KJ Bolton Consultants cc

20/04/2022

Footpeg Diaries & Raceworx Present:
Introduction to GPS Navigation and Tracks.
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL!!! LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE...
Join us for a very informative morning at Raceworx KTM where legend in the field, Kevin Bolton will share some of his GPS & Navigation knowledge with us. We have also allowed enough time for a proper Q&A session. So bring your GPS, Laptop and all your Toys and let's learn to plan that next adventure like a PRO!
Cost: R200 per person.
This includes:
The 2 hour session with Kevin Bolton,
Lunch, (your choice of Chicken/Beef Burger/ Prego & Chips + Beer or Soft drink) and a lekker time with the Footpeg Diaries and Raceworx Teams.
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL!!! LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE...
For bookings please contact:
Fanie Scholtz on 0834402346 Call or WhatsApp.
Sent from my iPhone

26/03/2021

Monument Toyota Constantia and Rivonia Toyota 4x4 enthusiast Satellite Navigation Talk

On the evening of the 18th of March 2021 Kevin Bolton on behalf of NavWorld presented a Satellite Navigation Talk to the Monument Toyota Constantia and Rivonia Toyota 4x4 enthusiasts at Hobby Park in Krugersdorp. Just after 19:00 Riaan Kotzee introduced Kevin and handed the floor to him.

Kevin Bolton is an experienced satellite navigation specialist starting his passion for the subject as far back as 1982 while still in the military. During his 43 years in this specialist field he has worked in South Africa, Turkey and a number of African countries, presenting talks and satellite navigation training courses to professionals and recreational enthusiasts. He has also visited Garmin Europe on three occasions to gain a better in-depth knowledge of their products.

The presentation started by reminding us of the basics of navigation:
• Knowing where you are,
• Knowing where you are going,
• Knowing where you have come from,
• Keep orientated,
• Have an alternative plan,
• And lastly always a bit of common sense or keep calm.

Followed by the elements of navigation:
• Distance,
• Direction,
• Time.

Once the introduction was over the basics of what Satellite Navigation can do for one while out in the unknown were discussed. The reason is that many people think that a GPS is a nice to have and not always necessary.
• It will give one a position / location (co-ordinate), latitude, longitude and height.
• It will assists one while navigating by giving distance, direction and time, between locations as straight lines like a stick man or as per road or tracks.
• The true value in the Garmin products is the TrackLog or Breadcrumb which will enable one to track your movement with metadata; date, time, location and speed per location / crumb. The TrackLog will also enable one to track back from where you have come within the accuracy of the satellite navigation device. Generally a satellite navigation device will give an accuracy of between three to five meters. The TrackLog technology in a Garmin has been used in many court cases to prove the accused, innocence or guilt.
• With the TrackLog capability a person can create accurate maps of an area and of your routes that you have travelled.
• And finally a satellite navigation device is a safety device making sure you are always pointed at your destination no matter how you try to confuse it, always giving the time and distance to your destination. Therefore you can never get lost. Kevin is a strong believer in safety and therefore believes that every tour group be it a single vehicle or a number of vehicles, there should be a minimum of at least two satellite navigation devices in the convoy if not at least one in every vehicle and two in the lead vehicle.

In today’s world there are four major GNSS in the world being, NAVSTARGPS the American system, GLONASS the Russian system, Galileo the European system and Beidou the Chinese system. At present Beidou is only reserved for military applications by China and Pakistan. If all four systems were available we would be able to receive signal from more than one hundred navigation satellites.

The next point that was discussed was how to select a Satellite Navigation System that you would wish to purchase. Breaking the crucial points into 6 headings. Listed below are just a few examples that would help guide you in making this selection.
• What do I need? A Satellite Navigation System for 4x4ing, must display maps, do street navigation, have a TrackLog, have a big screen, a minimum signal from two GNSS and something that has some level of water proofing.
• What do I want? A screen that shows sunrise and sunset, something that can take satellite imagery, touch screen, good battery life, able to be dash board mounted and as well as something that can be used as a handheld device.
• Features that are nice to have? A magnetic compass, with a hunting and fishing screen (when it will be a good day for hunting or fishing), Pitch and roll dials
• Features that are not needed? A barometer and a backup camera.
• Features that I don’t want? Camera
• Budget? The most important.
It should be remembered that the top of the range might not always suit your needs and that you could get away with something cheaper.

