Low Cost GPS receivers and Road Mapping software by Joe Mehaffey and Jack Yeazel (Rev. 1-5-97 to add GPS Software) There have been many new low cost GPS products in the last six months. The receivers are getting cheaper and the performance is improving. The same is true of GPS driven Road Mapping software. The following is a description of the most popular. Check out the detailed specs before you buy. GPS Receivers: 1) Garmin 45 (&XL): This is probably the most popular low cost GPS unit and the one that is compatible with the most map software offerings that use the NMEA-183 Ver. 2.0 standard. It costs about $290 and has a very useful set of display features. It has a removable antenna which can be replaced by a remote amplified antenna ($95) with a BNC connector. It is generally reliable at quick satellite acquisition and has adequate waypoint, track, and route storage capability. The unit has a multiplexed 8 satellite tracking capability. It performs better than the average multiplexed unit when satellites come and go. The Garmin 40 is a similar unit but will not accept 12vdc car battery voltage without an adapter. The only major drawback is Garmin's design limitation of 90 knots speed and when you go faster it quits working until you slow down. This unit runs on a set of 4 AA batteries in the tracking mode for 10 to 20 hours depending on the sampling setting. It operates on 9 to 40vdc using an optional $30 power/data cable. A ($95) powered remote antenna on an 8-foot cable gives the receiver a substantial 12db boost. The 30-foot cable powered antenna has approximately zero gain. A major advantage of this receiver is that stored routes, waypoints, and tracks can be downloaded or uploaded to the receiver (with a $30 serial-port cable). The Garmin program, PCX5 ($75), is sold to down/upload this information, but the author has found no map program compatible with it. However, there's a large body of third-party software compatible with the Garmin protocal. G7TO204.ZIP, and Waypoint+ work well with the Delorme maps, and other third-party software work with scanned maps. For displaying real-time GPS-45 tracks, Vista by RMS Technologies and the older Delorme Map Expert work the best. (See below). 2) Magellan GPS-4000: This $250 unit is another good performer. It has excellent display features and acquires satellites reliably except in dense woods or in the center of masses of high rise buildings. It has a $50 accessory to permit connection of external DC power and an optional external amplified antenna at about $100. This unit has about the best battery life at roughly 17 hours on one set of 4 AA batteries. This unit has a multiplexed 12 satellite tracking ability (advertised). However, I note that when one of the four satellites it is using to provide data suddenly becomes unavailable (such as when you go behind a hill or a building) the GPS-4000 must go through a reacquisition sequence even though the status display indicates it is "tracking" 8 satellites. This reacquisition can take 30 to 120 seconds depending on conditions. This unit is rated for 900 knots maximum speed. This higher speed capability is possibly why the Magellan low end (multiplexed) units tend to be more sensitive to multipath problems as compared with the Garmin units. Note: The GPS-3000 and DLX-10 at last testing had occasional software lockup problems and are not recommended. The reset sequence to clear the lockup mode is not given in the manual and a telephone call to Magellan is required to clear a lockup. The GPS-2000 is OK at about $179 with a nice display, but has no data output or remote antenna capabili- ty. 3) Delorme TripMate GPS Receiver: This $150 receiver is a 12 channel receiver but it has no display. Further it currently has no external DC adapter and cannot use an external antenna. It is "rain resistant" and so may be itself mounted on your car's roof. The TripMate GPS receiver is designed specifically to work with Delorme's Street Atlas 4.0 software and unless connected to a laptop with SA4 running, the TripMate shuts down and provides no data. Users report that this unit acquires quickly and maintains lock well. However, its lack of a stand alone display, no external power capability and the fact that it only works with Delorme Mapping software products makes it less desirable than others. Speed capability is unknown, but as far as I know, only Garmin puts a speed limitation on their low end products and this is not a Garmin