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MelGoddard · 07-16-2016, 05:43 PM

I've learned not to trust GPS as an absolute.
Get a good road map and pre plan your trip; get a picture in your mind of your route.
Then when the GPS leads you astray, d it (and it will), you will know that the correct route is the one that your map told you is true.
Do not follow your GPS, it will follow you.
(Ask me how I know

"Look after your Equipment, it will look after you."

NY24 · 07-17-2016, 05:12 AM

ALL GPS unit have some negatives. I would advise that you find out what the NEGATIVES of a GPS system / unit are. That way, you're less likely to get bitten in the behind. I too use Copilot BUT, the Copilot Truck HD App does NOT let you add anything re: propane. The Copilot RV App limits legnth to 45' and 26,000# GVWR (which rules out use in BIG RVs). Rand McNally ALWAYS tells me I have too much propane, even if I only travel on Interstate Highways. Apple Maps / Google Maps have no way to enter vehicle specifics (that I'm aware of). Get to a true truck stop and buy a hardcopy of the Rand McNally Motor Carrier's Atlas. It's an expensive book BUT, trucks stops discount it by over 50%. GREAT resource with tons of information that over the road truckers use every day. You'll be amazed at what you don't know (but should).

I think TomTom finally has an RV App but, I haven't seen it yet. As such, I have no idea what its' negatives are (although I think the TomTom car GPS is the best of that lot).

nvestysly · 07-17-2016, 07:03 PM

Just came back from a 200+ mile round trip. Used the Garmin RV 760LMT on the way up and the CoPilot software on an iPhone4 on the return trip.

I had intended to use the CoPilot in GPS only mode. However, that's apparently not possible on an iPhone 4. iPhone 4 is limited in the version of iOS it will support - 7.x if I recall correctly. That version of iOS doesn't allow turning off all cellular connections (cell phone and cell data) while still leaving on the GPS. Airplane mode in this version of iPhone turns off GPS too.

My wife has an iPhone 6 that utilizes a later version of iOS and its airplane mode leaves GPS on.

Back to comparing Garmin RV 760LMT and CoPilot...

Both have inconsistencies in how they depict lane choices.

The Garmin does a better job indicating turn left at traffic light. Go straight at intersection. CoPilot was okay but Garmin was better.

The Garmin leaves quite a bit to be desired when describing road numbers - i.e. follow route xx for so many miles. I was driving on a section of U.S. highway that was a combined road - U.S. 23 and U.S. 441. The Garmin seems to have "inflection" points where it thinks the road number has changed and it really hasn't. Consequently it would indicate visually and audibly to make a right or left when there really was no turn involved.

There is lots more to report on and I'll do that tomorrow after I speak to customer service.

For now I'm leaning toward CoPilot. At this point it comes down to if I'm going to be dissatisfied do I want to be $300 unhappy or just $20 unhappy?

m.hony · 07-18-2016, 08:39 AM

I find navigating with Delorme on a PC with the antenna aggravating.
There is nowhere to place the PC to be easily visible.
That was my first attempt at navigation back in 2004.
In 2006, I used a Magellan stand alone GPS device. It had its quirks and limits, but was a little better than the Delorme on a PC.
The Magellan device quit in 2008 and I bought a Garmin Nuvi GPS device which I still have, but never use. It is outdated and the updates are expensive. You could almost buy a new device with lifetime updates for what the updates cost.
Then, in 2010, I got an Alpine double din navigation head unit. It is outdated and slow.
The maps and navigation that come pre-loaded on my iPhone have been better but still sometimes outdated and wants to take you on some crazy out of the way route.
I have used the Alpine, iPhone, Garmin, and an Android phone. The 4 devices gave 4 different routes and they were all wrong.
Back to the Rand McNally Road Atlas and memorizing routes...
Even when using Google or MapQuest you get several routes. You don't really learn the best route until you have made the same trip several times.
We first began traveling to a rally in Texas in October every year in 2011. I finally figured out the best route on my own without the assistance of any device in 2015.
You see, these devices are not humans. They don't have brains. They can't reason and cipher. They don't take into consideration stop lights, stop signs, traffice, pee stops, lunch breaks, fuel stops...
I think they are calculating shortest time or shortest distance in time or miles. There are soooo many more variables...
I can get from home to almost anywhere with a map and a compass. When I get into a specific city and I am looking for a particular destination within that city I will look it up on a GPS device.
Sometimes I will buy the gazetteer map of a city to help me get around or know where attractions are.
From road map and compass to several electronic gadgets back to road map and compass...
The free official state road maps at the rest areas are the best maps- better than the road atlas as far as detail-
When a GPS tells me to go some crazy route, but I override it and go the way I have been going over 40 years, the lady gets bossy...
Recalculating...
Make a u-turn...
Recalculating...
Make a u-turn...
Eventually, she figures out what I am doing and changes the route to match what I am doing.
Frustrating really-

nvestysly · 07-19-2016, 02:45 PM

long post but it will help me get my thoughts together and might help others at some point...

