Cost for GPS?

Okay, this might be a stupid question but I can't find the answer. I gave a friend at work a ride yesterday and he asked about the GPS system. "How much do you pay a month?"

I had to pause. I told him I didn't pay anything, it was part of the truck purchase. Then he explained he pays for his service with a Garmin GPS. Not being a big user of GPS before I got the Ridgeline now I'm wondering.

I don't recall anything being said about a monthly cost, and I've looked at my paperwork from the sale and don't see anything. I know the XM radio has a cost (I've already signed up for that) but what about the GPS?

Your friend may be paying for the traffic service that can be used with certain Garmin GPS units. The way the traffic feature works is a traffic update is sent out and the capable unit receives it and auto routes around traffic blockages / slow downs / accidents. The GPS signal itself is free to receive.

Your friend may be paying for the traffic service that can be used with certain Garmin GPS units. The way the traffic feature works is a traffic update is sent out and the capable unit receives it and auto routes around traffic blockages / slow downs / accidents. The GPS signal itself is free to receive.

Yep Mike T is correct. Standard GPS is free.:)

The GPS signal itself is free to receive.

Unless he has a Volga with GLONASS capability! ;)

Unless he has a Volga with GLONASS capability! ;)

I thought you only contacted that through unprotected sex :confused: :D

I thought you only contacted that through unprotected sex :confused: :D
HE HE I had a chuckle out of that. I was thinking the same thing.:) I think geotech would know these things though. I've done a bit of weekend geocaching myself.
OK geotech you gotta explain yoursef on this one.:eek:

HE HE I had a chuckle out of that. I was thinking the same thing.:) I think geotech would know these things though. I've done a bit of weekend geocaching myself.
OK geotech you gotta explain yoursef on this one.:eek:
No problem, my wife makes me do that all the time. :eek:

GLONASS (english: GLObal NAvigation Satelite System) is what the Russians call their GPS satelites. The USA satelites are controled by the military and are free (when available). The Russian system is a fee based system. Handheld & Auto GPS's would not benefit from the Russian birds as they would only improve the accuracy of sub centimeter GPS systems, such as the Realtime (RTK) and Static systems of surveyors. The are especially useful for a RTK system. An RTK system must freely track (and be locked onto) 5-12 satelites in order to work and also communicate with a base station doing the same (lots of geometric triangles). The more birds the faster and more accurate the location solution. The GLONASS satelites add as many as 4 birds at any one time to supplement the USA constellation. This proves to be very effective in areas with tree cover, valleys, mountains, scrambled USA satelites, etc. I have a GLONASS capable sub centimeter system that required a one time fee of $3,000 to enable. I do not own a Volga, however. ;) GAZ-21: A thing of beauty in Institutional Green.

Thanks for your well-written explanation. Wow that's expensive stuff for a weekend warrior. I think I'll stick with my Honda mobile nav and my Magellan handheld for hunting and fishing.:) As far as a Volga is concerned you got me on that one.:D

A thing of beauty in Institutional Green.

I KNOW that color of green IS something you contract from unprotected sex :eek: :D

I've read about it... Never needed the shot... Never mind :p

Thanks for your well-written explanation. Wow that's expensive stuff for a weekend warrior. I think I'll stick with my Honda mobile nav and my Magellan handheld for hunting and fishing.:) As far as a Volga is concerned you got me on that one.:D
I use my Garmin Quest for geocaching, trailing, exploring, navigation, etc. The RTK system is a business tool that the Ridge takes good care off. :)
BTW, in the early 60's, we had in my little Heartland town, a Peugeot & a Volga. They caused quite a stir, especially the Peugeot.
MikeT,
Maybe that Green should not be Institutional Green, but rather "Health Clinic Green." :p

I use my Garmin Quest for geocaching, trailing, exploring, navigation, etc. The RTK system is a business tool that the Ridge takes good care off. :)
BTW, in the early 60's, we had in my little Heartland town, a Peugeot & a Volga. They caused quite a stir, especially the Peugeot.
MikeT,
Maybe that Green should not be Institutional Green, but rather "Health Clinic Green." :p
They say green hides the color of blood:eek:

...and I also thought a Volga was a lady part... :o

...and I also thought a Volga was a lady part... :o
No comment;)

Thanks for the quick reply, good info ... and humor ... sick as it was. And I thought Volvo was a name for innuendo. :p

Anyway, that all makes sense. Since having the conversation with my friend I've been looking more into the GPS systems. Dang ... now I think I'm hooked.

