Hi

[madhouse1981]

Hi All,
You have prob heard it all. Just bought a 4wd 2001 Paj Exceed, goes great cant wait to tackle some 4wd tracks in the area. Have ridden enduro and through forestry trails for years so know how to pick a good line. Currently looking at GPS section on forums on here. Any good cheap suggestions for a gps unit that will allow me to upload gps trails would be great

 

[dochol]

hi WELCOME TO THE FORUM
Doc

 

[boobook]

For off road mapping, get a 7 or 10 inch Android tablet with at least 16, an preferably 32G and SD slot, and GPS and run Memory Map or Oziexplorer. There is no better solution. Hundreds of maps, waypoint manipulation, you can download routes, waypoints and driving directions from Google maps. Oh and you can watch movies, get weather, browse the internet and 720,000 other things.

If you get either of these programs you can screw around on the computer and plan your trips then download to the android.

You could also get an IPAD but no Oziexplorer and you pay $400 extra for a picture of an apple with a bite out of it for the privilege and you can't upgrade the memory.

 

[madhouse1981]

*Doc
Thanks mate

*Boobook
Thanks for the great advice will check it out for sure. I already have an IPAD 3 but keep that at work plus it has no GPS :-(

Looking to do a run tomorrow up around kurrajong, only by myself though so won't be trying anything to serious just a chance to dip my toes

 

[boobook]

Madhouse, you can do it with your IPAD too nothing wrong with that, you need an external GPS. BadElf seems to be pretty popular and they have one that plugs into the docking station plug for power. It's pretty expensive though. You can get others on ebay bu the battery only lasts 30 hours or so.

Memory Map have an Ipad version but Oziexplorer don't.

The issue is if you want to take you IPAD 4wding.

You can get a decent brand Android for $3 - 400 in Harvey Normal / JB etc. Just make sure it has
a)expandable SD
b)internal GPS
c)after market mounting hardware

You can even get a 7" unit for $250 - 350

I know it's not IPAD but try it in a store, it's not too shabby.

If you want to try memory maps, you can download the PC version for free and download maps for 10 days for free. Alternatively you can buy it on your IPAD for about $7 and do the same with the maps. It will work without the GPS but not with the location options. At least you can get a feel for the type of maps that are available and the quality.

 

[GPS Guru]

Bad Elf $119 plus $13.50 postage Bad Elf Ipad GPS - Handheld Systems

 

[madhouse1981]

Good god, thank you both for your excellent information! Wonder if I will get an answer to this. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?" as I think everything else is now covered

 

[madhouse1981]

Ended up dowloading memory maps for PC and IPAD also bought Hema Region 1 Maps with licence for PC and Ipad. Does anybody have some routes they want to share (lmfao maps not female company) for the Memory Map. Trying to find info is getting a little tricky then again it's nearly 2 am lol

 

[boobook]

Ok Madhouse. The way I use Memory Map is to work with routes etc on the PC then put the ones I want on the IPAD.

The IPAD uses GPX format and the PC can use GPX or native Memory Map type.

Two very good sources of tracks and waypoints are this website, go to find a track ( and you need points) and if you are a member of Exploroz. Both allow downloading in GPX format.

A few tricks.
1)If you have waypoints, routes or tracks that are some other format, there is a program for the PC called GPS babel when can translate them.
2)The full features of Memory Map are not obvious when you start. You can right click on tracks, waypoints and routes and you can do lots of extra things with them on the PC version.
3)In the PC version, if you click opverlay properties, you will see all the tracks, routes etc.
These are layed out in folders. Whenever you creat new tracks, waypoints etc that you want to keep make new folders and put them in that, it is much easier to manage later. You can have folders within folders within folders etc
4)Don't forget to download the 3d height information from the website so you can look at maps in 3d.

Hope this helps.

 

[boobook]

Oh Madhouse, I forgot to say, you can make your own gpx routes from Google maps.

Use this cool little converter. GMapToGPX Communications From Elsewhere

Go to maps.google.com and get driving directions
then click on the bookmark as per instructions above.
make sure you click the full tab
copy the test into a file you make with notepad called your route.gpx
import into Memory Map.

Da Daaaaa

You can also use this to import other google community stuff like fishing waypoints, etc etc etc

 

[madhouse1981]

Sounds great, will try it out and let you guys know. Any subjected routes around blue mountains?

 

[boobook]

Lots, here is one example.

Gibraltar Rock Fire Trail - 4x4 Earth Australia for 4WD Tracks

Near the bottom there is a link called download to a GPS file.

Hit that and select GPX XML

The click on download file.
Depending on how your browser is set up is may save the file or it may show a bunch of text on your screen.

if it shows a bunch of text, copy it all ( Ctrl A, then Ctrl C).
Open Notepad, and a new file, post the text there, ( Ctrl V) and then save as Gibraltar.GPX

Then from Memory map Click on Overlay>import. Select GPX eXchange Files and import that file.

You should then have a copy overlayed on your maps. Make a new folder in the overlay called test or my tracks or something and put it in there. Now you select it to be visible or hidden by clicking on the little box.