Calgary Jeep Association

Author Topic: GPS for a laptop?  (Read 2244 times)

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Offline mike s

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GPS for a laptop?
« on: November 03, 2009, 07:02:32 PM »
Thinking of upgrading my GPS unit to something with plotting capabilities to better learn the areas. I have several laptops laying around and i thought mabey converting one to a jeep laptop. Anyone with experience can steer a newbie in the right direction?
'94 YJ, 2.5" RE, 1"BL on 35"s, 8.8 w 4.88
oldEnuff2NObetter

but still can't help myself

Offline w squared

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Re: GPS for a laptop?
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2009, 07:03:48 PM »
I've never tried it myself (despite owning a few GPS units and a few laptops), but the folks at GPS Central can probably help you out. They're on Blackfoot near National (same parking lot as Mary Brown's)
I followed a rainbow out to a garage and found a leprichaun. The rainbow ended in a potted cactus on his porch, but there was no gold :(

Offline FiEND

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Re: GPS for a laptop?
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2009, 07:30:07 PM »
yes but laptop has to be capable of running windows XP.  garmin has a free download called nroute.  just need the map software to go on it, ie garmin topo canada.  then a gps18 usb antenna and yer off to the races.

get the software and antenna @ gps central

http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/garmin/18x.html
http://www.gpscentral.ca/accessories/mapsourcetopocanada.htm
1Wide2High
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'97 TJ [sold]
'17 JK Rubicon

Offline FiEND

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Re: GPS for a laptop?
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2009, 08:24:13 AM »
don't know.  always got as good as or better than ebay prices @ gps central so never needed to go elswhere.  their website sucks though.
1Wide2High
ILV2FRT
'97 TJ [sold]
'17 JK Rubicon

Offline w squared

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Re: GPS for a laptop?
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2009, 01:40:48 PM »
don't know.  always got as good as or better than ebay prices @ gps central so never needed to go elswhere.  their website sucks though.

+1 on the pricing. I've purchased three units there. One for work, one for my Jeep, one for my girlfriend.
I followed a rainbow out to a garage and found a leprichaun. The rainbow ended in a potted cactus on his porch, but there was no gold :(

Offline cLAY

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Re: GPS for a laptop?
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2009, 03:13:57 PM »
I used to go to GPS central when they were in their old location and they were REALLY good. However I visited them in the new location and wasn't impressed. The  "sales" person I got that day knew les about GPSes than I did. The other guys I had got there were more like techs.

Recently went to GPS city for the first time. Not much to see, really small show room. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff. I was there for quite awhile asking tons of questions. Ended up getting a USB gps reciever for my touch screen laptop. I'm going to try it with Oziexplorer.

Havn't tried Nroute but I heard that it doesn't work well with offroading and topo maps as you cann't zoom in far enough.

Anyone here using it for offroad?
..

'93 ZJ, 5.2L, lifted/locked/36s..<gone>
'98 5.9er 4.10s,locked,LA,WJ knuckles

Offline mike s

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Re: GPS for a laptop?
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2009, 01:05:06 PM »
Any recomendation on software? Just want to be able to reviews days wheelin and mark trails/challenges. Ease of you would be nice.
'94 YJ, 2.5" RE, 1"BL on 35"s, 8.8 w 4.88
oldEnuff2NObetter

but still can't help myself