Trail Tech Voyager - Interesting GPS Speedo!

[Neil E.]

The unit does not have a base map. It's up to the user to add whatever GPS data they want in the unit. You can record your tracks to create your own data.

[Jon_PDX]

Maybe I did not ask the question correctly.

What I'm wondering is if the user has not loaded any .gpx data into the unit does it come out of the box with roads and other stuff? I can't imagine it would be a blank screen with nothing on it when you switch to the GPS screen.

Jon...

[Cpt. Ron]

Originally Posted by Jon_PDX

Maybe I missed it but after reading through this thread I did not see the questions answered......

• What is the base map in the unit?
• Are updates available for the base map?

Thanks,

Jon...

None.

All the updates you want for life are free. They'll even come to your house (or meet you in the field) to install the updated base maps....


From my understanding, the only graphical interface the user gets are the tracks that are loaded into the unit. Which is fine if you're confident in the data and only want to follow those tracks you preload into the unit.

[Zecatfish]

Originally Posted by Jon_PDX

Maybe I missed it but after reading through this thread I did not see the questions answered......

• What is the base map in the unit?
• Are updates available for the base map?

Thanks,

Jon...

I believe that the base maps is a road map for the US, but no kind of water, or topo data is in the device.
It will be good as a data backup device to pair up with your current GPS.
I'm thinking that I'll buy one later to replace the malfunctioning speedometer on the LC4.

[Jon_PDX]

Originally Posted by Zecatfish

I believe that the base maps is a road map for the US, but no kind of water, or topo data is in the device.
It will be good as a data backup device to pair up with your current GPS.
I'm thinking that I'll buy one later to replace the malfunctioning speedometer on the LC4.

That's what I was wondering.....thanks.

Jon...

[ramz]

I believe that the base maps is a road map for the US, but no kind of water, or topo data is in the device.

There is NO base map in the Voyager. When you turn it on the first time, the map screen is indeed empty. You cannot load Garmin-style maps into the Voyager. The only thing you can load are files that contain LINES. These lines may represent streets, roads, trails, tracks. You make the file containing lines using other resources, like openstreetmaps - converting streets to lines and then load them into the Voyager. In use, tracks you make while riding are shown as black lines.

You can download the Voyager User manual from the TrailTech web site.

You will be suprised at how limited the unit really is.

OTOH, YOU control what is on the display and for some, that is all that they require. Being able to make maps (as gray lines) is all that some riders want - they see all the other info as clutter.

[Zecatfish]

Originally Posted by ramz

There is NO base map in the Voyager. When you turn it on the first time, the map screen is indeed empty. You cannot load Garmin-style maps into the Voyager. The only thing you can load are files that contain LINES. These lines may represent streets, roads, trails, tracks. You make the file containing lines using other resources, like openstreetmaps - converting streets to lines and then load them into the Voyager. In use, tracks you make while riding are shown as black lines.

You can download the Voyager User manual from the TrailTech web site.

You will be suprised at how limited the unit really is.

OTOH, YOU control what is on the display and for some, that is all that they require. Being able to make maps (as gray lines) is all that some riders want - they see all the other info as clutter.

I guess I was wrong there, thanks for clearing it up.
Hmm, wonder if you can get enough datum in it from OSM data files to make at least your area you wanted to ride show the roads there.

[ramz]

Hmm, wonder if you can get enough datum in it from OSM data files to make at least your area you wanted to ride show the roads there.

Yes you can. It just takes time. Check out the TrailTech Voyager youtube video collection; one of them shows how they made a block of city streets...

The videos are mentioned on the TrailTech web site, Voyager pages.

[Jon_PDX]

Originally Posted by ramz

There is NO base map in the Voyager. When you turn it on the first time, the map screen is indeed empty. You cannot load Garmin-style maps into the Voyager. The only thing you can load are files that contain LINES. These lines may represent streets, roads, trails, tracks. You make the file containing lines using other resources, like openstreetmaps - converting streets to lines and then load them into the Voyager. In use, tracks you make while riding are shown as black lines.

You can download the Voyager User manual from the TrailTech web site.

You will be suprised at how limited the unit really is.

OTOH, YOU control what is on the display and for some, that is all that they require. Being able to make maps (as gray lines) is all that some riders want - they see all the other info as clutter.

Well bummer........

That, along with no tach, kills the Voyager unit for me. I had a Vapor in the past and when I came across the Voyager I was really excited because I was hoping it would be a Vapor with at least a basic GPS built in. But without even basic street maps (including updates) my iPhone makes a better GPS.

To bad really because it would have been nice to have it all in one package instead of having to mount multiple devices in the limited space on my bike.

EDIT: Correction.....there is a tach display (see pages #7 and #24 in the manual).

