[tlug] GPS units in Japan

[David Riggs <dariggs@example.com>]

The Garmin Vista series is great for handheld, and the maps you can buy 
for it to download into the unit are great (of course Windows only). But 
the Japan version costs about twice what I paid for my USA version at 
REI, and the dealers I talked to, and Garmin, say you cannot use the 
Japanese maps from Garmin on the USA hardware.

By the way, the newer USB Garmins have much much better screens, more 
memory and much improved battery life and signal capture, but are a tad 
large for hand held. I had no problem using the Vista on a usb only 
machine using a serial to usb converter (under Mac OS 9).

I would love to use Japan maps and Linux with my US Garmin, rather than 
doing manual lat-long input for peak and temple bagging. So I hope 
someone can tell me how to do it!

David Riggs, Kyoto