produced item. 4) Garmin 12XL GPS Receiver: This unit is just being intro- duced as of January 1996 and we have not personally tested this unit. However, reports are good. It is a 12 channel parallel receiver and is reported to acquire, lock and track very quickly and reliably. It is similar in function to the Garmin 45XL in features except that it has an internal antenna with a port for an external antenna and thus the antenna cannot be removed as with the Garmin 45XL. The 12XL has a nice display and a feature set similar to the Garmin 45 and the Magellan units. Since this is similar to the design of the Garmin GPS40, We suspect that a model similar to the Garmin GPS II is in the works as well. This unit (supposed- ly) will sell for about $300 and it has the usual internal/external power capability and supposedly only runs about 12 hours on internal battery. ONE GARMIN VENDOR REPORTS THAT THIS UNIT WILL TRACK TO 900 KNOTS. Another correspondent says it will be 90 knots like the Garmin 45xl, etc. 5) Others: Trimble, Lawrence, and Eagle are other popular low-end manufacturers. However, their units are in the $400 to $1000 range and generally do not have the features of the Garmin/Magellan units. (This statement is likely to generate controversy!) Acquire and Lock for the Trimble, Lawrence, and Eagle units are said to be superior but apparently not so much so that the "ham radio types" and other cost conscious users are willing to put up the difference in cost. Also, many of these units have no NMEA-0183 version 2 output. When buying any unit, you should assure that the external data output stream will match up with your software program's requirements. ALL NMEA-0183 versions are NOT alike. GPS Software: Third-party software is essential to realizing the full potential of integrating the Garmin-45 (XL) and the excellent Delorme Street maps. These programs allow you to download routes, tracks, and waypoints to files that can be shown on the Delorme maps, white-paper maps, or saved for future uploads to the G-45. 1) G7TO204.ZIP (Ver. 2.04): This DOS program by Ron Henderson can download track and waypoint information (including the NAMES) from the GPS-45 to .SA3 archive files which can then be read by Street Atlas 3.0 or 4.0. The program can also upload the same information back into the Garmin using the .TXT files created by G7TO in case you, say, inadvertently erase all your waypoints. The waypoint Names (or Names and Description) are presented as Delorme "Places" which show the waypoints NE of a "Very Small" dot. These text files can be edited to remove or add waypoint and track information from other .TXT files. The program allows you to save every track and waypoint you ever make "forever". The downloaded track points can have a "serial number" assigned to them in order to tell which points came "first", and the waypoints can have their date of creation displayed in addition to their names, if desired. 2) Waypoint+ by B. Hildebrand, (Ver. 1.4.07) is a very sophisticated Win-95 (only) program for use with the SA-3, SA-4, and ME-2 Delorme maps. The program will down or upload G-45 tracks, routes, or waypoints. Once downloaded, a click on the file created (in Windows Explorer) will invoke the Delorme map program associated with it and display them on the map automatically! This program, however, presents the waypoints as Delorme "Map Notes" These are balloons pointing to the waypoint (without a "dot") containing the waypoint Name AND Description. (This covers up adjacent map data when waypoints are close together. (The G7TO, above, covers up less map data). However, when displaying combined data, the balloons are something of an advantage. The program can also present the Track, Waypoint, and Route data (with or without names) on its OWN "white-paper" map. A large variety of Lat/Long grids can be added to these maps. A unique feature of the program its ability to COMBINE Route, Waypoint, and Track data into one file. This combined file can either be displayed on the "white-paper" map or on an SA3 or SA4 map. It will now, in Ver. 1.4.07, display the G-45 route 00 (the active route) as circles connected by SA4 "railroad-track" lines. 