Built a GPS chart plotter for under $200 - & help please

[paturoa]

I've built / put together a full GPS chart plotter on my PDA / phone.

I'm using GPS Tuner software which installed easily and worked first time.
http://www.gpstuner.com/

I bought a GPS plug in thingie from here (GPS mouse)
http://www.efrontier.co.nz/estore/index.php?currency=NZD

Plug them together and hey presto. The GPS comes with a 12v cigy lighter attachement and I also made up using spare parts, a battery pack that takes 4 rechargable aa cells.

Part of the process is that you can download maps from anywhere, scan them etc and load onto the PDA/GPS to make up the charts for the chart plotter function.

Well I've successfully got all of the marine charts that can now be downloaded for free from here
http://www.hydro.linz.govt.nz/charts/catalogue/index.asp

Help please - does anyone have any maps, road maps, nz260 etc as soft files that I can use?

[Zukin]

Hi there

Have you seen this website, I use his maps for my Garmin, not sure if you can use them for yours?
Worth a look though

http://www.pcpages.com/graemewi/

[NordieBoy]

I did it the easier way and got an eTrex Legend.

[paturoa]

I did it the easier way and got an eTrex Legend.

Yeah you may be right.

My solution has worked out real good (and cheap!) for marine charts, but remains a pain until I can find some more map files to use.

Thanks for the links guys - I'm currently playing with some of the apps to attempt to export the free garmin format map files to a format I can use.

[NordieBoy]

I use BrentC's maps and have been since he started playing with them.
My Legend was less than $200 but it don't stop me wanting to have a play with a bluetooth gps reciever and my Treo 650.
Only down sides are crappy battery life from the GPS reciever and the non-waterproofness of the Treo.

I've got 2 Legends and they have gone through hell with me :D
Still waterproof and held together with insulation tape.