Recording tracks with Bluetooth GPS

TimB

Hello all.

I am still researching the kit on my wish list and, reading through all the good posts here, I am still inclined towards the Ipaq 3970 & emtac BT route.

However, one of my concerns was battery life and a possible solution to conserve power on the ipaq (apart from the added bulk of an extender) would be to simply switch it off when progressing along known territory.

So the question is - can it be just switched on and off and immediately pick up where it left off so to speak?

and, ideally I would like a GPS receiver that will record my tracks, and then automatically upload to the ipaq when it is switched back on.

I presume some of the stand alone e-trex type receivers will do this with a serial lead, but am I right in thinking that a bluetooth receiver for the ipaq, such as emtac, does not yet exist with a memory. Might I have to buy an e-trex for now and wait for such a device to come along?

Yours Tim

Dave

Yes it can be switched off, both the iPAQ and the receiver. It may take up to 30 secs if you haven't had it switched on for a couple of hours. Anywhere less than this and you should get a fix in anything from 5 seconds upwards.

There really isn't anything here that will record your tracks and upload when you switch your iPAQ on. You'd really be looking at a Garmin or Magellan for this.

Bakkeren

Tim, just like you I'm looking for a portable GPS that is able to do a detailed track recording to register my marathon training. Have you already found the killer hardware that is albe to record and tranfer the track to a iPAQ or laptop?

I thouht the GPSmart could be the one, but I read it is not able to send the recorded trackpoint to the PDA or laptop with BT.

MikeB

I have been experimenting with an Emtac and the new iPaq 2210. I was concerned about the power of the battery at 900mAh but over the weekend I had it on and connected running OziExplorer and TomTom, and messing around with settings etc and the battery lasted for 7 hours and it still had 8% available before it was drained. The Emtac still had not got the battery low light on either.

This combination would be excelent for either activity. Even I might finish a marathon in seven hours, that is if I could go that far.

On a more practical note. It might be a better idea in these circumstances to go for a traditional handheld GPS. These can be linked to an iPaq to provide live GPS data, and they will record tracks when the iPaq is off. Battery life is not a big issue with these as even the worst last for 12 hours or so constant use.

I have used Fugawi, OziExplorer and MemoryMap both to manage the Handheld GPS and to download tracks. These packages all have reasonably powerful PC applications which provide even more analysis and planning tools.

Check out the reviews in the Topo section of our site.

The current downside of using a handheld is that there is no wireless solution, but maybe Garmin or Magellan are getting wise to this missing functionality, lets hope so.
_________________
Mike Barrett

DavidW

Mike,

I realise none of the major handheld GPS manufacturers haven't come up with a Bluetooth model yet - but is there anything wrong with the Fortuna GPSmart Bluetooth?

My impression (being very inexpert in handheld GPS) is that it might not be that great as a handheld - but I guess it might be the right answer for some.

Any comments? (I'm listening with interest - this is an area I know little about).

David

MikeB

David,

The problem with the Fortuna is that although it does record tracks you cannot do anything with them. The tracks can be turned into routes on the receiver so you can find your way back the way you came, but cannot be downloaded or analysed in any useful way.

The handhelds are pretty mature (as you would expect) and have established protocols for the management of Waypoints, Tracks, Routes etc. This is where the value added functionality of PC/PDA applications comes to the fore being able to manage the Handheld's functions remotely through a more user friendly interface.

PS Dont you sleep?
_________________
Mike Barrett

Dave

Insomniac!

DavidW

Unfortunately so - my health problems were playing up badly last night. I was awake all night in blinding pain - with the drugs I am prescribed to keep to hand for such occasions doing very little.

My impression was that the Fortuna GPSmart Bluetooth was somewhat immature as a handheld GPS. This is confirmed by your comments, Mike. It doesn't make it invalid as a solution - but it certainly requires caveats when recommending it, it seems.

I wonder if we'll soon see a Bluetooth equipped unit from the likes of Garmin and Magellan.

David

	PocketGPS
	Web