[SOLVED] Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

[mhdbnoimi]

Hi guys,

I'm planning to start my bike vacation after some days, could you please guide me to best vacation planner which allow me to draw tracks on GPS/Maps?

Thanks

[ardvark71]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

Hi...

While I'm not sure which of these applications would best suit your needs, here is a list that offers what, I think, you may be looking for. There is also a route planner you can download here, although it probably doesn't allow you to draw tracks and you may have to compile it ("make," and "make install,") so you will want to install the "make" package from the repositories. This may apply to the other programs as well. Again, check the repositories for .deb versions of these programs before you try and compile from a tarball, it will make things a LOT easier.

Hope this helps...

Regards...

[mhdbnoimi]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

Thanks a lot

which of these applications would best suit your needs

I think alternative to microsoft street and trips should be ok

Any way, I'll check all softwares in this link but I'll be very thankful if you point to me to microsoft street and trips alternative.

[ardvark71]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

but I'll be very thankful if you point to me to microsoft street and trips alternative.

Hi...

I have no idea as I do not use this type of software. You might have go through the programs I've listed until you find one that is suitable. Someone else on this forum may know of a program also.

Regards...

[woodsmoke]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

Google Maps provides:

a) text instructions to and from, BUT BE AWARE of possible reversal of N/S aor E/W, that is not a "Google" thing but a data entry thing.

b) it does, indeed, provide a "line/track" printout. BUT, if going through a complicated interchange in the middle of a town, I'd waste some paper and print out a couple of larger views of the intersection.

c) if you have an android, then Google Maps will provide a verbal notification along with a "position" indicator, and also, as of the last time I used it, a "line" and a "3D" view, but it isn't as great as one of the dedicated hardware devices.

d) I would plan to get a cigarette lighter charger so as not to drain the battery.

e) The android, does, indeed, multitask on this, I have received a call, talked, hung up and was back at the app.

there are a couple of associated apps such as Latitude one might download and if one has "serendipitous" free time on the trip, then "Geocache" can be fun also.

f) "Places directory" is an outstanding app for finding nearby hotels, restaurants, you name it as you are driving, we found a "1950's movie cowboy museum" with it that was not on a map, and it was much fun!


g) You might also consider a barcode reader and the associated google shopper ... you scan in your soda or munchie bag or bugspray can as you are driving and get the lowest price on upcoming quick stop type places. But...I wouldn't turn around and go BACK to get a lower price!

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

Are you going to power a netbook or notebook using a 3G connection while you peddle?

Before I switched to Linux I was running Street Atlas 5.0 from Delorame. It came with a GPS receiver called "Earthmate LT-20, which plugged into a USB port. That was over 10 years ago. Last year I began exploring for something in Linux similar to Street Atlas and found Navit. A navIT "How To" is here. (P.S. -- I could enter starting and destination points and a route would be plotted out on the screen. )

But, to read the Earthmate LT-20 I had to run gpsd so that when I plugged in the Earthmate (Note: Be carful to use the SAME USB port everytime!) it would start reading data from it. To see what satellites were available, and which ones gpsd was reading data from I ran xgps. Then I started navit. To do everything automatically I wrote a simple bash script. The third and sixth lines, commented out, were an experiment.

#!/bin/bash
# make sure Earthmate LT-20 is plugged into USB port closest to front of laptop
#gpsd -b /dev/serial/by-path/pci-0000\:00\:1d.0-usb-0\:1\:1.0-port0
sudo gpsd -b /dev/ttyUSB0
xgps &
#gpsdrive -X /dev/ttyUSB0
navit

All in all it worked fairly well for tracking me as I drove around with my laptop running the apps.

I found "mobile-streetmaps": http://mobile-streetmaps.com/, and you might find it useful.

Also, I found Open Street Maps very interesting. It has GPS traces, diaries, etc...

[mhdbnoimi]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

Google Maps provides

Awesome but I can't use Google Maps because too many places I want to visited are out of wi-fi coverage.

[mhdbnoimi]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

Are you going to power a netbook or notebook using a 3G connection while you peddle?

Unfortunately most places I want to visit are out of modern life, no mobile, 3g or wi-fi coverage.

Before I switched to Linux I was running Street Atlas 5.0 from Delorame. It came with a GPS receiver called "Earthmate LT-20, which plugged into a USB port. That was over 10 years ago. Last year I began exploring for something in Linux similar to Street Atlas and found Navit. A navIT "How To" is here. (P.S. -- I could enter starting and destination points and a route would be plotted out on the screen. )

NAVIT really interesting but does it works in offline mode (caching maps)?

[GreyGeek]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

Drawing tracks on GPS/maps won't be possible if you don't have 3G connections while peddling your bike down the road. The best mapping option open to you is an inexpensive battery powered GPS. My Garmin 350 will run about 5 hrs on battery. Riding a bike you can turn it on, see the road map and zoom around. You can search for motels and eating places. You can also purchase a terrain chip for off road riding. I have one. It shows lakes, streams, bike trails, roads, parks, etc...

If you don't have a recharger attached to your wheel you can turn it on for a few minutes to get a bearing, so to speak, and then turn it off. Even better yet would be to get a 12-14V solar panel designed to deliver 15 Watts max at 13.8 Volts. You can get fordable solar battery chargers for under $100.

[mhdbnoimi]

Re: Vacation planner by GPS/Maps

Thanks