Navigation

Having a look at a new nav/gps system have had a Navman it has been ok but had repaired once under warranty and has failed again. What are others using? Does anyone use VMS all opinions greatly accepted.
Greg

Greg
We have used a cheap Chinese GPS' that already has the Igo software and turn by turn street maps already installed and running Windows CE as the operating system. This allows you to install Oziexplorer and topo maps and other maps like the Hema ones on it to give "bush" navigation. In effect you can create a Hema style GPS for the cost of the GPS plus Oziexplorer and the maps if you don't already have them. Say around $100 for a 7" GPS plus Ozi $40 plus the Hema Map CD for $200.
Alternatively you can use a tablet or even a phone but if you are like me the bigger the screen the better. We've tried them all and used everything from PDA's to 7" GPS to tablets and laptops and find the 7" GPS the easiest as it comes on when you start the vehicle, turns it self off, always works and we have taken it overseas to Canada and the US ans is easily removed and put out of site when parked.

I am a HEMA fan.
Great Australian company, great maps, great back up.
We need Australian companies like OziExplorer and HEMA.

Cheers,
Peter

For the last 10 years we've used a laptop running Oziexplorer coupled to an external GPS USB module and 17 inch LCD display. Uses Hema maps or EOtopo maps from Exploroz. Never failed to show us where we are and where we've been. Good for keeping waypoints and track plots.



Our display looks a bit clunky these days but the large screen size makes it easy to use by pilot and navigator alike. We also ues an iPad mini with free off-line maps (Avenza or Maps.me) as a backup and to take on walks etc. (Needs a device with built in GPS).

There are tablet (Android) versions of Ozi and other similar navigation apps now available but Ozi has the widest range of features (although being a Mac person I find its interface a bit bewildering at times).

BTW, I'm running Ozi on a MacBook Air which works fine using an emulation program and can drive an external display. I'm using the free VIrtualBox but the paid Parallels or VMware would work too. They all take a bit of setting up.

Greg
It all depends on whether you want turn by turn navigation or topo maps or both.

I am a Mac and iPad user and there are plenty of apps for the iPad for turn by turn navigation but the apps using topo maps usually want big licence fees for using maps ( that I already have) or are just plain lousy.

So I bought a Samsung android tablet for the Oka for which you can buy Ozi explorer. Any of the turn by turn apps for the iPad also have an android version. This IMO is the best compromise at the moment as Ozi is still the best topo program.

The big advantage of the tablet route over proprietary one is screen real estate.,Dave's 17" monitor would be great, but a 10" tablet screen is still pretty good and the ' pinch to zoom' facility is available all,the time.

Before you rush to buy a tablet make sure it has an inbuilt GPS.
Pete

Thanks Guys just a bit more info VMS is designed and built in Melbourne they use Gregory Maps and also come with topo maps and 5 year street updates. Can purchase for under $400. They seem to coming more and more popular and for that money seem very good value.
Greg

Greg the VMS does look a nice device, but as Pete says, for navigation, large screen real estate is a real bonus.

I guess the advantage of a laptop/tablet is, being a real computer, you can use other aids, like Google Earth/Maps etc (when there's a network) as well as email, blogging etc. There have been many times when I've longed for a Google earth view of where we are and what's around us but it's never when we have network coverage. I've often considered sending up a drone to beam back video of the surrounding area, and it's becoming a practical and economic possibility .

In a world first (I don't think I've ever suggested a Microsoft product before) their Surface range of tablet/laptops seems a good compromise, but even their website has me confused, just like Windows 10 does. I'd better stick to what I know, being bogged on the Hunt Oil Road is no time to learn a new system.

We also use a standard Gamin navigator but it's only any use in urban/main road situations. On the Great Central Road it just became a digital speedo:



Touch screens are a great innovation, if your fingers are tiny, but my navigator keeps wanting to prod the screen to show me things, which messes up the navigation.

BTW, as far as I can tell, the 25K large scale maps being offered only cover the urban strips and nearby hinterland. In the real outback the best I can find are the 200k EOTop maps from Exploroz, which are replacing the Geoscience Australia NATMAP 250k range which is still very useful, but no longer being maintained. We also use Hema and WestPrint digital maps because they show different information.

