Last year at the Hobbs Region 9 contest the CM used a PC program for
providing driving directions to crews based on GPS coordinates reported
by wayward pilots. Can someone tell me what software that was?

I need to get something like that for me and crew to use (PC based),
with the additional feature that after giving it a latitude/longitude
destination, it will give you driving directions, dynamically, based on
your current GPS position (as opposed to a set of static directions
that end with "Rotsa Ruck").

ted/2NO

Ted,

The DeLorme Earthmate GPS system used with DeLorme Street Atlas 2005
Delux will allow you to do exactly what you are looking for. It will
provide driving directions based on a lat/long entry, updated on the
crews current GPS position and will give voice commands and respond to
voice commands as well. For $129.95 you get the GPS and Street Atlas
with USB interface to your laptop. $159.95 gets you the same stuff with
a serial interface. My wife and I have been using it for several years
now and love it - and no ... I don't work for DeLorme.

Jay

wrote:
> Last year at the Hobbs Region 9 contest the CM used a PC program for
> providing driving directions to crews based on GPS coordinates
reported
> by wayward pilots. Can someone tell me what software that was?
>
> I need to get something like that for me and crew to use (PC based),
> with the additional feature that after giving it a latitude/longitude
> destination, it will give you driving directions, dynamically, based
on
> your current GPS position (as opposed to a set of static directions
> that end with "Rotsa Ruck").
>
> ted/2NO

Thanks Jay. Do you know if the software is available by itself? I have
no less than 3 GPS receivers (one each Bluetooth, serial, and USB), and
don't need to collect any more. -Ted

Ted,

The Street Atlas is available by itself for $49.95. I suspect but am
not sure that is is propriatary with the Earthmate and won't work with
other GPS inputs. You should be able to find all the info you need on
their website http://www.delorme.com/ or by contacting them directly.

Jay

wrote:
> Thanks Jay. Do you know if the software is available by itself? I
have
> no less than 3 GPS receivers (one each Bluetooth, serial, and USB),
and
> don't need to collect any more. -Ted

I use Street Atlas on both my laptop and iPAQ with other non-Delorme GPS
units. In fact I bought an iPAQ mount for my dash, for just this reason.
It holds the iPaq up next to the steering wheel where I (or my wife) can see
it easily without completly looking away from the road.

John Scott


"Jay (3D)" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Ted,
>
> The Street Atlas is available by itself for $49.95. I suspect but am
> not sure that is is propriatary with the Earthmate and won't work with
> other GPS inputs. You should be able to find all the info you need on
> their website http://www.delorme.com/ or by contacting them directly.
>
> Jay
>
> wrote:
>> Thanks Jay. Do you know if the software is available by itself? I
> have
>> no less than 3 GPS receivers (one each Bluetooth, serial, and USB),
> and
>> don't need to collect any more. -Ted
>

MS Streets and Trips can be had at Costco very cheap (especially last
year's). It will give directions from where you are, and as I recall,
will also accept hand entered lat long as a waypoint. I use an old
Garmin with remote antenna. A nice application for an otherwise useless
gps. Total cost not including laptop, about $50.

I also keep a copy of Delorme Contour Maps just in case I want
landscape detail. More for amusement than anything practical. Another
$125.

I do stand corrected - from the DeLorme site:
"For GPS Use:

DeLorme Earthmate=AE, GpsTripmate=AE, or any fully-compatible NMEA
receiver from GARMIN, Magellan, Brunton, Rockwell/Conexant,
Lowrance/Eagle, or Trimble.

Looks as though Street Atlas will work with just about anything.

