Does GPS Systems work on STX

No it does not. Pocket map is the best map on island and is available anywhere almost. Drive around the island as much as you can and get a feel for the estates and local landmarks like popular restaurants like Cheeseburger in paradise, chocalate bbq, or where golden rock or 5 corners are. This is how people will give you directions. Remember it is a small island you can pretty much make the circuit in a hour or an hour and a half depending on the time of day and how you drive. Drive around as much as you can with your map out and you will quickly know your way around. Locals usually dont know street numbers that are on the map so try to learn the names of the streets "IF" they have any. Fredericksted, Sunny Isles, Christiansted, and Gallows Bay are 4 of the larger shopping areas, find those and work yourself out.

Yes GPS (Global Positioning System) works where ever a satellite beams down to earth. Sailors through out the Caribbean depend on GPS to get from place to place.

No, as far as I know none of the commercial maps using the GPS signal are used on St Croix.

My system in my 2007 vehicle required a disk istalled into the navigation system. I believe it only included North America, because that is all that is in my search range. I'll try to contact GM and see if additional CD's are available or if they uplink directly. I do have Onstar and global positioning, but USVI is not on my select GPS areas. Not sure if you are talking vehicles or an independent system. I'm not a sailor, just want to bring my vehicle with me.

I'll say it again it won't work here.

My two cents:

GPS works down here but only in a technical sense, not in a practical sense. For it to be useful, in addition to having the numeric coordinates provided by the GPS, you have to have street names and addresses with which to link those numbers. Most streets/homes/businesses do not have such addresses (except for certain areas, such as Charlotte Amalie on STT).

Unless there were detailed mapping software loaded with parcel numbers, a GPS unit down here would be useless except for navigating major roads and landmarks, which is easy enough to do with the tourist maps.

Another problemwith using GPS/ Mapquest is that there are a lot of imaginary streets loaded into MapQuest for STX. At one time a developer may have had the road plated and it either never got built ot it has become over grown. A couple of these over grown roads are fun to mountain bike or hike, but most of them just don't exist.

Jim

I have seen one wth my own eyes working here in St. Thomas! It was a Garmin. I was surprised but when I saw Vester Gade on there and the person using it showed me a few other locatons, I know it was workng! He used it to navigate the island sucessfully for the week he was here, on his PMV, and he will be back next month to stay!

RL

Actually, GPS works perfectly here. GPS has always worked anywhere in the world. But you need to have the proper maps. My newly purchased Garmin Nuvi 200 has great road maps of STX. They're the same maps you'll now see on maps.google.com. It's very detailed; even the dirt road I live on is there. Of interest, all the estate names are also shown. And the Nuvi has a very good up-to-date database of restaurants, stores, gas stations, ATM's, etc.

As to the argument that roads show that aren't there; modern map making for GPS does not rely on old maps. Instead technicians actually drive the roads with GPS recording equipment. Satellite and aerial photography is also used.

While the quaint way of getting around by asking and being told to "turn right where the old Mahagony tree used to be," may be, well, quaint; you can't beat GPS for actually knowing where you are.

I've lived on STX for four years, and I still get lost with all the roads that twist and turn. But now with my Nuvi I won't waste time going in large circles. By the way, on the package it says it includes maps of the lower US 48, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. But the VI is in there too!

Yes, and even Avis is offering one up rental with their cars!

RL

LOL....come on...you get lost on STX after four years? Do you leave the house often? Maybe this island is too big and cosmopolitan for ya. Someone was of the opionion on this board you shouldnt live in the islands if you want a/c. If you need GPS to get around on this tiny island I'm surprised you've lasted four years.

Oh Please Betty. Maybe he explores more than you do. Merry Christmas.

If he explored more Tammy he would know the island and not need to look at the little screen on his dashboard instead of the road. I can't believe it would take anyone more then a couple of months to get the lay of the land here. I mean how lost can you get here? You're never that far from your home. Forgive me if it sounds silly to spend $300 or $400 to get directions when you can ask for free. And isnt the point of living here to slow down and get to know people???

Well Betty, Hubby and I like to explore and we have gotten lost quite often, though hubby might not call it lost. Maybe we just didn't know where we were. While exploring some back roads off of scenic drive we got a bit turned around trying to find a way back to a main road. Suddenly across our path was a young man leading a herd of horses followed by some other young people in a pick up truck. They were clearly unhappy that we were there. At that moment I would have really loved to have had a GPS to get us out of there more quickly. They were not offering free directions. In any case it is nice to know that a GPS will work here which was what the OP asked. I do agree however that if you stay in your comfort zone within the populated area and places that you are familiar with that you would quickly learn those areas.

Wow, Betty, why so mean? I was just trying to impart some accurate information on the forum. GPS does work on the island, as opposed to your statement:

Posted by: Betty (IP Logged)
Date: May 13, 12:11AM
I'll say it again it won't work here.

I'll be the first to say that I have a terrible sense of direction. I get lost everywhere. But I really don't think that should disqualify me from living here. I've found a solution for my problem ($200), and thought that info might be helpful to others. If it offends you that there are people on STX who after four years still get lost, then I think your problem is a lot worse than mine.

The Magellan Roadmate 3000T has full USVI maps and works here on STX.