navigation systems

You will be very happy with the Garmin Nuvi 760.

cheers

We love our toppo and street mapping unit which is in the dash of our car. The unit is a VMS.

Link to site is: www.gpsoz.com.au/vms/index.htm.

Ours is the older version. We purchased it at the end of March and are really delighted with its capability. The unit also has a radio, DVD, Blue Tooth, and reversing camera all in the unit.

The toppo map is very easy to use and read on our 6.5inch screen.

The new units we understand have a different mapping system, and generally a new look. You would have to check this part out.

hope this helps.

Allan and Sharon

Hi Sparky

We also need to upgrade our GPS. Most these day seem to advertise that they 'talk' you around cities rather than advertising any features they may have that are useful in the outback.

I have an older Magellan which can be taken out of its cradle and used hand held when walking. I use Discover Australia Streets and Tracks which is also an older version.

Limitations are: Age of software (i can purchase updated but would rather purchase with a whole new GPS). Mine is only b&w and it is difficult to tell tracks and creek lines apart. Small screen (because it is hand held size). Small capacity - i can only get a part of any state on the SD card at one time, so need to download on the track to keep up, and it will not accept a larger SD card.

Things i like are: Backtracks on software are amazing - it even has the internal track on our home property. It does a zip track which you can follow if completely off road or 'lost' and you need to follow your way back out - which used to be exclusive to Magellan but i think some other brands now have this feature.

I haven't learned about all the features it has as yet, as it can do lots of things, but want something in colour with a slightly larger screen as well as larger capacity. I don't want it integrated into the same screen as the rear view camera, and it don't want to carry a laptop in the car for GPS.

I will follow replies you get to your question.

PS: We never get 'lost' - we sometimes end up on a different track or road than we originally intended - but it is all sightseeing to us as we haven't been on that road either. Our GPS is invaluable at times like these. Often we wouldn't know about the wrong road so soon if it wasn't for the GPS.

Motherhen

We have a Polaris system with a 7 inch screen that also incorporates reversing cameras on both the vehicle and the Bushtracker.

You can have either full screen GPS, full screen Reversing camera ( either camera), or a split screen with half GPS and half reversing camera.

When we are in the open road we have the full screen reversing camera on the van on display. Don't know how we ever managed without it.

Web site is www.polarisgps.com.au,

Mike

Has anyone tried the relatively new Hema Navigator. It's about $1000 whereas the VMS (one I liked the look of especially the size of the screen) is closer to $2000.

Jim

We have the Navman pin 570, i wouldnt buy Navman again due to the problems i have had and the hassles with the warranty. The 1st was replaced with a new unit, which started to play up a few months later, It too was eventually replaced with another new unit after being returned 4 times for repairs, we actually had it returned with a note once saying nothing was wrong when it was plainly clear that it had a problem. Grrr

We also have an old Garmin Etrex for those times in the boat or good for bushwalking as it has a bread crumb trail it's cheap & basic but never missed a beat but it does not have a mapping system.

Come to think of it If i was to go through it all again, i honestly don't think i'd bother. The Navman maps were outdated even when we bought it, they bought out the updated maps but our gps was older than 6 months by that stage so it was going to cost us extra hundreds of $ again. As it turned out we ended up with the latest maps with the 2nd replacement GPS but even some of those maps are incorrect, major WA highways not listed, I bought it to save the hassles in the car getting lost but it caused more hassles having it LOL, & Vickie never lets me forget it cost $900 !! lol

Decent topo maps of the area's travelling and a street directory would be better value IMO. Maybe i'm just annoyed cos Vik is right.... lol.. actually yes i am so perhaps disregard my ramblings.

My main question would be what GPS system enables purchasers FREE upgrades to maps for future proofing.

I have had an HP rx5965 for about 18 months - $650 with $100 cash back from Myers. It come with full Palm Computer features - internet and all the other usual tools including TomTom street navigator. It has a very good windscreen mount which allows you to remove it with the flick of a finger.

I have Ozi Explorer on the laptop and downloaded the CE version onto the HP. This then gives me full Raster maps - same like nthe old paper models. I use Natmaps premium Edition on 2 DVD's covers the whole of Oz on 1/250,000 scale with heaps of detail. I have downloaded onto the HP several zones (2 zones cover 96% of WA) so I rarely have to download others from the laptop. The street navigators are great in town but useless in the bush

As a unit it is great as you can access the net via wireless or bluetooth, use it to store music or photos or even play your phone through it. To me it has been one of the best prices and most versatile bits of gear I own

Cheers John

I mentioned the Garmin 760 above. We have its predecessor the 660. We call her Gloria. She actually reads out the street names in her directions and if we don't follow her advice she can even twirl her skirts and say: there IS a better way !!.