3) Navigate (Ver. 2.0c) by Paul Mouland is a Windows program that uses scanned maps to plot real-time G-45 tracks. These Track plots can be saved and played back instantly or in the "real-time" they were created, loading and changing maps automatically. (The track "dots", smaller than the Delorme "Very Small" circles, are a little hard to see.) The programs described above are available free on: http://www.vancouver-webpages.com/peter/index.html 4) Garmin's PCX5 (Ver. 2.06). This ($75) program will down or upload tracks, waypoints or routes between the GPS-45. However, these data are presented on a crude map of the USA (with only the states outlined) or a Mercator of the world. As far as we know, this program is not compatible with any known map program. The RMS people at Vista say they are working on a utility to convert these PCX5 files into Vista overlays, but so far it hasn't happened. 5) GarLink from EasyNav by Peter Aigner (Ver. A.02.00) is a Windows program that presents G-45 track, route, and waypoint data on a white-map. It also shows a history of the speed at which the tracks were recorded. (The author requires a trial period license.) 6) FUGAWI a ($75) scanned-map program and GPS-Pro (price unknown) are programs we plan to review.. Map Software: Map software has gotten a lot better and a lot cheaper in the last 12 months. The best of it is very stable and well organ- ized. As a result of the extensive data requirements of a map, most of the software comes on a CD ROM. Some can be downloaded to a laptop without a CD ROM drive and operated from the hard drive. If you are concerned about an individual street (particularly recent additions to the landscape) being missing, these map programs are not for you. However, we think that they are 99.9% accurate and that is good enough for most of us. 1) Delorme Street Atlas 4.0 ($35): The latest (and currently most accurate road map; an update of Street Atlas 3.0) is the Delorme Street Atlas 4.0 (SA4). This CD ROM includes a limited GPS interface for the Delorme TripMate GPS receiver, the Garmin receivers, and Trimble's receivers. (see Map-n- Go, below, for pros and cons). It IS NOT compatible with Magellan's NMEA output versions. This map claims ALL PAVED ROADS IN THE USA as of early 1996 and also lots of dirt roads as well. (Commenters have found some few roads are missing.) It offers city, street, zip code, lan/long, and other search modes. It does not offer address with NUMBER search mode as does Delorme MapExpert 2.0. This program requires Windows 3.1 or W95 and 8 megs of ram. It works slow but "OK" on a 386SX25. It works superbly on a 486DX75. I have not discovered any serious software problems with this offering, and it is the most up to date of the low cost moving map programs. One of the best features of this program is that while it comes on a CD ROM, individual states may be off loaded to your hard drive for laptop use. A VERY handy feature of SA4 (and also Map-n-Go) is that you can click many route points in sequence on the map to create a linked route and quickly upload them to the GPS-45 which will include them in its Route No. 1 and waypoint list (as DM0**) without having to key in ANY Lat/Longs! 2) Map-n-Go: Is an accurate trip-planning program (better than MS Automap Road Atlas 4.0) showing USA highways and 240 metropolitan areas with street-level coverage. It includes a very limited GPS interface capability. It will download the GPS-45 waypoints as blue diamonds, but does not show their NAMES. It will not D/L tracks... The real-time track arrow is so huge, it covers the streets around it and does not erase the "head". Also, there seems to be an error in the program in that the tracks are erased every time the map centers. This also applies to SA4. 3) Street Atlas 3.0: A nice program that preceded Street Atlas 4.0 but with no GPS interface capability except for the third-party software described above. 4) Delorme MapExpert 2.0: This software is the best of the best as far as function is concerned. The GPS version did cost $500. It offers full coverage of all USA paved roads and many unpaved as well. It offers search capability and features similar to the SA4 but in addition offers search down to individual street NUMBER addresses. The map on the current 2.0 version is vintage 1993/1994 and so is missing newer streets. Its operation is flawless and faster than PM2 or SA4. This program works on a 386SX25 computer with 4 megs of ram and is pretty speedy as well. You MUST have an on line CD ROM drive and Windows 3.1 or W95 to operate MapExpert. Routes and waypoints stored in the GPS-45, however, cannot be downloaded to it with any known software. NOTE: All Delorme maps can be PRINTED. The G7TO/GPS-45 waypoints or tracks included