In our last article, we promised to discuss GPS and how it could benefit the RVer. GPS is short for the Global Positioning System. It was initially developed for use by the U.S. armed services, as was IP or the Internet. So many good things have come to be used by private citizens from these types of development programs. GPS starts off with the deployment of 24 communications satellites. Since the position, identity code, and a highly accurate time signal of the satellites are known, engineers developed equipment that can triangulate ones almost exact position as well as your altitude, speed and direction of travel . It works off principles, called Doppler, that were developed originally for radar, again originally for military use. GPS receivers for civilian use, can pinpoint your location and altitude to within a few yards, unlike earlier locating systems such as LORAN that used land based radio transmitters for the triangulation. Land based radio signals were subject to warping and bending direction because of land, water, and other variations in the contour over which it had to travel. The satellite signals are not similarly effected and are direct straight line of sight oriented. We need not have a full understanding of these principles to benefit from its use so I will dispense with further details, except to say that the more satellites contacted the more accurate the triangulation will be.

Shortly after the last article was posted, Chris & Coral Bradley volunteered to assist me with their independent testing of GPS systems. They traveled with many GPS systems for thousands of miles over the past month. They have concentrated their efforts on finding the best all around system for the best possible cost. They deployed GPS systems in a tow truck pulling a 5th wheel, with not too cushy a ride. We did the same in our motorhome. Early on I had found that the GPS offered by DeLorme was by far the least expensive, so that was what I concentrated on. Chris has confirmed the cost effectiveness of the DeLorme system and has put about 2,500 more miles on it than I have, but we both reached the same conclusion. DeLorme won hands down for cost effectiveness and probably for versatility as well. Chris & Coral have a small, principally mail order, business for laptops only called ESSEX Portable Solutions. They specialize in laptops, accessories and software and can be reached on the net at www.goessex.com or by calling 1-800-463-7739. Their help in testing alternatives to the DeLorme system was very valuable because I do not have unlimited access to equipment and software for such testing. I have to do my initial research on paper and select a very limited set of hardware and software options for obvious cost considerations. I do this for the fun of it and do not have a business to offset the cost or have the ability to get vendors to supply me systems to test for free.

The DeLorme system comes as a stand alone hardware unit, called Tripmate, that attaches to the PC via a serial port. In that regard, it does not have the compactness of another type offered by Noteworthy in a credit card type PCMIA slot for about 3 times the cost. Because of this, it must be powered separately from the PC. One can either use a steady supply of 4 AA batteries or purchase an adapter ($50) to plug into a cigarette lighter style DC outlet. The later is highly recommended because the Tripmate is plagued by not having a low battery alarm in either the hardware or associated software. Without the steady supply of DC power from the adapter, one is tempted to change the batteries, everytime satellite acquisition and lock in does not occur immediately. The 4 AA batteries are advertised to last about 15 hours, under normal conditions, whatever that is.

With those shortcomings defined, but easily overcome, let's discuss the benefits of the system. The Tripmate comes bundled with the basic Street Atlas software and costs less than $175. There is an IBM PC compatible software version and an Apple (MAC) version of Street Atlas USA. The latest version is release 5 which also has audio capability to provide spoken directions as you drive. For PCs with sound capabilities, this is a fantastic, amazing feature. At this time version 5 is not yet available for the Apple version but I understand it is in the works and the Apple version does everything except the audio. AAA Map'n'Go software is also available for the IBM PC.

System requirements for Macintosh are: 68030 or greater processor, MAC systems software version 7 or higher, 4MB of application RAM, 4 MB of available space on the hard disk, CD ROM drive, color monitor is recommended. For IBM compatible PCs the requirements are: 486DX/66MHZ processor, 8 MB RAM, 8 MB had disk space, CD ROM drive, Super VGA Graphics, 256 color monitor, Microsoft Windows 3.1 or later (designed for Windows 95).

Initially, both Chris and I were concerned about driving down the road with the CD ROM being accessed frequently. Those concerns were put to rest after thousands of test miles and after Chris had his external CD ROM slide off the dashboard with the system operational, and the CD in it. For those that have a regular tower or desktop PC with CD ROM but no CD on the laptop, you can download a days maps onto the laptop hard disk and avoid the need of the CD on the laptop. We have not tried this but DeLorme insists that many of their users deploy the system in this manner.

