Thread: GPS Thoughts?

RandMcNally GPS receiver is awesome...locks up with satelites in less than 1min as long as it has full view of the sky and you can run it from a 12V source. I checked the specs on the hardware and it can run from 5V to 15V.

Best software so far is CoPilot 2001 but you have to buy it bundled with their own Gps receiver.

I just bought it off their site

I read through many GPS posts dating back a couple years practically. I noticed some ppl had problems with Delorme Earthmate GPS even tho others said they really liked it.

I'm not ready to spend 400 bucks for my first GPS (Garmin35). And I'm all ebay'ed out. So since rand mcnally has 10 bucks off your first purchase (shippin+tax basically) I figured I'd give it a shot.

So you say copilot is the ****? I guess I'll have to play around to see what works well for me and my display. It would be cool to have it speak directions to you tho.

If your by yourself, it would definitely lower the risk of accidents preventing you from having to nod your head back and forth between the road and the display.

How is the SW that comes with the Rand Mcnally GPS tho?

-Tim

Does anyone know of a GPS and/or Map software that has an SDK? (like the winamp SDK). I'm looking into doing something like the high-end navigation components where it reads the directions to you as you drive. Like: "Turn left now"

Or is there already some decent software that will do that?

Originally posted by bent:
<STRONG>Does anyone know of a GPS and/or Map software that has an SDK? (like the winamp SDK). I'm looking into doing something like the high-end navigation components where it reads the directions to you as you drive. Like: "Turn left now"

Or is there already some decent software that will do that?</STRONG>

http://msdn.microsoft.com/mappoint

CoPilot is the ****.

Garmin GPS35 is the best, but it's not $400. I bought it 8 months ago for $180, you can probably get it cheaper now.

My Garmin GPS35 is physically hidden in my vehicle, inside my rear brake light casing. That's right, it has no clear view of the sky. Nevertheless, it still stays locked, always. It's always locked, even when when in mountain gulch's or high mountain roads with huge trees towering over.

The only time I've ever lost a lock with it is during some times of day when driving on the bottom deck of the Bay Bridge (which has a steel roof over it). Most of the time I go over the bridge though, the GPS stays locked, presumably just through the small side-windows! =)

It's very small, it's very sturdy (weatherproof, made it to be mounted anywhere including outside of cars, helicopters), it can be used with a differential GPS, it's output messages and baud rate can be customized via settings with it, it has a self-recharging lithium battery to store settings and almanac info for fastest lock. It's the size of a small mouse and plain black, no crazy yellow colors. It tracks up to 12 satellites at a time. it has an internal real time clock. It has wide voltage operation, low power usage. Here's some of the technical specs from the manual.

4.4 oz, not including cable. 56mm x 96mm x 26mm. Operating temperature, -30C to 85C (that's huge!)

Input voltage, 8V - 30VDC, unregulated. Typically draws 150 mA @ 12VDC. Backup power: Internal 3V lithium coin cell battery, up to 10 year life.

Tracks up to 12 satellites. Update rate: 1 second.
Aquisition time (worst case, usually faster):
- 15 seconds warm (all data known)
- 45 seconds cold (initial position, time and almanac known, ephemeris unknown)
- 5 minutes AutoLocate (alamanac known, initial position and time unknown)
- 5 minutes search the sky (no data known)
(since it uses so little power, I have my GPS powered anytime my vehicle is on -- even if I turn on my computer right away, it always has a lot before by the time I've booted up).

Velocity accury, 0.2 m/s RMS steady state, 999 knots velocity, 6g dynamics.

It has a ROM which does self-checks and will report to you any errors.. the manual includes the wiring diagrams for their cables, down to the wire colors, purposes and voltages, even if you get the model with that comes with a connector.
Includes a full description of the NMEA spec, all the sentences that it can output and what they mean..

blahblahlblah
basically it's the best
And it works with CoPilot, with an easy adjustment to the GPS (choosing which messages the GPS outputs).

This place has some GPS equipment for sale...$99 or so, a wide variety of hookups and adapters.


This is the maker.

[ 12-02-2001: Message edited by: DodgeCummins ]

cj... thanks. I owe you for that post. NOW i can write my own GPS interface for c4....wooohhooo

Any more SDK like this ?

I agree with jshrieve I also have the Garmin GPS 35pc reciever and I am using it with CoPilot, and it works great never looses signal even inside my garage!
I have a remote start on my vehicle, and my carputer is conected so it turns on when when I start my car, well by the time I get to my car it's allready running and has a signal lock boot time is about 40 sec and then another 15 sec to get a signal,
this thing is the best reciever you can buy, I think got mine for $140.
I would strongly recomend this thing for any people considering getting a GPS reciever.

OK, I have Mappoint 2002, But I dont use it with my GPS.

The reason? It only updates your location every 15 seconds.

I have a Rand MacNally GPS that I bought for $100 from Office Depot or OfficeMax--I cant remember which. On the website, they also had a SkyMap 2000 GPS for $86, and it comes with software that will talk to you, and if you have intenet access it will tell you where traffic jams are