GPS unit for your PC - £25.43 delivered

[stuart]

Just noticed you can get a good GPS unit for connecting to your laptop (USB powered).

 

The GPS device is waterproof so useful for use on a boat.

http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?i=140985

 

Its priced at £32.95 + P&P but use a discount code to get £10 off.

 

When going through the "check out" process, select "Royal Mail 1st class" for reduced postage costs

and in the "How did you hear about us?" box enter "BGZ0136627" for another £10 off.

 

The total will still show as £35.43 but the company deducts the £10 before taking payment from your card.

You can also order over the phone, 0161 868 0868 and quote the reference.

 

The item is out of stock at present but order now as the voucher code runs out on 16th June. 9 day delivery timescales estimated.

 

Total cost, delivered to your door £25.43

 

 

Note I have nothing to do with Expansys company!

[carlt]

I've got one of these on the lifeboat:

 

Ebay clicky

 

Which works great, though a bit dearer but it's got enough cable to get up the mast.

I also can't see any specs for the cheaper one.

 

I had one with less channels and satellite acquisition seemed much slower and wasn't vista compatible.

[pwl]

Any idea what software comes with it?

 

P

[carlt]

Any idea what software comes with it?

 

P

Mine came with a driver and a test program, which tells you your coordinates but nothing more.

 

I run it with Imray digital charts which aren't much use, inland. You can run it with autoroute but I'm thinking of upgrading to Google Earth Pro which can be linked to GPS.

 

There are some open source mapping packages out there but I don't find them very user friendly.

[stuart]

Theres more info on the unit from the manufactor..

 

Seems its also got a magnetic base - ideal for canal boat roof!

 

I dont think theres any mapping software included but as mentioned, google earth pro and autoroute would all work as well as the hundreds of other packages.

 

http://www.globalsat.com.tw/eng/product_detail_00000044.htm

 

Features:

1. SiRF Star III High Performance GPS chipset

2. High sensitivity (Tracking Sensitivity: -159 dBm)

3. Extremely fast TTFF (Time To First Fix) at low signal level

4. Support NMEA 0183 data protocol

5. Built-in SuperCap to reserve system data for rapid satellite acquisition

6. Built-in patch antenna.

7. Super-cohesive magnetic for mounting on the car

8. USB interface connection port.

9. Waterproof and non-slip on the bottom.

10. LED indicator for GPS fix or not fix.

11. WAAS ENGOS is supported.

 

 

There are some open source mapping packages out there but I don't find them very user friendly.

 

Well for inland waterway use theres always my website + Navvygator software !

www.waterexplorer.co.uk

Edited June 4, 2008 by stuart

[carlt]

Well for inland waterway use theres always my website + Navvygator software !

www.waterexplorer.co.uk

Well, after a quick glance, that looks miles better than anything else I've seen!

[Big John]

Well, after a quick glance, that looks miles better than anything else I've seen!

I've been using this software for a few months now, and am totally sold on it!

[stuart]

I've been using this software for a few months now, and am totally sold on it!

 

 

Your too kind!

[blackrose]

Sorry, are we talking about global positioning?

 

What would be the point exactly on the inland waterways?

 

Edit: Water Explorer is a web application designed to assist boaters navigating the UK's inland waterways. It helps in three key areas: navigation, keeping a diary/blog of your journey and points of interest finder.

 

Navigation? Surely on a river or canal you either go one way ot the other?

Edited June 5, 2008 by blackrose

[carlt]

One thing I would have found it useful for, is knowing where to stop.

 

I never used visitor moorings, preferring to be out of sight of civilisation, but a 15 minute walk to the pub/shop/boatyard was ok.

 

This often meant boating past the moorings and finding somewhere beyond civilisation.

 

With satnav, if I found a pleasant mooring before the intended watering hole, I could have checked to see the distance to walk, before pushing pins.

 

Edited to say: The main reason is, of course....It's a new toy!

Edited June 5, 2008 by carlt

[stewey]

Navigation? Surely on a river or canal you either go one way ot the other?

You obviously haven't seen Stewey's steering!!

 

Stewey

[stuart]

Navigation? Surely on a river or canal you either go one way ot the other?

 

Correct, I'm not getting drawn into the why use GPS on a canal debate but every year there are thousands of new hirers, both from UK and abroad who are unsure of how things work and taking the map problem away from them helps.

 

Its also quite nice knowing that the next lock is X minutes away so I've got time to pop and make another brew!

[jelunga]

Stuart,

 

I tried to order this yesterday, but that code you mentioned is a "use once"code and had alrady been used. Any other codes you know?

