RE: [A/S] GPS Use

["Perry Joe Scudder" <perryjoe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi T&C
I use Street Atlas 2005, and wouldn't leave home without it. I have found
the new "High Contrast" screen / map option (black background with colored
information)to work very well while driving down the road. I have used
Street Atlas sense 2000, and always found it to work well, and really helps
getting around in strange places.
The real reason for my post is to see if you use the DeLorme "Earthmate" or
some other brand of GPS. I have the new USB Earthmate, and can not get it to
work with my Microsoft Street and Trips software on my laptop. I had the
older  serial port version of the Earthmate on my last laptop, and it worked
just fine. My new Toshiba laptop does not have a serial port connection at
all, and the Street and Trips software only looks for data on a com port. I
cannot get the port setup to work with this mismatch. The GPS unit is
designed to put out data that the Street and Trips software needs, if I
could just get them to talk to each other. 
I have noticed that the Microsoft Street and Trips package now has a version
on the shelf at Best Buy with a USB GPS unit in the package. I checked the
package, and it is the same software I have on my laptop now. Therefore, the
reason for my asking what you are using for a GPS, and seeing if anyone is
using an Earthmate with Street and Trips. I would like to use Street and
Trips for a backup to the Street Atlas mapping software. Sense Street and
Trips has all the campgrounds that are listed in the big Woodall's directory
located on the maps it comes in handy to locate campgrounds along the road.
I also use the Trailer Life "Campground Finder" CD, which is getting pretty
good trip planning software in the 2004 version. The 2005 version has two
CD's, but my copy has not arrived in my mailbox yet. I would guess it could
finally be of a quality it could stand alone, but their maps have been VERY
POOR compared with the other two software packages I use. I think it uses
Rand McNally mapping software, and the Trailer Life Directory for
campgrounds.

Joe Scudder