Navigating the Streets of Malaysia Using Your PalmOS PDA

Previously GPS Navigation using PDA in Malaysia is only possible using a PPC via Pocket Map Viewer and Garmin iQue. Now Garmin has released a PalmOS version of its iQue software, we can finally use our PalmOS PDA for GPS Navigation. Other navigating applications for PalmOS such as Mapopolis, HandMap & Tom Tom do not have the updated maps for Malaysia.

So now you can view and navigate on your PalmOS PDA, using the best possible collection of maps of Malaysia, available from http://www.malsingmaps.com. These maps are regularly updated, at least twice a week. That is more often than Malaysians have sex! (2x a month for guys, 4x a month for girls!!!!! – Durex Global Sex Survey 2005)

Using Garmin Que

You can install Que in PalmOS PDAs such as;

• Sony Clie UX50
• PalmOne Tungsten T3
• Sony Clie TH55
• PalmOne Treo 650
• Sony Clie TJ37
• PalmOne TX

The map setup/upload is similar to PocketPC.

Installing iQue

• First download the iQue software for Palm from this link, http://www.garmin.com/support/collection.jsp?product=010-00378-00 .
• Before installing, backup your PDA first. Please make sure that you have more than 2MB of free memory on your PDA.
• Execute the software and install it on your PDA by hot syncing it.
• To save space on your PDA internal memory, you may want to copy all the *.vpm files into the SD card in Palm/Launcher using a card reader or Card Export.

Installing the Basemap

• Download http://www.garmin.com/software/iQue3600World-WideBasemap_301.exe
• Use Winzip to extract GMAPBMAP.IMG from the above file. Copy GMAPBMAP.IMG directly to a folder in the storage card of your PDA, created from root directory and named as Garmin (SD:\Garmin\GMAPBMAP.IMG)
• Use a card reader to transfer this file.

Installing the local maps

• Download & Unzip the garmin maps (*.img) from MalSingMaps to a working folder in your pc.
• To transfer the maps into your PDA, there are 2 methods possible;
  1. Using PatchIMG
  2. Using MapSource

Install local maps using PatchIMG

• PatchIMG is the GUI interface for the Sendmap20 program, an application for uploading of custom maps compiled by cgpsmapper.
• Install PatchIMG in your pc (available from malsingmaps.com).
• Using PatchIMG, open up all img (map) files that you want to include into your PDA (except for malsing_mdr.img).
• To overcome a Sendmap20 bug which disallow you from address searching for the second placed map, put a blank map in the 2nd position. (http://www.malsingmaps.com/mappers/wsian/blankR.IMG)

• Click the option “create gmapsupp.img“ and click sendmap button to generate the gmapsupp.img.
• The generated gmapsupp.img will be placed in the folder where you last open the img map file in PatchIMG.
• Copy gmapsupp.img directly to a folder in the storage card of your PDA, created from root directory and named as Garmin. (SD:\Garmin\GMAPSUPP.IMG)
• Use a card reader to transfer this file. Reminder: You have to follow this folder name strictly. Any other name/folder location will cause iQue to show no local maps!

Install local maps using MapSource

• If you bought a Garmin GPSr, a CD-ROM may have been included. Install MapSource using the CD-ROM.
• You can download the latest version of MapSource from http://www.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209
• After installing the latest maps from MalSingMaps, using the MalSing installer, start up the MapSource application.
• Using the “Select Map” tool , select all the maps that you want to upload and press the “Send To Device” button

• Under “Device”, select iQue (your HotSync id), SD card & Maps.

• Hot sync your PDA and all these maps would be transferred into your SD card as GPSMAPSUPP.IMG.

Configuring the iQue

• Run the MapQue software, goto Que -> Preferences -> Map -> Detailed Maps
• Now you can view all the available img, and you can un-tick to hide a specific area map temporarily.
• Now you’ll be able to view the maps on your PDA.
• To navigate, you need Garmin BT GPS.
• Pair the BT GPS with your PDA, configure & select the appropriate port so that the application can communicate with the GPS.

PalmOS compatible BT GPSr

To navigate, then you need a BlueTooth (BT) capable PalmOS PDA, such as Treo 650 and Tungsten T3. Why? Because the PalmOS Que version will only work with Garmin Bluetooth GPS such as;

• Garmin GPS 10
  • (RM950 from RReef, Low Yat Plaza,
  • USD150 = RM551+ shipping (FedEx) USD28=RM103 total RM654 from here,
  • about RM680 from Singapore)

• Garmin Mobile 20 (available July 2006) – http://www.garmin.com/products/garminmobile20/

You can also enjoy the autorouting feature of malsing maps. The limitation is that you can only use Garmin GPS 10 bluetooth GPS receiver. There is no PalmOS version of GPSProxy available and therefore you can’t pair it with other non-Garmin SIRFIII GPSr.

Tracking With Your PalmOS PDA

For tracking on PalmOS, please use Cetus GPS (http://www.cetusgps.dk/).

• Upon installing the program, run it on your PDA.
• Configure the preferences so that it can communicate with your GPSr (i.e Garmin GPS10)
  
  
• If configured properly, you will be able to see the 3D fix on your PDA.
  
  
• To track, click on the menu ‘Page’ and select ‘Track’. You will see the screen below. Click on the ‘Start’ button. You will see the next screen.
  
  
• Select the appropriate time interval. Every 1 second is the best but this may not be feasible if you have limited free memory on your PDA. At every one second as your setting, 1 minute of tracking will produce a 1.4kb of pdb file. Click on OK and your PDA will start to track at the interval specified. You can start moving now to record your tracking.
  
  
• Once done, click on ‘Stop’. This will create a .pdb file of the track in the RAM. Copy this file to SD card using a File Manager such as FileZ. Using a card reader, transfer it to PC.
  
  
• Use GPS Babel (http://www.gpsbabel.org/) to translate Cetus .pdb file to MapSource .gdb file.
  
• Then load the tracks to MapSource, to view it.
  
• Once you are happy with the tracks, upload them to MalSingMaps so that the sifus can incorporate them into the maps.

Conclusion

You already spent around RM2K for your fabulous PalmOS PDA. Another RM654 and you can use your PDA as a GPS navigation device. There is no monthly fees to pay and the local maps are updated twice a week. So what’s stopping you?