GPS on the Concours
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I've used a Lowrance GlobalMap-100 GPS Receiver on my GPZ for some time and wanted the same capability on the Concours. For the Concours, however, I took the time to experiment with various mounting options and ended up with a mount that I'm very happy with. It was harder work than the simple method I used on the GPZ, but is much sturdier, more visible, and better looking.
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If you haven't experienced using a GPS while touring, you're
missing a great accessory.
A GPS Receiver is a hand-sized
radio receiver; about the size of a cellular phone. It receives
telemetry signals from three or more satellites located at known
positions and, by comparing the timing differences of the arrival
of the signals, can figure out where you are on the surface of
the earth. (With 4 satellites, it can also figure out altitude.
There are 30-something satellites, so it can usually receive
4 with no problem.) Originally developed for military use, soon
picked up by most commercial navigation, and now available to
the public.
The good news... there are some
really cheap ones available. Mine cost about $199 Canadian, which
is about $3 US (roughly). Lots of suppliers - I have always liked
the packaging and features of the Lowrance
units, although Garmin and
Magellan seem to be more commonly mentioned by other riders.
What you get: a little map showing
your present location, a dotted line showing where you've been
trailing off behind you, and markers for any significant landmarks
you've pre-entered; all drawn to scale, with scale selectable
from 100 metres to 1000 miles for the screen. The map can be
rotated so your current direction is up, your objective is up,
or North is up. I tend to keep my current direction up -- less
confusing. You can also tell the unit where you're planning to
go, including intermediate stops,and it will show your planned
route. It's accurate to about 10-20 metres; plenty for retracing
your route and not missing that turn, finding that favorite rest
stop again, etc. Also on the display can be any combination of:
current compass heading; bearing to objective; ground speed;
altitude; distance to objective; estimated time to objective;
time; other stuff. The unit has a built-in map of the world (with
limited detail) and you can download more detail from an optional
CD.
I've developed a great routine
for pre-loading location information before I travel, in lieu
of having a unit with background mapping capability. GPSy
software (for the Mac, like all great software) makes good
software for interfacing the GPS to the Mac. You can get maps
on CD or from the Internet (their site lists many sources) and
set up waypoints by clicking directly into a topographic map,
then download to the GPS.
This is a wonderful accessory.
I go out for a weekend ride and know where I am in relation to
various points of interest, rest stops, important turns, etc.
When I end up at the end of a road that turned uninteresting,
I have a precise backtracking guide and know how far it is to
the bathroom. I can estimate with great accuracy when I should
start heading back to get home at an intended time.