GPS--how useful?
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- Start date
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Pt2285
Full Access Member
yeah i was looking @ the join date of the people posting not the post date.. sorry about that one.. but yeah, tech advances fast.
Pt2285
Full Access Member
OK peeps, so i got my lowrance unit and wrapping my head around it. does anyone have or is there like a file swap thread where people have plotted courses or waypoints already for the southwest? i bought the topo southwest SD card, but if someone has gone out and ran the powerline road to vegas and set a marker of like "watch out huge wash out here". is there somewhere to share that information?
m3dragon
FRF Addict
To answer your question, you have to use a SD card to transfer USR map files to the gps, lthen go to the load screen, transfer them into the unit and off you go. To your map file question, there is a thread a thread discussing sharing or not sharing map files. I have shared maps I made and there are others who have. Some member say sharing is a bad idea. You can pick your camp from there.
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To the Lawrence VS tablet / phone question.
Myself and Vanilla_Gorilla played with both setups to 1) learn the Lawrence and how it works/uses maps and 2) see how to make map files for both Lawrence and App systems.
What we found was both work great. The Lawrence units give you faster refresh rates which is very nice to have when you are running solo in the truck. Why is that import, well if you are glancing at the screen to see turns this helps you see where you are in relationship to the turns.
The tablet / phone apps like back country work just as well however they lag about 20-50 feet behind where you really are. This is means when you glance you need to remember farther ahead. One advantage of the APP style is as noted you can download the satellite images. This means if you zoom-in for more details on the area you are traveling which is nice as you can see the trail VS just a line. One last plus is the color codes if used for different trails section remain. This is nice as you can mark slow section and or fun section. Lawrence can also do this but you have to make files specifically for it.
(NOTE) The tablet and or phone needs to have the GPS receiver built in or you have to get a adapter, again as mentioned previous in this thread)
Both Lawrence and APP can display and mark hazards or items. The major difference is Lawrence has a button you hit which store a point far easier than a app. So again if alone this is better then futsing with a APP and its marker system.
Both can record trails and play back (at least on all the apps I have seen).
So in reality it comes down what you prefer. Lawrence is a nice setup and easy to use once you learn how to upload and download the files. It also has the faster refresh rate. Apps are nice as they give you the sat images, more data, as well as trail colors if made on Google or other mapping software. Plus screen size are larger and cost is lower.
Usefulness. I would say very!!. While of course it is not needed, the advantage is never getting lost as well as marking things to see. Trail maps I make are to be for flying across the desert but also to see things like old mines and geological formations. So having either units makes that easier.
Summary
Lawrence
Pros
- Fast updating on location
- One touch hazard pre-running
- Standard for desert racing
Cons
- Cost ($250 - $1300 depending on model is what I have seen)
- No satellite images as standard
- Trail files have to be custom made if you want "Extra" details (colors and hazard markers that are not standard)
APP GPS Trail Software (Motion X, Back country navigator) etc.
Pros
- Cheap (App is $20, lenova gps tables $100, mount is $45)
- Tablet with a larger screen (7 inches plus)
- Download satellite images
- Can read more file formats from other map makers
Cons
- Slow refresh rate
- No fancy mounts
- Need to make sure you turn off features and keep it charged.
Hope that helps
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Bigg50
FRF Addict
^^^Excellent comparison.
treypal
Lord of the Raptors
Should be noted that on the Lowrances if you have a unit that uses a Point1 antenna, the refresh rate is incredible, I can't remember the exact number but it's super accurate and refreshes a lot. Great if you're making course files. It's what I have in the TRR Raptor, and I've been impressed with it.
Running somewhere like baja is almost impossible without a Lowrance. You can buy a preloaded basemap for baja that essentially has every road, goat trail, etc you can think of in it.
Running somewhere like baja is almost impossible without a Lowrance. You can buy a preloaded basemap for baja that essentially has every road, goat trail, etc you can think of in it.
goathearder
Full Access Member
After the first weekend of really using my Lowrance, I can say that I am completely happy I spent the money. Yesterday morning it was so windy and dusty I could barely see a thing but I made it from Camp to the Gas station at the other end of the park by following the trail I logged on our run the day before.
I also have a bunch of other routes logged on there now so I can go out by myself or with just another can and feel comfortable I know where I'm going.
I also have a bunch of other routes logged on there now so I can go out by myself or with just another can and feel comfortable I know where I'm going.
SilentShooter
FRF Addict
The lowrance with a 5hz GPS update is amazing. I just had my HDS7 Gen2 Touch delivered today.
The racegrade can bus GPS I have for my Motec on my jet ski is only 10hz (can be upgraded to 20hz but is another $900) to give you an idea. 5hz is wicked fast, most commercial GPS units are not even close to that and then you have the accuracy numbers to also look at.
The racegrade can bus GPS I have for my Motec on my jet ski is only 10hz (can be upgraded to 20hz but is another $900) to give you an idea. 5hz is wicked fast, most commercial GPS units are not even close to that and then you have the accuracy numbers to also look at.
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AZEngineer
Full Access Member
Can you explain, what is the 5hz versus 20hz, updates per second? Does the new HDS7 Gen2 come this way?
SilentShooter
FRF Addict
I am going on way to many hours with out sleep thanks to overseas clients. So I did get my numbers off a little.
The Lowrance units have a 5Hz GPS in them that will update 5 time per second.
My race unit which is a $700 gps unit on its own does 10hz (and can be upgraded to 20hz)
the 10 & 20hz units are great for closed course are tracks where you want to plot your lines with your data log to see where you are losing or gaining speed and so on.
5hz basically means that at 60mph where you are doing 1 mile every minute your gps is updating its location 300 times within that 1 mile stretch.
Most commercial GPS you find like the bluetooth units are around 1hz if that. Many do not even spec the refresh and many that do post a theoretical number.
The Lowrance units have a 5Hz GPS in them that will update 5 time per second.
My race unit which is a $700 gps unit on its own does 10hz (and can be upgraded to 20hz)
the 10 & 20hz units are great for closed course are tracks where you want to plot your lines with your data log to see where you are losing or gaining speed and so on.
5hz basically means that at 60mph where you are doing 1 mile every minute your gps is updating its location 300 times within that 1 mile stretch.
Most commercial GPS you find like the bluetooth units are around 1hz if that. Many do not even spec the refresh and many that do post a theoretical number.
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