The question was then asked can a Cellphone do the same job as a dedicated Satellite Navigation Device. In Kevin’s opinion and his answer, a definite NO. A cellphone does not have the required battery life, most cellphones would not have the TrackLog capability, if it did it would use data for map downloads in most instances which could be costly and that is if there is network coverage. A cellphone is ideal for street and city navigation but not suited for the outdoor adventures and 4x4ing.

At this point he discussed the Garmin outdoor products that he would consider. To his knowledge Garmin is the only manufacturer that is still selling these outdoor products in South Africa, as all of the other top brands have either withdrawn from South Africa or have totally closed shop and their products are no longer supported or available in South Africa.

The Garmin products that he discussed was:
• The Garmin eTrex series that are be ideal for hiking, hunting and maybe as 4x4ing backup’s devices.
• The second device that he discussed was the inReach mini and the new devices with this technology. The inReach technology is not a satellite navigation device but a Satellite Communicator for two way global messaging. Working off of the Iridium network for emergency communications, tracking and sharing of your location. Again safety.
• The next product which are not ideally suited to 4x4ing but only as back up devices due to the smaller screen size. As with the eTrex series the GPSMAP 65 and 66 series are more suited to the hiking, hunting and professional applications. It should be noted that some of these devices now receive not only the original L1 frequency but now the L5 frequency, improving accuracy. The GPSMAP 66i includes the InReach technology.
• The following product was the Oregon series devices the bigger version of the touch screen eTrex 35 but still smaller handheld devices.
• The next up was the Overlander a rugged outdoor device which is ideal for 4x4ing with a big screen, 4x4ing features and user friendly similar to the older Nuvi series devices. This is a device that is Aneroid driven. Built to military spec. This device was reviewed in SA 4x4 during the last year and Kevin believes a winner.
• The last outdoor device to be addressed was the new Montana 700 series. Kevin has recently reviewed this device with the heading : THE NEW GARMIN MONTANA 700 series, Monster or Beast – WOW

Next on the agenda for the evening was to give an insight into a few new Garmin products on the way:
• The Garmin Enduro, a new sports watch with up to an 80 hours battery life in GPS mode.
• The Garmin Power Switch, a new digital power box, which can be used to control / manage up to six 12v accessories. The system can be expanded to control a maximum of twenty four accessories (4 x Power Switches). These Power Switches will work with most compatible Garmin 4x4ing devices and most smart phones. The limit, being a maximum of 30 amps per device. Important, not made to manage a winch.
• The last new device is the Garmin Tread. This device will be a winner for 4x4 enthusiasts and it is a mixture of the Garmin Zumo XT and the Overlander but with a 5inch screen. The device includes a VHF radio for messaging / no voice, with tracking to a maximum of 20 vehicles simultaneously. Tracking range of the Tread will be limited to the nature of the terrain. Due to only texting and no voice, no license is required in South Africa. It should be noted in some countries the device can have voice communication. However this feature is not in South Africa and therefore does not come with the required additional accessories.

Once finished with the product overview the different mapping that can be loaded to Garmin satellite navigation devices was discussed, being:
• Street mapping for Africa (4 map sets), City Navigator Southern Africa with the 12 southern countries, East Africa, West Africa and Northern Africa. The newer Garmin product is Topo Active Africa (complete Africa) with contour maps (maybe more representation lines, less than contours, which have a height value). Topo Active Africa can do auto routing to points of interest but not to street addresses.
• Tracks4Africa mapping, which Kevin believes is a must for anyone traveling north of the South African borders and adds value to 4x4 adventure.
• The other “map set” is BirdsEye from Garmin which is satellite imagery similar to that of Google Earth. Some of the new devices has this capability now included in the purchase. If not it can be purchased for an annual fee and downloaded as per requirement. Due to the size of the files one would only download places of critical interest. Kevin believes that this does add value to a navigation experience. When enabled, this would show as a backdrop to any other map enabled.

