[ORRando] Garmin

Gregg Berkholtz gregg at berkholtz.net
Sat Oct 18 02:48:53 PDT 2008


FWIW, I combine an iPhone w/ a SPOT satellite tracker & help+911  
system. I've found this combination to be far more useful than just a  
single-purpose GPS unit.

I've found that on most distance rides, when I'm lacking a cell signal  
out in the middle of nowhere, there's nearly-always only one road in &  
out - so the iPhone's GPS and mapping functions have not yet proven  
necessary then. Further, there's dozens of GPS applications for the  
iPhone, with costs ranging from free (good ones too!) to upwards of ~ 
$10 - most of these apps will not-only record more frequent way-points  
for you, but some have the ability to (even when sans cell coverage!):
1) Provide your current Lat/Log, Altitude, Speed, Heading & estimated  
"accuracy" (usually within ~500ft) - handy if you're carrying a map  
already, and need to simply stop psyching over a critical turn. Some  
apps are: InstaMapper (free), TrailGuru (free), TrackThing Lite  
(free), iMapMyRide (free), Simple GPS ($0.99) & GPS Cardinal ($0.99).

2) Pre-download regional road and topo maps, to be used more like a  
higher-end Garmin, when outside cell phone coverage areas. Some apps  
include GPS Kit ($9.99 & requires cell coverage for the maps)...right  
now, I can't find the app which enabled off-line downloads....


As for the SPOT Tracker (www.findmespot.com) - well, it allows me to  
effectively "live-blog" my trips. With waypoints transmitted via  
satellite every ~10 minutes, it enables family and friends, who'd  
otherwise assume I was dying in a ditch somewhere, that yes in-fact  
that crazy guy is still pedaling his bike "way out there". In addition:
1) If I do find my self stranded, for a non-emergency reason, the  
SPOT's "help" button can be pre-programed to email & SMS pre-defined  
family/friend contacts with a "come rescue me" message. Also  
automatically included with those calls for help, is a google-maps  
link to the SPOT's built-in GPS calculation of your location.

2) If I'm injured, and need emergency services where cell phones are  
non-functional (or even where they are functional!), as long as I'm OK  
enough to point SPOT towards the sky - all I need to do is press the  
911 button, and wait for emergency services to respond. A separate  
list (from the list you create for the help-needed call) of family &  
friends are also notified of your call for emergency services.

Costs:
iPhone: $200-$300 for the initial purchase, and ~$70/month (of-course  
it's my daily phone/iPod & remote email/web-browsing computer  
too...plus a whole slew of other tools...).

SPOT Tracker:
  - $150 one-time hardware purchase (REI carries this)
  - $50/year for the live-tracking/blogging service (can be added when  
you activate the unit)
  - $7.95/year (yes, seven dollars & ninety-five cents per year) for  
their GEOS Search & Rescue Benefits (provides up to $100,000USD, in  
additional S&R resources, including world-wide helicopter extraction,  
and reimbursement benefits, all underwritten by Lloyd’s of London).  
BTW: GEOS markets primarily to the executive-class business user who's  
traveling both domestically and internationally...a no BS group of  
people...

BTW: on the quality of the SPOT hardware - my unit has found itself  
kissing concrete more times than I care to admit & its survived some  
pretty nasty storms that various situations demanded I "stay the  
course"...it's still ticking.

Oh, and those rides on quiet roads in the middle of nowhere; I've been  
known to check email, and snap pictures, while cruising along &  
kicking back on the recumbent - only to soon send pics to friends and  
family; the iPhone queues sent-mail, and transmits automatically once  
you're back within cell range again.

HTH,
- Gregg

(this message was re-sent, once I realized our mailing list doesn't  
have orrando at orr.... as the reply-to address - why is that?)

On Oct 17, 2008, at 20:31 , cecilanne at comcast.net wrote:

> My husband is hinting that he wants to get me a Garmin GPS gizmo as  
> a Solstice gift  - apparently someone with whom he works can get him  
> a deal (just him, not everyone on my listserve, so don't ask. . .).   
> Anyway, my limited research indicates that none of the Garmin  
> products have enough battery life to get me through anything over a  
> 300 km with continuous use  - so some of the tracking and  
> statistical features on most models are probably superfluous  - but  
> assuming I wanted one for its handiness to prevent me from getting,  
> any suggestions as to which model is best (if any) - or should I  
> just tell him to buy me the equivalent value in Belgian chocolate?
>
> Cheers, Cecil
> _______________________________________________
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