I was wondering if there is much GPS use in the wheeling community? For mapping out good trails, camping sites, drinkable water location, etc. Or is this information readily available, or just best obtained through experience?
Chris
Chris
An excellent point. I was already thinking about the usefulness of an online DB where locations/routes can be entered. Perhaps I should write up a webapp that would do that. User submittable, with categories (for searching for things to see) or by area. (List of sites within an area you are planning on visiting).Originally posted by lars:
The key to greater adoption of the GPS for fourwheeling around here is that everyone needs to start logging interesting things and exchanging the information.
One caveat:Originally posted by Chris Epp:
An excellent point. I was already thinking about the usefulness of an online DB where locations/routes can be entered. Perhaps I should write up a webapp that would do that. User submittable, with categories (for searching for things to see) or by area. (List of sites within an area you are planning on visiting).
Chris
First unit was a used Garmin 45...8-channel multiplex receiver. Not very good reception under the trees plus it took a long time to lock on a signal. I gave it away and bought a used Garmin III a few years later. Excellent 12-channel parallel receiver with beautiful in-the-trees performance and built-in base maps for all of the Americas (ie: North, Central and South). Then the III+ was announced which came with uploadable maps. They were offering an upgrade to anyone to sent in their Garmin III and US$150 so I did the upgrade.Originally posted by IBJeepin2:
do you mind if I ask why you are on your third GPS. did they break or it just couldn't handle the jarring ride or was it due to theft, loss etc etc etc. Just wondering cause I was looking into getting into the GPS scene as I'm fairly new to BC.
Well, at least you have the option of turning it off. There were times with my Garmin 45 when it was nice to have the audible alarm.Originally posted by Wes Rempel:
Lars, the alarm is not all that great. It gets REALLY REALLY REALLY annoying after a while when you gain and lose signal alot du to mountain conditions (after the first few times it goes off you know what it happening and it gets old fast
I wonder if Pat knows it can be turned off?Originally posted by lars:
Well, at least you have the option of turning it off. There were times with my Garmin 45 when it was nice to have the audible alarm.
Which is exactly what my next question was going to be asking about. So in your opinion, is it best left alone? Information to be traded privately, or is it worth doing with some 'community only' restricted access?Originally posted by DMMcG:
One caveat:
You'll want to control access to such information. If you have a GPS data free-for-all then you're also going to be "sharing" with folks who you may not necessarily want to share with. Much like a favourite fishing/camping spot, certain roads and trails are better left to be shared "within the community" rather than exposed to the anonymous world via the internet.
In my experience, there's nothing that'll ruin a cherished get-away location faster than publishing GPS coordinates on the net....I acknowledge that there will be many people who would benefit from the info, and who would use it in a responsible manner, but it doesn't take very many irresponsible people to turn a site/trail into a place to be avoided.
That should'nt be to hard for me, (getting the maps that is) as my wife is in forestry. She is in a career change, and is halfway to being a registered forester. Her stepfather is an independant forester that owns a lot of property on the sunshine coast, so I can get maps through him/her.Originally posted by crazyguy:
cool thing about GPS is you get co-ordinates then you look at the handy dandy topographical map of the area that you purchase from your local forrestry management guys(I know theres a name for it but cant remember where it is you actually purchase them) so that you can chart your possition and figure out where to go next. much easier than using a sextant(old tool used by deep sea marriners to get co-ordinates)![]()