Thanks m.hony for the reply. While I haven't owned a GPS unit until now I've been in several vehicles where the users follow them blindly. Many times missing interesting routes because the GPS simply told them to go from A to B and the person didn't give the route any thought. "Recalculating" is very annoying.

When using our smart phone for maps we very seldom take the entire route it suggests. We choose one of the 2 or 3 routes the smart phone shows on the map and then make our own way as we see fit. We combine the smart phone map with paper maps. The paper maps very seldom let us down. The smart phone has lots to add to the equation so it's indispensable.

In the last day or so my GPS evaluation has been slowed by chores around the house. I've spent a little time on the GPS matter and I see it taking shape a little differently than I had planned. Keep in mind I naively purchased a GPS (the Garmin RV 760LMT) thinking it would show all the same roads the smart phone depicted. I didn't necessarily expect the GPS to be the same as the smart phone - I realize the smart phone streams data and therefore can show more and various kinds of data versus the GPS - but I did expect the GPS to be much better than it is.

Here are my latest thoughts regarding which approach to take. A decision has not been made but I hope to solidify one of these approaches in the next week or so.

A - Keep the Garmin RV 760LMT and figure out how to make it work in our traveling world. The approximate $300 purchase price included the "bean bag" friction/weighted base and I do find that feature handy. I've managed to turn off "recalculating" so that's good.

B - Buy 2015 DeLorme Street Atlas Plus for a tablet PC ~$40. DeLorme worked with me over the phone and their software has the several locations that I have in mind for our next trip. So I'm reasonably confident the software will work. Buy a tablet PC ~$150. The DeLorme software permits using a larger screen (the tablet PC or regular laptop) for trip planning and the tablet PC would then be the equivalent of a GPS with the addition of a GPS dongle at ~$30. I'd also have to find a way to charge the tablet PC while in the car. Our vehicle is old enough that it doesn't have an AC power outlet. So another $50-75 for an inverter or some other charger. Some downsides are no traffic information and the DeLorme software may become obsolete at some point because they don't plan to introduce a 2016 product. This option also gets me to ~$300 on the expense side.

C - Use CoPilot or some similar smart phone software in GPS mode when needed, otherwise use data mode and have access to traffic info, etc. Initial cost is probably under $50 but I have not identified a way to perform trip planning on a larger screen. CoPilot has several nice features but the lack of interface to a laptop is a bummer.

D - stick with trip planning on the PC, paper maps, no interface from PC to smart phone. $0 initial outlay but not very convenient for many reasons. I'm not saying this method is not useful but I'd like to "upgrade" as this method exclusively leaves a little to be desired.

Related to item A - I finally realized what BaseCamp is used for. Several people referred to it on other threads and perhaps even on this thread but I didn't understand what it did and why it might be helpful. It was only after speaking to Garmin quasi-customer service for quite a long time that the idea of using BaseCamp came up. BaseCamp is free software that is downloaded to a PC or MAC. This software allows trip planning on a large format screen and then the information can be downloaded to the GPS. It has a few annoyances in my mind. First, the GPS unit must be connected to the computer to really do much of anything. Without connecting the GPS the map displayed on BaseCamp is very minimal. Second, (related to first) is the map it uses is only the map that's contained in the GPS. I was under the impression BaseCamp would have more details than the GPS. Not so - you have to buy upgraded maps if you want more detail.

m.hony · 07-19-2016, 02:54 PM

I downloaded the Copilot app.
Didn't like it.
Deleted it.
It tried to take me some screwy route just like all other GPS devices.
Even with 2 options, neither was correct.
My instincts on how to go based on living here 47 years are better than any GPS.
GPS only helps in unfamiliar territory.
Then, if It takes you the wrong way you don't really know because you don't know the right way.
But I am positive that if it takes me the wrong way in familiar territory it is also taking me the wrong way in unfamiliar territory...
I still say get the free official state road maps at the rest areas, a Rand McNally road atlas, and a compass...
Nothing new under the sun-
Not a better mousetrap...

m.hony · 07-19-2016, 02:56 PM

Using a road atlas and a yellow highlighter at home before you leave is best.
Then memorize a few steps at a time.
Memorize the route up until your first pee break, fuel stop, or lunch break.
Then memorize a little more until the next break.
If there are 2 or more routes, try them all and decide which is best.
Go one way.
Come home another.

Adventure.AS · 07-19-2016, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nvestysly

A - Keep the Garmin RV 760LMT and figure out how to make it work in our traveling world. The approximate $300 purchase price included the "bean bag" friction/weighted base and I do find that feature handy. I've managed to turn off "recalculating" so that's good.

Contrary to a Ludite point of view, expressed by some, I have found a GPS extremely valuable for flying, sailing and for driving. You will find that your Garmin is well worth the price when travelling through an unfamiliar, large metropolitan area on an expressway. The PhotoReal Junction feature will display an upcoming junction for you and allow you to move to the appropriate lane in plenty of time. This is especially useful when having to exit left or when the right hand lane ends at an upcoming exit.