Jay



John Scott wrote:
> I use Street Atlas on both my laptop and iPAQ with other non-Delorme
GPS
> units. In fact I bought an iPAQ mount for my dash, for just this
reason.
> It holds the iPaq up next to the steering wheel where I (or my wife)
can see
> it easily without completly looking away from the road.
>
> John Scott
>
>
> "Jay (3D)" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > Ted,
> >
> > The Street Atlas is available by itself for $49.95. I suspect but
am
> > not sure that is is propriatary with the Earthmate and won't work
with
> > other GPS inputs. You should be able to find all the info you need
on
> > their website http://www.delorme.com/ or by contacting them
directly.
> >
> > Jay
> >
> > wrote:
> >> Thanks Jay. Do you know if the software is available by itself? I
> > have
> >> no less than 3 GPS receivers (one each Bluetooth, serial, and
USB),
> > and
> >> don't need to collect any more. -Ted
> >

I already own MS Street & Trips but I cannot find any way to give it a
latitude/longitude as a destination. I've poked, prodded and hacked
through every menu, feature and control I can find...

I think you may have to insert a random waypoint, then edit the info for
that waypoint to set the lat/long. Then you can use the waypoint as the
destination and have a route plotted.

This is the process I have to use with StreetAtlas on my iPAQ.

John Scott

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I already own MS Street & Trips but I cannot find any way to give it a
> latitude/longitude as a destination. I've poked, prodded and hacked
> through every menu, feature and control I can find...
>

Mapopolis on your iPaq with CF GPS or ????

www.mapopolis.com software free, charge for maps

Voiced directions.

Find - Latitude/Longitude is a menu item, it adds a waypoint and voices
left/right etc,. very neat.

Great for strange cities....

Bob


wrote:
> Last year at the Hobbs Region 9 contest the CM used a PC program for
> providing driving directions to crews based on GPS coordinates
reported
> by wayward pilots. Can someone tell me what software that was?
>
> I need to get something like that for me and crew to use (PC based),
> with the additional feature that after giving it a latitude/longitude
> destination, it will give you driving directions, dynamically, based
on
> your current GPS position (as opposed to a set of static directions
> that end with "Rotsa Ruck").
>
> ted/2NO

wrote:
> Last year at the Hobbs Region 9 contest the CM used a PC program for
> providing driving directions to crews based on GPS coordinates reported
> by wayward pilots. Can someone tell me what software that was?
>
> I need to get something like that for me and crew to use (PC based),
> with the additional feature that after giving it a latitude/longitude
> destination, it will give you driving directions, dynamically, based on
> your current GPS position (as opposed to a set of static directions
> that end with "Rotsa Ruck").

The laptop based systems work OK if you have space to put the laptop and
don't mess with it while you are driving. Using a keyboard is fiddly,
the screens can be hard to see, but if a passenger is using it, it can
be OK. Some motorhomes have a dash that makes it easy to mount one, but
most cars and trucks don't.

If you want a real car navigation system, something designed for the
task is better. The software is more expensive. I use TomTom Navigator
"4" for USA (tomtom.com - version 5 due out soon), which runs on my
glider's backup Ipaq 2215. The Ipaq mounts on the dash where it's easy
to hear the spoken instructions and the screen is easy to see, and the
touch screen makes interaction simple. It's easy enough to use that my
non-geek wife is willing to use it when she's trying to make the
motorhome arrive at the same strange airport I'm heading for.

It's also very useful while traveling, glider related or not,
particularly around cities and towns. It moves from the car to the
motorhome in a couple minutes.


--
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Eric, does TomTom Navimagator allow you to enter a lat/lon as a
destination? The scenario I'm trying to plan for is (1) landing out in
some distant gawdforesaken patch of desert dust, (2) radioing or
cellphoning my GPS coordinates to my wife, (3) she punches those into
the "guidance system" and listens to it the rest of the way. (My wife
too is not technology orientated. It doesn't scare her, but she needs
it to be simple.)

My first choice is to use my existing laptop but will go with an iPAQ
if it's more effective.