To complement the Garmin products possible accessories that could be of value and purchased additionally were discussed.
• Suction mounts (the new bigger suctions really work), dash mounts and air vent mounts
• Power cables, carry cases, protective screens, extra batteries for long trips in case and external antennas which he believes are not necessary for most devices these days but are a requirement if your vehicle prevents the satellite signal from entering the vehicle (example armoured vehicles or similar)
• RAM mounts are a product that also comes highly recommended with some of the larger and newer devices coming with RAM mounts in the box.

Some comments were made that people should take a bit of caution when using a satellite navigation devices.
• Ensure that when inserting co-ordinates that they are in the same format and the same datum is used.
• Select the setting for the route you wish to travel, shortest or fastest. This does make a big difference to your desire route.
• A common fault is when people confuse a route (which is planned) and a Track / TrackLog (something you have done)
• When navigating to a town or city do not try and activate the route from the street address but from the town or city function.
• If looking for a point of interest or address ensure the search function is set for near you or near another major center.• When searching for something ensure you are using the correct spelling. Most of the new names are in the latest map sets and that the old names still exist and have not been removed.

In closing Kevin gave an introduction and a few tips when using the Garmin Base Camp program.
Base Camp is a map viewing or mini GIS, software package, intended for use with Garmin GPS navigation devices. It will organize, save and create data, plan your trip with common datasets that can be shared between friends. The software should be used to plan your next hiking, biking, motorcycling, driving or off-roading trip. You can view your maps, planned routes, and marked waypoints.
• As with your satellite navigation device you must ensure that BaseCamp has the same and correct settings, while using the identical maps for planning your adventure.
• Before venturing out on your adventure plan and check your trip to ensure the desired information planned is what you want.
• Remember that some satellite navigation devices have limitations wrt the number of points in a route
• Please save your information in a logic format under My Collection and on your computer for future reference.

The planned 60 minute presentation stretched into a 2,5 hour session with numerous questions from the audience afterwards. In the end a most enjoyable and enlightening evening for everyone.

03/03/2021

After a much successful Tyre Talk Evening on the 18 February, it is our pleasure to invite you to the next Talk Evening, 18 March on Navigation.
The evening's talk will be presented by The Satellite Navigation Specialist, Kevin Bolton.
The venue will be Hobby Park, Lud Hersch Dr & Robert Broom Drive, Krugersdorp from 7-9pm.
Please send me your details if you will be attending, as only 60 persons will be allowed.
email [email protected] & [email protected]

Already much excitement.
Should get to the 60 bookings quick, but expect a 100+ booking enquiries soon.

22/09/2020

Busy reviewing the new Garmin Montana 750i that is about to be launched. Its WOW. I am blown away with it.

10/09/2020

NavWorld are pleased to announce that the well-known Satellite Navigation Specialist Kevin Bolton has joined NavWorld as a consultant on a temporary basis. Kevin is experienced in satellite navigation since 1982 and is known for his knowledge and understanding of the technology. Since 2000 he has been involved with Garmin and sold their products. Before 2020 and Covid-19, he lectured as a part time lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology and before moving to Turkey in 2016 at the University of Johannesburg and UNISA.
Kevin is the author of many articles on satellite navigation technology since 2000 and was the columnist for monthly articles in the SA 4x4 magazine from 2004 until he left to work in Turkey in 2016 where continued to contributed articles as and when possible.
Kevin will be based in our Pretoria branch but will be visiting our Randburg branch from time to time.
Kevin can be contacted via Whatsapp +27 63 640 7295 or via e-mail [email protected]