I would love to have your GPS as it will allow you to see live weather on your route (if you link it with your smart phone.) For now, I just use an iPhone app called "Storm" to view weather ahead. This is great for seeing severe storm cells and being able to divert or stop if needed. I have used this ability of smart phone technology for many, many years.

Speaking of smart phone apps, you might want to look at Waze. This is a 'crowd sourced' app that will give you notification of hazards ahead of you and congested traffic. This feature helped me avoid a huge accident when travelling through the Birmingham area in April.

m.hony · 07-19-2016, 03:32 PM

Maybe I should try a new Garmin?
Mine was purchased in 2008.
Any real improvements?

m.hony · 07-19-2016, 03:34 PM

Downloading Storm and Waze to my iPhone...

Adventure.AS · 07-19-2016, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m.hony

Maybe I should try a new Garmin?
Mine was purchased in 2008.
Any real improvements?

Is that a rhetorical question?

Junction View is one of the best features of modern GPS.

m.hony · 07-19-2016, 04:00 PM

Do the newer ones INCLUDE updates, rather than charging for for the updates than a new device?
Not rhetorical-
Just been jaded by junky devices...

mfrez · 07-19-2016, 04:08 PM

Yes, the new Garmin's come with lifetime map updates

Adventure.AS · 07-19-2016, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m.hony

Do the newer ones INCLUDE updates, rather than charging for for the updates than a new device?
Not rhetorical-
Just been jaded by junky devices...

Most new Garmin portable GPS come with lifetime map updates. Unfortunately, this doesn't apply to the Garmin-based navigation in my Jeep. You can check the link if you are interested. I also have the Garmin app on my iPhone and it is updated free on a regular basis.

nvestysly · 07-19-2016, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m.hony

Do the newer ones INCLUDE updates, rather than charging for for the updates than a new device?
Not rhetorical-
Just been jaded by junky devices...

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfrez

Yes, the new Garmin's come with lifetime map updates

Yes, many of the Garmin products come with lifetime maps and some come with lifetime traffic. On Garmin I think this is designated by LM or LMT on the model number suffix. I like the idea of LMT. This is the feature that finally made me want to purchase a GPS. Other brands of GPS also have lifetime maps and some with lifetime traffic.

Keep in mind, products will become obsolete in a few years regardless of whether you purchase a model with LMT. At some point the software and hardware will not work properly with new map updates, they'll become slow, new features on new models will be much more desirable compared to the old products.

Lane assist shown in a post above is also a useful feature that made me want to finally purchase a GPS. Lane assist works relatively well but is not infallible as I mentioned in an earlier post.

I loaded the Garmin smart phone app that allows our iPhone to interface with the GPS via Bluetooth. Haven't used it much yet. I'll report back when I've had a chance to test it in more detail.

Adventure.AS · 07-19-2016, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nvestysly

...

Lane assist shown in a post above is also a useful feature that made me want to finally purchase a GPS. Lane assist works relatively well but is not infallible as I mentioned in an earlier post.

I have been using this technology for a long time and I am continually amazed at how accurate the junction view is, including the correct number of lanes and the exit signage.

The weather features have helped me avoid unexpected encounters with heavy weather and I have been thankful to have had that real time information available on many occasions.

Traffic information is OK,but is often out-of-date, but I have found that for real-time traffic information on Waze is very accurate and timely.

RandyNH · 07-19-2016, 07:22 PM

If you are looking to trip plan on a big screen, then you can plan your entire route in Google maps and then send the track to your phone with the messaging app, that's what I learned on my trip back to Boston from Zion.

m.hony maybe nvestysly will sell you his Garmin with lifetime maps, once programmed up with all your RV parameters it works really well for it's purpose.

m.hony · 07-19-2016, 08:49 PM

Can the lifetime maps be transferred to another owner?

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rmkrum · 07-19-2016, 11:26 PM

We use the Navigon app on out iPhones. Updates are slow but free.

Our typical trip involves using the Navigon app to get to our first critical stop, which is the nearest Cracker Barrel. Then I grab their latest paper map and do en-route navigation with that so we can eat.

The phone gets us to the campground locally.

I do pre-plan the trip for mileage, locations, reservations, etc and put that set of printouts into the trip binder.

I also hit AAA for a triptic, tour books, and detailed paper maps just because I like to be a redundant member of the redundant department of redundancy.

Occasionally getting lost is considered an adventure, as long as we have gasoline.

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ROBERTSUNRUS · 07-20-2016, 12:21 AM

Hi, I bought the Garmin RV 760 for my new truck. I left my Garmin 1490 in my Lincoln. The Garmin RV 760 is way smarter and has much more usable information than my previous GPS. I also bought mine as a package deal with a 50' cord and a wireless backup camera. I have recently managed to install the backup camera and think it will work great. On another thread, I show what I had to do to get it to work the way I want it to. Now my truck has a backup camera that has a dash screen and a trailer backup camera that shares that GPS screen. I would highly recommend this GPS.