Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2000 10:46:24 EDT
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: GPS - what's best for 70 CT?
In a message dated 8/6/00 11:08:55 AM Central Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> strongly recommend the eTrex over Delorme's Earthmate/Tripmate, since
> 1) You can upload a route from Street Atlas to the eTrex, detach the eTrex
> and use it independently to follow the route
You make some very valid points, but I cannot totally agree with you. It is
true the Earthmate is useless without a laptop but so is the eTrex in terms
of no ability to generate a route on its own or hold a detailed map of the
route. Any change along the route or change of plans forces you back to the
laptop. The level of detail available on the eTrex leaves a lot to be
desired. I have an eTrex also and find it great for short offroad, foot, or
bicycle trips. For me, one of the biggest advantages to having a GPS system
in the car is the instantaneous ability to reroute around detours and
accidents, change plans, see what is coming down the road a mile in detail on
a clear color screen, etc without booting a laptop or doing a download. The
eTrex/Street Atlas software combination would definitely be a cheap way to
get into GPS route tracking if you do not regularly use a laptop in the car
or if you have only a desktop.
The eTrex is about the same retail cost, is close enough to the same size,
has a little better battery life, and does have a screen and independent
functionality when compared to the Earthmate. If you can use the eTrex to
drive the Street Atlas software tracking function, it would be a great
alternative to the Earthmate for feeding position data to the laptop. I had
the Earthmate system before the eTrex came out. I did not get an instruction
book with the eTrex. My eTrex came to me used as a trade-in on a
Libretto/StAtlas7/TopoUSA/Earthmate setup. I do not know if it will output
standard NMEA position data to a laptop. I do know the last two versions of
Street Atlas are supposed to be able to use NMEA data instead of the
Earthmate to track the map. Don't have the time to do the eTrex research
right now.
As always, you pay your money and take your choice. I make mostly long
trips, usually change plans twice a day, and like the ability to easily see a
lot of data quickly anytime. If you make only short, well planned trips the
eTrex might be great. If the eTrex can be used as a replacement for the
Earthmate, it would definitely be worth a try.
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