GPS unit for your PC - £25.43 delivered

[blackrose]

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.

 

Yes I can see it might be useful to know one's speed, but as I'm generally moving single-handed I'd need a handheld GPS device rather than something computer based. That new handheld VHF radio someone posted a link to recently had a GPS function, or isn't there some mobile app that I could get for my Blackberry? I have google maps on my phone but I don't think that does speed?

 

Edit: I've just downloaded this to my mobile http://www.amazegps.com/

Edited May 31, 2011 by blackrose

[carlt]

I have google maps on my phone but I don't think that does speed?

There are various gps speedo apps, for Android, many free.

 

I also have OS Map, for Android. No speedo but very handy.

[Biggles]

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.

 

 

I totally agree. I am using an iPad on my current trip and it has amazed me just how much you can throttle back and still make the same speed, or a very slightly reduced speed for quite a significant RPM reduction depending on the depth. With the cost of fuel where's the harm?

 

I am using the MotionX app ATM. I has a lot of very nice features.

 

Not sure if it's on other platforms. On the windows mobile platform there is a nice one from Beeline like a glass cockpit, and there are a whole raft of apps for being on the move but not necessarily for boating. Try looking up stuff for jogging or cycling these will do nicely.

 

Edit to add my current journey can be viewed through my twitter feed @kevwade

Edited May 31, 2011 by Biggles

[stuart]

I'm just looking at a complete re-write of my mapping site over at www.waterexplorer.co.uk

 

What features would people like to see?

 

I am using the MotionX app ATM. I has a lot of very nice features.

 

Does this software record a GPX file when your on the move?

[Biggles]

I'm just looking at a complete re-write of my mapping site over at www.waterexplorer.co.uk

 

What features would people like to see?

 

 

 

Does this software record a GPX file when your on the move?

 

Yes it does. If you give me by PM your email I will stream it to you. It can be set to do from every 5 minutes. Also does kml.

 

There is also a sharing thing where you put in a channel so others can follow on that channel update every 30 seconds. I' not shure how that works though as I haven't explored it yet.

 

It also shares with Facebook but this is a bit buggy due to Facebook according to support at MotionX. The same bug is happening with several shareing apps with Facebook ATM.