Get There Faster

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frizbeedog

frizbeedog

Senior Member
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Oregon
We recently started using portable navigation systems in our trucks and vans.

If you're not using one, get one. They are a big time saver and headache reducer. If I'm heading out in the morning to do estimates or service work I program all my destinations in the morning and can go from job to job painlessly.

The return on investment you will make up quickly. I dirve right to the front door without missing it, and no more pulling off the road to get the map book out, or making calls for directions.

This has helped me and I thought I'd share that with all of you.

I think some inspectors could find them usefull too. Sometimes they call me up and are lost because they can't find the job. Fill out your requisition forms today. :grin: :grin: :grin:

Relax and drive.
 
I am on my second one now, they are great. :smile:

A major stress reliever, run into a closed road and just drive around it, the GPS gets you back on course with an updated ETA.

With my new one I can find the closest supply houses, food, many times we work at stores and the GPS already has the address and telephone numbers in it's memory.
 
iwire said:
IGPS gets you back on course with an updated ETA.

With my new one I can find the closest supply houses, food, many times we work at stores and the GPS already has the address and telephone numbers in it's memory.
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Yes, Program all your supply houses and get there from anywhere. I have also been out in the boonies and after all day on the job did'nt know my north from my south.

And the ETA is great when you're coordinating a meeting on site with a customer.
 
I do recommend keeping paper maps in the truck, I have had times where I could not get signal so I had to go back to the old fashioned way. :smile:
 
I just got one for Christmas and have had some fun with it, but I still haven't figured out all it will do.

I did have to change the voice, the first one always sounded really pissy if I didn't do what she said. Not unlike my wife.:grin:
 
Tiger Electrical said:
What models are you guys using?
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I was using one, but got rid of it. I couldn't hear the voice over the road/engine noise, even at full blast. I need one with RCA outputs that I can pipe into the stereo. Nobody made one like that when last I checked.
 
I keep saying I'm going to buy one, but I don't. Maybe because my job doesn't require much travel and I know the local area well enough not to get lost.
 
Tiger Electrical said:
What models are you guys using?
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I am now using this one.

cf-lg.jpg




StreetPilot? c340

As far as hearing it I usually keep it turned down, I watch the display more then I listen to it, for that reason it has to be in eyesight while not blocking.

In my van it sits on the dash against the left side pillar.

For example, if I am on a service call in a strange area (I work in MA, RI and CT) and need to find a supply house all I do is type in 'electric' and it will list all business in the area with that in the name.

Very quickly I have all the local supply houses in a list on the screen, touch the screen and the phone number comes up so I can call and make sure they are open and have what I want. If you get one with "Blue Tooth" it will even make the call for you.
 
I took a trip with one of those things

I took a trip with one of those things

It took us up every donkey path known to man in the bronx. Spit us out somewhere in New Jersey Paramus I think. Then it sent us north to go south back across the Tappan Zee bridge. Took us past the Bronx Zoo the guy who wrote this software could probably be found in the primate cage. I would hate to insult the Monkeys by saying that though. If I had driven the trip would have been at least 2 hrs shorter.
 
quogueelectric said:
It took us up every donkey path known to man in the bronx. Spit us out somewhere in New Jersey Paramus I think. Then it sent us north to go south back across the Tappan Zee bridge.
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Very rarely does mine not 'know' the shortest route.

It sounds to me like someone did not set up the user selectable options correctly.

You can tell them to take the shortest or quickest route.

Avoid toll roads or all highways etc.

If I have time to kill I have told it to avoid highways and I end up going routes I never have before.
 
iwire said:
It sounds to me like someone did not set up the user selectable options correctly..
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The one I did formerly use (Garmin on-q or I-q or something like that) I could tell to take heavy truck routes, avoid bridges with a weight limit, avoid low underpasses, and not require me to make a u-turn. That was pretty nice. That kept my big truck off little side streets.
 
mdshunk said:
I was using one, but got rid of it. I couldn't hear the voice over the road/engine noise, even at full blast. I need one with RCA outputs that I can pipe into the stereo. Nobody made one like that when last I checked.
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Sounds to me like you might be going to fast hope your radar detector works.

I wouldn't really know I live in Indianapolis and if you can't find your way around here you need to be walking, we have no mountains or oceans just some little streams and small little lakes almost all roads go east and west, north and south like a nice little grid.
 
Not to derail the thread, but I think it would be funny if they made one that yelled at you when you missed a turn, like hey you dumb a$$ you missed the turn, what part didn't you understand when I said turn HERE....:grin:
 
Bob Kraemer said:
Not to derail the thread, but I think it would be funny if they made one that yelled at you when you missed a turn, like hey you dumb a$$ you missed the turn, what part didn't you understand when I said turn HERE....:grin:
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Program it with the bosses voice and add' "you're costing me money!"

Oh thats me in the pasenger seat.
 
Bob Kraemer said:
Not to derail the thread, but I think it would be funny if they made one that yelled at you when you missed a turn, like hey you dumb a$$ you missed the turn, what part didn't you understand when I said turn HERE....:grin:
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If you get the Tom Tom you can download different 'voices' for it. My buddy had Mr T in his for a while.

"I pity the fool who does not turn left on Maple Street"

He said it got old kind of quick. :grin:
 
iwire said:
I am now using this one.

cf-lg.jpg




StreetPilot? c340

As far as hearing it I usually keep it turned down, I watch the display more then I listen to it, for that reason it has to be in eyesight while not blocking.

In my van it sits on the dash against the left side pillar.

For example, if I am on a service call in a strange area (I work in MA, RI and CT) and need to find a supply house all I do is type in 'electric' and it will list all business in the area with that in the name.

Very quickly I have all the local supply houses in a list on the screen, touch the screen and the phone number comes up so I can call and make sure they are open and have what I want. If you get one with "Blue Tooth" it will even make the call for you.
Click to expand...

I have the same one. Great for lunch places too:grin:

I bought it while doing volunteer work in New Orleans. At the time, most of the street signs were gone or buried. It really helped a lot.

Now it's "don't leave home without it!
 
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electricguy61 said:
Great for lunch places too:grin:
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Yes it is. :smile:

Type in BBQ, and enjoy. :cool:


I should point out that at least in my area these are stolen quite often, remove them when in doubt of the area you parked.

I keep a lockable storage box in the van just for electronics, meters, Camera, GPS etc.
 
My GPS

My GPS

Hi.. just to comment, I have a tom tom 910. great device.I as well won't leave home with out it. the main point for me is it allows me to keep eyes on the road & other drivers with out having to look for street signs.I have tried a few times to get mine lost &&&& It just reroutes & off I go.!! been fun & thanks all.
 
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