Tom Tom and Optus
Saturday, 27 November 2010
I have a TOM TOM satellite navigation (satnav) system which I find very useful. There are many features in this device – some of which I have not fully explored.
Recently I was investigating the POI (point of interest) files available on the TOM-TOM web site and realise that I had by no means reached the end of the list....
The TOMTOM system is based on the Linux operation system. Linux is one of my favourite operating systems for computers. Optus is a mobile phone provider in Australia. There is a POI file seemingly provided by Optus which lists many or the Optus towers around Australia.
I have an Optus wireless broadband USB stick which allows me to connect to the internet, wirelessly, whilst away from home. This is very convenient, and with a well charged laptop and that device, I can access the internet when out and about. By where is best and where to go? The POI file is easily downloaded and can be used in many ways – the software in the satnav determines this. It is possible to see the Optus towers near a destination or home and set one of the towers as a destination to drive to. Fine, but also it is possible to show the nearest by line-of-sight distance. It is possible to set the TOMTOM to announce when a chosen POI is within a given distance (radius) with a chosen tune – as you may do for speed cameras.
The TOMTOM satnav is, I suppose, primarily designed to facilitate driving to a location, so the bearing (compass angle from North to target in degrees) is not displayed.
{ I have a Garmin GPS (Global Positioning System) which can display the bearing and distance of the nearest waypoints. From a radio amateur point of view it is necessary to know the bearing and useful to know the distance of another radio station. }
There is also a UHF repeater POI for CBs
I am inspired to create a POI file with amateur radio repeaters and locations of HAMfests and meeting halls for my own use as I have many of my TOMTOM favourite entries as