Well, what will it do for you? First, there are 15 drop down degrees as to detail. As one moves closer to the area they are getting to, they can drop down in scale all the way to street addresses. As you travel along, the system marks your progress with an indicator of where you are and leaves an electronic "bread crumb trail" indicating where you've been. Major attractions and buildings appear on the maps, to include hospitals. You can add a line and measure the distance between points or draw a circle or any other shape and get the area inside it. There are such attributes as extreme back road detail including geographic detail which includes lakes, rivers, railroads, airports, colleges, parks, and other landmarks. Look up places and appropriate maps with searches by placename, telephone area codes and ZIP codes, even individual street addresses. The ultimate is to have it talk to you and explain that the next street coming up is Main Street and you should make a right on it. After you get settled into the campground, print off a detailed street map of the area you wish to explore on foot and the parking garage you will leave the tow/towed vehicle.

Sometime when you've been driving the better part of the day pretend the rig just stopped. Ask yourself honestly, can you really describe where you are over CB radio or cellular phone? If you're like most of us it probably would go something like, "I'm in the North bound lanes on I-75 about 30 miles north of Chattanooga, Tennessee". It would certainly be nice to be able to say with confidence, "I took a wrong turn and ended up in Tiny Horse, population 250, off Interstate 95 Exit 3, 4 miles north of Kingsland, Georgia. Take Old Mill Road to the west for 2.3 miles and turn right on Little Skunk Road. I am 3/8 of a mile on the right hand side of the road. The street address is 3515 Little Skunk Road, Tiny Horse, Georgia 12345." Go ahead, give the Chevy, Ford, or Cummins repair service your cellular number, and ask them to carry one as well, or to stay tuned to some predetermined CB channel when they get within radio range of you. If they call you and say they cannot find you but are on route 44 and 16th street out of Kingsland. You can provide them with the most detailed description imaginable, even if you must provide them with every intersection and turn while they drive toward you. It will end, once and forever, stopping to ask for directions, fumbling for detailed maps, or debating the next turn as you pass the exit ramp.

Some trucking companies use this mapping system along with it's ability to time stamp selected, significant points to keep track of their trucks and their progress. They dial in at Truck Stops and transfer the mapping data to their office headquarters. For those RVers that use their RV for work, such as to provide talks or book signings, it is an excellent way to fully document where and when you have been somewhere. Even the IRS would have trouble disputing a saved map with time and date stamped points on it to prove you traveled from a given point to another point and stayed there a certain time.

Adding AAA Map'N'Go to the system it gets even better. It follows your progress on the map but also provides such information as to over 25,000 AAA hotels, motels and inns, 10,800 AAA approved restaurants, 11,000 AAA approved Campgrounds, 19,000 Museums, historic sites, parks and other attractions, 8,600 fairs, festivals and other events. While driving down the road you can easily find out what gas stations, restaurants, repair services, medical services, RV campsites and other lodging is available.

Have you ever wondered in advance what that trip through the back roads over mountains in West Virginia would be like? Add the software 3-D Explorer to the system. You can see in realistic terms what that road looks like going up and down any given mountain from almost any given angle. Once you start over those mountains the RV is tracked accordingly along with recording those special spots off the mainstream of life where you pulled over and spent a week boondocking along a creek or lake that is also shown in its 3-D setting in the mountains. It can assist you in finding that relatively level, cleared area off a back road to set up camp in. It is not of sufficient detail that one can simply look up a spot, pull the rig off the main road and start down an ever narrowing dirt road. However, it is probably more applicable to take the tow/towed vehicle around to possible spots and checking them out for possible moving of the RV to after scouting out the access roads and area. You can even select the time of day to get the effects of dawn, or dusk and the sun going up or going down with appropriate shadows.

If you already have the necessary PC hardware to equip your system with GPS, this will probably pay for itself in real monitory terms. In terms of security and of taking advantage of what is available where you are at, or where you are headed, it could prove to be a valuable and highly used asset.

In the next article we will be discussing Radio communications from a MAC or IBM laptop PC for the RVer. Included will be how to connect your Email service to voice mail, FAX services, and how to send Email to a friends telephone number or have them send you text Email or voice to you over radio or land line Email services whether or not they own a PC. Combine your Email, Voice mail (both directions) paging and FAX services into a single service that does not have roaming or connect time charges right from inside your "roaming" RV. To comment about this or future articles or simply to ask about some other aspect of "Computing on the Road", please select my Email address and I will respond promptly. LMCHANEY@concentric.net

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