Geko 201

[Greg Masters]

I'm becoming more and more impressed with this 3 ounce, £65 item - especially when used with MapSource.

Today I created a route in MapSource and loaded it into the Geko and, just as efficiently as my 2610, it gives turn-by-turn countdown and directions.

Track capture, waypoints, speed, elevation and statistical data are all available to view or upload to MapSource.

Marvellous!



Greg

 

[TheJoker]

sitxy five squids... from where...?? Got a friend that might want one of those... Aspid sells it for £113 inc VAT...

 

[jimbo]

loaded it into the Geko

and how did he feel about that?

 

[Greg Masters]

sitxy five squids... from where...??

Walmart.

But you can buy them on eBay for about the same (there is only one worldwide version of this GPS, so don't worry about basemap - there isn't one!).

Greg

 

[TheJoker]

Walmart.

But you can buy them on eBay for about the same (there is only one worldwide version of this GPS, so don't worry about basemap - there isn't one!).

Greg

Aaah, thanks for the info! Didn't even think of the basemap issue!
Thanks again!

 

[Fanum]

Or you could always find one while out walking huh Greg ??

 

[richie]

But Greg, did you use your unlock code for it to work???

 

[PanEuropean]

Guys, don't get TOO excited about the Geko. It is a neat little toy - it's intended for the children's market - but it does not do any kind of autorouting.

What Greg reported - "Today I created a route in MapSource and loaded it into the Geko and, just as efficiently as my 2610, it gives turn-by-turn countdown and directions." is factually correct but could be interpreted incorrectly. Greg created a point to point to point route (A to B to C to D etc.) and the Geko gave directions - in the form of heading and distance - to get from A to B to C and so forth, all in straight lines from point to point. It doesn't recognize roads. It won't accept uploads of ANY kind of map, unlock code or not, and doesn't have any kind of map built into it.

This would be a great little gizmo for a hiker or hill walker who wants to follow an exact path created by someone else, but it's out of the question for any kind of on-road navigation. It's really targeted at the 6 to 12 year old crowd, for playing around at campsites, in farmyards, playgrounds, and so forth.

More info: Garmin Geko 201

PanEuropean

 

[richie]

Pan, I agree and understand with what you say. Greg says that he created a route in mapsource. So when he says he loaded it to his gecko. Does it mean he kind of loaded a track rather than a route or what.

 

[Greg Masters]

Maybe I'm over-egging this item a little, but it's actually much more effective than I thought that it ever could be.

OK, you load in waypoints and the arrow will give you the direction and distance to the selected waypoint. That's fine if you're out hillwalking and want to know how to get back to your car or camp. It was for this function that I bought the unit as I planned to load as waypoints the beginning and end of every Green Lane that I ride on and then to use the unit to direct me from the end of one Green Lane to the beginning of the next. If that fails, it will tell you your exact OS grid reference so you can look up your OS map.

But what I've been doing over the last week or so is to plot a route in MapSource using City Navigator v6. (To be clear, you don't get either MapSource or CNv6 with the Geko - you don't get anything at all - so you have to have bought another product with that software and mapping data).

Having loaded the route, the Geko uses the arrow/distance screen to direct you to the next point in the route at which you have to make a turn - as you approach that point the arrow bends to show the direction of approach and the direction you should take at the junction/roundabout etc (as shown in the picture in my first posting).

What PanEuropean says about directing you A to B to C to D is true, but A, B, C & D are always points at which you have to make some sort of turn.

It's quick and easy to create a route in MapSource and far quicker to load it into the Geko than into my 2610 (mostly because I have to plug the 2610 into the mains). The Geko also velcros in an instant to my DR-Z and off I go!

If this unit is a child's toy, then it's a pretty useful toy.

Greg

 

[richie]

Ta for that Greg, but could you clarify as you are not uploading maps but only waypoints do you need to use an unlock code?

 

[Greg Masters]

You do not need any unlock code for the Geko as you are not loading any maps.

You do need a Geko serial port data lead, however, and you don't get one with the Geko.



Greg

 

[PanEuropean]

Richie:

Both Greg and I are correct, and I am not disagreeing with anything he has said, it is all 100% accurate.

What you need to know, though, is that your "route" with the Geko will be a series of vectors (straight lines), not an undulating route that follows a roadway. There will be NO displays of any kind of cartography, because the Geko does not support cartography.

Have a close look at what is in the screen in the second picture - the primarily white background one - of the Geko screen at the top of this thread. That is what you will see for route guidance. The first (top) picture shows a Geko depicting a track that someone has created by walking with it, not a route.

PanEuropean

 

[BurnieM]

Ta for that Greg, but could you clarify as you are not uploading maps but only waypoints do you need to use an unlock code?

Yes and no

You do not need a unlock code to load the waypoints and route from Mapsource to the Geko

You do need an unlock code to look at the detail in City Navigator and you need to look at the detail in order to create waypoints at the intersections

 

[Greg Masters]

The first (top) picture shows a Geko depicting a track that someone has created by walking with it

PanEuropean

That was me walking home from the pub!



Greg