Mapping and GPS Recommendations Needed
We are considering purchasing a GPS unit when we restart taking long trips. I love the old state Gazetteer map books, but I also like being able to see where the next gas station is located, as well ...
Forum Discussion
At one time, I had a name tag that said "Navigator" under my name. As a lifelong waterman with paper that says "Pilot", and a pilot ticket (IFR,SEC,land), you might guess that I am somewhat pathological about the subject.
To make the point clear, in the family, we have a large number of GPS. Several tablets and laptops/crossovers. We carry wire underway and I still always carry the paper that covers where have any reasonable expectation of being during any one excursion.
For my money, there was never a better all round package than Street Atlas and Streets and Trips was a close second. I have tried, but have not been able to get the same productivity out of CoPilot. Both SA and S&T were great in that they could be used for planing in depth and then (with minor consideration) be used for the enroute navigation as well. If you co-drive, your navigator has an easy time of it and if you are alone and running on laptop, set it up to talk to you and listen for your instructions. But, that is a time gone by and the fact that it took learning was more than the market could bear.
The obsolete copy of SA2015 is still used for planning because I can look at where we may want to fuel and plan the ONP. It still beats the others because it is a stand-alone with real location input. So, if you happen to find fuel sooner or decide to stretch the driving day, when you updated SA, that change rippled through the whole plan. That is absolutely left out of RVTW. Those rings that RVTW provides are completely uses as we happen to live near three great lakes and an international border.
Google Maps has now failed us as now managed to run out of chart (map data) four times and all were critical. Yes, I did the pre-load bit, but that only works if you are sure you know where you will be. Now, If I could get GM to listen to a GPS we would be almost a third of the way there. What so many people ignored was that there were many overlays available.
So, if it requires internet access (aka cell service), you better stay on the blue roads. If you want it to tell you where you are, you are stuck with either a 5" low res screen or a really pricey tablet.
As the time progresses, I am steadily moving back to pencil and ruler on paper charts taped to the dinette table. This means that the navigator does not get to be in the right seat all the time and that is a big disadvantage.
I could go on with about just how disappointed I was to find out that Garmin would not update SA, but that is not my biggest disappointment from them.....
Matt
To make the point clear, in the family, we have a large number of GPS. Several tablets and laptops/crossovers. We carry wire underway and I still always carry the paper that covers where have any reasonable expectation of being during any one excursion.
For my money, there was never a better all round package than Street Atlas and Streets and Trips was a close second. I have tried, but have not been able to get the same productivity out of CoPilot. Both SA and S&T were great in that they could be used for planing in depth and then (with minor consideration) be used for the enroute navigation as well. If you co-drive, your navigator has an easy time of it and if you are alone and running on laptop, set it up to talk to you and listen for your instructions. But, that is a time gone by and the fact that it took learning was more than the market could bear.
The obsolete copy of SA2015 is still used for planning because I can look at where we may want to fuel and plan the ONP. It still beats the others because it is a stand-alone with real location input. So, if you happen to find fuel sooner or decide to stretch the driving day, when you updated SA, that change rippled through the whole plan. That is absolutely left out of RVTW. Those rings that RVTW provides are completely uses as we happen to live near three great lakes and an international border.
Google Maps has now failed us as now managed to run out of chart (map data) four times and all were critical. Yes, I did the pre-load bit, but that only works if you are sure you know where you will be. Now, If I could get GM to listen to a GPS we would be almost a third of the way there. What so many people ignored was that there were many overlays available.
So, if it requires internet access (aka cell service), you better stay on the blue roads. If you want it to tell you where you are, you are stuck with either a 5" low res screen or a really pricey tablet.
As the time progresses, I am steadily moving back to pencil and ruler on paper charts taped to the dinette table. This means that the navigator does not get to be in the right seat all the time and that is a big disadvantage.
I could go on with about just how disappointed I was to find out that Garmin would not update SA, but that is not my biggest disappointment from them.....
Matt
