Wilsons Sandbox
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----- Original Message ----- From: To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 10:13 PM Subject: RE: [DSN_klr650] GPS for christmas? > > So what is the best (reasonably priced) GPS for my > KLR? What will keep me from getting lost again on the > forest? Any multitask? Cell phone? Palm? Video games? > 200-400 range? talk to me! > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today! > http://my.yahoo.com > > > > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > >
I've looked at all the available GPS's, and there aren't any inexpensive ones that are worthwhile as a standalone motorcycle navigation tool until you get up to $500 or so, and even there those are useful only for navigating city streets, not for forests. However, the Garmin eTrex series in conjunction with (printed) topo maps of the area you're going to be riding in works pretty well. The way I use my eTrex is with the National Geographic Topo! software. It will allow you to download waypoints into the GPS. I can either look at the printed out map (with waypoints) and then at the map on the GPS to figure out where I must be (in relation to those waypoints), or I can look at the "breadcrumb" track on the GPS and at the trail/road on the printed-out map to figure out where I must be. This is all rather crude, requiring you to stop and think, but it does work. In addition, the eTrex will make a log of your route if you leave it on, and you can just retrace that route back to a known location if you get completely lost. I suggest the Garmin eTrex Vista if you intend to use this solution, since it has the seperate compass. The "navigation" function on the eTrexes that lack the seperate compass doesn't work as effectively as it could, since it quits working when you quit moving, and you have to quit moving in order to really see the GPS (since it has such a tiny screen). You can get this one for around $210. One final reason why I suggest the Garmin rather than Magellan solution: The Garmins do not do all the funky card-locking and stuff that Megellan does. It's a shame, Magellan makes good gear, but they are an anal bunch to work with, and it just isn't worth it in my opinion. A few words of advice: 1. Carry lots of extra batteries, or buy the cigarette lighter adaptor and add a cigarette lighter socket to your KLR, the high end eTrex does burn up a lot of batteries. Figure around 10 hours per set of AA batteries, and remember that cold weather reduces that. 2. This is still no substitute for a map. In fact, I very rarely consult my GPS. My compass and map are the two most important navigational tools I possess while in the wild, I consult the GPS only if I'm uncertain which zig I took at what point (and that only to match up the "trackback" breadcrumb with the roads/trails I took on the map). 3. And finally, no GPS works well in a forest. My eTrex does a good job of locking on satellites, far better than the previous-generation GPS that I once owned, but all bets are off once I enter the redwood forests and am under that forest canopy. Basically the only time I get signal after that point is when I break out of the canopy on top of ridges. Summary: While my GPS has been invaluable at times (I doubt I would have found Brad's Water in the Superstition Wilderness without my eTrex, for example -- talk about geocaching, we're talking about a tiny miner's borehole far off any trail!), I'm not getting rid of my paper maps and compass. They keep working under a forest canopy, and they don't need batteries. I doubt that I want to be stranded in the middle of a wilderness with a GPS that has dead batteries or that a bear decided to chew on in the middle of the night... -E> So what is the best (reasonably priced) GPS for my > KLR? What will keep me from getting lost again on the > forest? Any multitask? Cell phone? Palm? Video games? > 200-400 range? talk to me!
__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page Try My Yahoo! http://my.yahoo.com> On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 matteeanne@... wrote: > > So what is the best (reasonably priced) GPS for my > > KLR? What will keep me from getting lost again on > the > > forest? Any multitask? Cell phone? Palm? Video > games? > > 200-400 range? talk to me! > > I've looked at all the available GPS's, and there > aren't any inexpensive > ones that are worthwhile as a standalone motorcycle > navigation tool until > you get up to $500 or so, and even there those are > useful only for > navigating city streets, not for forests. However, > the Garmin eTrex series > in conjunction with (printed) topo maps of the area > you're going to be > riding in works pretty well. > > The way I use my eTrex is with the National > Geographic Topo! software. It > will allow you to download waypoints into the GPS. I > can either look at > the printed out map (with waypoints) and then at the > map on the GPS to > figure out where I must be (in relation to those > waypoints), or I can look > at the "breadcrumb" track on the GPS and at the > trail/road on the > printed-out map to figure out where I must be. This > is all rather crude, > requiring you to stop and think, but it does work. > > In addition, the eTrex will make a log of your route > if you leave it on, > and you can just retrace that route back to a known > location if you get > completely lost. > > I suggest the Garmin eTrex Vista if you intend to > use this solution, since > it has the seperate compass. The "navigation" > function on the eTrexes that > lack the seperate compass doesn't work as > effectively as it could, since > it quits working when you quit moving, and you have > to quit moving in > order to really see the GPS (since it has such a > tiny screen). You can get > this one for around $210. > > One final reason why I suggest the Garmin rather > than Magellan solution: > The Garmins do not do all the funky card-locking and > stuff that Megellan > does. It's a shame, Magellan makes good gear, but > they are an anal > bunch to work with, and it just isn't worth it in my > opinion. > > A few words of advice: > > 1. Carry lots of extra batteries, or buy the > cigarette lighter adaptor and > add a cigarette lighter socket to your KLR, the high > end eTrex does burn > up a lot of batteries. Figure around 10 hours per > set of AA batteries, and > remember that cold weather reduces that. > > 2. This is still no substitute for a map. In fact, I > very rarely consult > my GPS. My compass and map are the two most > important navigational tools > I possess while in the wild, I consult the GPS only > if I'm uncertain which > zig I took at what point (and that only to match up > the "trackback" > breadcrumb with the roads/trails I took on the map). > > > 3. And finally, no GPS works well in a forest. My > eTrex does a good job of > locking on satellites, far better than the > previous-generation GPS that I > once owned, but all bets are off once I enter the > redwood forests and am > under that forest canopy. Basically the only time I > get signal after that > point is when I break out of the canopy on top of > ridges. > > Summary: While my GPS has been invaluable at times > (I doubt I would have > found Brad's Water in the Superstition Wilderness > without my eTrex, for > example -- talk about geocaching, we're talking > about a tiny miner's > borehole far off any trail!), I'm not getting rid of > my paper maps and > compass. They keep working under a forest canopy, > and they don't need > batteries. I doubt that I want to be stranded in the > middle of a > wilderness with a GPS that has dead batteries or > that a bear decided to > chew on in the middle of the night... > > -E >
It is likely that the GPS would refuse to work in a snow storm in the forest. They really are very sensitive to anything that interferes with their view of the satellites. Even heavy clouds can cause them to have trouble locking on. However, if you've been stopping in clearings and on ridge-tops setting waypoints on your way in, you can look at your last known position and make a good guess using the compass as to what way you should be going. And the "breadcrumb" feature on the eTrex certainly does work, I use it regularly when I'm doing in-and-out day hikes in areas where GPS works (remember, it does NOT work under a forest canopy!). A map and compass work 100% of the time. A GPS doesn't substitute for them, it only augments them. We still are nowhere near the magic technological solution that can with 100% certainty tell you where you are under any conditions.> I would use the "bread crumb" trail more than > anything. I a previous thread I noted a ride where it > started to snow after I got into the forest, making it > impossible to find my way back.
