The Golden Triangle Rider

[pseacraft]

I have the Zumo 450 on my new KLX250 and was using it to cruise the back roads around Nong Khai with Garmin's SD version of the ERSI map to acquire break-in milage this past week. Very happy with it even though I had two roads, really trails, "vanish" on me, one into a fun boggy open area full of mud and the other into the Maekong (my fault as I had the scale set to high and was on the wrong one). Major and minor roads seem fairly reliable so far. Mounting the Zumo is a breeze as was wiring it up, and direct sunlight didn't bother my view of the display. Only think I don't like and it's probably personal is the way it does it's tracks, keeps them as a daily track log where as I'm use to each track being a solo item. No worries though, easy to work out.

I also use the SD map card in my NUVI 200W in the car. I have the NUVI updated so that it talks and displays in Thai for SWMBO, my son calls it the talking box, the wife's business partner thinks it so I can track her where abouts! The NUVI series really is not for use with anything outside of the car though.

My issues with mapsource are with my older Dell laptop and but all is good with my alienware laptop.

Eric

[xlineshooter]

The reason I chose the Nuvi was for several reasons.
The unit can be removed from the bracket that holds it simply by pushing up a lever on the bottom of the bracket and tilting the unit forward and it comes off in your hand instantly. This serves several good purposes such as 1 hand removal with the left hand and placing it in my pocket if it starts to rain; or if I want to use it in one of my vehicles with the suction cup, I just release it from the metal base which stays permanently mounted to the bike. Thats about a 10 second job; also it allows me to take it off the bike instantly so its not stolen when parked, and lastly, its also a hand held unit which can be placed in a pocket and taken anywhere.

As for the Non- water proof issue, that wasn't much of an issue considering all the above advantages PLUS the fact that I don't ride in the rain. One of the advantages of being retired and in no hurry to get anywhere.

I don't understand your meaning when you say it doesn't accept routes. Could you clarify that for me?

Thanks for your reply
_________________
"Beauty is in the eye of the Beer holder"

[pseacraft]

I'm not familiar with a Nuvi 310, but Routes refers to creating a route (series of waypoints) in Mapsource in advance that can be loaded on to the GPS or created on the GPS itself that you can setup to follow. My Zumo 450 will convert any of my tracks to a route which I can then download and share or save and utilize to duplicate a route that I had taken and desire to duplicate. Tracks are are series of "raw" waypoints that plot where you have been while the GPS has been logging your movements. These too can be downloaded to mapsource or other programs.

Hope this helps.

Eric

[tonykiwi]

Pikey

Good that you are starting to get to grips with it. I am doing the same and have a great guy who is guiding me through e-mail and phone. He is part of the NZ Open Map project and is one of their mappers. I am expecting my Handlebar mount to arrive this weekend and have also arranged to get a direct electrical connection fitted to my Baja so with summer on the way it will be all systems go. Sitting down and reading the manual is a great idea and a must, although practice and experimenting has taught me far more than any manual could do. The manual confirms and explains but I am also learning by mistakes. Did a great route the other day and was very proud of myself until I went to save it and had forgotten to turn the 'tracking' on. I'll not do that again.

There is a positive side to my practice too, that I can run routes and refer any changes to the NZ Map for corrections so in my own small way I can contribute as well as take the rewards.

I have donwoaded the only map I could find of Northern Thailand which works on my Garmin so ar familiarising myself now.

In looking to upgrade my Mapsource, I was given this site for downloads. It seems to have a huge amount of resources and i do not profess to know what they all are, however the link may be on interest or help to other Garmin users here if you don't have it already.

http://www.gpsinformation.org/perry/msource/

http://gpsinformation.net/

also has some interesting links

[pikey]

Tony,

Thanks for the links mate and with all those versions of Mapsource you shouldn't have the problem with the unlock wizard that I had. Yes, "hands on" is definitely the way to go with the manual for reference.

BTW, and it's probably been mentioned here before, I am now using rechargeable (2100Ma) batteries in my unit. I bought 4 which means 2 in use and two ready charged for backup. I got a really small and light charger which means when I am on the road, I can charge batteries at night in the guesthouse.

Cheers,

Pikey.
_________________
"Belligerent, honest, sarcastic and rides like an arse? Hmmm, that'll be me then! "

Visit http://www.thehungersite.com today!

