Off-road navigation is the art of knowing where you're going outside the usual routes. In certain situations, it's even a survival mechanism. That's why reliable hardware and software are the most important requirements for those venturing into the unknown.

Off-the-shelf solutions can cost hundreds of dollars. With a little know-how, however, you can build an inexpensive yet robust system that meets the requirements for off-road adventuring. Linux provides an operating system whose stability is hard to beat, thus it makes a good candidate for a computer solution for navigating the wilderness. If you've ever been on a gravel road, you know how important it is to have mechanical stability of the components.

In my particular case, I chose a GPS receiver connected to an out-of-service netbook attached to the frame of the vehicle. This setup allows the driver to glance at the map without taking attention away from what's happening in front of the hood.

[...]