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Drum Roll....my New Gps!


Jennifer
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I decided to get the Earthmate BT-20 Bluetooth GPS receiver made by DeLorme. For the display and maps, I use my Palm TX, on which I have the handheld version of DeLorme Street Atlas 2008 installed.

 

BT20_Device%20only.jpg

 

I just turn on the GPS unit, then run SA2008 on the Palm. Through SA2008, I connect to the GPS using Bluetooth, and it fixes on my position. I can create a route on the desktop software and synchronize it to my Palm and it is available to view, or I can create a route through the Palm. I thought the handheld version only creates direct routes between a start and finish, but I think you can use a waypoint or find an address to insert a via, but it is clunkier than the desktop version. I need to read up on some of the features and things I can do, but I was able to get the whole thing up & running essentially without instructions.

 

The software does create logs which synchronize back to the desktop so I can view them on the desktop version (and later I will use those to geotag my photos - next project!). It also (of course) tracks a route with voice output on the Palm, though it does not speak the street name, just the direction and distance of the turn. However, the directions are on screen, along with the time and distance to turn, and the street name to turn onto.

 

I have a car charger for the Palm, which is necessary because the Palm battery life is pretty short. I forgot what the battery life is on the GPS, but it's 8 - 10 hours or so. I have a charger for that too, if needed.

 

I have the Palm mounted onto the dashboard using a gooseneck cradle suctioned onto the windshield:

 

Mobile Device Mounting Bracket

 

The only thing I really need to find is some sort of anti-glare / anti-reflective film to put on the Palm screen, since it is prone to reflection. I found a few brands on the internet, but I don't know what will work well. I'm going to check in some computer stores. If anyone has any thoughts or recommendations, I'm open to suggestions.

 

I also need to keep loading up maps. That's probably the only drawback is loading up the maps myself, but I'll just load states as I need them.

 

I give it a thumbs up! I'm happy! :happyguy: KTSoTR, you might want to get that Palm fixed!

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Congrats. Sounds like a good setup. Now we're just waiting for the report of that first cross country trip without missing a turn or a landmark. :D

 

LOL Well, deposit the accuracy of the GPS, I know there's plenty of times I'll make wrong turns, whether it's my own fault, road conditions, whatever...that's why the GPS will help when I get off track, even with it on!

 

The weekend I trip I took proved it. Traffic in Chicagoland was horrendous due to storms and I simply couldn't move over in time to get to my exit - voila, I'm off route. But the GPS helped me to see where I was when looking at my atlas isn't advised.

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How did we ever get from point A to point B without GPS. Well, maybe there weren't as many roads back in 1953!!! LOL ROF

 

Safe traveling.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

PS I can still "read" a 1932 tour book!!!! LOL

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How did we ever get from point A to point B without GPS. Well, maybe there weren't as many roads back in 1953!!! LOL ROF

 

Safe traveling.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

PS I can still "read" a 1932 tour book!!!! LOL

 

I can always get from Point A to Point B....unfortunately sometimes point B becomes Point Z with points C - Y mixed in unexpectedly!

 

I won't abandon my trusty Rand McNally Atlas...there are times I need to look at a *real* map printed on *real* paper or I want to see the "big picture" of a state or metro area. The Palm won't accomplish that as well on the tiny screen.

 

I want the GPS mainly for those times things go awry, so I don't get frustrated trying to get back on track. And also, there's a totally different element which has nothing to do with "route planning" per se...that is geotagging photos. I can take the tracking logs from the GPS and geotag photos to easily identify where they were taken. For the sheer amount of photos I take, sometimes it's a difficult task pinpointing where they were taken. With the GPS track log, I can identify exactly where a photo was taken...so if you want to get a visual on a hairpin turn on the Mohawk Trail and I have a photo, I can show you on a map exactly where it was taken.

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