GPS for your iPad - Garmin GLO

jha6av8r

jha6av8r

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I've seen several threads on WTW and other forums about GPS units for iPad and Android devices. The two usually mentioned are the Dual and Bad Elf. After reading reviews, I decided to get a Garmin GLO. It uses both the U.S. GPS system and the Russian GLONASS system. Tried it out this weekend on the west side of the Sierras around Shaver Lake and like it a lot. Used it with MyTopo Maps and it was very accurate. Satellite sync was faster than any GPS I've used. Connected easily via Bluetooth to my iPad. Seems to have a good battery life. Came with a nice non skid dash pad. A nice simple system that worked as advertised. If you are looking for a GPS, you should check it out.

http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/17435
 
I am a total newbe when it comes to GPS for iPad, but I do hope to get an iPad at some point.

How does this work differently than the GPS that is in the iPad? What maps does this system use?

Thanks. Sorry for questions from the 90's.
 
The wi-fi only iPad doesn't have GPS. The 3G & cellular iPad does kind of. Also GPS by definition is the U.S. system only, 24 satellites. The GLONASS system has another 21. The 3G & cellular iPad don't use true GPS but Assisted GPS which needs a cellular connection to increase accuracy and speed. Without cell coverage, it is very slow and not completely reliable.

To overcome theses shortcomings a real GPS receiver is needed. I'm most familiar using a GPS in aviation. The Garmin GLO to me seemed to have better reviews than the other two receivers commonly used, the Dual and Bad Elf both only use the U.S. GPS system. So far me the Garmin GLO is a true receiver and uses twice as many satellites which should improve its accuracy and reliability when out in the middle of no where.

There are several mapping programs that can be used some with moving map features if that is desired. I used MyTopo Map this past weekend. Some of the others I've seen discussed are MotionX and iHike. Haven't tried them yet. Still trying to figure out what MyTopo Map can fully do. Even with GPS and digital charts, I still believe in having paper maps and a compass just in case. Old school I guess.
 
Thanks! Am sending this link to a couple friends who will likely be interested.

.... Even with GPS and digital charts, I still believe in having paper maps and a compass just in case. Old school I guess.

I do too, but I once had a Silva Ranger lead me astray. I was taking an Orienteering class and I kept coming out in the wrong place. I reviewed my work with the instructor, who agreed that I'd done it right. So we compared my Ranger to the school's most basic compass' Mine was off by almost 15° and that was not magnetic declination. Set next to three of the school's compasses my Ranger's needle pointed in a different direction.

To their credit, once informed of the problem Silva replaced it fast. I'm still curious as to how that could have happened, but for now I periodically check that the needle does indeed still point to magnetic North.
 
The wi-fi only iPad doesn't have GPS. The 3G & cellular iPad does kind of. Also GPS by definition is the U.S. system only, 24 satellites. The GLONASS system has another 21. The 3G & cellular iPad don't use true GPS but Assisted GPS which needs a cellular connection to increase accuracy and speed. Without cell coverage, it is very slow and not completely reliable.

To overcome theses shortcomings a real GPS receiver is needed. I'm most familiar using a GPS in aviation. The Garmin GLO to me seemed to have better reviews than the other two receivers commonly used, the Dual and Bad Elf both only use the U.S. GPS system. So far me the Garmin GLO is a true receiver and uses twice as many satellites which should improve its accuracy and reliability when out in the middle of no where.

There are several mapping programs that can be used some with moving map features if that is desired. I used MyTopo Map this past weekend. Some of the others I've seen discussed are MotionX and iHike. Haven't tried them yet. Still trying to figure out what MyTopo Map can fully do. Even with GPS and digital charts, I still believe in having paper maps and a compass just in case. Old school I guess.


Thank you. That is jus the information I needed to know. Thanks again.
 
I need to clarify something. There is a lot of discussion out there in the aviation community about using the internal GPS of the iPad 3G for navigation without cell coverage. Some say it works fine and others say they don't find it reliable enough without an external GPS receiver, mainly syncing quickly and keeping a satellite lock.

I would suggest trying the internal GPS of the iPad 3G first to see if it is acceptable for you before getting an external GPS. There are enough comments, I've found, to say it is.

There is no doubt an external GPS receiver is needed for the wi-fi only iPad.
 
How are you getting the maps downloaded onto the I-pad so it can be used without internet connection?
 
dags said:
How are you getting the maps downloaded onto the I-pad so it can be used without internet connection?
Click to expand...
With Topomaps you downloads to your laptop or PC first then upload to the iPad via iTunes. When you download a map, it also gives you instructions to get it to your iPad, iPhone, or Galaxy.
 
