SDAR Geek Night - Feb 17th, 2009

[Strega 0]

Event:

"SDAR Geek Night" is an event designed to help people gain a better understanding of the technical devices that many of us use on our Dual Sport rides. Much like Chief Gunner's maintenance day that is a focus on your bike and others, this event is for the 'geek' side in most of us. The event is the brain child of Fake Name who thought it would be a great way to get people together and a good learning experience for all of us. This would be a fun event to attend prior to the Desert Dash to get your skills up to speed!

Date/Time:

Tuesday, Feb 17th, 7:00pm PST. (...or whenever you can make it)

Location:

Strega's Place in Sorrento Valley / Mira Mesa area. (PM me for the exact address as the link is approximate)

Who should come?

Anyone interested in enhancing their skills in any category listed below, or anyone that is unfamiliar with these devices and is interested in getting one or all of them

Topics:

1. GPS - Crawdaddy/Strega/SanDiegoland
   
2. MapSource - Crawdaddy
   
3. Google Maps/Earth - Strega/Erick
   
4. Radios - DigDoug/Daryl??
   
5. Still Cameras - Fake Name
   
6. Video Camera - ?
   

Who else has recommendations? Who can help talk about this stuff? Who has some knowledge that they would like to bestow upon us all??

Refreshments and snacks will be provided

[Crawdaddy 96]

I think I just got volunteered? ...... , I'm happy to share my BASIC knowledge on how to get the most bang for your buck out of GARMIN 60/76 series GPS units.......Fakey, Aaron, Boat440 and/or others will have to speak to using a Garmin Zumo, Etrex, 276, etc......

I'll also share my BASIC understanding of how to save/upload Garmin "active" tracks, edit them, and save them in Mapsource City Navigator 2009 NT.......or how to zoom in on a blank Map Screen and create routes/draw tracks.......it's very easy/basic.....

SanDiegoland is GPS whiz and may have much more to offer.....in fact, I'm confident we have several guys in the club that are more versed in GPS than me

I also suggest we also draft Daryl for Radio Licensing info....

ShockandAwe, Roostnu and Daryl seem to be our resident video geeks....

[bikeslut 1]

Would love to go, but can't...

I have to attend a sampling of wine-based mixed drinks that night... we are doing a taste test to compare real liquor with wine based liquors and SoJu (Korean Lower proof vodka)

I may call somebody to give me a ride home, though, so keep your cell phones on

[paulmbowers 236]

FakeName's first lesson is easy:

1. Keep it in the bag.

2. See step one.

Seriously, I'm happy to help with camera-related things, rider related or not. And Chris, I'll betting your "basic" understanding is much better than mine-!

p

[Zenosan 2]

[

Who should come?

Anyone interested in enhancing their skills in any category listed below, or anyone that is unfamiliar with these devices and is interested in getting one or all of them

Topics:

1. GPS - Crawdaddy/Strega/SanDiegoland
   
2. MapSource - Crawdaddy
   
3. Google Maps/Earth - Strega/Erick
   
4. Radios - DigDoug/Daryl??
   
5. Still Cameras - Fake Name
   
6. Video Camera - ?
   

Who else has recommendations? Who can help talk about this stuff? Who has some knowledge that they would like to bestow upon us all??

Refreshments and snacks will be provided

Thanks Roger.

I'm in. After meeting the participants of X Plane, even if we don't learn much it sounds like a fun group. I promise to leave my Army compass and map reading manuals at home.

Should we BYOB and bring other offerings? I can bring some French bread and Brie.

Don

[Strega 0]

Thanks Roger.

I'm in. After meeting the participants of X Plane, even if we don't learn much it sounds like a fun group. I promise to leave my Army compass and map reading manuals at home.

Should we BYOB and bring other offerings? I can bring some French bread and Brie.

Don

I would actually suggest bringing the Compass and Map Reading Materials. What happens if your GPS breaks? Gonna need those map and compass skills.

I think the French Bread and Brie idea sounds great. Maybe I'll make a list of what people are bringing so we don't double up on too much stuff. I have a mind to BBQ a bunch of chicken too if people want to make it a dinner gathering as well.

[Zenosan 2]

Thanks Roger.

I'm in. After meeting the participants of X Plane, even if we don't learn much it sounds like a fun group. I promise to leave my Army compass and map reading manuals at home.

Should we BYOB and bring other offerings? I can bring some French bread and Brie.

Don

I would actually suggest bringing the Compass and Map Reading Materials. What happens if your GPS breaks? Gonna need those map and compass skills.

I think the French Bread and Brie idea sounds great. Maybe I'll make a list of what people are bringing so we don't double up on too much stuff. I have a mind to BBQ a bunch of chicken too if people want to make it a dinner gathering as well.

I actually was an Army Infantry officer 1968-74, I had my fill of Army map reading and orienteering classes. In those days no one had ever heard of a GPS.

[Strega 0]

I actually was an Army Infantry officer 1968-74, I had my fill of Army map reading and orienteering classes. In those days no one had ever heard of a GPS.

Does this mean I get to sign you up for the Map Reading and Orienteering portion of the evening? That would be very cool in my opinion. I'm sure I could use some map reading help.

[sandiegoland 0]

I'll also share my BASIC understanding of how to save/upload Garmin "active" tracks, edit them, and save them in Mapsource City Navigator 2009 NT.......or how to zoom in on a blank Map Screen and create routes/draw tracks.......it's very easy/basic.....

