Any Such Animal?

Have you looked into the Navigon 2100 and 5100? I believe that these units have what you are looking for.

I've looked at those as well as the Navigon 7100 but I didn't see dead reckoning or it's equivalent. That's when you're amid downtown skyscrapers and lose satellite reception but the unit still interpolates your current position juxtaposition to your last known good satellite position.

If you're talking on your cell phone, and you lose tower reception, should the phone interpolate your conversation? (sorry, couldn't resist)

In reality, the only technology that could currently be used when no satellites are available would be cell phone towers. I personally think GPS manufacturers are going to have some stiff competition from the Windows/Palm based phones that are out and even more from those coming out soon.

For instance, Sprint has a Windows Mobile based phone that touts a Google Maps application that will not only show you where you are, but will show it to you using THE LATEST NAVTEQ MAPS AND SATELLITE TERRAIN. It's capable of all the same routing as Google Maps. The only thing it doesn't have yet is voice prompts, but I hear that's coming.

Have you done a search here for "dead reckoning"?

Check out http://www.poi-factory.com/node/11268

I have never had a problem with reception when in a downtown area. I know some cities have horizontal repeaters. That is a device that takes the vertical satellite signal and redirects it horizontally. Where have you had this problem?

I am in different cities all of the time, with skyscrappers i have yet to have any issues!!

On my trip to Atlanta, twice while downtown, my c550 did not pick up any satellites. I admit both times it only happened briefly, but it also happened once on my previous trip to downtown Atlanta which got me thinking about dead reckoning. I'm looking to upgrade, and I hear the one who dies with the most 'bells and whistles' wins!

Dang!!! I am so screwed!

I've had some experience with DR based on some of my other hobbies, and in my not-an-expert opinion the return-on-technology isn't at the point where it's feasible to put it into a car or a mobile device. Good vehicle DR depends on a number of factors, including tire pressure, odometer feed, some sort of magnetic sensors, and constant self-calibration (not to mention the setup calibration to type your transport). I couldn't imagine being able to swap it between rental cars or even walk out of the vehicle with it ... yet. I may be pleasantly surprised when the Garmin model comes out, but I doubt it.

I'm not much help, but if you're interested in reading more, I'd check at www.kvh.com. I've been able to use their products, see a few demos of upcoming items, and even though that was a few years ago, they had some great stuff for mobile platforms. I know Trimble also came out with some DR items, but I believe that was for asset tracking more than self-location.

Mio

I'd sure hate to lose my satellites while navigating around all the broken tornado laden glass in Atlanta.

You think the situation in Atlanta is joke-worthy?

Atlanta Is My Home Town. My brother and sister are both Engineers at CNN Center (Ground Zero as it were). If they managed to survive a direct hit and still be able to joke about it, then maybe the rest of us ought to just relax.

That's like saying I am black, so it is okay. Have some respect for those that don't think it is funny.

We're getting off subject. No one said it's funny but you! Maybe you don't know the difference between 'smile' and 'lol'. If you're black I wasn't trying to offend you. This is a GPS forum. The subjects are Dead Reckoning and Reality View. Please adhere to the subject line. But for what it's worth, my house was hit by the EYES of 3 major hurricanes (Jeanne, Frances, and Wilma) in less than 13 months. I lost more money in the stock market this year than in all 3 storms combined! And yes, I'm smiling; it could have been much worse.

Just to distract you guys from your little tiff and get you mad at me instead, sewisdom, you might reconsider your picture which doesn't tell us much about you except that you are a GPS user, which we might have guessed anyway. I'm not a monitor here, just my opinion, so go ahead and shoot at me. But no offense is intended. Here is the admin request under the box where you upload your picture:

"Your virtual face or picture. Maximum dimensions are 85x85 and the maximum size is 25 kB. An original snapshot is preferred. If you're camera shy, you might use a photo of a pet or something else that shows a little personality. Please avoid using trademarks or a picture of your GPS (they make some pages look confusing)."

It's a patch for the 45th Space Wing. Actually says more than a photo would. Or at lease one would infer that he was a member...

Woweee!

It is now and I think it used to be before. When I wrote that, it was a picture of a GPS screen. I'm glad to see he changed it. When you change your picture, it changes for all previous posts.

Everybody grab a cup of coffee and chill.

Yea, I thought I had noticed that too-

I've been very busy getting ready for today's 4:12 PM Atlas launch. Dminz, you're right. For about an hour I had a Garmin screen up while having trouble changing my pic to a 'Space TeddyBear'. It wouldn't take the bear but would take the GPS screen. Walleye1, you're a very wise person.
And Miosa, and all the rest of you with relative inputs, thanks for the constructive ideas.