[tonykiwi]

[pikey]

Hi Tony,

Yep, the higher the Ma, the stronger the battery - i.e it'll last longer. Not sure about the lithium question and I am not at home until tonight but do know that they are Panasonic brand and cost 280THB for two - a good deal when a couple of disposable Toshibas ran to 130THB and the Panasonics are supposed to be rechargeable up to 1000 times.

Cheers,

Pikey.
_________________
"Belligerent, honest, sarcastic and rides like an arse? Hmmm, that'll be me then! "

Visit http://www.thehungersite.com today!

[pseacraft]

Batteies...just chatted with a buddy of mine who has more knowledge than me:

Cadium - great cold weather but will get a charge memory which shortens its life.
Lithium - hazardous and not so popular, used only when required - what ever that means.
NiMH - Will not gain a charge memory. lasts long time provide you do not drop them - some design issue that will cause to to fail quickly, take care of them and last long time, longer than a bar babe.


I have a bunch of energizer NiMH and have used them for a few years.

Eric

[SilverhawkUSA]

[beddhist]

Yes, I can confirm from bad experience that rechargeables are bigger in all directions than disposable AA batteries. I got one stuck in my GPS V and cracked the case trying to get it out. I have now stipped off the outer layer of plastic and they are a nice snug fit. And yes, my V also has big problems with vibrations, so hardwiring is the solution there.
_________________
http://beddhist.googlepages.com

[tonykiwi]

Hi

Regarding power sources and batteries. I have now bought some rechargable ones and they seem to fit just right so the size was certainly not an issue for me as it appears to have been for others.

I wonder if anyone else knows the answer to this though. When you are running on an extrenal power source, and leave the batteries in the unit, does the external source over ride the battery? My impression is that it seems to do so.

When I am out driving between jobs for my business I have the laptop on the passenger seat, running from the cars power source (ciggi lighter.) I connected my Garmin to the laptop via USB for routing and of course the power then runs via USB to the GPS also. The display on the GPS indicates I am running on external power source.

When I disconnected the GPS from the Laptop, the battery indicater came up but after maybe 12 hours of use, the battery did not seem to have lost any power. My conclusion is therefore that the external power source over-rides the battery.

If this is the case, I am presuming that I can connect the GPS to the motor cycle power source and leave the batteries inside. Then, when the power of the bike is turned off, I hope the battery starts to operate in its place, giving constant supply of power whether the bikes ignition is on or off.

I have not yet discovered any intructions to remove batteries when operating either on USB or external power.

Any comments?

[Auke]

Yes, the external power source overrides the batteries as there is a circuit inside that "senses" external power and "cuts out" the power from the batteries. You can leave in the batteries when running on external power but the batteries will not be charged from the external power.

The moment the external power is switched off the GPS reverts to battery power. You probably will give a "Beep" depending on how you have it set up (look in "Set Up" where you can select "Stay On" or "Turn Off) indicating that external power has been lost and you will have to press the "Enter" button within 30 seconds to keep the GPS running on battery power
_________________
"There's always something waiting at the end of the road, if you aren't willing to see what it is, you probably shouldn't be out there in the first place."

[gobs]

Hi friends,

I'm on the going to buy a GPS, thinking about the Garmin C60S or XS, here in CNX, so already loaded with the Thailand map.

Well, is there any Garmin subscription (or other) needed after the purchase? In other words: shall I have to pay anything to some "XYZ provider" when I shall use it (a rate per hour, month or whatever)? Or are the rights already full-paid by buying the thai map?

By an other way, I was checking the use of a mobile phone as such the Nokia 6210 Navigator. But I expect accuracy and flexibility are not the same. And at the end, maybe the cost would be more expensive by paying the "right of use" to Nokia on a monthly or yearly basis more the expense of data transmissions to the provider (AIS, DTAC, etc...).
Am I right with this?

Any advice welcome for sure!
Cheers,
Gobs
_________________
Tomorrow is another day!..

[tonykiwi]

[gobs]

Thanks Tony,

Great to read your post! Before asking I was guessing the way you say, but not sure...

I saw a bike in CNX that have an after-market power outlet attached to the inside of the fairing. The guy uses a Garmin GPS as you do. Stepping down he takes off the plug and then go by walk with his device in hand... running on "fresh" batteries.
Good tip...

Cheers,
Gobs
_________________
Tomorrow is another day!..

[daewoo]

[Auke]