Oh and I have this update on Microsoft Streets & Trips -- I figured out
how to specify a lat/lon as a distination. First, clear the existing
route, if there is one. Then start a new route with Ctrl-R. In the
Route Planner, click the "Add to Route" button (I had never tried this
before without an address or a place name in the text box!). In the
dialog that comes up, there is a "Lat/Long" tab. The software is smart
enough to interpret "34.5" and "34 30 0" as the same latitude. So I'm
set on software if I stick with the laptop -- but this TomTom sounds
intriguing.

-ted
Chandler AZ
USA
Earth
Solar System
Milky Way

wrote:
> Eric, does TomTom Navimagator allow you to enter a lat/lon as a
> destination?

My version 4.4 doesn't, and I couldn't tell by the preliminary reviews
if the new version 5 allows it. It's been a requested feature. I've
queried the newsgroup on www.pocketgpsworld.com and will let you know
when I hear something.

> The scenario I'm trying to plan for is (1) landing out in
> some distant gawdforesaken patch of desert dust, (2) radioing or
> cellphoning my GPS coordinates to my wife, (3) she punches those into
> the "guidance system" and listens to it the rest of the way. (My wife
> too is not technology orientated. It doesn't scare her, but she needs
> it to be simple.)

ONe of the reasons I went with TomTom software is it's reputation for
very easy use, and it is much easier than either MS Streets & Trips or
Delorme stuff, which I use on the desktop for major trip planning.
>
> My first choice is to use my existing laptop but will go with an iPAQ
> if it's more effective.

You should try it with a laptop and GPS, even it it's just borrowed
stuff; in fact, just take a laptop out to the crew car and see if you
like the idea, and if you can imagine your wife dealing with it. I
didn't think it was something I wanted to use, especially while driving
alone, but I know many RV people use them. They have BIG dashes to set
them on, of course, and usually their spouse to operate it.


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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

One of the reasons that we went with the DeLorme is that in its newer
versions it is actually very easy to use. When trying to find the
route, you can just enter the lat/long in the destination window in
virtually any format and it figures out what you mean and sets the
route. We do use it in the motorhome on the big dash but have a Jotto
Desk that we can put in and out of the toad (or any of the other cars)
in just a few seconds. On an articulated mount, the Jotto Desk can be
positioned to put the laptop screen in easy view of the driver and the
voice command function means that you don't need to be fiddling with
keys while driving.

Jay

Eric Greenwell wrote:
> wrote:
>
>> Eric, does TomTom Navimagator allow you to enter a lat/lon as a
>> destination?

According to folks much more knowledgeable than myself on TomTom: The
new version (ver 5) DOESN'T have it (my version 4 doesn't, either).
Sorry! Not an issue for me, as I always land at airports (gotta love
that motor), so my wife never has to enter coordinates.


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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Jay (3D) wrote:

> One of the reasons that we went with the DeLorme is that in its newer
> versions it is actually very easy to use. When trying to find the
> route, you can just enter the lat/long in the destination window in
> virtually any format and it figures out what you mean and sets the
> route. We do use it in the motorhome on the big dash but have a Jotto
> Desk that we can put in and out of the toad (or any of the other cars)
> in just a few seconds. On an articulated mount, the Jotto Desk can be
> positioned to put the laptop screen in easy view of the driver and the
> voice command function means that you don't need to be fiddling with
> keys while driving.

That sounds good! I didn't know they did that.

There are other choices that have worthwhile features and could be
considered. Garmin makes quite a range of car navigation capable units,
and many of these also have the aviation databases. There are other PDA
programs like TomTom that will run on Palm PDAs, Pocket PC, and even on
cell phones like the Treo 650, and units made by Navman and others.

The most important consideration is the acceptance of the intended user,
so it's best to involve them as soon as possible. Too many pilots choose
things (crew car, crew radio, whatever) that they like, instead of what
their crew will like. It makes choosing something harder when you
consider the crew, but then you have a happy crew that actually uses the
stuff.

My wife's advice is simple: "Land at airports and get an aerotow retrieve"!

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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA