GPS question

[Ukraine Train]

My Jeep came with a Garmin GPS V. It works on batteries but needs a car adapter. For a few extra bucks I can get a car adapter that also has a serial port adapter built in. Is there a reason I'd need or want to have my laptop hooked up in the car with me if I'm not uploading maps to the GPS? Like can the GPS unit transmit my position to the laptop and then it'll show up on the laptop screen instead of the GPS display? I haven't gotten that far in the manual yet.

[TarpleyG]

It should.  I have a $100 eTrex that I can connect to the serial port on my laptop and it'll show my position on any number of different mapping softwares.

Greg

[Art Eatman]

DeLorme has software that lets you watch your laptop while driving along.  It will show what street or road you're on (including Terlingua jeep trails) with compass direction, elevation, all that stuff.

Art

[cordex]

Ukraine Train,

There are several software packages out there that will display your location on a map dynamically.  If you already have Garmin's MapQuest software for loading maps into your GPS you can hook it up to your laptop, fire up MapQuest and have it detect your GPS.  Bingo, you're on the laptop's map instead of the dinky GPS screen.  That's what I have used with my Rino 120.

Most GPS receivers and mapping programs can be made to work together, though there are different conventions for the data stream.