Hello fellow polarbears!

Does anyone know of an aftermarket in-car navigation system such as Garmin or Magellan that works up here in the Frozen North? I sure would like to get one...reading the Milepost while driving down the Parks Highway is getting harder and harder in my old age! LOL! I would like to get one that tells you how far to your next point of interest or predetermined point (so I know how far till the next potty break!)

 

I believe they all work up here. I get 12 Sats on my GPS. Not sure if the Milepost has their points of interest in a Waypoint file yet. That would be nice, just upload and go. If not then you would have to do some homework to get those onto your GPS. Eaiser to spend the $100 for mapsource with the road information. You might have to get a Canadan version also so something to keep in mind.

Potty break???? I just pull over to the side of the road and pick a rock to aim at.

 

Thanks for the reply mlb4966 but I don't think you fully understand...

I'm not talking about one of the GPS devices hikers and hunters take on foot. I'm talking about the in-vehicle ones that keep you from getting lost while driving and will tell you how far it is to your next reference point.

I want to be able to drive down to Anchorage (for example) and at desired rest areas, gas stations, etc., place a "marker" on the device. Then on the return trip (and subsequent trips) it will tell me how far it is to the next marker as I drive down the road.

As for "potty breaks" I, too, write my name in the snow...but Momma has a bit harder time at that than I!

 

Nope I understand what you want to do. The newer handheld units can do all of the above and more. I have an older Garmin III+ and I have the trip from Valdez to Anchorage plotted on it. It has a road map built in and I have all of the waypoints that I selected via the computer and topo maps on that route. It has an ongoing list and tells me how far and ETA to each an every waypoint. All I have to do when I leave Anchorage is just click backtrack on the route and it does it in reverse. Mine is about 6 years old but still reliable. Guy at work got the Garmin 60C (color). Nice unit and will do everything that mine does with a few other accessories. What you need is an GPS that is computer friendly. Brand name is up to you but most the things, ie downloading maps, creating routes, ect are alot eaiser if you just do it on the computer then hit the upload button. I just like the handheld units because the serve two purposes, field and car. If you are looking for strickly a permenant mount car unit then I suggest Garmin. Go to their web site to get the specifics. They have some really nice units out there. Not sure if the Tom-Tom works up here. What I mean by that is the software for the road system and all of the points of interest. Seems Alaska is always behind a few years on these issues but something to look at. I have considered getting a Garmin GPS Fish Plotter with uploadable maps. Nice big color screen. I need to do more research into that.