GPS Help - Europe,Middle East, SE Asia, Australia
 

Hi all,

Never used a GPS before. Leaving on the 1st of May from London going to Australia (Europe, Iran, Pakistan,India, China, SE Asia, Australia)

My budget is less than £350 (ideally)

What should i buy? And how good our the free maps available for DL?

I considered buying a Garmin and downloading the free maps (from the sticky thread in this sections) But how good are they?? Especically for Middle East, India and SE Asia (China not really a problem as i am with other overlanders and a guide)

Help please??

Thanks

For £350 you might get hold of the ever-so-up-to-date Montana 650, or maybe the 600 which doesn't have the camera built in.

I asked something similar in here http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...rmin-gps-62780 and there are not a lot of views about the best value Garmin but therein it amounts to the Montana at the high end of the market and the 60cx/60csx at a lower price. Both are waterproof.
A few folks in here say they use the Nuvi series and waterproof it "as and when".

As for the software aspect; Tom Tom don't seem to have any free software - the free software market appears to be concentrated on Garmin and the apps for smartphones. There are threads in here about both of those options, but they don't differentiate between regions/continents, not so far anyway. In other words, I have never seen anything in here that points to one particular freebie being better than any other for certain parts of the world, with the possible exception of "ozzie explorer" (or some similar name) which covers the obvious location.

Before my trip, in the reverse direction of yours, last year I too had never used a GPS. I bought a Garmin a week before I left and then relied on the free open source maps . I used for maps Russia, Mongolia and most of Europe and found them all excellent - really good quality with minimal problems. Since getting back I've found the map of Australia is equally good. Based on this I'd expect maps of Iran, India etc to be fine.

As to which GPS to buy my non-expert view is:
- buy a Garmin so you can use the free map sources.
- buy one with a memory card facility so you can load the maps.
- buy the cheapest one you can; If you haven't got one already I suspect you are like me and not a geek - cheap generally simpler and easier features.
- lots of people recomend large screen GPS but for me small = good because it is easier to remove and stick in your pocket when you are off the bike.

My GPS was an ETrex Vista - I think this is at the lower end of the Garmin price range and I found it fine. Suggest you don't stress too much and just buy whatever is in your price range.

When you make it to Australia feel free to look me up - always able to provide space to a fellow traveller.

Thanks all.

Btw i am travelling in a Mitsubishi Delica, so im not as concerned of the elements (as someone who needs on a bike)

i looked at the vista... based on my complete inexperience with GPS's and my inability to just make a choice...i have seen this on amazon

Deal or No Deal?? :)

Garmin eTrex Vista HCx Handheld GPS: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Thanks all

Now that is completely another story..If you intend to do also hiking,handheld would be fine but for cage only I would consider something with bigger screen:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...ctronics%2C615

ok cool... So if i go far a basic garmin nuvi, i can load the opensource maps and go from there....??

Cheers

Basically any Garmin with wide screen and SD memory card slot is OK.(IMO)

Nuvi rules OK for you
 

It seems that the Nuvi fits your needs.
See post number 28 in here:- http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...in-gps-62780-2 which indicates that maps can be loaded to the Nuvi.
Caution: there are various models of Nuvi so I agree with the last post; make sure it has a SD card slot!

Caution 2: Do your own research, ultimately! I have a Tom Tom!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (see my other threads for more about that)

Hi,

it depends on your needs and personal preferences. When I roam around in SE-Asia I have a 60series or 76series Garmin with me.

@ Nüvis: These kind of GPS units are primary designed for the "street-cowboy in the suit". A nice gadget for non-adventureous use. The lack of Nüvis: only limited navigation functions (a Nüvi cannot really navigate, it can only street-routing, when off the road, a Nüvi dont know what to do), limited battery life, more fragile than others.

GPS units like 60/76, 62/78, Dakota etc. are designed for versatile use and for this have full navigational functions. The display is also better for use in sunlight.

So, think about the environment you wanna use it, think of hardware requirments and think of navigational functions. Then go to a dealer and look what will fit to you.

Regards,
Paul
(Navigation expert and map developer)

Thanks Paul. Just caught this.... I have been on the road for a couple of weeks now and bought a Nuvi back a month ago... It has been dissapointing to say the least... Could be faulty i dunno..... (btw i am very new to sat navs) But always re-calculating, loosing reception and will for no concievable reason change its route half way through a route (this usually lasts for 10 seconds, then changes back to its original route after it comes to its sensors)

i am thinking of buying another one perhaps in turkey.... As i need something more reliable in middle east,Central and SE Asia....

Any suggestions as what to do with my current Nuvi?

POS Garmin
 

Same here on both of my Nuvis.
Sell that POS to a local ,,
Flip out your smart phone ,, go read here,,
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...armin-et-63191

What you describe is similar to how my Tom Tom performs (apart from the loosing reception aspect which happens only when out of sight of the satellites, such as inside a tunnel) when it is following a route from which I deviate; if you are doing the same i.e. following a route that you have chosen in the Nuvi then I would suggest that it is just doing what it was designed to do, and recalculating the route as things change.

As you say, an alternative is that it may be faulty - is it new?
There is feedback in this forurm about Garmin after sales service which may vary in the world; it does appear that a unit has to be returned to the country where it was sold originally.

Assuming that you do buy another (& probably cheaper outside the EU!!) then I would tend to keep the Nuvi as a backup - see my earlier link in post number 8 above, in which two Garmins have been used, including one Nuvi.

Cheers mate.... the changing of the route often occurs even though i have done exactly what it asks for... Sometimes ill be travelling on a motorway with still many more miles before ill have to exit for example... It will completely freak out and tell me to turn left when clearly their is no option to do so.... will then return back to the proper route.... very weird

but yes i caught be bothered missioning to return it...i bought off amazon in the UK, so ill keep as back up i reckon and invest in a new one in Bucharest perhaps.....

Cheers

Yea, that is weird.
Something like that has happened with my Tom Tom when I have used an out of date map which ends up showing me driving in a field, or similar, because there has been a new road constructed since the map was published; but it hasn't happened as often as you seem to be experiencing.

Other threads in here indicate that Garmin Europe will completely replace a new but defective unit rather than repair - I guess it is their choice, but if it is very new it may be worth the effort??