15/06/2020

GARMIN INREACH MINI
By Kevin Bolton
Edited by Jacqui Ikin

After my recent review of the Garmin Overlander, Garmin gave me an INREACH MINI to review and use in my travels.
So, what is the INREACH MINI? It is a Satellite Communicator with two way communications with built-in GPS technology. In my words; a SOS rescue beacon, a communicator that works using GPS signal (for positioning) and communications (text only) working off the well-established Iridium Communication Satellite Network providing worldwide coverage. The INREACH MINI is one of four devices in the series. The other three being the INREACH EXPLORER+, the Garmin GPSMAP 66i and the Garmin GPSMAP 86i (the marine version of the GPSMAP66i which floats) - the bigger brothers of the INREACH MINI. The other INREACH devices look similar to the standard Garmin handheld GPSs with mapping capabilities.
The devices are ideally suited for people who visit the bush and places far from civilization where no cellphone connectivity is available ie explorers, trail runners, hikers, mountain bikers, sailors, 4x4 enthusiast travelling into Africa and even contractors - professionals working in areas far from home where there might be limited / zero communications. It would be the ideal tool for the monitoring of students under instruction while out in remote area eg scholars hiking in the Drakensberg, rescue services (like in the floods in Mozambique in 2019), the military, botanists, geologists etc. This is the ideal emergency communication device for me when working in Turkey, Kuwait and even Yemen. The communications via the Iridium Satellite would be in the form of normal text messaging or as an e-mail, to a set list of people. Emergency messaging (the SOS button) will be via GEOS, a world leader in emergency response solutions and monitoring. All that is required and important is to set it up prior to departure. Once ready to hit the trail, switch it on and make sure it is exposed to the sky.
I must mention that these devices require a Prepaid Subscription detailed later.
This technology was initially designed and developed DeLorme which was subsequently acquired by Garmin in 2016.
The INREACH MINI is a small compact device that weighs 100 grams and fits nicely on my sn**ch bag. The other three devices in the series are larger, but would attach nicely to my sn**ch bag with a carabiner clip or could be mounted in a vehicle.
The devices allow for preset real time messaging to preset recipients. This needs to be setup before heading out into the unknown. The responses could be set for intervals, depending on your requirements and settings. The preset messaging should be carefully worked out and be appropriate for you and who you intend sending to. Quick messaging can be preset to go to anyone selected.
As mentioned earlier the device can be used to navigate with a compass and bearing. It also has the capability to create waypoints which can be transmitted to your recipients.
The INREACH devices and GPSMAP 66i and 86i will allow for you to track your progress. This takes the form of the well-known track log or bread crumb, which can be communicated to recipients via the messaging function with your location according to your requirements and situation
The devices have an emergency (SOS) button which will notify the authorities - who in turn will activate the necessary rescue services in your area. The SOS panic button has to be deliberately opened to send an emergency signal for help. Note that if this is done it could be costly and should only be done in an emergency.