I'm thinking of doing a coast to coast motorcycle ride in late May and I'm wondering if a little GPS system on my Treo 650 PDA/Phone would be a good idea. I found some with maps on Ebay for $99. They include the antenna, software, and a BlueTooth hookup for the Treo.

Anyone by chance use those?

Hey Geotech ... before moving to Utah I lived in Concordia, KS. Have lots of friends I worked with that went to school at Emporia State. Nice part of the state.

Thanks for the quick reply, good info ... and humor ... sick as it was. And I thought Volvo was a name for innuendo. :p

Anyway, that all makes sense. Since having the conversation with my friend I've been looking more into the GPS systems. Dang ... now I think I'm hooked.

I'm thinking of doing a coast to coast motorcycle ride in late May and I'm wondering if a little GPS system on my Treo 650 PDA/Phone would be a good idea. I found some with maps on Ebay for $99. They include the antenna, software, and a BlueTooth hookup for the Treo.

Anyone by chance use those?

Hey Geotech ... before moving to Utah I lived in Concordia, KS. Have lots of friends I worked with that went to school at Emporia State. Nice part of the state.
There used to be a state trooper out of Concordia that knew me by my first name. Word of advice (you cant outrun a radio):eek:

Thanks for the quick reply, good info ... and humor ... sick as it was. And I thought Volvo was a name for innuendo. :p

Anyway, that all makes sense. Since having the conversation with my friend I've been looking more into the GPS systems. Dang ... now I think I'm hooked.

I'm thinking of doing a coast to coast motorcycle ride in late May and I'm wondering if a little GPS system on my Treo 650 PDA/Phone would be a good idea. I found some with maps on Ebay for $99. They include the antenna, software, and a BlueTooth hookup for the Treo.

Anyone by chance use those?

Hey Geotech ... before moving to Utah I lived in Concordia, KS. Have lots of friends I worked with that went to school at Emporia State. Nice part of the state.

Nice Deacon Law quote. The '60 WS still gives me tinkles!

My wife tried an add-on GPS to her Palm a few years ago. We found that the dedicated devices that are portable, like my Quest, suit us better. Battery drain, map upgrades, bulk (external antenna, power cord, etc.) were issues to us.

I'm an Emporian. We are celebrating the 150th Birthday of Emporia on 2-20-07 at White Auditorium! I have a fellow professional friend in Concordia. Truly a small world.

I have been using a TREO 650, TomTom Navigator 5 software, and GlobalSat BT-338 GPS sensor for about a year now. Works well for road travel. The software is not useful for hiking or geocaching. There is no visible antenna and the connection to the TREO is via Bluetooth.

Thanks for all the replies and information on the GPS system. To be honest, I'd not put much thought into these things until last summer. I bought an '06 (new) Honda Gold Wing in Ohio and rode it back to Utah. It had the GPS system on it and I just didn't play with it that much. Later sold it to buy a different bike (long story).

Then I bought the Ridgeline and got the GPS system. I bought the truck because of color and other options, the GPS kind of came "free" from my perspective. I never figured I'd use it that much. I'd done the Nav stuff in Boy Scouts, the Air Force and later for fun, so I never figured I'd use a GPS.

Now I love it. In fact, I just bought two new systems for a motorcycle trip I'm planning this summer. One is a bluetooth system for my Treo and the other is a USB system for my laptop. I bought an atlas as well and hope to have as much from the back of the bike as I have from the Ridgeline.