Looking for PDA GPS Mobile solution - can you help?

McGroo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 17, 2005 Posts: 3

I wish to upload GPS tracks onto a server from a mobile whilst on the move so they can be displayed on a web site.
I would like to email or FTP the tracks from the device, so a PDA plus a bluetooth enabled moble phone seems the obvious solution.

What would you recommend given that:

• I have a Mac which I will need to synchronise the PDA with (will a windows based PDA work, at least for backup and exchanging files?)

• I will need to be recording tracks constantly (every 2 seconds max) - unlimited track log would be ideal.

• I need either replacable batteries or a very durable/ efficient rechargable device with the option of buying spare batteries.

• The track log needs to record to microdegrees (that's 6 decimal places- hddd.dddddd) - I guess this depends on the software I am running. (Mapsource only exports text to 5 decimal places and I have to convert the .mps file using GPS Utility to get the sixth!)

That's the basics- I would be very appreciatice of any suggestions.

Thank!

McGroo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 17, 2005 Posts: 3

Perhaps the thing about micro degrees is a little bit more detail than anyone knows.

So in short, what PDA receiver has a good battery life, records tracks well and works with a Mac?

Maybe my question is too generic, or am I in the wrong forum? I'm new to this so if you can point me in the right direction, then please let me know - the people in Dixons were certainly flummoxed by my enquiries!

hertz · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 01, 2005 Posts: 9

I think the people in Dixon's would be flummoxed if you asked them what day it was...

gune · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 1:08 pm Post subject:

hi acer n35 is cheap with built in gps. but doesnot have big memeory. u may have to get tt3 or tt5 on it rather than destinator....
also medion is like the same...
other end ipaq is popular dep. on budget really

gune · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 7:25 pm Post subject:

hi

i feel u should go for a ipaq or dell. i ma not sure about track logging. but if u do a search on the site u shpould get soem answers... because i read a similar thing sometime ago.. but not sure...

which pda is dep on ur budget really!!

whther ur pda will sync with mac i am not sure.

gune · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject:

hi

i feel u should go for a ipaq or dell. i ma not sure about track logging. but if u do a search on the site u shpould get soem answers... because i read a similar thing sometime ago.. but not sure...

which pda is dep on ur budget really!!

whther ur pda will sync with mac i am not sure.

MikeProcter · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 1:08 am Post subject:

I think you will find that the only PDA's that work with Mac's are Palms. Palms are great, there are several out on the market. I have two - a Treo 650 (smartphone) & a Tungsten T3.

Take a look on Palm's website for their latest range. www.palm.com

As for all the other stuff you want to do, I don't know if anybody supplies any software to run on a Palm that you want.

Tom Tom Navigator 5.12 works great as a sat nav solution. It does not record tracks as you want. the only other ones I am aware of are Mapopolis & Via Michelin & I have no experience of them.
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gune · Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 4:28 pm Post subject:

hi

i found that there are third party software are availble to make pocket pc work with mac!
there should be software availble to make them work in this web site:

asia cnet site http://asia.cnet.com/howto/

boalexander · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject: Would this work?

Try this web site.

http://www.3dtracking.net/whatis.aspx

You can look on the web to see a previous track or current position. Check out the downloads/support page for a list of compatible hardware. They don't have a Palm version but, if enough people ask for it they will develop one. (Please ask for the Palm - yeah I really want the Palm version).

morph · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 22, 2005 Posts: 12

i hate to say it..
get rid of the mac...
oohh their i said it.

now for the wrath...
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StevenGourlay · Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:52 pm Post subject:

The Mac will limit the number of devices that you could use. You would have to look at a Palm based device which is Mac OS compatabile. Either that or look at www.pocketmac.com 3rd party software which will allow you to sync your PPC based device with your Mac.
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philpugh · Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 11:31 am Post subject:

Many newer PDAs come with exchangable batteries - but they (the batteries) aren't cheap. You could rig up external supply using small sealed lead-acid batteries - lots of inexpensive power reserve - but at a weight cost. With large memory cards your requirement for 'unlimited' logging would be 'nearly' possible :D

I'm slightly worried about the 'micro-degree' bit.

If you are using commercial gps then they will use NMEA information to get the lat/lon 'fix'. These sentences give you ddd mm.mmmm resolution. I.e. .0001 min which is 0.000001666666... of a degree. This means that the resolution steps are 1.6 "micro-degrees".

To illustrate this point. If you were standing on the Greenwich meridian your Long should be reading 000 deg 00.0000' or 00.000000 degrees. Moving away in very small increments, your NMEA fix could read 00 deg 00.0001" then 00 deg 00.0002' etc this would be converted to 00.000002 deg, 0.000003 deg, 0.000005 deg (assuming rounding up). get the idea?
This is possibly one of the reasons that commercial s/w have 'restricted' numbers of decimal places.

Whilst there may be s/w out there that logs the "micro-degree"; I'm not sure - given the limitations of the positional accuracy from non-DGPS systems - that I would want to rely on the micro-degree information for any meaningful calculations.

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