I would say that would be good stuff to start with.

Those are the building blocks people need. That would be the extent of what I would expect people to pick up in a short period of time. Clean-ups and merges are 90% of the battle, creating draft tracks are easy after that. They can build on that so I wouldn't worry about getting any further than that until those concepts are crystal clear.

[Zenosan 2]

I actually was an Army Infantry officer 1968-74, I had my fill of Army map reading and orienteering classes. In those days no one had ever heard of a GPS.

Does this mean I get to sign you up for the Map Reading and Orienteering portion of the evening? That would be very cool in my opinion. I'm sure I could use some map reading help.

I don't recall seeing Map Reading and Orienteering on the Adgenda. I think the techies would be more interesting. I am not sure how many participants would want to know how to call in Artillery fire.

[paulmbowers 236]

I would! I would!

[Zenosan 2]

I would! I would!

I..... knew it! For when your group point and sweep guys lead you astray. Right?

[KTMrad 515]

Are you all sure you want to do this 3 days before the Desert Dash ?

I guess it's not a problem, since you all agreed on the date.

[paulmbowers 236]

I would! I would!

I..... knew it! For when your group point and sweep guys lead you astray. Right?

Heck, no. In my group, I was the astray leader....

[sandiegoland 0]

I actually was an Army Infantry officer 1968-74, I had my fill of Army map reading and orienteering classes. In those days no one had ever heard of a GPS.

I learned in the Scouts, then other methods later in the Army. I wouldn't throw out my map and compass education, but these skills should be covered along with a basic survival and first-aid course sometime. Maybe a "when rider and machine must part way" course?

[Zenosan 2]

I actually was an Army Infantry officer 1968-74, I had my fill of Army map reading and orienteering classes. In those days no one had ever heard of a GPS.

I learned in the Scouts, then other methods later in the Army. I wouldn't throw out my map and compass education, but these skills should be covered along with a basic survival and first-aid course sometime. Maybe a "when rider and machine must part way" course?

Personally I aggree. My Army survival, escape and evasion training has been priceless.

But with this crowd any hint of the obsolete sets you up for ridicule. Note how I was accused of consorting with the sextant, map and compass before the ride. On the X Plane ride I had a map hidden inside my jacket pocket which I peeked at a time or two. I even let one envious unamed participant xerox it the night before at the hotel. Heck, I even saw Viasat Chris once take a look at someone else's map when he thought I wasn't looking.

Don

[Jaynen 0]

I like maps, problem is needing a good one. Without an assortment of topo maps for where we were I wouldn't think the paper map would have been very easy to navigate by

[tntmo 908]

Personally I aggree. My Army survival, escape and evasion training has been priceless.

But with this crowd any hint of the obsolete sets you up for ridicule. Note how I was accused of consorting with the sextant, map and compass before the ride. On the X Plane ride I had a map hidden inside my jacket pocket which I peeked at a time or two. I even let one envious unamed participant xerox it the night before at the hotel. Heck, I even saw Viasat Chris once take a look at someone else's map when he thought I wasn't looking.

Don

I was the un-named, offensive shirted participant to copy the maps. I don't have a GPS but I do have a compass mounted to my bike. I'm sure I could have gotten us to Randsburg and back without the GPS, but I don't know if I could have found all the sites without it so GPS does have some strong selling points.

I'm not giving up my compass though!

[humptythumty 0]

Would someone want to show how to use some of the different features of the SDAR site. Posting pictures or using "My Controls". I haven't had any luck adding an avatar ( yes I'm dumb)

Does anyone else need help? would this be a worthy topic?

Wayne

[Strega 0]

Would someone want to show how to use some of the different features of the SDAR site. Posting pictures or using "My Controls". I haven't had any luck adding an avatar ( yes I'm dumb)

Does anyone else need help? would this be a worthy topic?

Wayne

I can definitely cover that

[Ride-Orange 2]

Soooo, where and when is the meeting? Or did I miss it???

[KTMrad 515]

It's 3 days before the Dash (see first post)........most likely I won't be there due to getting stuff ready for the Dash.

[Crawdaddy 96]

Event:

"SDAR Geek Night" is an event designed to help people gain a better understanding of the technical devices that many of us use on our Dual Sport rides. Much like Chief Gunner's maintenance day that is a focus on your bike and others, this event is for the 'geek' side in most of us. The event is the brain child of Fake Name who thought it would be a great way to get people together and a good learning experience for all of us. This would be a fun event to attend prior to the Desert Dash to get your skills up to speed!

A bit late, but FYI - you really can't beat ADVRider's "Layin' Down Tracks" forum for general GPS info:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=37

There's also a thread underway in D37 on this same topic: http://www.district37ama.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25879

See you SDAR Geeks tonight......

[mostly upright 0]

Hello

Any chance of getting the GPS download before the event? My old timer GPS only has a 9 pin connection, so i only use my desktop computer with it.

So if any one has it, and can send it to me, i'd be much obliged.

Thanks,

[sandiegoland 0]

Hello

Any chance of getting the GPS download before the event? My old timer GPS only has a 9 pin connection, so i only use my desktop computer with it.

So if any one has it, and can send it to me, i'd be much obliged.

Thanks,

Which model do you have? I'll have a dongle for a serial cable along with a cable for the eTrex.

...or if you PM me your email I can send the file to you tomorrow night.