Cell phones generally don't work once you get more than 20 miles from an Interstate highway. You'll need to think about renting a sat phone if this is what you're interest in. Note that sat phones have much the same limitation as GPS -- they need a clear, unobstructed view of the southern sky in order to find the satellite.> if I break down, and it contained a cel phone, I could
The locator beacon thingy mentioned elsewhere probably would work better than a sat phone, it works under more conditions. On the other hand, I've never gotten to the point where I would need either, so I'm not really qualified to say which would work best. I once got turned around in the forest (due to not looking at my GPS or compass since I "knew" where I was going), and found myself miles off course and out of water. After a couple of minutes of hyperventilating where I considered going to the next ridgetop and screaming for help on my cell phone, I instead navigated to the next water source, used my hiker's water filter to filter some scummy spring water into drinkable water and filled my water bottles, resigned myself to the fact I was going to be in the forest for a day longer than I'd expected, and started hiking back out (using the GPS and compass this time). I similarly carry enough gear on my KLR when I go into the backcountry that I could hike out if necessary. I'd be pi$$ed if I had to do so, but if it is a choice of my survival or that of my KLR, I'd pick my survival every time. Yes, this means I'm carrying over $500 worth of hiking gear on a motorcycle trip (sigh). But at least if you go the ultralight route, the required gear doesn't weigh much or take up much space and easily straps to the KLR. -E> call in my coordiantes, and if it had games, I could > play them while freezing to death waiting for > rescue...
--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, John Kokola wrote: > How much hiking equipment do you carry with you? I'm curious. > > --John Kokola > > -----Original Message----- > From: "Eric L. Green" > > I similarly carry enough gear on my KLR when I go into the backcountry > that I could hike out if necessary. I'd be pi$$ed if I had to do so, but > if it is a choice of my survival or that of my KLR, I'd pick my survival > every time. Yes, this means I'm carrying over $500 worth of hiking gear on > a motorcycle trip (sigh).
--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, wrote: > So what is the best (reasonably priced) GPS for my > KLR? What will keep me from getting lost again on the > forest? Any multitask? Cell phone? Palm? Video games? > 200-400 range? talk to me! > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today! > http://my.yahoo.com
Ultralight backpack (rolls up into a small bundle that fits in my hand), sleeping bag, ground sheet, Z-Rest sleeping pad (serves as the "backbone" of my backpack, bungeed in front of my topbox while on the road), tarp, small Sno Peak isobutane camp stove/cup/pot (the camp stove and its fuel fits in the cup that fits in the pot), sleeping pad, water purification tablets, water bottle, rubber band and cheesecloth (to filter the green scum out of water), REI hiking sticks (bungeed to the Givi rack, serves as the top poles for the tarp), stakes, twine, hiking shoes (trail runners), small pocket-sized first-aid kit, small roll of duct tape. A bit of food -- some gorp, some hot chocolate packets (you cannot BELIEVE just how good hot chocolate feels when you're cold and tired and miserable), some ramen noodles and pouch tuna. Whole thing fits into half of one of my Givis with the exception of the Z-Rest and hiking sticks. If I'm intending to actually camp with my KLR, I'll add a tent (I have a small 3.5 pound one), the tarp solution is rather uncomfortable though enough for survival, and if I intend to refill my water bottle out in the field in a non-emergency manner I'll add a water filter (lots of iodine is not good for you, though better than dying). Sufficient clothing for survival (i.e., ultralight rain gear, socks, fleece cap, sun hat, etc.), though I'm wearing some of it (e.g. the socks). It all comes out to about 20 pounds of gear and supplies altogether. This is the exact same gear that I carry when I go hiking in wilderness areas. Note that I'm probably leaving something out, since most of it stays packed 100% of the time in white redneck luggage (plastic garbage bag) in my garage, in case I want to go hiking next week. I'm not an ultralight backpacking purist, but tired of hauling around 40+ pounds of gear on my back long ago. -E> How much hiking equipment do you carry with you? I'm curious.