Cheap'as'Chips sufficent GPS for long distance third-world travel?

Tsiklonaut

Tsiklonaut

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Anyone can recommend CHEAP GPS for third-world travelling. I mostly only need for the co-ordinates to compare with real map to see where i am. Waypoints etc other gizmos are secondary in these conditions because there isn't any good enough GPS maps and info for these parts of world anyway IMHO. Any real map beats 2 inch LCD screen as well and much more trusty...

So thinking about around £60 costing GPS. Any ideas? Some second hand old handheld Garmin perhaps is sufficent if having 12V input(?)

Any input and recommendation highly appriciated!

Cheers, Margus :beerjug:
 
Look for a second-hand GPS V or GPS III, that should be sufficient for your needs. Lots of old ones available on EBay.
 
IMHO a Garmin SP3 with World Map would be very usefull, as it'll give an idea of where roads etc are without costing the earth to buy. If you don't like how World Map is showing things when you are on the ground, take out the map chip, run on the base map (which may or may not have any detail where you are) and use it just to show the waypoints that you've enterred in.
 
For showing GPS co-ordinates, holding waypoints and recording tracks I'd pitch for any of the Garmin GPS series II, II+, III, or V or the Etrex Series or Gecko. The Gecko and the lower end of the Etrex and Garmin GPS series will fall into range (just!!). All will be suitable for bike mounting and 12v powering. :thumb
 
Thanks guys!

I'll perform some search in eBay about these items :thumb Looks like there are plenty of 'em

:beerjug:
 
judge said:
All will be suitable for bike mounting and 12v powering. :thumb
Click to expand...

Etrex will not take 12v power and I think its the same for the gecko, you need to step the voltage down to 8v. Can get the necessary lead and plug with built in voltage reducer on ebay for about £10 or £25 for the Garmin one!
 
Jim-Adv said:
Etrex will not take 12v power and I think its the same for the gecko, you need to step the voltage down to 8v. Can get the necessary lead and plug with built in voltage reducer on ebay for about £10 or £25 for the Garmin one!
Click to expand...
Yeah sorry I meant you could bike power it but with the correct leads - thanks for the clarification Jim :thumb
 
Recommended road maps for the Baltics

Margus,
can u recommend what's best IYHO?
I've got my Tom Tom Rider which is brilliant (but expensive) and all the Western Europe maps (also expensive particularly the 4GB SD card) but it doesn't include zilch for the Baltics.
 
You need to check if you want USB or Serial port connection. Lot of new notebooks have only usb, and connecting my 3+ required yet another bloody lead and adaptor gizmo.

I bought a 276C for out here, good big screen, good big battery. Same USB to mini-usb lead as my phone (Imate Jam) and my cameras (Sony and Canon).

Make sure you buy one with a built in battery, some are dead off the bike.
 
I use a Garmin III+ for use in places like Morocco, the base map (World Map) has more detail than I can get on a Street Pilot for instance.
 
Re the SPIII, if you only need the Lat / Long co-ordinates - and cost is an issue, AFAIK you could even do without Worldmap, and rely just on the basemap alone, as one of the screens always shows the current position.

Ther reason I mention it, is beacause some SPIIIs selling on e-bay with older maps are cheap as chips - but would do what you want, as you don't need the maps anyway.
 
If you have not found anything by the middle of May let me know and you can have my Garmin 2+. I'll bring it with me to Tartu on June 2nd
 
Personally I'd say go for the Garmin etrex. I've go the bog standard version and use it just to get co-ordinates when I'm out walking. As I only use it to check a position a couple of times on any walk, the battery power is sufficient for a few weeks of walking. This would also be the same on biking holiday.

Get the etrex and a couple of spare batteries
 
It depends where you are going Margus but most of the Cheap handheld garmins have the ability to display a variety of National Grids as opposed to Lat and Long which isn't on many maps. It annoys me a bit that the 2610 does not have this capability so the GPS is useless for using with OS Ireland or OSNI paper maps, and digital coverage of rural areas in Ireland is crap. A cheap handheld can function this way however!!

You will find this link usefull. :thumb

http://www.garmin.com/manuals/UsingaGarminGPSwithPaperLandMaps_Manual.pdf
 
Oh no, Margus is off on his travels again!!

Avoid Poland at all costs mate, buy a GPS that routes you in the other direction. :D :D :D
 
fatone said:
Margus,
can u recommend what's best IYHO?
I've got my Tom Tom Rider which is brilliant (but expensive) and all the Western Europe maps (also expensive particularly the 4GB SD card) but it doesn't include zilch for the Baltics.
Click to expand...

Hmm... I don't know anything about GPS maps.

We have company called Regio here in Estonia who does GPS and realistic maps. Regio maps are the best we have, very informative Regio road atlas you can get from most of bigger fuel stops in Estona. I've got their CD-ROM with the Atlas, it has English version as well, 47 city plans, etc etc, says "GPS" compatible, but i have no GPS to test with... Though, don't feel any serious need as well because their Atlas really is good.
 
Pukmeister said:
Oh no, Margus is off on his travels again!!

Avoid Poland at all costs mate, buy a GPS that routes you in the other direction. :D :D :D
Click to expand...

We're NOT going anywhere soon time, just doing step-by-step to prepare ourselves as finance catches up (very slowly indeed)... New riding clothing for my better half, alu panniers, bigger fuel tank, stiffer rear shock, GPS to be main goals.

Maybe in the winter '07 we'll be ready to set off for something more serious. Maybe...

About Poland - well, they say the man becames real man if he can adapt with his greatest fears, so i guess i'll give a Poland another chance... in far future maybe... :D

Cheers, Margus :beerjug: :thumb
 
Mzokk said:
It depends where you are going Margus but most of the Cheap handheld garmins have the ability to display a variety of National Grids as opposed to Lat and Long which isn't on many maps. It annoys me a bit that the 2610 does not have this capability so the GPS is useless for using with OS Ireland or OSNI paper maps, and digital coverage of rural areas in Ireland is crap. A cheap handheld can function this way however!!
Click to expand...

Should have got a 276C. That can display grid references instead of Lat/Long :dabone
 
Kropotkin said:
Should have got a 276C. That can display grid references instead of Lat/Long :dabone
Click to expand...

Too big and uses proprietary cards. :dabone :D
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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