GPS
  • Kap
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    GPS

    by Kap » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:03 pm

    Has anyone used a GPS unit to do a dual sport ride instead of roll charts? I heard that the gps sometimes can't catch up when there are several close turns. does anyone have any input before I buy one of these. Can you offer any advice on which one to buy? thanks
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    crfsonly
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    by crfsonly » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:17 pm

    i've used them for trail rides and they are difficult to view while riding while riding in tough terrain. i'm sure that goes without saying. not sure how a GPS would work instead of roll chart.

    ken
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    MattBennett23
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    by MattBennett23 » Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:29 am

    We have used a Garmin 60cx for several years. If you get the right software and maps for it, it makes riding a breeze. Ok, well at least it makes navigating a breeze. We do dual sport rides and usually have one person with a gps and one person with a roll chart just as backup. We also take paper maps with us when we ride trail, just because you never know when anything electronic (like a gps) could break. We rarely use them though because we have the GPS.

    Toughest part is figuring out what zoom level you like to ride at, and finding good software (maps). We are spoiled here because there is a guy who has a private company and has plotted out every ORV trail in Michigan on his own. He sells the maps for $40 and they load right into the GPS. They are super accurate and updated regularly.

    The other nice thing is that if you have a GPS that autoroutes, when you get in a little over your head and want to end a ride earlier than you planned, you can pull out onto a road and it will tell you the quickest way to get back to your vehicle! Highly recommend!
  • Kap
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    by Kap » Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:51 pm

    Thanks Matt, great info here. I'm gonna check out the Garmin.
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    crfsonly
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    by crfsonly » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:03 pm

    yes, good info Matt. the first time i used a GPS was in Moab and i was using a Garmin Colorado. on the first day using it i did not set it to show my "track" of where i had been. think of the electronic version of breadcrumbs. i'd recommend this should you ever need to back track or know where you actually where. also, i used a RAM mount which worked well until it auto ejected my GPS. Moab can be brutal and it proved too much for the RAM mount's grip. i had to back track some 9 miles before i found it. so, make sure your mount is full proof.

    ken
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    MattBennett23
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    by MattBennett23 » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:23 pm

    The one thing that is frustrating is that unless you get a good set of maps and software specifically designed for ORV trails, the majority of the time you will be riding on the GPS screen in the middle of nowhere. It only helps if the trail you are riding is in the GPS. Even with Topo maps most ORV trails are not on them.

    Many dual sport rides will have the ride programmed in. You just download it to your GPS and you just follow the line. When trail riding, you can set breadcrumbs to show where you have been. If you do this the fist time you ride a trail with it, you will make a track of the trail. Then the next time you ride that trail, the trail will be there. Luckily, like I said, there is a company in Michigan who has done all of this for us. Check around maybe there is someone in Cali who has done the work for you!

    Check out www.vvmapping.com Jeramey Valley does the website and has created this software for Michigan. There is a lot of good info about GPS though, especially the Garmin units. He might even know someone in California with similar software and maps.
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    MattBennett23
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    by MattBennett23 » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:28 pm

    I also use the RAM mount, and have had the unit pop out of the mount before when the trail gets rough. Luckily we had it hard wired for the power source, and the power cord kept it from hitting the ground. We now use a soft velcro zip tie around the top of it and the ram mount, we call it the seat belt. Works great! Also stick some bright colored electrical tape on it to stand out if it does hit the ground!
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    crfsonly
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    by crfsonly » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:37 pm

    MattBennett23 wrote:I also use the RAM mount, and have had the unit pop out of the mount before when the trail gets rough. Luckily we had it hard wired for the power source, and the power cord kept it from hitting the ground. We now use a soft velcro zip tie around the top of it and the ram mount, we call it the seat belt. Works great! Also stick some bright colored electrical tape on it to stand out if it does hit the ground!


    the "seat belt" is exactly the same solution i came up with. the brightly colored tape is on my todo list.

    i'm anxious to try the new Trail Tech Voyager. It would be great to have a single GPS and computer in one device:

    http://www.crfsonly.com/catalog/product ... ts_id/4037

    Image

    ken
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    MattBennett23
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    by MattBennett23 » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:47 pm

    Ya it looks very cool! My uncle was just about to get one when he realized the vvmapping maps we use werent compatible (too good to give up!) since it wasn't a Garmin. Could be just the ticket for Cali though!! You can load maps you make or download ones others have made. Any maps on here can be downloaded to Voyager.

    http://ohvtrails.net/
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    crfsonly
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    by crfsonly » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:29 pm

    MattBennett23 wrote:Ya it looks very cool! My uncle was just about to get one when he realized the vvmapping maps we use werent compatible (too good to give up!) since it wasn't a Garmin. Could be just the ticket for Cali though!! You can load maps you make or download ones others have made. Any maps on here can be downloaded to Voyager.

    http://ohvtrails.net/


    i'd be interested in the technicals of why you couldn't load those maps. what format are they in and since it sounds like they are in a garmin proprietary format isn't there a file converter available to convert them?
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    MattBennett23
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    by MattBennett23 » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:54 pm

    I dont know all the technical details. I know that the vvmapping maps we use come in a mapsource garmin format which load directly to Mapsource and then loads to Garmin GPS units. Didn't really look into a converter. I did email Jeramey Valley who does VVMapping and he said as far as he knew they were not compatible. That was when the Voyager first came out though. Not sure if there is a coversion tool or not. He knows WAY more about GPS then I could ever hope to know. You could try emailing him at info@vvmapping.com I'll stick with the 60Cx. Works great for me!
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    crfsonly
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    by crfsonly » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:59 pm

    thanks for his email. i will email him. i'm curious now. ;-)

    ken
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    MattBennett23
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    by MattBennett23 » Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:04 pm

    He is an awesome guy, always willing to help me out. He sets up the dual sport routes for Great Lakes Dual Sporters and has made many AWESOME rides. I ran a dual sport he set up several years ago and loved it. I was going back to the area to ride for a weekend last year and emailed him. He sent me the GPS track and route sheet for the ride so I could re-ride it! Very cool. Just a good guy who rides and loves to help people out!

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