We have had good luck with Android devices: phones and tablet. I find it very useful to create my own google map working from my desktop. It's one click to export a KML. It's a tiny file and I just email it to myself and SR. It works seamlessly with http://www.backcountrynavigator.com/. I think I paid $9.99. The developer is responsive and has been updating. We use the app on both of our phones and our 7" Nexus tablet. All of this works fine without 3G connection. You download topo or aerial maps within BC Nav while you are at home on your WIFI. We find it handy that SR can view the route on her phone, while I might fiddle with the tablet, since all devices can use the same app/data. It's redundancy, when the battery gets low on one device, we have another.

Just tonight I was looking at my 15" laptop screen showing highlighted roads and landmarks I have annotated in google maps, while comparing it to my 5.5" phone screen which was displaying USGS topo with overlay of USFS/private/BLM boundaries, and the same highlighted roads/landmarks from the imported KML. It makes it very easy to cross reference, and is not as complicated as it sounds. It really helps me dial in boondock spots when I go to satellite view. It's almost like cheating. :unsure:

Experimenting with my new phone I notice that My Tracks (default app on my system), offers to 'share' to google, which means I can record any route, hike/bike/drive and record all the stats (distance/elev/avg speed/ max speed). When I export to google, my route is now saved to a google map, where I can see it on my desktop, email it to a friend, etc. You need a google account to use this feature. In my experience, the My Tracks app is easy, free and plays well with gmaps. BC Nav does not upload recorded tracks yet, to my knowledge.

These are all android based systems, as a comparison to the ipad method. Both use built-in GPS and offline mapping. Very cool.
I like the android/google package right now (devices used: Motorolla Droid2/Droid Global, Nexus7, Samsung Note2).
These are exciting times to explore with better mapping than ever IMHO.
 
After trying out a couple of the demo's linked in this thread and doing some more reading i went ahead and shelled out the $9 for CoPilot Live Premium for our galaxy 10 tablet. We have a nice handheld garmin we take when hiking and i was looking for something that was not tied to the verizon service as we are so far up a canyon most of the time that there is no service available. And with a couple of clicks i had all of the western US downloaded into the tab. Sure i've tried the Google map save feature...but the CoPilot live setup for me seems to be working easier.

Trying out the CoPilot on the tab yesterday i believe it will be a nice use of resources instead of us getting yet another gadget (stand alone auto gps with nice screen)...and we always have the tab for watching movies etc,..and bluetooth or WiFi onto internet on the big screen before heading out of cell range.

So far WTW forum has cost me 2 Strongback Charis and this GPS software in May/June.
This place can get spendy!

;) Thom
 
JHa6av8r said:
I need to clarify something. There is a lot of discussion out there in the aviation community about using the internal GPS of the iPad 3G for navigation without cell coverage. Some say it works fine and others say they don't find it reliable enough without an external GPS receiver, mainly syncing quickly and keeping a satellite lock.

I would suggest trying the internal GPS of the iPad 3G first to see if it is acceptable for you before getting an external GPS. There are enough comments, I've found, to say it is.

There is no doubt an external GPS receiver is needed for the wi-fi only iPad.
Click to expand...
The built-in GPS in my 4G ipad has always been perfectly accurate compared to the IFR Certified Garmin 430 in the panel of my aircraft as opposed to my Garmin 496 portable that occasionally looses signal lock. Timing, speed, and ETA have always been mirrored between the two. I've got a couple of hundred hours using the ipad in the cockpit, so, a decent amount of time to give a good review. I think that the variety of experiences in the aviation community has more to do with mounting placement and view of the sky through the windshield than variances of the iPads. In my PA32 I use a RAM mount on the windshield. Those that use knee boards or whatever will not have as good of success with the GPS (not to mention the distraction of having a navigation device on your lap.)

The problem will be deep canyons and/or heavy tree cover. But then, I've lost lock with Garmin portables in the same settings so, what do you do?
 
Is anyone here using the nexus 7 (2013) tablet? Does it have it's own GPS reciever? The specs say "GPS - support" so I'm not sure what that means...

I've been mulling over several tablets for the last year and this one gets good reviews and the cost for a 32g device is reasonable other than it's google and android. I'd rather have an ipad mini but will wait for the next release before I commit.

Nevermind...It appears it does have GPS and although it appears there have been problems...it doesn't work....it's been fixed.
 