With that said, the Voyager does have some features that my 60C and Zumo do not have and is a good first attempt at a new product. So I have to give TrailTech credit for what they put together.

Hopefully over time it will evolve into something that I can't live without.

Jon...

[Jon_PDX]

Originally Posted by ramz

Yes you can. It just takes time. Check out the TrailTech Voyager youtube video collection; one of them shows how they made a block of city streets...

The videos are mentioned on the TrailTech web site, Voyager pages.

Interesting because I did not come across that video.

Even though I have decided to pass on the Voyager at this time, it would probably be helpful if you could post a link to that video for others to watch.

Thanks,

Jon...

[ramz]

On this page:
http://trailtech.net/voyager.html
Scroll down to Videos section and click:
Routes and Tracks
YouTube Demo

See this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdFeVCe6UGg

Trail Tech Voyager Moto-GPS. This demonstration tutorial shows how to follow along a route while recording a track. Specifically: copy a GPX file onto a MicroSD card, import it into Voyager, start logging a track, follow along the gray route lines while logging a black track line, then stop logging and export the track to the MicroSD card as a GPX file.


You have to pay attention to the notes shown as text in the video. They note in the video that the streets have been recorded in OSM and imported via a GPX file.

[Jon_PDX]

Oh ok, I had watched that video but until just watching again I did not realize all the gray lines (that look like a street map) were a route that had been imported.

That sure looks like a lot of work to first create a route that covers all the streets/roads in the area you want to ride and then import it so you have a street map.

Did I get that correct or totally miss the point?

Jon...

[Johnf3]

Originally Posted by Jon_PDX

Well bummer........

That, along with no tach, kills the Voyager unit for me.

Hopefully over time it will evolve into something that I can't live without.

Jon...

Voyager absolutely has a tach function. I own one, btw. Also, for me, there is no way an iphone is a better GPS. The Voyager is designed to easily import and export .gpx files so you can record or download rides. An iphone gps can't handle tracks and track logging as cleanly as the Voyager. It may have only basic GPS functions, but for what it is designed for the Voyager works really well.

If I need maps and pleasantly spoken directions, I can borrow my wife's nuvi...

[Jon_PDX]

John,

I stand corrected.....

Since the tach function was not listed on the TrailTech Voyager page and I did not come across any screen shots showing a tach even in the user manual I assumed (Oops.....) it did not have that feature. Doing a search in the user manual .pdf document did list a tach on pages #7 and #24.

My point about the iPhone 3Gs GPS functions, with the free app I have, was more about the maps I get. In fact it actually helped me locate myself in the woods quicker than my Garmin 60C did awhile back. Yes I was surprised by that also.

And I do agree with you comment "....what it is designed for the Voyager works really well."

It has a lot of good features (see pg. 24 in the manual) that are nice to have all in one package taking up a small space on the bike. I was just disapointed that the GPS does not have more of the basic features most GPS users are used to getting even on the low $$$ units.

I'll edit my original post to state it does have a tach.

Jon...

[Johnf3]

Originally Posted by Jon_PDX

John,

I stand corrected.....

Since the tach function was not listed on the TrailTech Voyager page and I did not come across any screen shots showing a tach even in the user manual I assumed (Oops.....) it did not have that feature. Doing a search in the user manual .pdf document did list a tach on pages #7 and #24.

My point about the iPhone 3Gs GPS functions, with the free app I have, was more about the maps I get. In fact it actually helped me locate myself in the woods quicker than my Garmin 60C did awhile back. Yes I was surprised by that also.

And I do agree with you comment "....what it is designed for the Voyager works really well."

It has a lot of good features (see pg. 24 in the manual) that are nice to have all in one package taking up a small space on the bike. I was just disapointed that the GPS does not have more of the basic features most GPS users are used to getting even on the low $$$ units.

I'll edit my original post to state it does have a tach.

Jon...

Right, but the low dollar off the shelf units don't have many things the Voyager has either. A real speedometer/odo tied to wheel speed (which is resettable up and down), engine coolant temperature (and temp logging), a tach, a permanent hour meter, etc. It has a compass, records and stores waypoints--basically has everything you need to at least make sure you can get back to where you started from. It also has huge track point capacity (70,000 points) and nearly unlimited storage with the included SD card.

I understand maps are nice, but I carry paper maps if I am in an area I am not familiar with too. Trying to use the maps on a tiny GPS screen, where you have to zoom in to two tenths to even see all the forest roads is a excercise in futility sometimes too.

The Voyager is not the answer for everyone, and as already noted, not going to be a "primary" unit for a lot of folks. However, to replace a dirt bike computer (for not much more $$) I think it is by far the best thing out there right now.