Just can't get a good basic truck, like the old days!

[3930dave]

Been using a Garmin Montana 750i GPS unit for years now. It has the inReach circuitry and antenna built in and I can testify that it works really well no matter where I am in the outback. Only thing to remember with inReach is that it uses the Iridium satellite system and for that the inReach unit has to have a clear view of the sky. In other words, if you are in a vehicle with a metal roof...it ain't gonna work!

Iridium isn't "sexy" today (can't watch movies on it), but it can and does save lives. Clear Sky Might have to walk/crawl-out of a slot-canyon, but after that Mot has your back.

I still work full-time, so don't have much time for the remote-rambling I'd like to do.... but I've had my eye on the Montana line for a while.

After getting irritated with Google maps in a just slightly rural setting this year, I was getting serious about the Montana...... called a wizard-buddy of mine, who ran an older waterproof Garmin in his sailing days... I ran a laptop copy (legit) of Streets years back and liked it, but checked in ^ with him - as expected, his Garmin hardware stood up well to sailboat and motorcycle use.....

I called for his opinion, but was offered a gratis Nuvi (surplus, from an Estate, that no other family members were interested in), so as we go back to the Dawn of Time, I accepted.... and my buddy being who he is, added a flashcard, and updated the maps before passing it along.

This old Nuvi works well for street and rural driving. If I want/need topo, I'll be dropping $1000 CAD on the Montana, but I'm not in a rush....

Rgds, D.

 

[deserteagle71]

This old Nuvi works well for street and rural driving. If I want/need topo, I'll be dropping $1000 CAD on the Montana, but I'm not in a rush....

Does the Nuvi had a SD card slot? If so, get a copy of Garmin's 100k topo maps (that's the whole USA) on the SD and load it into the Nuvi. That's what I did with the Nuvi I used and the topo maps worked fine. A good (and free) alternative to the expensive Garmin topo maps is gpsfiledepot.com - you can download the states you want, put them on an SD card and use them. Make sure you follow all the instructions as far as naming the maps - if they are not named precisely as Garmin requires the GPS won't recognize them.

Here's a pic of my Nuvi 5000 running topo maps:

 

[WinterDeere]

As much as I like olde-school tech, and solutions, going-rambling anywhere remote, having an InReach or equivalent with you is prudent.

EPIRB's are mandatory on all competing boats. That's not considered a communication device, as they only activate under emergency conditions, and do nothing other than transmit the boat or wearer's location.

Am I remembering correctly ?...... Something about USN going back to teaching sextant etc. navigation ?

Yes. After being briefly discontinued (2006 - 2016), celestial navigation was reinstated starting with the class of 2017, due to concerns over cyberattacks wiping out our relatively fragile GPS system.

 

[Hay Dude]

Dr Rick is here again to remind you to stop asking for the features your parents would want in their vehicles!

 

[Renze]

281K views · 2.4K reactions | Reelclawboss on Reels

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[jjeff]

View attachment 4273290

Dr Rick is here again to remind you to stop asking for the features your parents would want in their vehicles!

Problaby could use Dr. Rick on speed dial when buying newer things or whatever they call rapid dialing features on smarter than me phones these days. Id probably end up getting blocked though, after many accidental pocket dials.

 

[Hay Dude]

True story. My previous I-phone was like 5 years old. Last 4-5 weeks, it kept repeat calling the last person I talked to. It was pretty embarrassing to say the least.
I just got a new I phone 17. Didn’t want to have to do this, but the previous phone battery was shot and the glass on the back of the phone was shattered and little pieces were falling out. It was time. They are running a pretty good deal now.

 

[WinterDeere]

True story. My previous I-phone was like 5 years old. Last 4-5 weeks, it kept repeat calling the last person I talked to.

I have a similar problem in summer, when I'm working outside and real sweaty with the phone in my pocket, all of the iPhone models since they eliminated the Home button back around iPhone 8. The problem is that sweaty jeans somehow cause the touch screen to activate and your thigh starts "typing".

In my case, I always have a passcode on the phone, so it usually stays locked. But my thigh will type enough bad passwords that the phone will sometimes disable itself, and a few times it has managed to dial 911 emergency services without me knowing, as that doesn't require a password to unlock the phone.

I found that disabling "touch to wake" option solves that problem. Of course, it makes the phone harder to use, like when you want to tap the screen to check the time in the middle of the night, so I only disable touch to wake when working outside on hot days.

I really wish they'd go back to using a home button, as the facial recognition for unlocking is sometimes much less reliable than the old thumb print scan technology, such as when you're bundled up with hat and sunglasses for working out in the cold.

 

[jjeff]

True story. My previous I-phone was like 5 years old. Last 4-5 weeks, it kept repeat calling the last person I talked to. It was pretty embarrassing to say the least.
I just got a new I phone 17. Didn’t want to have to do this, but the previous phone battery was shot and the glass on the back of the phone was shattered and little pieces were falling out. It was time. They are running a pretty good deal now.

Once I finally got a KYOCERA supposed tough phone id never go back to any other type of phone again. Without adding anything the screen and frame itself is literally indestructible , wateproof I will say my original KYOCERA tough phone lasted over 5 years Ill try not to snow drift on what that phones been thru but it still worked after a hard reset at the phone store almost kept it in service but kind of wanted a newer 5g capable KYOCERA tough phone, ergonomics on this one suck, it does things I don't want it to do even with my tech savvy wife and kids oncall to remedy problems I've experienced. Flashlight was on for a day no idea til know how to shut it off. Alarm set itself for 2am hope it stays disabled. When I get free time I end up deleting 100s of pocket pictures even though I swear it should be locked. And I've made more than a few pocket dials usually calls the same person I was just talking to. I think in my younger yrs I was definitely more capable of figuring out problems involving activities im building or fixing on my own without some hack on the Internet telling me something when occasionally I'm stuck doing something. I could probably be a star on real life Dr. Rick stories if Geico ever went that way.

 

[3930dave]

Does the Nuvi had a SD card slot? If so, get a copy of Garmin's 100k topo maps (that's the whole USA) on the SD and load it into the Nuvi. That's what I did with the Nuvi I used and the topo maps worked fine. A good (and free) alternative to the expensive Garmin topo maps is gpsfiledepot.com - you can download the states you want, put them on an SD card and use them. Make sure you follow all the instructions as far as naming the maps - if they are not named precisely as Garmin requires the GPS won't recognize them.

Here's a pic of my Nuvi 5000 running topo maps:
View attachment 4273285

Driving on the ET Highway...... I need that on a Tshirt !

Much thanks for the 411 and protips on the Nuvi. I'll have a look @ the Canuck Topos on Garmin first - if they aren't too $$$, I may go that route.

I likely have a memory constraint on this olde Nuvi 1390..... wizard-bud commented he had to add the card he did, just to get Can/USA Streets onto it. Never done it on Garmin, but I'd like to assume that swapping cards to go on/off road should be doable/smooth/fast..... but, will have to try 2 know......

Rgds, D.