an opinion on which would be the best electronic maps to buy? I might start begging :)

Thanks again...

Ron,

In Africa, as Andrew said, Garmin maps may be just sufficient for major roads. These can often be driven even without a map - just follow the tarmac and if in doubt, ask the locals or take a picture of a map sketched for you with a stick in the sand. Why bother with a GPS?

Try going to places of interest in remote areas, which for most of us is the main reason to travel the world, and you will find that navigating with your shiny GPSMAP or whatever is still like it used to be in the dark ages.

Ron, have you successfully downloaded many files in African internet cafes, not even large files like maps? I am not talking about places in villages, but large towns too.

Oh, I have tried it and am convinced such trust would be, euphemistically speaking, very misplaced.

Ollie

We leave mid June. Cant wait life is just hanging around now waiting for May when we can arange the Iranian & Pakistan Visas. Will get the Indian in Islamabad.

Ollie,

I don't know what route you intend to take to Oz but thinking about it, if you are happy with a gps system that mainly will take you from town to town, out of the box so to speak, then a unit with the Garmin Worldmap may be the ticket.

I've just tried it again for India and while it again doesn't offer the detail you could get by researching and obtaining better maps, which could possibly get complicated, it may be enough for you at least as your main system, backed up with paper maps of any local areas required. SImple!

Have a look at this -
Garmin: MapSource - WorldMap


Click on the top right "Map source map viewer" and have a play to see what it can do.

Andrew.

I've just tried Worldmap for the UK and it doesn't show the town where I live - Crowborough...population 21000....

Andrew.

T4 maps
 

Get them for Africa. brilliant.

Also read about this system. Its basically a laptop that you can tear the screen away from the actual pc. The pc reacts via bluetooth to the screen which is also a touch screen.

So one could but the unit permanently behind the front seat. the Screen could then be used in a very small mount in the front or wherever you need it.

Will find out name of PC soon.

Ollie,

Should you decide that you want highly detailed maps for the whole of your trip instead of Garmin worldmap's basic details the simplest answer is use these Russian maps available from TTQV on CD. You'll need TTQV v4 to use them and download to your gps/pda/laptop.

Although in Russian, major locations are also marked in English and the level of detail is very good although IGN mpas of Africa re certainly better in this regard.

You shouldn't get lost with these!

TTQV Australia/Asia maps (Russian)
http://www.ttqv.com/download/pdf/karten_asien_e.pdf

Andrew

Not Cheap
 

Wow - those maps aren't cheap are they! My god.

Must be a cheaper way of getting maps surely?

I'm off to search the net ........

thanks again Andrew. I've not ruled them out yet!

Hi,

I use a Mitac Mio P 350 with built in GPS (retails for around €250,00), running TomTom (Europe) and Ozi (off-road). With a 2 Giga SD card you can take all the maps you need for your trip to Oz.

I also use my faithful Garmin V for backup, as I dont believe the PDA to be sturdy enough for the piste.

CD with all Russian maps :Turkey to Indonesia 79 euros....

Webshop Touratech-QV

Ollie,

have you seen this thread? Digitized Russian military map sheets at topomaps.eu - The HUBB

Cheapest option is to download the maps you need (as suggested above) and then calibrate them for use with Ozieexplorer (PC and PDA versions).

The Touratech TTQV set up is expensive and coded to prevent you from using their maps with other companies software - remember to price in their map reading software if you go down that route.

Richard,

TTQV can read many different bitmap file formats, so it's not limited to proprietary maps.There are some maps that can be used only with Touratech QuoVadis but they were coded by the people who sell the maps. These maps can still be exported from TTQV to another format.

TTQV may be more expensive that OziExplorer but it also does many more jobs and has excellent customer suppport.

My apologies to everybody! I didn't notice that this was the 4WD section! Wow, if i had the luxury of travelling in a cage (oops, easy there Ron! ;) ) I would be taking advantage of the resources you speak of. Man, who carries an open laptop on a motorcycle??
...that being said, although Worldmap, well,sucks! It has become an ever important tool for me. Most of the cities i've discovered in C and S America have not even been closo, or do not exist at all. Oddly, what has been relevant info is rivers and major cities, along with major highways (give or take a kilometer or two;) ). With these i can always discover my placement on my trusty old paper map with minimal effort. I've never been through Africa, but will in the future and will be looking to all of you for advice when i do. For now, i feel over my head and will be backing out of this thread. Enjoy!

