Advice on GPS

[leeke0]

Hi,
A little while ago, I asked about GPS units and got good feedback thanks.
Things changed and I didn't go ahead at the time but have started thinking again.
I've looked on Brian's website re Hema and VMS and looked at the table that lists comparisons.
I know a lot in the group have Hemas, does anybody have a VMS?
Is one better than the other, reliability wise, not just this one has more maps than the other etc.
I believe that Hema and VMS used to be the same (one rebadged of the other) but are not now!
What do I want it for?
How long is a piece of string, but here are some thoughts:
When driving up the highway, I like to have a map of my current position and and see where the road goes (curves ahead etc)
Want to do a few "off the beaten track" type trips eg Corner country, and maybe some 4x4 tracks between A and B rather than just the "black stuff hwy"
Some (free) camp sites so when we are going from A to B, we have an idea where we can stop if it is getting to that stage (we have the camps 6 book)
allow input of GPS co-ordinates or addresses of some places we have stayed that we can enter into favorites so we can set destinations again etc.
Directions to friends places in the city etc
track maps so when I am "temporarily misplaced" I can back track.
on screen distance and expected time of arrival displays
red light cameras etc
Probably a lot more things that I can't think of at the moment. "You don't know, what you don't know" There would be a lot more things they can do that I don't know about.
I see Brian, that you have a VMS Adventure pack for $699 and the Hema HN7 for $699
Rob, Is there likely to be a GPS workshop at the national meet?

Thanks for your input.
Malcolm

[Scruff]

dont forget that if you currently have a ipad or andriod tablet, you dont need to fork $699 for the hema, just buy either the $49 or $99 app from Hema and you have everything their $699 tablet has

I dunno about VMS as I havent looked at it yet as I too and shopping around at mapping/tracking options

cheers

[robcaz]

Hi Mal,

There will be a workshop at the Glen Innes national meet on Hema mapping & iPads. The iPad app is mapping only with no talking street naviagtion, unlike the VMS or Hema navigators which have both talking street navigation & topos maps. Several members are now using iPad navigation. I know you have not had the chance to attend a SE Qld weekend get together recently, but if you do have a look at Robyn or Kev's setups. The map tracking is heavy on battery use so you need to have the iPad on charge all the time.

The cabin of the Jeep is tight for space & we just do not have the room for an iPad which would block the controls & air con in the middle of the dash or perhaps even the air bag deployment.

We have had the Hema Navigator for three years now. As well as finding it fantastic to help plot routes through tracks off road to where we want to be, we use the topo's while travelling to see what different mountains or lakes are named too.

[PeterB]

Hi Guys

When we wanted a better system for navigating –we had a Tomtom, and were very pleased with it for general use, but when it came to off raoding we decided to go with Mud Map running on a basic iPad with GPS.

I have had no experience of the Hema, but I’m yet to get lost on the Mud Map.

Whilst its big and in the way – stuck to the windscreen and hangs over the radio – its got a good big screen. – bad news / good news

And no matter where in Australia we land up, we just keep zooming in on the settlement, and we get a street map.

The Mud Map is not so good at giving directions to get somewhere, and has no (nagging) voice (that we have found) to assist in navigation.

http://www.mud-maps.com/m7/compare/ . . .probably worth checking this out

Our Tomtom is dying, and we will probably replace it with the same again, but wouldn’t leave home without the Mud Map

Cheers

Pete

[robcaz]

Hi Pete,

The mapping looks easy to use with the iPad app. I also like the interactive campsites & caravan parks function with reviews & photos of the campsites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d1v_amTzoU#t=69

[Scruff]

maybe i havent been far enough into the sticks, but have never found the need to mount my ipad "in the way" so to speak. I just refer to it and away I go, putting it away until i need it again......

[PeterB]

Hi guys

Yes your right Rob, about the extras, but even in its basic navigation form it’s great.

Scruff, . . ‘Herself’ my navigator is forever looking at the paper maps / atlas books as we travel along, but obviously I can’t really look at them too.

But the iPad / Mud Map sitting in front of the radio, allows me to see the country un-rolling under us, and if we’re looking for somewhere to pull over, I’ll maybe spot a creek 10 K ahead, and start to look for a suitable spot – we have found some magic locations beside creeks, just us and the stars.

Cant recommend the system high enough – no commercial interest . . . honest.

Cheers Pete

[robcaz]

We run the topo maps while travelling even on highways so we can see what the land forms are named, ie mountains, lakes etc. The maps really come into their own when on bush tracks so we know exactly where we are on the map & where the tracks are going.

Going to last years Lostock weekend meet we took a track from the Allyn River across to the Paterson River mostly in low range. It was peace of mind knowing where we were at all times & where the different tracks encountered went, so we could make the right choice to end up where we wanted to be, especially when we came to the half washed out bridge & knew we had to cross it.

We have the Hema map book & use that to plot our course for the day when travelling.