Peewiglet - GPS strategy

On 23 Nov 2004 03:40:18 -0800, [email hidden] (Flat Earth

Society) said:

Peewiglet

Hello 🙂

Quoted message said:

what strategy to you intend on employing for keeping your
GPS going while trekking across Scotland next year? Just interested
in how you approach this issue?

I'm foolishly making the assumption that you'll keep it on all the
time you're walking.

I'd not really thought about it yet. I'm only just getting into GPS,
and so I'll have to read up on it and ask for some guidance.

However, insofar as I have a provisional plan it's currently to plot
major points along the route as waypoints, rather than attempt to plot
out the whole route in adance and follow it. That way I would hope to
be able to use the GPS as a sort of back-stop, if I somehow get lost
or find myself caught in a whiteout.

What do you think is the best way to use them on longish trips?

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 12:31:15 +0000, Peewiglet <[email hidden]>
wrote:

p.s. I forgot to say that in those circumstances I probably wouldn't
keep it on all the time, as presumably that would use up lots of
battery power. This summer I just used my Geko to take GRs from time
to time when I was/felt lost/mislaid, and I didn't need to change the
batteries at all over a 19 day period.

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 12:31:15 +0000, Peewiglet <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

be able to use the GPS as a sort of back-stop, if I somehow get lost
or find myself caught in a whiteout.

Dont' forget the very real possibilities of black-out where you're
enveloped in a cloud of midge things or a slime-out when you're
enveloped in a wreathing slimy glop of wormy things.... have to plan
for every eventuality!

Not that I'm being wicked at all, no, not saying all these
heeby-jeeby-inducing things 'cos I'm jealous, no, no, no. I shall
watch from the comfort of me telly, thankyouverymuch! ;-)

SteveO

NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk

Peewiglet said:

What do you think is the best way to use them on longish trips?

That would depend on what you want to get out of it. If it's just there
as a backup I'd just be inclined to stick it in the bottom of the bag
and not worry about it unless the day looks likely to pose some
interesting navigation problems (I generally don't bother to take mine
walking). OTOH if you want to keep a record of where you went and what
you did it would make sense to keep it running, the more detail you want
the more you'll want it on.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Run it from an iSun solar charger fixed to your backpack.
Regards, Kenneth.

"Peewiglet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 23 Nov 2004 03:40:18 -0800, [email hidden] (Flat Earth

Society) said:

Peewiglet

Hello 🙂

Quoted message said:

what strategy to you intend on employing for keeping your
GPS going while trekking across Scotland next year? Just interested
in how you approach this issue?

I'm foolishly making the assumption that you'll keep it on all the
time you're walking.

I'd not really thought about it yet. I'm only just getting into GPS,
and so I'll have to read up on it and ask for some guidance.

However, insofar as I have a provisional plan it's currently to plot
major points along the route as waypoints, rather than attempt to plot
out the whole route in adance and follow it. That way I would hope to
be able to use the GPS as a sort of back-stop, if I somehow get lost
or find myself caught in a whiteout.

What do you think is the best way to use them on longish trips?

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

In article <[email hidden]>,
SteveO@?.?.invalid writes

Quoted message said:

Dont' forget the very real possibilities of black-out where you're
enveloped in a cloud of midge things or a slime-out when you're
enveloped in a wreathing slimy glop of wormy things....

or some large, gravel crunching foot steps followed by a Grey out near
Ben Macdui...

http://www.duncanweb.org/04.11.01_greyman.jpg

--

Dominic Sexton
http://www.dscs.demon.co.uk/

Dominic Sexton said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
SteveO@?.?.invalid writes

Quoted message said:

Dont' forget the very real possibilities of black-out where you're
enveloped in a cloud of midge things or a slime-out when you're
enveloped in a wreathing slimy glop of wormy things....

or some large, gravel crunching foot steps followed by a Grey out near
Ben Macdui...

http://www.duncanweb.org/04.11.01_greyman.jpg

Lol!!! :-))

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

Peewiglet said:

Quoted message said:

I'm foolishly making the assumption that you'll keep it on all the
time you're walking.

I'd not really thought about it yet. I'm only just getting into GPS,
and so I'll have to read up on it and ask for some guidance.

Quoted message said:

What do you think is the best way to use them on longish trips?

Depends on what you want to do with it. If you just want to use it for
navigation now and again, leave it switched off, and only turn it on
when you need it. Should last for ages like that. If you're really
careful you can just turn it on, wait to get a good lock, set a GOTO to
the next waypoint, read the compass bearing, then switch it off and use
an actual compass to get there.

If on the other hand you want to record a track of your whole trip, you
may have problems. Firstly you'll probably need a lot of batteries,
although if you have access to electricity enroute you can simply carry
a high speed charger with you and top up your batteries periodically.

The latest units have very good battery life, mine claims up to 30 hours
(with compass and back light off), but I could presumably get even more
in battery save mode, double perhaps? That may be enough for a whole
week's walking with just two AAs.