The Touratech map CDs can only be viewed/printed/exported with the TTQV software, so it does need to be priced into their purchase.

The free 30 day trial you get with the Touratech maps won't let you print or export, so you're effectively bound into buying QuoVadis if you want to use them.

Both Ozi and TTQV get the job done, but I like the fact that the Ozi stuff is more open-source.

Ha, ha I've seen weirder things on motorcycles - a lot of them on this site! But back to the cages, the temptation to fill them up with toys and gadgets can be hard to resist sometimes!

Different needs
 

As you see there are different opinions. Some people say Garmin Worldmap is great, some think it is useless (unless you get it for free in your GPS). ;)

The reason is that people have different needs and they ask different things from a map. For basic overland traveller, Garmin Worldmap may be OK as are Michelin 4M regional maps. On my last trip in Africa most other travellers I met just used basic Michelin regional maps, they drove on main roads and were happy. If you travel main roads mostly then no need for sophiscated navigation systems and expensive maps. You can also do without a GPS as well.

On the other hand, I like *adventure* travel and for me that means I usually pick the smallest track that takes me there. Picking a small track can make you feel like an explorer, you find places less travelled, remote and unspoiled. :thumbup1:

So it comes down to what one really wants to do.

Hey Ollie
How you getting on with the Tecra ?

Intersesting to see - as mentioned above - everyones different needs from mapping - I have thus far kept only Mapsource/Google Earth on the laptop and used dash mounted GPS(s), good paper maps and local knowledge to get about - even on some well out of the way routes, I dont like the laptop out all the time, but I see where people are coming from if thats the set up they like.

Whichever way you do it - dont forget to enjoy the Scenery and spend some time (and money) with the Locals - IMO that is what separates an Overlander from a Tourist......

Later
Grif

Loving the Tecra
 

Hi Griff,

Loving the Tecra so far. Haven't really tested out its dropp/spilling ability (just as well!) but it is doing everything I won't fast. I am only using it for 'trip' related stuff, so not pushing it too hard so far. ONe thing has surprised me is the fingerprint scanning actually being useful. Really easy to swap between user sessions, or load up username/password combos. But I have noticed if I've been doing some manual work, or waashing up etc, it doesn't like that (on the fingerprint id'ing). I would defo recommend it for the price I paid, although haven't any toughbook/rugged laptop experience to compare it to.

As for the GPS setup, this thread has een incredibly helpful. It's amazing there are so many preferences, and what I have figured out is I need to understand what suits my eeds best.

Currently (and this is bound to change with the wind) I am thinking of using the garmin V for main navigation, with the maps etc all stored on the Tecra. I will also use the laptop for Oziexplorer when I get east of Poland. Also I'd like to get the main route in paper maps, so maybe a visit toStammfords is the order of the day.

Any thoughts or where to get world paper maps. What scale is the most appropriate?

Again - thanks everyone for contributions

Ollie,

I've had good experience with The Map Shop
For route planing on main roads you may find useful single sheet maps at scales 1:1 500 000 and over.

ta
 

thanks Roman have emailed them to get some figures and ideas

Talk to the natives
 

I dont understand this fixation with GPS. Isn't getting lost what its all about and anyway you can always wind down the window and ask a local. We're in Pak having driven from Sydney, with 3 gps's all useless.

Hey Intrepid,
what do you mean by 'all useless' ?

....are the gps not telling you your position ? - thats what they do - how much you want to interpret the position it gives you -and the features around you - with electronic or paper mapping is up to the user...maybe you need some better mapping?

....sometimes getting lost is not much fun when you have a deadline to get somewhere for visas etc -or you have limited fuel/water for a long leg between remote towns - someone in your vehicle/group is ill - or you have a mechanical problem.
if you get really off the beaten track theres not always someone who knows the way...with any accuracy.

A lot of the guys on this thread want accurate mapping beceause we drive in fairly remote desert areas with sometimes difficult to find sand pistes and not much backup.

Have a good trip
Cheers
Grif

GPS - To have or to not have.
 

It has all been said already but these are my views.

1) If a GPS is good at sea, not many markers out there, for getting you travelling in the general direction that you want to go then that's one good reason for having it.

2) My simple etrex is little more than a reciever, however once plugged into my laptop it locates me on the map.