Question about these things, because I've been curious for a while:

Do these devices tell the tablet the GPS location and then apps can use this accordingly, or do they only work with certain apps? Said another way, does the tablet, ipad in my case, "think" it has services locations 'on' and working and then any app can use that info- or do only certain apps work with the device?
 
I'm not too sure what you're asking, but most apps check if your location services is on or off. You set it in the General ->Privacy app, and other apps read this value programmatically. This tells the app what it can and cannot display. Most map-based apps use the built in mapping system, lately from Apple. The map grids are cached, so if you don't have cell or wifi, you can still see a lot of the map grids that have been cached. I have developed many map-based apps myself, including a few camping location apps, and I want to make sure you (the user) can get as much info as possible if you're offline. I hope that helps!
 
Riverrunner said:
Is anyone here using the nexus 7 (2013) tablet? Does it have it's own GPS reciever? The specs say "GPS - support" so I'm not sure what that means...

I've been mulling over several tablets for the last year and this one gets good reviews and the cost for a 32g device is reasonable other than it's google and android. I'd rather have an ipad mini but will wait for the next release before I commit.

Nevermind...It appears it does have GPS and although it appears there have been problems...it doesn't work....it's been fixed.
Click to expand...
I just saw your post, so this is a bit late to the party.
Yes, the nexus 7 has gps and works with BCNav, My Tracks, Google map, etc.
The android OS works easily with the tablet and our phones.
FYI, Google map disabled the My Places feature (and terrain view!) with latest update, but I was able to roll back and disable updates. It's important to me because I have imported my own gpx maps. It's not too difficul to make a map on Google and import it to your tablet.
 
Thanks lighthawk... I did buy the tablet and so far so good..even if it is Andriod. ;) I haven't had it out into the field yet as I'm still looking at apps. So far I'm leaning toward the backcountry navagator app as it looks to be the best one available. I'm assuming I can download maps of the area of interest but do I have to have a subscription to do that???

FWIW - I have a Garmin 1300 nav that I use a lot. I don't use it in the back country to get somewhere but to track where I've been. I've been using it for a couple of years and most of the main roads (off pavement) are on it. What I don't like is I can't zoom out enough to see other roads and it won't give me a name when zoomed out and panning. I'm still old school and have paper maps and use the GPS is an item to complement the paper. Often times when I'm trying to figure out where I am, I can use the GPS to look at road features and compare that to the paper map and pin point exactly where I am. I sometimes use my etrex 30 with the topo maps to figure out where I am but the screen is tiny and not real great for vehicle use. Maps are a awesome tho and maybe there is a way to put that map on the Nexus7 (I hope but haven't got that far).

How is the nexus for navigating? Will it stay on, and track your route like a regular vehicle navigation GPS? If not the Garmin GLO might be the next step if it will work with Andriod.
 
Somehow I don't see new posts when I look at them on the mobile site. :oops:
Missed your post.

I do recommend BC Navigator as an app. You can designate sections of maps to download for storage on your phone or tablet, so you will not need a cell connection to run the map. I download topo maps of specific areas for both driving and hiking. If you import mapping from KLM off google map, those tracks and markers are also available offline.

I track using airplane mode to save battery power, but if we're in the truck I just keep my phone (5.5" Samsung screen) plugged in. Sometimes GPS takes a few minutes to get a lock.
 
I downloaded the trial version of BC Nav. and used it some on our last trip to see how it would work. The Nexus 7 actually worked pretty well. GPS lock was fast and it was helpful to figure out where I was and where I was trying to get to. However......

The maps take a long time to download. I also didn't get all of the map I thought I was getting so I ended up not having everything I needed. That was a bummer. I still ended up using my atlas and Garmin Nuvi more so the jury is still out. I need to do some more testing and see if there is way to download other maps. I have a etrex 30 and have the western states map for that and I need to see if there is a way to use that map on the N7 somehow. Seems like there was some talk about that over on the Expo forum. I'm still amazed as to the roads that the Nuvi has. It has what I need but I just wish it had the ability to zoom in and out better so I could zoom out and see more area.
 
I didn't read this entire thread, but wanted to say that for work we use iPads with a Dual Universal GPS Receiver. It's nice because you can locate the GPS receiver away from the iPad to increase signal strength if you need to and not have any cords However, the GPS receiver is very strong and will pick up satellite signals through the roof of my house!

I was working with one this morning if anyone had questions about the Dual units.

http://gps.dualav.com/explore-by-product/xgps150a/
 
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