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[Laurits]

I have an older Windows laptop with external GPS antenna loaded with the last DeLorme GPS software and DeLorme's Topo maps. However, I now want to update my system with new capabilities and 4x4 off-road trails and camping information. Does anyone have any information on using systems like Gaia GPS on a Windows laptop with DeLorme software? I want to keep my laptop as it has a 13" screen that gives me the screen area I need. Tablets and cell phone screens are too small for me to read.

 

[Sgt12XU]

I would recommend an iPad Pro running the Gaia GPS map over a laptop if you need a large screen. Way more user friendly and better supported. You can use an iPad on the fly with ease. Not so much with a Windows laptop. I use an iPad Mini on the trail and love it. Stopping to use a laptop would be very frustrating and inefficient for me.

 

[Laurits]

Thanks much for your reply. My 13" laptop is mounted semi-permanently in my Bronco on a Jotto mount. It provides me with DVD/CD disks, SD, Thumb drives and a GPS antenna, and, allows me to hook up an external screen for watching movies with a projector which I don't have yet. I do not need cell tower access as I have a Kindle Fire that allows me to check email and make telephone calls. It all works works quite well for. I just need updated maps to import into my system but I need to learn how to do that. I was hoping Gaia would be a good source for that, but I know compatible files are available, I just need to find them.

 

[1Louder]

Thanks much for your reply. My 13" laptop is mounted semi-permanently in my Bronco on a Jotto mount. It provides me with DVD/CD disks, SD, Thumb drives and a GPS antenna, and, allows me to hook up an external screen for watching movies with a projector which I don't have yet. I do not need cell tower access as I have a Kindle Fire that allows me to check email and make telephone calls. It all works works quite well for. I just need updated maps to import into my system but I need to learn how to do that. I was hoping Gaia would be a good source for that, but I know compatible files are available, I just need to find them.

Gaia is not the right application for you. It is not meant to be run that way. Browser with Internet for reference and planning purposes but not as a stand-alone program. The days of Windows based programs for navigation are dwindling. Not sure what might be current.

 

[Laurits]

Yeah, they're doing everything they can to make us buy special dedicated systems aimed at capturing you as a customer for ever at an ever increasing price. I guess I'll just rely on .gpx files for the time being.

 

[1Louder]

Yeah, they're doing everything they can to make us buy special dedicated systems aimed at capturing you as a customer for ever at an ever increasing price. I guess I'll just rely on .gpx files for the time being.

Well at least we don’t have to buy a new paperweight hardware device dedicated to only GPS any longer. I love running navigation apps on a tablet. Portable, lightweight, and many app options. Gaia of course being my favorite.

Everyone has different requirements. Since MVUM maps are updated annually and it is nice to have an app with updated map layers. Gaia also now has fire layers which is great along with public and private land data.

I’ve been running GPS apps for nearly 20 years. I personally am glad a laptop is no longer required.

 

[Laurits]

What are MVUM maps and can they be turned into .gpx files

 

[1Louder]

What are MVUM maps and can they be turned into .gpx files

Motor vehicle Use Maps. They state what trails are actually legal to use in national forests which have published the maps. Search the National forests near you to see if they have them.

Coconino national forest in AZ is an example. The good news is if a free paper version is available the NF also offers a PDF version. However, not all are geo-referenced to be able to use with a mapping application.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/coconino/maps-pubs

Here’s what appears to be a current Windows application. No experience using it.

http://topofusion.com

 

[Laurits]

WOW. Thanks for that link. Looks like that might be exactly what I need. I'll check it out and report back.

 

[jimmynotjim]

Yeah, they're doing everything they can to make us buy special dedicated systems aimed at capturing you as a customer for ever at an ever increasing price. I guess I'll just rely on .gpx files for the time being.

The real culprit is the lack of supporting users. Again and again Windows and Android users show they'd rather pirate software than pay for it. I refused to use Apple for a long time because I wanted the freedom to do as I wanted but when I got into the tech world I saw exactly why developers preferred it.

This stuff takes a lot of work and Gaia has a small team. If we want them to stick around we should also want them to place their resources where they'll make the best impact. Right now that's touch devices and subscriptions.

If that's not for you then that's perfectly ok, but you also have to be ok with using what is available. Unfortunately that's dwindling more and more as the number of supporting users continues to drop from already low numbers.

Luckily, Apple does continue to support older devices, so you don't have to buy the latest and greatest, especially with the large number of certified sellers that end up with older stock as new devices are introduced. Until a few months ago I was still running a first gen iPad mini with Gaia and it worked fine, albeit a bit slowly.

 

[Laurits]

I dislike the idea of planned obsolescence, however, I am not against buying new equipment or software as long as the platform meets my needs. I would gladly buy a subscription to Gaia if it would run on my platform, however, Gaia's focus is on devices that don't meet my needs. For instance on my laptop I can: watch my DVD collection and play the movie on a external screen, load software from CDs, add capacity with SDs and USB sticks, store and play my vast music library through my car's stereo system, AND, it has a 13" screen on a compact Titanium case which I can actually read (poor eyesight because I'm getting old - 72). I prefer keyboards as opposed to tiny touch screens where I can't seem to hit the right keys. The touch pad and a small mouse work much better for me. Especially if the truck is moving. I can only do a small part of that on a smartphone or tablet. Besides, I don't carry a cellphone any more because I don't want to that connected. I can make and receive telephone calls and e-mail on my Kindle Fire as long as I am connected to a cell tower or free wifi somewhere. Unfortunately it's virtually impossible these days to buy a new laptop that meets my I/O needs, so I'm doing what I can to find work-arounds.