GPS hand helds and digital mapping software - Dartmoor Letterboxing Archive

2009-08-25 19:31:10

Hi,

I did some letterboxing about 15-20 years ago in my teens finding 480 odd boxes and have recently come back to it with along with my kids (although i think i'm still more interested than they are at present). have now gone over the 500 mark and must send away for the badges so have been bitten by the bug again. I have one question though, many of the clues these days seem to include the 10 figure grid ref for GPS's. I just wondered if many of you out there use a GPS while out and/or digital mapping at home on the PC(if so which ones do you recommend). I was recently looking at memory map and this seems a good bet to link up to basic garmin GPS's? Any advice greatfully recieved as i must improve the success rate so the kids don't loose interest!!

NB . GPS still seems a bit like cheating though doesn't it?!

Thanks

Colin

2009-08-25 22:47:55

HI AD
I use a GPS and Digital mapping software as well as a compass and normal map. I have a Garmin Venture HC which seems to work well. I also use Garmins Mapsource and the UK topo however there are lots of other suppliers of digital mapping software out there such as Memory map, Track logs etc. I only use Garmin Mapsource as I got a good deal on it when I purchased my GPs. I think there is also an option now with Google maps which allows for the sending of waypoints from Google maps to a GPS unit. If you just want to input waypoints and send them to your GPS then Easy GPS works well for this and its free, it also allows for the creation of tracks in-between waypoints.

Everyone seems to have their own preferred method when it comes to software and GPS’s, Personally I use the Electronic Letterbox Catalogue as well as the book version, But I got tired (plan laziness on my part) of having to type the grid refs in to upload them to my GPS so I wrote I program to read in the data from the electronic catalogues database and convert it from OS Coordinates to WGS84 (GPS format) the program then generates a GPX file containing the selected letterboxes I plan to look for which I then upload to my GPS.
When walking I still normally use the Catalogue but if I am struggling to find one I get the GPS out. It also comes in very handy if the Children start to lose interest as I can give it to them to guide us on our route.

The setting I have my GPS set to are outlined in this thread viewtopic.php?t=914

Hope this helps

Colin

Station Master

2009-08-26 07:36:06

I use Memory Map. And Garmin Gps 60 is great value for money ans easy to use, its my third GPS. For Dartmoor you do not need anything better.

Etrex Gps is a little to simple, but still works well on Dartmoor.

Mark

2009-08-26 11:57:57

Thanks for the replies. Just wondered if the electronic Catelogue is widely available? if so who from and how much? I have the book but if i had it electronically then it makes route planning so much quicker.

Thanks

Ad.