Laptop GPS?

[RngrDv]

Ok, don’t know if it can be done but this is what I would like to try. Since most GPS screens are very small I am looking for something in a Laptop computer that I can download maps of areas or trails on to and then use GPS on to be able to locate myself or look at the trail on. Kind of hard to explain exactly what I want but you might get the general idea. Anyone out there have any ideas or know how I can do this without having to spend thousands of dollars?

[cajunsuzukispider]

yeah, I did it. except that I use the regular garmin street maps, not trail maps. just get a cheap laptop, a gps, hook it to the laptop, download your maps, and then make the gps communicate with the map. shouldn't be hard, if you have a program that looks for gps input, it should see the gps when you plug it in. only thing is, my old laptop had a port for the gps, my new one didn't, so I got an adapter from Belkin, installed the software, and hooked it up. thing is, only one usb port will work with the gps, must be my laptop. sometimes it doesn't communicate with it, so I gotta go back and see why, but that's it in a nutshell.
most map programs are going to be gps ready. I just sit my laptop on passenger seat and go. oh yeah, it's also my jukebox with the headphone jack going to the radio. oh wait, that was in my 18 wheeler, my sammy doesn't have a radio.

[BorgDog]

big brother Gates sells a version of Streets and Trips that comes with a small GPS receiver that plugs into any USB port (have had it on my 3 laptops and my son-in-laws without any problem) Don't know a price, but was easy.

[cajunsuzukispider]

I think that little gps antennae thing costs $120. I saw it at circuit city. I also bought my used laptop for 380. so, it should be cheap.

[MudKick]

I'm with you on this guys. My unkle in Florida is a locksmith. He had an old laptop (permanently mounted - cop style) in his van and had this tiny sensor on the dash. The accuracy of that cheapo system blew my mind as I went with him on a road trip once. The large screen of a laptopp and ability to use a computer to store jizzloads of extra info, plots pics extra details, downloaded maps, google earth, you name it, really hit me. I also think that's the way to go for a 4x4 and trail hunting/expedition style trips...
just me .02...


BTW, do they have satelite internet yet? Sorry if it's a stupid question by I aint'no komputor natzi...

[weedwacker]

DeLome makes a GPS maping laptop system for about 125 bucks. Comes with a plug in USB antenna. The system is great, trail maps, roads with topo info, in a moving map.

Get a gun case put your laptop in. When you get lost whip it out,
(the laptop).


I down loaded the maps on to my hard drive so I would not have to pull disks in and out while on the trail.

[Non Urban]

Originally Posted by BorgDog

big brother Gates sells a version of Streets and Trips that comes with a small GPS receiver that plugs into any USB port (have had it on my 3 laptops and my son-in-laws without any problem) Don't know a price, but was easy.

About $100.00

Works great.

[tdavis]

If your looking for off-road mapping capability, none of the software mentioned so far will be any help.

you need two pieces (or one, if your doing a true PC) - USAPhotoMaps, and OziExplorer.

Any of the listed street and map programs are simply that - streets and maps. No topo capabilities, no satellite capabilities. You can get for free (USAPhotoMaps) much of the off-road stuff, and then add OziExplorer for the rest (waypoint tracking, tracks, trail routes..)

[billymarr]

actually delnorme will let you go into topo mode and plot elevation as well. But it did not get me out of a speeding ticket the judge believed the radar gun but not 4 satellites.

[b1pig]

I have the Microsoft S&T with the GPS. It is a USB unit. One wire. One article away from the computer. No other cables other than the power cable for the computer. I bought an Averatec 3200 series laptop in mis 2004. It is very compact, with a 12" screen. It was USB only. At the time, all I had was my Magellan MAP 330x, with uses a serial port. I tried an adapter, but it would send my conputer in spastic convulsions.

The S&T with GPS was suggested by a salesman at Best Buy, which cost me $100 vs. the $300 for the GPS I was looking at, at the time. He didnt go for the big sale.

Anyway, I've used three versions of S&T on two different laptops for severl years and they all have GPS capabilities. I do NOT go on the road without it.
It isnt very useful for mapping trails, though. I hesitate to carry my laptop on the trails.

That said, the GPS that S&T uses is a Pharos 360 unit. linky:
http://www.pharosgps.com/

I also have a IPAQ that I loaded some pilot software into. It is bluetooth, and Pharos offers a bluetooth adapter for the 360. I finally (almost 2 years later) bought a bluetooth adapter off ebay. I got lucky, and got the adapter, a NEW 360, and Pharos' own Ostia software for use on the IPAQ. Works like a charm, though I had to go to the Pharos website to figure out how to configure it.

If trail mapping is your prime interest, then a software offered by one of the big-name GPS guys that supports importing and exporting of tracking history. That should help you out there.

Someone, on another zuk site I'm sure, posted up pics of a bracket system that they made to hold their laptop in that recessed pocket on the passenger side of their 'kick. It was also padded to absorb shock.