After using the Destinator / StreetTalk system on my PAC Mate QX420 for less than a day, I make the following observations and provide the following tips to new users:
- Follow all directions for installation and use as provided in the StreetTalk Owner’s Manual.
- Close StreetTalk with control+q as soon as you are done using it. Leaving it active can cause erroneous results the next time you turn on your PAC Mate and switch to the program. Specifically, your GPS information will be outdated and Destinator will indicate that the GPS signal is too low. Closing and restarting StreetTalk corrected these issues.
- Information such as the speed and direction of motion aren’t always accurate. While sitting still on a bench outside the office facing almost due North, I was told that I was facing Northwest, South and Southeast and moving at a speed of 0.3 miles per hour! Actual motion seemed to improve accuracy.
- Functions such as the direction of motion data obtained by pressing alt+d and the “where am I” details provided by pressing alt+w seem to require three or four cycles in order to be considered accurate. This information is refreshed approximately every 10 seconds. Each time, it is reverbalized and shown on the Braille display. In other words, it seems to take 30 to 40 seconds for this information to become reasonably correct. Be careful.
The new Destinator + StreetTalk GPS solution is an extremely exciting and useful addition to the PAC Mate. It does not, under any circumstances, take the place of any currently taught and utilized orientation and mobility techniques. Use it wisely and enjoy the location information, routing and planning capabilities it can add to your travel life.