3) I use Autoroute Express (£50) to navigate any part of Europe by street name. Also good for booking hotels on the way home through France as it has all the phone numbers. Also works with the GPS.

4) I use Fugawi Global (£120) Navigator for North Africa, this can use all of the IGN and Russian maps the Daaer have available on CD. This is far cheaper than buying the paper maps, and you can print off any paper maps that you require.

5) I don't have to constantly navigate on the laptop, I can upload waypoints,and just use the goto command.

6) When I've been somewhere, and got lost, I can download the track to display it on the map.

7) I have a papertrail to follow if I do have to turn back.

8) Finally - ever lost the car when you've gone shopping? Take the GPS with you, mark the point where you left the car, and however far you stray looking for somewhere to eat you'll still be able to find the car.

I think having all of the maps available on a laptop is extremely useful, and yes perhaps I do rely on it a little to much but it's saved me from getting rather lost in the Tunisian Sahara at least 3 times. Unfortunately where I was at the time there was no one esle to ask.

This is useful!!!
 

What a useful thread - thanks for everyone's input and ideas:thumbup1:

We eventually decided on a GPS and went for the Garmin 60 Csx. Used it a couple of time on road to get use to the buttons etc but will try it out off-road on the weekend. Trying to plot a simple route in Mapsource and then load it to the unit to use.

We will also be travelling with a laptop, not just for navigating, but also for entertainment/photos diary etc. Still need to do a lot of research on what best option will be re loading maps etc and which one to use. I do like the touratech maps, looks very useful (and exp):eek3:

I think we will definitely use some of google earth images etc as well to help with navigation.

So much to learn still. It takes long enough to just understand all the function on the 60Csx (great unit so far btw)!!!

Pumbaa,

Rather than capturing google earth images, consider dowloading 15m/pixel sat images from https://zulu.ssc.nasa.gov/mrsid/.

You will find ready made TTQV calibration files here: http://www.alpenverein-schleiden.de/...t7_sid_cal.zip

I found the sat images useful when navigating off-piste, particularly in the Awbari and Murzuq sand seas. No need for it if you stick to the beaten path.

So recently found out results
 

OK - Just thought I'd add to this with the results of our first major shakedown trip with some different bits of kit. We drove down from Le Havre to Portugal and back, going a little bit off the beaten path but not much. We took a little under 3 weeks for the trip and here are my recents regarding mapping:-

1.Map Reading

Rubbish. I didn't realise I could be so bad! The wife too. I am not sure if this is the result of Europe being covered in so many roads, all with multiple names, or shear ineptitude. We were only using 1:900 000 2007 Europe road atlas, but I would have expected better! We didn't try anything too tricky, but even understanding which motor way we were on was beyond us. To give us just a little bit of credit we did improve with time, but still .......

2.Axim X5 300 Mhz + TOMTOM 6

Not sure whether this was too much application for too little machine, but the processor seemed to have a heart attack on the way home. It totally lost sight ofthe GPS mouse connected via the serial port, and all other parts of the application started working in super slow mode. I haven't had a good chance to look at this, but I might try with an older version of TOMTOM.
Until then it had done a pretty good job, except in the Pyrenees. There it spent 30 mins telling us we were in the Atlantic. I really enjoyed playing withthe routing, and some of the places it took us in the mountains in Portugal were great fun. Anyone who argues that you don't get to go to unusal places using one of these is wrong. Completely the opposite in fact. I would say if you want to see off the beaten track use one!
Now our plans is to buy a good PDA that is up to te job of TOM TOM and Ozieplorer and figure out how to use the more complicated parts of GPS. Can't wait.

3. Garmin City Explorer and Mapsource with Garmin V.

Once TOM TOM died we turned to our old Garmin V. Man I was surprised. I couldn't really read the display and the fact that you couldn't load a days maps into the unit really surprised me. BUT once hooked up to the laptop this was the easiet thing to navigate with. I'm really glad we got a REAL chance to use it and find this out. I did also discover what a pain in the arse it was to have a laptop in the cap with us. I'm not sure I will ever be able to have kids now (phew!). But it worked and it worked really well. Didn't seem to loose the signal as badly in the Pyrenees either, but there were quite a few short moments when we did loose the signal.

So, in summary we will be buying a kick ass PDA, using TOM TOM and Ozi on that. As back up the lap top with the Garmin V. Sorted. Oh and some paper maps too. For the fish and chips :)