IPAQ Or Other PDA with external GPS - for a boat

I have been looking at upgrading our ancient 1980's GPS system on our boat. Once you start looking at this kind of thing you can wander off in all sorts of directions...

A PC/laptop would give the ability to add on an AIS engine at reasonable cost, but it seems most laptops draw between 40 and 90 Watts, too much for a prolonged channel crossing, especially at night.

A PDA coupled to an external GPS receiver seems like a good idea, and there does seem to be good selection of these on EBay at very reasonable prices. Power consumption looks to be good at around 15 -20 Watts.

So far so good.

PDAs seem to be going out of fashion in favour of Crackberries, the model range changing quite quickly, and specs for now obsolete models are hard to come by...

HP IPAQs are common on EBay, but I do not know how the models compare...

For my long-sighted boat partner I want to get the biggest screen possible, in order to load UK Charts, Channel ports and Approaches, Memory Map Navigator pro and AIS software a fair sized memory card is likely to be needed.

I know I could go ask on a boating forum, but they can make the 1100 Vs 1150 Vs 1200 debate seem like a discussion about the afternoons weather over tea and stickies on the lawn.

I know that in the past some of you have weather proofed PDAs with either built-in or external GPS receivers for use on a GS. On the boat the plan is to mount a PDA at the chart table, so weather protection is not a primary requirement; we have a hand-held E-Trex that is used in the cockpit.

So come on you PDA experts, what do you recommend?

Have you looked at the new E-PC's? Very frugal on their batteries, as they have no hard drive. Designed to be used for the internal primarily, but are perfectly capable of doing what you're asking.

If you're crossing the chanel at night, then surely you have some way of generating power? Otherwise, how do your navigation lights work?

fit an extra battery

Dave Ett said:

Have you looked at the new E-PC's? Very frugal on their batteries, as they have no hard drive. Designed to be used for the internal primarily, but are perfectly capable of doing what you're asking.

If you're crossing the chanel at night, then surely you have some way of generating power? Otherwise, how do your navigation lights work?

Click to expand...

Very well, but if you add on the extra power of a laptop, they will stop working when the battery goes flat.

Nav Lights = OK
Lap top alone = OK (ish)
Nav lights plus Laptop = flat !

Yes, I could fit a larger domestic battery, then upgrade the alternator, charging circuits and switch panels. But it seemd to me that a PDA type solution fitted the bill quite nicely. I could also go out and buy a new GPS chartplotter, with integrated AIS engine, then increase the size of the chart station ...

I could buy another boat with the equipment I want.

However, I was looking for a cheap yet effective solution - most of the above are not doable because I don't have, or don't want to spend, that amount of time and money.

Ah ok. Have you checked the power consumption of an E-PC? I've just googled it, and this seems to be 14.5-18w, which seems to fit your bill:

E PC

I am assuming other E-PC's are of similar drain of course...

Thanks for the hinit Dave, your link does not work though


I take it then that the PDA route is not a very favoured one ?

IPAQ

If you're interested I have an unused Ipaq 3850 complete with a Navman sleeve which i'd be happy to let you have at a bargain price if you want to play around. Not 100% perfect but it seems to do the job and you can always add on an external GPS receiver. Loaded with Co Pilot I think but probably well out of date. In fact I was just checking to see if it works and was thinking how good it was compared to some of the so called intelligent phones such as my current iPhone.
Even got the manuals and vent clips to go with it and a very nice leather case, USB and car cable too, but no mains cable but works perfectly off teh USB.
Make me an offer if interested as I think i need to clear the drawers. Or anyone else.

Must have butchered it trying to be clever:

http://wiki.eeeuser.com/hardware_power_consumption

I'm only thinking that the E-PC has a bigger screen, more memory and processing power and would likely be easier to use than a PDA. Not to mention finding software for...