Depending on your settings and the battery life, your location updates every 10 minutes for 35 hours on one second logging. If the updates are sent every 30 minutes in battery-save mode, the battery life is to specced to 24 days.
These devices can be paired to a number of the newer Garmin devices like the Overlander and some of their watches.
They can also to pair to smart phones that have the appropriate app loaded, even without cellular connectivity. These messages are generally longer but it should be noted that they do have a limitation on the number of characters used in the messaging.
The devices come with the standard Garmin outdoor rating of IPX 7 - submersible to 1m of water for 30 minutes.
The button logic and menus I found to be easy to use.
Remember, if using the device for navigation and communication (as in the INREACH EXPLORIER+ or GPSMAP 66i / 86ii) it should be remembered that the navigation feature will consume additional battery power and therefore reduce your communication time.
When setting the device up I selected the Safety Plan subscription as I believe it is the best suited for my needs. It cost R249.99 for a 30 day subscription, which can be suspended at any time and restarted when needed (otherwise the next month’s fee will automatically be deducted from your credit card). In addition add the annual subscription was R409,99. I must admit that the online registration did take some time with its 22 pages of terms and conditions, but was pretty straight forward. For the R249 subscription I will get :
SOS messages : unlimited (not an option for me)
Text messages (Quick messages) are limited : 10 messages per month.
Preset messages : transmissions are unlimited with only 3 set messages available (generally I would not use this feature unless in a real emergency).
To send, track points : R1.65 each
Location Pings : R1.65 each
Basic Weather forecast for a 48 hour period : 1 Text message
Premium Weather forecast (non-marine) for a seven day period but with updates: R16.50
Premium Marine Weather forecast for a seven day period as above but with extra marine information : R16.50
The other charges for extra messaging would be at R8.50 per message.
Professional Plans are available for business and organizations with multiple users and devices
Please note that subscription plans are not available for some countries but as South Africans we will be able to take out a subscription in South Africa which will give us worldwide coverage.
The general comments I have heard from other people who have used this device and other similar devices is that the Garmin INREACH devices are far better devices with more and better features than similar products.
After reviewing the device, I believe it is a not a “nice to have” piece of equipment but a “must” for anyone moving out into remote areas of the world - giving them the reassurance that someone is always watching their backs and that there is a safety plan available. On the other side, it is a reassurance to the loved ones back at home in knowing where their people are and if in trouble, a rescue plan can be activated in a short period of time.
Some might say that it is costly piece of equipment, but what is costly when someone’s life is at risk?
Happy GPS Adventures

