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Delorme Earthmate GPS

tractman

tractman

SM 2003
Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2002
Messages
1,642
Location
Madera, ?Ca.
Has anyone tried the new Earthmate GPS for laptops and PDA's? It looks like a great product to me and you can use your laptop instead of buying a complete navigation system. For $125.00 you get the unit plus the 2003 Version of Street map....
????????????
Tractman
 
I bought mine from DeLorme and received it yesterday. I will see if it works well with my laptop in the next few days.

Pete
 
Used mine to go from DC to Little Rock on a business trip. Pretty darn accurate. The software is missing some back roads in my area (Frederick, MD), but it gets me where I need to go.

Got mine from CompUsa for $129.99, same price as online from Delorme.
 
I'm stuck working this holiday weekend. :( I won't be able to hook it up until tomorrow or Mon. I bought mine at DeLorme because it has a "total satisefactory" 30 day return policy. However, the best price is $106 (with Street Atlas) at ecost.com. A lot of people love to use the Delorme unit with MS Streets & Trips by downloading the patch to make it reload every 2 sec instead of the regular 6 sec intervals. I will load both Street Atlas and MS S & T and see which one works the best.
 
I bought one from Delorme about a week ago and it's working great with the USB cable and my laptop using Street Atlas 2003. I'm waiting for the PDA adapter to use it with XMAP so still using the old Earthmate antenna with my Jornada. Unless you want a self contained unit, i.e. Garmin, etc. I highly recommend the new Earthmate.
 
I tried using mine with both MS Streets & Trips,, and Street Atlas. I like the MS interface better, and it has more roads than SA, but the GPS support is lacking. I am having problems making the GPS emulate serial and usb at the same time. The SA wants USB, and the S&T requires Serial interfacing. Unless there is a fix. I will have to check on that.

I too would like to have the PDA version, but I have to have alot of maps available. I install Direcway, so I am always being sent to a new job after finishing the first job. Sometimes go 400 miles in a day.
 
THanks for all the input guys, are any of you using a jetto desk to hold your laptop or just sitting in the seat????
Tractman
 
I replaced my old GPS (wife with paper map) for the Delorme earthmate USB, I bought it pre-ordered from DeLorme when it first came out $206 with S&H, 2 weeks later somebody else had it for $119, I tried it once pretty good I got the Topo 4.0 with it. I bought it for my upcoming trip to Florida.
 
Just got the new Earthmate and tried it out on the way home from work. It's great, I locked up on 9 sats in under 20 seconds and the tracking with Delorme Street Maps USA was spot on. The really good part was that Comp USA has a rebate running through the end of the week that brings the price down to $99.00 ;D ;D ;D
 
Bought mine today at CompUSA and got the rebate. I will try and hook it up tomorrow. Sounds like everyone is happy with this unit so far. Are you guys just putting the Laptop in the seat or what????
Tractman
 
Finally, had a chance to try out the new Delorme. Wow! It's easy to set up and even easier to use. It tracts well execpt in tunnels, of course. Talk about good prices, Amason.com and Sam's Club have the 2003 MS Streets & Trips at $5 after rebate.

lanchepoor,

Check your version under 'Help'. The latest driver for the USB to serial driver is 3.1.0. You can download the latest version from Delorme. Make sure you choose the 2nd option (use Delorme and other mapping products) during install.
 
I used mine on the trip to work this morning. Worked flawlessly. I do wish there was a owners manual that tells all of it's capabilities. I know I have only scratched the surface. I guess you are suppose to just keep trying different things....................
Tractman
 
OK I went to their website and downloaded the operators manual. 141 pages..............WOW!!!!!!!!!

Tractman
 
I have had the earthmate for several years. Using it with a laptop which workes great but is combersome. Has always worked well.Sounds like there is a new version? I have an extension cable on it(serial) and one on the kids usually holds it in the back seat. After using it for awhile everyone gets pretty bored with it though. We just use it now when we are lost or trying to get to a certain address.
 
Flix, any idea where to find that 2 sec patch for streets & trips 2003? For now I'm stuck with the 15 sec update.
 
AvW56,

Try this: here

Please let us know if it works well.

AVEYAK,

The new Earthmate is a totally different animal, much smaller, no power cord (draws from USB), much more efficent and accurate.

 
Ah, very good sir. Thanks. I loaded the 5-4-3-2-1 patch and took it down to 1 sec updates (back up the original .exe as it overwrites each time). It worked great for a short trip around town, much better than my etrex through a serial-usb plug. (y)

My 10" vaio fits great over the cup holders. Unfortunately I'm sure I'll need them on any trip I need the GPS. ???
 

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I have the Delorme Earthmate GPS and I love it and I suggest that anyone looking for a cheap alternative to a $4000 professional system it. I downloaded the patch to update MS S +T faster but can't check to see if it works because S +T only has the option for COM1 and I have the Delorme USB cable. Does anyone know if you can just get a cable or a patch to fix this problem because I like S + T soooooo much better (not saying that Delorme is bad, but I just like the setup of S + T better).
 
www.jottodesk.com

makes a product for mounting a notebook computer into a vehicle. ?It is expensive though. ?Don't know if I'd ever buy one. ?If I get to that point where I have no one holding this notebook and I really don't know where I am going, I'd end up building a removable mount of some kind - maybe a tray that sits on the driver's cup holder area and screws into permanently mounted nuts at two points on the left side of the cup holder body.

I've seen the Earthmate in a magazine. ?In the past I've considered tapping into the OnStar to get GPS data, but time was simply not available. ?For around $100, I will definitely throw out the OnStar idea. ?Okay - so the AV would have 2 GPS receivers.

Its a bold new world guys!

>:D

 
this might be slightly off topic but i'm looking at doing the same thing. i have a delorme's topo 4.0 and ms streets and trips 2003. i will soon be getting national geographics topo software and i cant wait. up until know i have been holding the laptop (were the cup holders are) via a bungee cord that hooks on to the bottom of the center console.

has anyone installed a lcd screen and used it with the laptop. i was thinking you could mount it to the dash or to the over head console
 
Anyone successfully use the Earthmate (USB) version with an iPAQ pocket PC? Since the iPAQ does not support USB host functions, I was wondering if this $99 package will work. There's also the issue with providing enough power through the USB cable to power the receiver. I've had the iPAQ lock up when trying to source too much power though the USB port to a keyboard.

Thanks for any leasons learned!
 
Does anyone sell just the new earthmate without the software? I think I have enough mapping programs already. Or do you need new software to run the new USB GPS.
 
Not the Delorme unit, but I just picked up the Navman 3450 GPS for the iPAQ. Great little piece, can't wait to try it out for the upcoming vacation ;D
 
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