[Talk-ca] GPS Suggestions

[Richard Weait]

On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 1:20 PM, Colin McGregor <colin.mc151 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I was talking to an old friend this afternoon, and it looks like I
> might have another Open Street Map ... "victim" :-) . So, next
> question being what GPS should he get. My person preferred solution
> (the GPS receiver that came Microsoft Streets and Trips) fails on the
> portability area. Here are the parameters:
>
> - Cost is a consideration, he would like to get into mapping but not
> spend a lot.
> - He lives away from major population centres and would like to buy
> local, so a model that is available from major Canadian retailers
> (Walmart, Canadian Tire, etc.).
> - Display doesn't really matter, a B/W display would certainly be
> okay, and a pure data logger might be okay.
> - Battery powered is important as while this would normally be used in
> his car, he want the option of following hiking trails.
> - Ease of transferring *.gpx files to his (Linux) based PC and then on
> OSM is important.

RadioWorld seems to have a good selection.  They are on Steeles Avenue
West, near Jane Street.
http://www.radioworld.ca/

There are a couple of mail-order GPS vendors in Calgary.  I don't know
why they are clustered there. ;-)
http://www.gpscity.ca/
http://www.gpscentral.ca/

I have a logger-only that was pretty handy.  Long recharge life, and
small.  The SD card eject mechanism broke, so the SD card is always
trying to eject.  I have to "slam" the cover to get it to close, and
hold the SD card in place.  Ah well.  It was cheap-ish.

I've used GPSMAP60 and Etrex Vista models and have no complaints.  One
loaner Vista was broken when returned but that might be because I
dropped it getting out of the car.  I'm not going to drop the others
to confirm their fragility.

All of these mount as USB mass storage, so use with Linux is no problem.