 

 

 

Just noticed you can get a good GPS unit for connecting to your laptop (USB powered).

 

The GPS device is waterproof so useful for use on a boat.

http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?i=140985

 

Its priced at £32.95 + P&P but use a discount code to get £10 off.

 

When going through the "check out" process, select "Royal Mail 1st class" for reduced postage costs

and in the "How did you hear about us?" box enter "BGZ0136627" for another £10 off.

 

The total will still show as £35.43 but the company deducts the £10 before taking payment from your card.

You can also order over the phone, 0161 868 0868 and quote the reference.

 

The item is out of stock at present but order now as the voucher code runs out on 16th June. 9 day delivery timescales estimated.

 

Total cost, delivered to your door £25.43

 

 

Note I have nothing to do with Expansys company!

[DHutch]

Interested, although not really for the baot.

- What i would like is to get my Palm GPS cradle to work having spend £25 on that. Tomtom software just ignores it. I dont use the plam for anythign else, never have.

 

 

 

Daniel

[stort_mark]

Just noticed you can get a good GPS unit for connecting to your laptop (USB powered).

 

Just wondering if anyone has actually tested this unit to determine if it truly is "good". I use a number of GPS units at work and some are good...and some are - errrr - hopeless. For example, my Blackberry has a built-in GPS. It is totally useless.

 

Also in response to the question "is GPS useful on the canals" the answer is yes. If you want to geo-reference photographs then the active tracklog on a GPS unit can be synchronised with the camera (software like RoboGEO makes this easy).

Also if you create tracks and routes along the canal you can get better estimates of arrival times at any given point (destination or pub). In some places (especially with particularly good GPS units and an appropriate basemap) you can verify the correct channel (this is not always easy on some rivers even with good signs, and would seem to be particularly valuable in times of strong streams) and finally if you navigate some of the waterways in the Fens, having a GPS tells you where you are when you can't see beyond the bank.

 

So those who say ..."Duh - why do you need a GPS on a canal?" there are plenty of good reasons.

[carlt]

Just wondering if anyone has actually tested this unit to determine if it truly is "good". I use a number of GPS units at work and some are good...and some are - errrr - hopeless. For example, my Blackberry has a built-in GPS. It is totally useless.

I've not used the one Stuart posted, but the one I got from ebay is brilliant. Acquires satellites quickly, was spot on, when checking against traditional nav methods and didn't lose the signal during an 8 hour passage.

 

That'll do for me.

[blackrose]

So those who say ..."Duh - why do you need a GPS on a canal?" there are plenty of good reasons.

 

For some there may be good reasons to have GPS and good luck to them, but not for me.

[alan_fincher]

For some there may be good reasons to have GPS and good luck to them, but not for me.

With that boat of yours, you would panic if it pinpointed you as being on a narrow canal!

[stort_mark]

For some there may be good reasons to have GPS and good luck to them, but not for me.

 

 

But you did ask the question "What would be the point exactly on the inland waterways?". There are plenty.

[magnetman]

My GPS tells my RADAR and my DSC VHF where i am, which i find useful. If i can get it to talk to my echo sounder i'll be well pleased

[stuart]

Stuart,

 

I tried to order this yesterday, but that code you mentioned is a "use once"code and had alrady been used. Any other codes you know?

 

 

Damn, sorry got that from the forums on www.moneysavingexpert.com

[stuart]

Just to dig up a really old thread!

 

Looks like Amazon are the cheaper supplier of these GlobalSat BU353 GPS devices

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000PKX2KA/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wateexpl-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000PKX2KA

 

Normally around the £25 to £30 mark with free delivery.

[Grace and Favour]

Amazon today is £29.99 + £4.59 delivery

[lydfordcastle]

 

What would be the point exactly on the inland waterways?

 

 

Having a petrol fuelled boat mine is essential for finding petrol stations within walking distance

[GUMPY]

Sorry, are we talking about global positioning?

 

What would be the point exactly on the inland waterways?

 

I can give you a very good reason and its one that will save money especially with a boat like yours.

The reason is monitoring your speed,

Yes I know everyone knows how fast their boat goes but what they dont see is that when you are navigating with a craft that is near or on the dimensions of the waterway you can throttle back by as much as 50% and sill maintain the same speed.

On the GU I can run at 1100rpm and go no faster than if I was running at 800rpm, it feels slower at 800 but in fact its not, it makes a huge difference to the fuel used.

There are some spots that 1100 will go faster but generally the bottom is so near the top that it doesnt.