More of a problem would be your trackpoints. You'd need to set your
track to record "least often" at the very least, but even with 10,000
trackpoints, you'd certainly run out on a very long walk. Unless you're
carrying some kind of palmtop with GPS software installed, you'd have to
use the track save feature to save your track in sections, losing the
date and time info, but still, that would be better than nothing.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk

Peewiglet <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

e.

Quoted message said:

However, insofar as I have a provisional plan it's currently to plot
major points along the route as waypoints, rather than attempt to plot
out the whole route in adance and follow it. That way I would hope to
be able to use the GPS as a sort of back-stop, if I somehow get lost
or find myself caught in a whiteout.

What do you think is the best way to use them on longish trips?

What GPS unit do you have? If its a Garmin Etrex / Geko etc, then you can
build an external battery pack which could use C or D cells for long life.

http://www.cycoactive.com/gps/gps_access_e.html#gce3vc

Mind you probably best bet is to plot the main waypoints, then use the gps
quickly to point you in the right direction, then switch off again.

--
Brian

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 13:22:42 +0000, SteveO wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

Dont' forget the very real possibilities of black-out where you're
enveloped in a cloud of midge things or a slime-out when you're
enveloped in a wreathing slimy glop of wormy things.... have to plan
for every eventuality!

<fx: scribble, scribble>

I'm making a list, here.....

<mutter: Worm? Sob, sob....>

Quoted message said:

Not that I'm being wicked at all, no, not saying all these
heeby-jeeby-inducing things 'cos I'm jealous, no, no, no. I shall
watch from the comfort of me telly, thankyouverymuch! ;-)

Just don't relax....

;-) (maybe.... hehe...)

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 17:51:03 -0000, "Paul Saunders"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

Depends on what you want to do with it. If you just want to use it for
navigation now and again, leave it switched off, and only turn it on
when you need it. Should last for ages like that. If you're really
careful you can just turn it on, wait to get a good lock, set a GOTO to
the next waypoint, read the compass bearing, then switch it off and use
an actual compass to get there.

This sounds good, thanks 🙂

Quoted message said:

If on the other hand you want to record a track of your whole trip, you
may have problems. Firstly you'll probably need a lot of batteries,
although if you have access to electricity enroute you can simply carry
a high speed charger with you and top up your batteries periodically.

No, I definitely don't want to do that. I just want it as a back-stop,
really.

[...]

Quoted message said:

More of a problem would be your trackpoints. You'd need to set your
track to record "least often" at the very least, [...]

I need to do that even now, for when I go away at weekends. The Geko
seems to be recording a trail although I didn't ask it to...

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

On 23 Nov 2004 18:08:23 GMT, Brian <[email hidden]>
wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

What GPS unit do you have? If its a Garmin Etrex / Geko etc, then you can
build an external battery pack which could use C or D cells for long life.

It's a little Geko.

Quoted message said:

http://www.cycoactive.com/gps/gps_access_e.html#gce3vc

Thanks!

Quoted message said:

Mind you probably best bet is to plot the main waypoints, then use the gps
quickly to point you in the right direction, then switch off again.

That's what I'm planning, really.

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

Kenneth Miles said:

Run it from an iSun solar charger fixed to your backpack.

Solar charger? Wow...!

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

Peter Clinch said:

If it's just there
as a backup I'd just be inclined to stick it in the bottom of the bag
and not worry about it unless the day looks likely to pose some
interesting navigation problems (I generally don't bother to take mine
walking).

That's all I want it for, really. I actually enjoy map reading: I
think it probably makes sense for me to take the GPS as a backup,
though.

Thanks 🙂

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

Peewiglet said:

I need to do that even now, for when I go away at weekends. The Geko
seems to be recording a trail although I didn't ask it to...

Did you ask it not to?

You should be able to switch track recording on and off.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 20:45:08 -0000, "Paul Saunders"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

Did you ask it not to?

You should be able to switch track recording on and off.

Thanks - I've switched it off now.

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

In article <[email hidden]>, Dominic Sexton
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

or some large, gravel crunching foot steps followed by a Grey out near
Ben Macdui...

I hope you don't mean me ?

Or did you mean a Grey-out ?
--
Bill Grey
http://www.billboy.co.uk

In article <[email hidden]>, W. D. Grey
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Dominic Sexton
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

or some large, gravel crunching foot steps followed by a Grey out near
Ben Macdui...

I hope you don't mean me ?

It's a long way but I think the drive would do you good. You might enjoy
meeting your relative too.

Quoted message said:

Or did you mean a Grey-out ?

Oh, yes ;-)

--

Dominic Sexton
http://www.dscs.demon.co.uk/

In article <[email hidden]>, Dominic Sexton
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, W. D. Grey
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Dominic Sexton
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

or some large, gravel crunching foot steps followed by a Grey out
near Ben Macdui...

I hope you don't mean me ?

It's a long way but I think the drive would do you good. You might
enjoy meeting your relative too.

Quoted message said:

Or did you mean a Grey-out ?

Oh, yes ;-)

:-)
--
Bill Grey
http://www.billboy.co.uk