Hi ChesapeakeTechie:
___In the MDX, I use an iPAQ 2215 w/ an
i-TREK serial based GPS receiver which is based on a Sirf IIe/LP chipset.
Mapopolis (ver. 4.42) is my PDA based GPS SW of choice. The pic below might give you an idea as to what it looks like all setup. The combination communication/power cable is run under and behind the dash, under the A-Pillar, above the headliner to just left of the rear view mirror where the GPS receiver is actually hidden. The combination communication/power cable has a 12 V accessory plug which is inserted in the acc. 12V outlet and is included in the same i-TREK bundle. To hold the iPAQ, I use a Panavise mount. Sturdy, unobtrusive (well just a bit vs. the OEM based unit), and it was relatively inexpensive although it can only be mounted in that one location
___The Panavise for an HCH is listed at the following url:
HCH - In Dash by PanaVise
___The pic of the bare base plate as installed is as follows:
___The bare base plate clip comes with a plastic clip attachment block (much nicer looking then the bare metal plate as shown) and with various clips to attach to PDA or PDA case to hang on the mount as well …
___For the Ranger, Corolla, and the Insight (when I owned it), I used the ungainly but extremely utilitarian Arkon CM620 PDA mount.
___The Arkon mount along with an
i-TREK CF based GPS receiver (same Sirf IIe/LP chipset) in an ancient but still very useful Casio Cassiopeia and Mapopolis as the SW of choice works very well for an extremely portable setup between the Ranger and Corolla even today.
___When not using your GPS receiver for voice and visually guided point to point directions, I find it very handy for elevation data. The Elevation, Speed, Lat/Long, and Direction of travel screen included with Mapopolis is very useful. It is too bad the overly expensive Honda/Acura OEM NAVI unit(s) do not have an on the fly display screen showing GPS based data (not highway based) in 3 dimensions and a decent direction of travel descriptor. The altitude and Lat/Long at a single point and an icon based off N is up or direction of travel vs. N is nice but why not a much simpler NNW or SW descriptor as well as on the fly elevation and Lat/Long data as an option as well?
___Go ahead and download the Mapopolis SW (the SW is a free download directly from Mapopolis themselves) to use the elevation, Lat/Long location, direction and speed of travel data, as well as how many Bird’s are being tracked, how many are locked, and what the signal strength of all birds tracked (locked and unlocked) in real time. It is the Navteq based downloadable Maps that cost $’s from Mapopolis and I do not believe you need even a single map loaded for this GPS SW tool the last time I checked? I hope you find Mapopolis’ location data as useful as the actual point to point directions of the SW you are currently using.
___Finally, take a look around at some of the sites linked above. Akron, Semson’s, and even
GPS Passion as a source of GPA SW/HW reviews might lead to something that works best for your HCH and its unique ergonomics …
___Good Luck
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___
Waynegerdes@earthlink.net