OpenStreetMap
"You get what you pay for" so my Dad always said.
I bought a cheapo 40-quid bluetooth-only GPS so I could get started with this mapping. It's been not too difficult getting it to work with my netbook PC, but to be honest it's pretty fiddly and it's not always clear whether it's actually working properly or not.
I'm going to see if anyone has written a java app for my mobile phone which might make things more portable, but if not I think I'll be asking Claire to buy me a half-decent GPS for my birthday. The one mentioned on the OpenStreetMap website looks pretty useable. http://www.storagedepot.co.uk/Handheld-GPS/sc893/p75.aspx and not bad value neither. The OpenStreetMap project can get a little money from the transaction too, so everyone wins!
Discussion
Comment from David Martin on 6 February 2009 at 19:11
I use Trekbuddy http://wiki.trekbuddy.net/index.php/Main_Page on my phone with a little bluetooth device (Qstarz BT818). Works just fine and you can put your own maps on too.
Comment from amm on 6 February 2009 at 20:51
GpsMid (http://gpsmid.sourceforge.net/) is another option for using openstreetmaps with a cheap Gps receiver on your phone and record tracklogs to use with OSM.
Altogether, there are a whole bunch of good options by now, depending on your needs. Checkout out osm.wiki/Making_Tracks_with_Homebrew-ware for a list of options.
Comment from corshamjim on 7 February 2009 at 14:05
Many thanks both of you. I had a look at both. The installation for GpsMid looked a bit frightening so I've just tried TrekBuddy which seems to do the job very adequately on my Sony Ericsson K750i phone thank you.
I'll have another look at GpsMid in a few weeks though. If they get the "simple OpenStreetMap editting support on the go" developed and working, that could be really neat, espcially in areas where I can get a decent 3G signal (not around here in rural Corsham yet unfortunately)