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Hi All,

I wasn't quite sure where to put this, but I was thinking that maybe more people would be interested to find out how to build a GPS navigation using a laptop or PDA.

In about 3 weeks and a half we intend to drive and camp a few nights through Europe (Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, Hungary) and a GPS navigation system would really help us not to get lost and find the camp sites easily.

I've got a Jornada 720 PDA (yes, I know pretty old) and a laptop Fujitsu Lifebook P-2040 and I am thinking that maybe I could build a GPS system with one of them.

I could not find much information on how to build this and I am thinking that probably some people have already done this and they could share the information with us.

I can only suppose that we should use the following : a GPS unit, a navigation software, a car charger for the laptop, a Bluetooh connection to use the GPS. The problem will be in making sure that they all can work together /be compatible and that's where I feel we could use some advice from some other people's experiences.

All ideas most welcome.

Thanks

I have briefly looked at this myself.

I think you need the following.

USB GPS Receiver

Software (Autoroute 2005, although I have read it is not great)

Inverter - about £20 from Maplins

Aldi have sold PDAs with built in GPS for around £200 in recent months.

This weeks Makro Mail if you know anybody with a Makro card .

Blue Media next generation combined Sat Nav and GPS camera warning system pre loaded maps UK / Ireland

256 MB........... No Activation required .....  £199 ...........with UK & EU maps £249 .... anybody got one and whats it like    thinking about this offer myself ! 

Baby invertor from Maplins £15

Best software Infomap Navigator 4 £49.99

they sell the SAT GPS mouse here to http://www.directions.ltd.uk/products.php

http://www.marcleleisure.co.uk/gps/InfoMapMore.htm

The second link is cheaper and he's a nice chap to, nickname here averywildcamper

Many thanks to everyone.

I've just found something free at 'GPS Software from Sunninghill':  http://www.gpss.co.uk/ and I'm going to try it out when I buy a GPS receiver.

Has anyone used their free software?

I've also found a good site for info on GPS at 'GpsPasSion Forums': http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/default.asp