31/03/2020

Reviewing the Garmin INREACH MINI will be published shortly in SA 4x4

31/03/2020

GARMIN OVERLANDER
By Kevin Bolton
Edited by Jacqui Ikin
The Nuvi 500 has grown up and we now have the Overlander.
Maybe before I start with this review I should state that I have never been paid for any of my reviews of satellite navigation devices and I have written for SA 4x4 on this subject since September 2004 and a few other outdoor magazines. My point being that I am completely impartial in my views
The Overlander is a bigger and newer satellite navigation device with more features and which has been modernized. In September 2019 Garmin announced this new satellite navigator, the latest in their street navigators / outdoor / 4x4 range. I reviewed this new device last year but due to being in Turkey at the time, it was only a paper exercise for me with my son Christopher having the device at hand to check it out. I now have one in my hands so that I can do a practical evaluation.
As I have hinted above, the device is a multipurpose street navigator similar to the Garmin Drive devices and the older Nuvi 500. The Nuvi 500 was made for the outdoor lifestyle and was a winner - in fact, one of Garmin’s top sellers in its day. The Overlander is designed and made for the social and recreational 4x4 enthusiast. Its name is even synonymous with its applications. It is rugged and with a rubberized feel to it that will take the knocks.
My standard statement when writing such reviews is that I do not consider a cell phone or tablet with navigation programs or apps ideal for 4x4ing. They do come with limitations and those invariably kick in when the satellite navigation technology becomes necessary in the sticks when no one else is around to help you find your way. They are made for street navigation in towns and cities only!
Another statement that I regularly make is that when navigating in the sticks you should navigate with a primary navigation device but that you should also have a secondary device as a backup to confirm the primary when in doubt. A point to remember is that navigation is a lot of common sense, so when in doubt sit down, calm down and try again.
My findings and comments follow :
• I believe that the large 7 inch screen makes the device ideally suited to the recreational market – large enough to see the content, but not big enough to obscure your view of the road. An important point to consider due to its size is the location where you position it in the car so that it receives good signal and that it will not create problems if the vehicle’s airbags were to deploy. The Garmin 276Cx screen is only a 5-inch screen
• The device is a rugged 7-inch tablet with an Android Operating System.
• It is built to IPX 5 standards (dust proof) and MIL-STD-810 (a USA Department of Defence test standard). The Overlander is a street navigator that is made for the outdoors (4x4ing) that should not break if it falls.
• It has the new magnetic tight-fitting Garmin Bracket like the older NUVICAM and the box includes a compatible RAM ball adapter.
• The Overlander will navigate you to your destination even if there is no mapping information between you and your destination (by using a bearing). This is essential for navigation in remote and unknown areas.
• This device is able to receive signal from the GPS (American), Glonass (Russian) and Galileo (European) Satellite Navigation Systems - which means that if one system goes down (as has happened), the device will continue navigating with the satellites from the other two systems.
• The standard maps loaded are Europe, Middle East & Africa including some Tracks4Africa data. I am not certain if this is a full version of Tracks for Africa, but as I have often said before, travelling into Africa without Tracks4Africa is equivalent to getting lost. There are also Topographical maps loaded with contours to be used under the “I Explore” function.
• The street navigation I found to be good in the areas that I have travelled. The instructions have been clear with ample warning for me to prepare to change my direction of travel.
• There is 64GB of internal memory available for additional mapping but it also has place for a micro SD card for additional memory.
• The device has an internal Lithium battery which should last three hours but this will be determined by the settings of the device,. e.g using the backlight feature would reduce battery life. The Overlander is not made to walk around with in the field but to be used in a vehicle.
• A feature that I have never seen before in a Street Navigator is a digital magnetic compass that needs to be calibrated from time to time (unlike the previous street navigators where direction was calculated from your positioning therefore you would have to move to be able to get a bearing).
• It also has a barometer to give a better height accuracy and is not reliant on satellite positioning to give height (which could be out at times).
• Another feature I have not seen before is the Pitch and Roll gauges which can be calibrated. This is a very nice feature and adds value which is not necessary but definitely nice for the 4x4 enthusiast. This also needs to be calibrated every now and then.
• The device does have the standard Track Log capability of the outdoor devices and newer street navigators. It is known to have 87 000 points more than any previous devices I have known. I believe that this is where the true value of the Garmin devices. It does not have the track back capability but track back can be done manually.
• The Overlander can pair with the Garmin inReach communicators (sold separately with a fee for airtime) which is a satellite rescue communicator for two-way text messaging for emergency assistance.
• The device includes Traffic reporting – which is very useful in congested cities. This feature has drastically improved over the years.
• The device is also compatible with the Garmin BC 35 / BC40 Backup Camera. I believe this is a “nice to have” - that could add value if you have a large vehicle or trailer / caravan. It can accommodate up to 4 four separate cameras.
• The device does have voice control.
• The Overlander, like most street navigators today, does allow for hands free calling via the Bluetooth capability which again is an added safety feature while travelling where there is cell phone connectivity.
• I believe that this device has an understandable menu logic, and will take a short while to get used to the navigation system. If you are used to the Montana and Garmin GPSMAP 276Cx, be aware that it is slightly different.
One shortfall that did disappoint me was that the device could not take an external antenna. Whilst this is not necessary for most people, for me it is a nice to have. I found the external antenna was not necessary in my vehicle.
The other issue that disappointed me was that the device seems not to have a Satellite configuration screen enabling you to see which satellites are been used to calculate your position.
If it was to be taken a step further I would like to see a built in Dash Cam.
Currently there is nothing in this device’s price range that can match its capabilities and features for which it is designed, especially when considering the included mapping.
The Overlander is not the Alpha and Omega of off-road navigation but I would consider it to be one of the most comprehensive satellite navigation devices on the market today.
A point that should be remembered when purchasing this device: be sure that the sales person upgrades the device’s firmware as well as the maps before leaving the store as my updates took a good 4 hours and (if my calculations are correct) used about 12Gb of data.
A last comment is that this is not a device that I would mount on my motor cycle or bicycle and not something that I would use to go hiking with as it is not made for these applications.
The negative comments on these and similar devices normally come from people that do not understand the technology and do not know how to use the device correctly.
HAPPY GPS ADVENTURES

11/10/2019

http://navworld.co.za/garmin-overlander/

Garmin South Africa recently announced a new satellite navigation device known as the OVERLANDER. As the name indicates, it is a multipurpose satellite navigation device aimed at the 4×4 market. It is a rugged street navigation unit that can take the knocks. I believe that its large 7 inch screen m...

09/07/2019

R3,499.00