Aussie voice too.

We use her all the time thru cities and towns. The maps are comprehensive. We were at the top of North Coolgardie road near Ularring Rock once and the screen showed the layout of a town that hasn't been there for decades.

I used to use Oziexplorer on a laptop but it was too much mucking around and now, when we are in the bush, I have reverted to maps.

I still love paper maps.

But in cities and towns I would not be without Gloria.

cheers

Hello Navigators,
We purchased a Garmin Nuvi 260 in Devonport in April this year. Without it we would never have found our way around Canberra - actually without the Nuvi we probably would still be driving in circles around Canberra looking for a way out of the place !

Nurvi seems to work OK most of the time although Lee's logic [he is the voice] is rather odd and his idea of the shortest route from A to B also includes visits to C, Q, N and W before arriving at B ! Two days ago south of Brisbane, we pulled off the Motorway and Lee got really confused by new roundabouts and new roads immediately parallel to the Motorway that after yelling "Make a U turn; Make a U turn" then "Recalculating" manny times he threw a hissy fit and stopped working altogeher !
\To get him back on the job we had to stp the car, switch Lee off for 2 minutes then start again after he had regained his composure.
Lee also has some strange ideas as to where many country roads are actually located often showing us driving in paddocks when we are actually touring along well known highways .

Cheers from Martin B and The Navigator.

We also have the same model VMS that Allan & Sharon have installed. The unit meets all our requirements.

Have already installed a rear view camera on the 4wd and will be able to connect the camera on the van to work through this same unit.

Regards
Ross

I'm in the same camp as Jimjam - in the latest ARB magazine they were raving about the new Hema - probably too new to get any feedback yet but certainly worth a close look.

Regards
Geoff

If you have a large vehicle or one with a bit of space around the dash have a serious look at the Garmin 7200.

Supplied with pretty good navigation software by Sensis it will navigate you almost anywhere.
Sometimes in remote areas you appear to be driving parallel to the road instead of on it.
I have found that over the years the updates have been gradually correcting this.

If you couple this mapping with Shonky Maps topographical maps you will have the lot.
Up in the Gulf country we were on some tracks not shown on the Sensis maps but Shonky had them all.
Shonky Maps was detailing features such as cattle yards, transmission poles, dams, bores and more.
Shonky was showing station tracks that we had difficulty in seeing. (They hadn’t been used for a while and were overgrown)

The best bit about Shonky Maps is that they are free, download them from the Shonky site.
shonkylogic.net/shonkymaps/

The Garmin 7200 is best purchased from the US, even with the $ as it is.
Try gpscity.com, good service.

If the Garmin 7200 is too large for your vehicle you can get similar results from the Nuvi 760 or the new Nuvi 5000.

BTW, I leave mine switched on all the time that I am in the vehicle.
It will record speed, direction, time of day, location, altitude etc.
All can be downloaded to the Garmin maps on your PC in the form of a detailed snail trail.
Good history keeping.

Regards
Bob

A question for those using a VMS...

Can you select your Rear View Camera while driving, ie, not in reverse?

If so can you still use the street navigator function, ie, each function appears in a smaller screen at the same time.

This would allow you to see what is behind you (or your caravan) in the traffic while still having the street map visible.

I know the Pioneer system can but not sure about the VMS.

cheers

I have had a Garmin 7200 in my L/C 100TD for a couple of years now. My navigators like it with the reservations as Tourist has mentioned. However it will need a special mount for L/C. See my pics for my solution. It's a combination of my fabricated bracket and a 'Ram' brand adjustable piece. I bought the Ram from Johnny Appleseed in Brisbane. No doubt other places would have them too. I also fitted an external antenna which is needed when not enough satellites can be "seen", i.e. they are behind or directly above. I still use paper maps as occasionally the Garmin software is quite inadequate. It put me into a cemetry dead end road recently while trying to exit a country town.-Pardon the pun.!
The 7200 has the capability for a reversing camera input. This works well when the sun is not directly ahead. (Reflections onto the screen through the windscreen render it very dificult to see). Really just another lovely/useful "toy".