And maps are not all perfect or up to date either. We got confused last year over the real location of North Creek on the Oodnadatta Track (there are 2 of them marked on the EOTopo map, 30k apart, the northerly one is correct where the useful camping area actually is). Explorox are very receptive to errors and suggested improvements.



Greg, I'm sure you won't be disappointed with a VMS unit, but my motto is: "As far as possible, you need 2 ways of doing everything". That includes navigating (see Peter's note below).

VMS hardware was originally used by HEMA.
It was a disaster for them with many failures, but they replaced them, even when a long way out of warranty.

Cheers,
Peter

Dave, if you are thinking about a drone you should check out this one. www.lily.camera/

Cheers Peter.

dandjcr wrote: Greg the VMS does look a nice device, but as Pete says, for navigation, large screen real estate is a real bonus.

I guess the advantage of a laptop/tablet is, being a real computer, you can use other aids, like Google Earth/Maps etc (when there's a network) as well as email, blogging etc. There have been many times when I've longed for a Google earth view of where we are and what's around us but it's never when we have network coverage. I've often considered sending up a drone to beam back video of the surrounding area, and it's becoming a practical and economic possibility .

Dave
for this exact reason Ive bought a Phantom 3 drone. I like to know if the next hill is worth walking over or indeed whether it's the right one. It talks to either the iPad of android tablet and gives an image of whats below in real time. First test flight tomorrow.





Pete

OK I get it he has the most toys wins.
Greg

Have a friend that had one of those Pete, he still has it but hasn't seen it for several months now as it is lost somewhere on his 300 odd acre block. It had all the safety stuff and return to base etc etc but it is thought it tangled with a tree taller than the rest and is still there somewhere.

Timely thread, I am looking at this as well.
Looking forward to you flight debriefing Pete F
Cheers

If you are looking at a Drone the look no further "Typhoon H"

Looks very impressive! Wonder when stocks will be in Australia? Not sure what "pre-order" means?

OKABloke wrote: If you are looking at a Drone the look no further "Typhoon H"

Looks good at about $2k especially as the display is part of the deal. With the one I've bought, you have to supply a tablet of phone which adds a lot to the cost if you don't own one already.

Pete James, I'm not about to fly mine anywhere near trees or water until I have some idea what I'm doing as I won't be lashing out on another anytime soon. An inbuilt GPS tracker would be useful insurance.
Pete

PeteFox wrote: Dave for this exact reason Ive bought a Phantom 3 drone. I like to know if the next hill is worth walking over or indeed whether it's the right one. It talks to either the iPad of android tablet and gives an image of whats below in real time. First test flight tomorrow.

Pete

Pete, that's the one I've been looking at. DJI seem to be the leaders in drones, but the others mentioned have some interesting features too.

A drone would have helped enormously on our 2014 trek across the Great Sandy Desert (with Dave/Pauline and Dean/Kaye) where we had to stop and walk up hundreds of sand dunes to find the best route forward (or sometimes backwards).

This kind of view (from the top of the McLarty Hills, 250km from the nearest settlement or decent track) would have been a lot easier.



Greg you're right about toys, but 20 years ago, GPS, mobile phones and digital cameras started out as toys but soon became indispensable.

Fabulous Picture, David.

Paul Scherek wrote: Fabulous Picture, David.

Thanks Paul. If we'd had a drone then, it would also made our exploration around the McLarty Hills and the Dragon Tree Soak areas more fruitful, rather than relying on outdated Google Earth photos.

Heading towards the McLarty Hills, how to get there from here?



Oziexlporer view of Dragon Tree Soak, a days drive (30km) from the McLarty Hills. It would have been much better with a real time view, ground features change rapidly from year to year.

The red track is from previous visitors several years ago, ours is in blue. But you can seldom find or follow others wheel tracks.

Still about drones, Pete, if you have one of these water should not be a problem.
Or here you can see a comparison of a few 'water drones' .

Or if you like fishing a drone can help you there too, ready to fish .

But given the choice between a good GPS/ Nav system/ large screen / detailed maps, or..... a super deluxe drone...... I will leave the drone for others to play with.