After a lifetime of following others on our fair lanes, last week it dawned on me that apart from HM there's no one left to follow... So I've embraced modernity, entered the twilight zone that is fleabay, and invested in a previously cherished satnav for the dirt, the Satmap Active 10.
As normal, one thing leads to another and I now need the DTRF overlays? Oh yes,and I also need a brain. This technology could be my downfall. Again.
Satmap Active 10....does it tell you where to turn, and when, in an understandable voice? I have a whatchamacallit thing "Road Angel" it is probably good and useful but I can nae see it to read it. So a stop n glasses need to be put on (even with the maps) and flow gone so its of little help to make a lane riding session really good n pleasurable. Sure the route has to be in the head, or in the head of a particularly clear thinking head.
im so slow....
-- Edited by PeterBc on Sunday 26th of January 2014 09:42:51 PM
Supposed to be the dogs. Has a 3 1/2 inch colour screen that displays a regular OS map with the route highlighted (blue I think). Importantly it tracks up, so its intuitive. Lithium battery will run for 7 hours (I think) and can be hard wired / powered through a USB socket. New they are about £350 with full GB ordnance survey mapping at 50,000:1 but a third of that if bought used. You can pay less (£80-90) but at that price they dont have the OS map. You can also get marine maps, and 25000:1 maps for hiking national parks. Can get a full submersible waterproof case if needed.
I believe there is a newer Active 20 version just released with a higher definition screen so Some people who must have the latest thing are upgrading.
Should work fine. Need the lanes which are in .kml google earth format and convert using gps babel to .gpx unless someone has them already in .gpx. With the software should be reasonably easy to upload.
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Walk a mile in another man's shoes. ...and you will be a mile away... and have his shoes..
It is never that simple. and overlays can be an arse to convert and properly install. I did use my PDA for a short while using a system that was free, tracks up and talks to you, called Navigator 11. I used in America and in europe unfortunately it kept dying on the bike as the charger could not keep up with the current draw from the PDA, new to me this only started when I left and it died after about 4 or 5 hours, plus the charger kept vibrating out of the socket, lot to be said for usb powered sockets rather than bulky car types that come loose and disconnect. It works fine except I need a beefier charger circa 2 amps because the PDA uses a lot of juice when gps is activated.
It was much maligned by Lucky on the Swiss trip but actually it worked fine in the car through 9 states as the screen brightness was down and the charger didn't randomly vibrate out of the socket either. Once the PDA battery is flat it will not recharge again from a car charger, least ways not from mine. The fault lay in the charger not the system, also had remarkably good route planning that Garmin notably lacked.
The beauty is A its free, B it can use free OSM maps which are user defined and because I can drop waypoints in near lane entrances it will make an audible warning when approaching the beginning and end of the lane.
Basically it will knock the balls off anything else currently available because of the flexibility. The OSM maps are not spot on so sometimes the track and map are not perfect they are only from Bing sat images after all, however the bought maps are spot on providing the power supply is sufficient, further more the android version can be used exactly the same on an android phone and with the new tougher waterproof phones like the Samsung Active negates the need for a stand alone Sat nav and as you can use a handsfree in a suitable helmet will give you turn by turn instructions but also tell you where lanes are without have to take your eyes off the road.
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Walk a mile in another man's shoes. ...and you will be a mile away... and have his shoes..
overlays can be an arse to convert and properly install... unfortunately it kept dying on the bike... It was much maligned by Lucky on the Swiss trip...
I don't remember being so unsupportive but its what I do, so probably guilty as charged.
I was somewhat annoyed that the battery kept going flat when it should not have and if the main crappy charger had not disintegrated inside and flown apart it would have helped. At the time it seemed at battle of the sat navs.
Next time I will take a map.
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Walk a mile in another man's shoes. ...and you will be a mile away... and have his shoes..