in SA3 and SA4 maps will also be shown. This program supports the Magellan NMEA-183 mode C. 5) Vista (Ver. 1.21) by RMS Technologies: This $199 program can display and record very nice real-time GPS tracks on scanned raster maps, Vista street vector-maps, Visa Flight Sectional raster-maps ($99 extra for each half of the USA), and show a terrain profile at the same time! It works with any NMEA-183 GPS output, including the Magellan. The tracks recorded by Vista can be played back in seconds. A VISTA feature is its ability to convert almost ANY paper map into a GPS raster map. The map doesn't even have to have any Lat/Long notations on it! The procedure is to scan in the map and export it as a .GIF file to Vista. Next you use the Vista vector maps to read the Lat/Long of identifiable landmarks on the paper map. After "fixing" the .GIF map with two to four known landmark Lat/Longs, it becomes a perfectly good GPS map on which the GPS track can be displayed in real time. Also included with VISTA is the geological elevation data for the whole USA to a resolution of 3,000' horizontal and 100' vertical. Thus the terrain profile between any two points in the USA or that in front of the direction of travel can be displayed in a small box. The vector and raster maps can be installed on the hard drive one "square" degree of Lat/Long at a time to eliminate the need of a CD-ROM. Vista maps cannot be printed. 6) Precision Mapping 2.0: Up until SA4 came out, PM2 was the best low cost moving map software available. At $29 for the CD ROM without documentation (None was required!) this software was a bargain. The software, like the SA4, provides total USA road coverage. The maps in PM2 however are vintage 1993 and so are somewhat out of date in spots. Also, the PM2 requires a $65 GPS software module to permit interface to GPS receivers. However, the software package works well, provides features similar to the SA4 and until the advent of the SA4, PM2 was the lowest cost moving map software available. PM2 operates somewhat slower than Delorme MapExpert and Street Atlas programs. PM2 operates in 386SX25 systems with 8 megs of ram (very slow) and requires Windows 3.1 or W95. It works in 4 megs of ram, but VERY slowly. You must have an on line CD ROM drive with PM2. 7) AutoNav: This city street route program has potential, but has too many software bugs for all but dedicated computer enthusiasts to put up with. If it gets working well, the automatic route planning feature will be good. As it is, it suggests that the best route from the Atlanta Airport to Downtown Atlanta is via Stewart Avenue -not along the much quicker Interstate. 8) PNAV (Personal Navigation): This city street route program has the highest resolution of the streets, but again has software problems. It promises to automatically plan routes and SPEAK the route to you over the speaker in your laptop computer. Currently, it only listens to data from Trimble and Rockwell units. It does not work with data from any of the Garmin or Magellan systems we tried, because it does not recognize the NMEA-183 standard. Others: There are a number of mapping programs on the market that look pretty good but currently have no GPS interface. We did not investigate further once we found no GPS capability. Commentary: It's interesting, and also disconcerting, that there is NO single map program, we have reviewed so far, that can display continuous real-time tracks from a GPS receiver and also download tracks and waypoints from the GPS-45 with their NAMES. (However, FUGAWI ($75) and GPS Pro say these features are met by their scanned-map software. We look forward to reviewing them and sending up a revised report.) Map-n-Go and SA4 can D/L GPS-45 waypoints, (but do not show the NAMES, and cannot D/L tracks). They can show real-time GPS tracks, (but only as long as the map doesn't re-center). Vista and MapExpert can display continuous real-time tracks, but can't display downloaded tracks or waypoints. For the record, Joe W2JO has most operational experience with the Magellan GPS-3000, GPS-4000, and DLX-10. Jack N4TEB is experienced with the Garmin equipment. We have purchased and evaluated all of the software mentioned. If you have any comments, additions/corrections, or know of other GPS MAPPING SOFTWARE we should evaluate, please let us know via Fax: 770-889-5120 or Email> Joe Mehaffey, W2JO, W2JO@bellsouth.net Jack Yeazel, N4TEB, river5@peachnet.campus.mci.net Thanks, and good navigating!