Sat Nav v Maps

[dodgy]

GPS compared to a map is like comparing Babelfish to speaking a language.

Map reading (believe it or not) is a skill, being shown the way via a gizmo is not a skill.

I'm not arguing with that, but when I'm riding my bike I'm less interesting in developing and practising my 'skills' than riding my bike.

I've always loved maps, maps becoming electronic has enabled me to exploit them more easily on the move.

GPS wins every time (and I always carry a backup in the shape of a paper map but have never needed it yet).

 

[ComedyPilot]

The eTrex Vista HCx battery-life is around 25 hours on a pair of AAs.

I can't remember the last time I changed batteries on my map.

 

[summerdays]

The problem with maps... is storing them all ... I now have the whole of England, Scotland and Wales on a PDA... at 1:50 000 so I don't have to buy a map if I'm just visiting an area for a day ... but I still buy a paper map if I'm staying in an area for a while.

 

[psmiffy]

I am the same I have mem map for mainland UK so that I can print out bits of OS I want - but I have paper OS going back to 1958 (my mum gave me them) for half of England, practically all of western Europe at 200k, stadtplans of god knows where and then there are my geological maps

 

[CopperBrompton]

I can't remember the last time I changed batteries on my map.

You probably don't use the backlight much at night

 

[psmiffy]

You probably don't use the backlight much at night

The newer reflected light models of planer cartography I find to have a very low power consumption in daylight hours and are very visible - - however in the night I often find it is necessary to use the light given off by a small electronic navigational device to view the detail

 

[CopperBrompton]

I find the planer cartography devices have quite significant power requirements in high winds, though. Displaying a steady image on them, and moving the display around the device, can require several watts of power.

 

[psmiffy]

I have found the best way of overcoming this problem is to spread the device over a flat surface and weigh it down with a suitably heavy object like a GPS in conjunction with several vessels which I have previously prepared by emptying their alcaholic contents

 

[CopperBrompton]

You are clearly a very dedicated cartographer to go to such lengths

 

[summerdays]

I have found the best way of overcoming this problem is to spread the device over a flat surface and weigh it down with a suitably heavy object like a GPS in conjunction with several vessels which I have previously prepared by emptying their alcaholic contents

By the time I had emptied several vessels into some other suitable container I don't think I would be capable of doing anything other than covering my face with the device and trying to see if it was clearer with my eyes shut.

 

[snorri]

You are clearly a very dedicated cartographer to go to such lengths

Ben, I think you have found someone who only switches on his household lighting in order to find his candles and matches

 

[ComedyPilot]

Ben, I think you have found someone who only switches on his household lighting in order to find his candles and matches

Matches!!!!

I use fire steel if rubbing two sticks together doesn't work.