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Copyright Just4me.NL

Shadow · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:45 pm Post subject: GPS

Hi all

My first post on any forum, so here goes.
These are some of my thoughts on the usefulness, or otherwise, of GPS systems.
My wife and I belong to an owners club and we rally at least once a month with them and also 'go it alone'. When with the club we visit parts of the country new to us and when on our own we always use Caravan Club C.L's often in isolated places.
We also caravan in Europe once a year.
I have had my original navigation system for 35 years but I have noticed it has started to slow down. It takes longer to turn pages, loses its glasses and sometimes goes into 'sleep mode'
So because of this in 2006 I bought a TomTom GO 700.

I have not looked back.

I could go on all day about its benefits and how it has found out-of-the-way places, home and abroad, how it has taken us to Calor gas dealers and petrol stations but will just say that it is a system not a complete replacement for a map or common sense (or a wife!!!).
The biggest downside to Sat. Nav's I have found is that they make me lazy. I put in the postcode of my destination jump in the car and go. This results in me often not knowing exactly where I am or where I am heading. It has not yet sent me a lane to narrow for a man on a bike but if it does it will be my fault.
So, if used sensibly, a good one is a blessing.

If you are thinking of spoiling yourself with a well earned present, I mean an important and necessary piece of equipment, prices are very good at the moment even in places like Halfords.

Whether you buy one or not, enjoy your caravanning this year and drive carefully.

Best wishes all.

Brian

carabiker · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:31 pm Post subject:

Hi All

to add to Brians post, to me tom tom is the best supported GPS system both pay for and free POI

Some of the the better known web sites have closed down for a variety reasons So i have removed them from the list below

Here my list

Tom Tom Web site http://www.tomtom.com/
Tom Tom Home http://www.tomtom.com/plus/service.php?ID=17
Tom Tom Points of interest http://www.tomtom.com/plus/index.php?Lid=1
Tom Tom Voices http://www.tomtom.com/plus/index.php?Lid=1
Tom Tom Support Http://www.tomtom.com/support/ce/support/nav_poi01.php
Safety cameras At a Cost http://www.tomtom.com/plus/index.php?Lid=1
Create POI content http://create.tomtom.com/manuals/create-your-own-content/
TomTom Custom Cursors http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/tomtom-custom-cursors.php#v7workaround

Programs and utils
Tyre Trace your route everywhere http://www.tyre.tk/ Check your destination with goggle earth
POI edit http://www.gpspassion.com/fr/downloads.asp?id=25
POI edit web site http://www.poiedit.com/
PIO file converter http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=22&min=10&orderby=titleA&show=10

GPSBabel converts waypoints, tracks, and routes between popular GPS receivers and mapping programs. It also has powerful manipulation tools for such data. http://www.gpsbabel.org/index.html
Splash Images http://www.favourite-places.info/Splash.php
Splash Images http://www.poifriend.com/

Camping and Caravanning POI
Archies euro camp sites http://people.zeelandnet.nl/sdejonge/archiescampings/eng1/ Euro camp sites
Independent camping shops http://www.tomtomfree.com/singlePOIfile.htm Camping shops
Low Bridges http://www.willow-house.co.uk/
Various http://www.favourite-places.info/downloads.php Camping sites, CC sites, Storage, Service /repair , Cahnnel crossing serives
Various http://www.poidownload.co.uk/
Caravan Club and Certificated Locations http://www.jollyinteresting.co.uk/pushpins/index.html
Camping & Caravanning Club and Certificated Sites http://www.jollyinteresting.co.uk/pushpins/index.html

POI of French Toll-Free Motorways http://www.dirksoft.co.uk/tom_tom_go.htm
Calor Gas out lets http://www.caravanning-online.co.uk/satnav/tomtom/tomtom.html
Ireland sites 127 Listed http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/tomtompoi.php
Bt open zone http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/tomtompoi.php
Various camp site & club sites http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/tomtompoi.php
France various http://www.poihandler.com/overviewgrp.aspx

Dave

roboughton · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject:

I also love my Nokia Sat Nav built into my phone if you want the full navigation you have to pay for it (which i have done) but the free part is very good!!!

The paid part of Nokia maps is excelelnt and if you are going out of europe you can pay about £6 for the maps for a month in the destination you are traveling to, and for full Europe its only £70 for 3 years transferable from Nokia phone to Nokia phone this is not a bad price considering it gets all the updates!!!

I have used it in the USA and it is quite good but i would always always have a map to hand!!!!!

Shadow · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:03 pm Post subject: GPS

Thanks Dave for a very good collection of POI sites.

Like you and many others I use and rely on Points Of Interest's most trips.

However I think we should say to those just starting out they do not need POI's to benefit from using their Sat Nav to get them from A to B but they do enhance the advantage of owning one.

Best wishes

Brian

mechanic · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:08 am Post subject:

Hi all,
I too have a tom tom, one of the original GO 300 one's and it has not let me down yet. The only drawback with mine and it is not really a problem is that there is no setting in the preferences for towing a caravan but with careful use of the itinerary planning page and checking the maps provided in the ccc book or as in the case of the red lion meet "how to find us" page I have had no problems.

Tony

carabiker · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:57 pm Post subject:

mechanic · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:23 pm Post subject:

Cheers Dave,
will give it a go, as I said in the post I have had no problems so far(touch wood), but I do know of instances where it could have been dodgy, last year we went to a small site in Somerset called Pine Tree Farm and if I had followed the first route the sat nav gave without checking it, we would have been trying to tow our trailer tent along a single track lane. The owners wife said they have had a few stuck caravans in the past due to drivers blindly following the sat nav's.

Tony