Notebook gps suggestions

First what I am trying to do. Set up for road trips with a notebook. I would like some information and programs on the computer which would help on the road to plan and update or be able to dig further info on the road. I have a fair amount of time to do this since the very earliest we will be taking a extended trip will be the first of next year. We may do a smaller in state trip this year but we have not set a date. I have started putting up some sites in my favorites (Including here. The maps list topic is great! ) when we have wifi available on the road. I will probably pick up a handheld gps later for use off the road. So suggestions there would also be appreciated. Any other general suggestions would also be great.

Second a run down of what I have. Dell inspiron mini, delorme gps and road map program. Thinking about getting the delorme topo maps. I installed google earth and have imported some kml files, for gold and gem areas. But that does not work well since the recommended screen resolution is not high enough on it. It still works but barely. I have not been able to import the kml file to the delorme program since I have not been able to find a utility to convert the kml file to a sap file since that seems to be the only type file the program recognizes.  I thought GPS utility would work but it does not have a kml to sap option. (I tried searching the delorme support site but no real help.) I am open to to other gps programs for it.

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I suggest that you first get a wireless modem that works wherever you are going to go. A bit of research at your local geek shop should guide you there.

Just plugging in a GPS may or may not work depending on the brand and the DLLs. If the DLLs for that unit do not support the object sharing in Windows, you are never, ever going to get it to work with DeLorme. Another suggestion here is to contact DeLorme and ask which one they recommend. I've used their mapping system since their first revision and have always found them responsive to customers.

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At the moment, I live in Australia which doesn't have a DeLorme equivalent set of maps. My last version of DeLorme is 15 years old so I cannot answer your question. Like I suggested earlier, contact them directly for advice. It may take a while but you will most certainly get the best answer possible.

This is not directly related but from my experience, asking a hard question can sometimes pay off. For example, I use a compiler to do some work and I asked about a feature that the manufacturer thought was a terrific idea but not incorporated in the compiler. A few months later, I got an e-mail telling me that it had been incorporated and they felt it was going to be very appealing to end users. They gave me a free upgrade with the feature included in it that would normally have cost me around $100.00. A real surprise bonus. I later found that it was better than that. It was free upgrades forever!!! Sweet!

Ask DeLorme.

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It's a start.  That worked on one but ended up with an error on another.

gpsbabel -w -i kml -f C:/Users/xxx/Downloads/collecting_locations.kml -f C:/Users/xxx/Downloads/meteorites.kml -o saplus -F rock_locations.sap
XML Reader:Parse error at 385: not well-formed (invalid token)

Error running gpsbabel: Process exited unsucessfully with code 1


Posted on: May 28, 2011, 04:18:47 PM

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Boy, embarrassed here. It needs a saf format not sap. Just tried importing and its a no go. I have the regular street atlas not the plus version which I guess handles the sap files. When I saw the option for Street Atlas plus I thought I had it.

Posted on: May 28, 2011, 04:29:36 PM

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Just tried phone support but forgot what day it was. Sending an email for some help.

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If I read you right, you need to convert .kml files to .saf format which is readable by Delorme Street Atlas USA.
Convert online (if the downloaded version of GPSBabel didn't work too well for you) at

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.

I see "Delorme Street Atlas USA" in the output format's drop-down menu. Hope it works out.

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