What do you use for GPS mapping

Plumber1

Plumber1

Tito's, Tacos and Trails
Supporting Member
Joined
May 27, 2019
Messages
3,612
Location
San Ramon, CA
Ok I did a search and found several posts but most were 2 - 3 years old so I am assuming there might be better things out there than there was a couple of years ago. Let start by saying I have the following types of communication devices in my Jeeps.

Iphone 7

DeLorme InReach (now Garmin ) For safety and texting the wife :) very important

Garmin GPSMAP 66ST ( That I bought 18 months ago when I did the Nevada Trophy Event ) 😃 but I had a navigator

Magella TRX7CS I have never really been happy with the way its works. :mad:


I must admit I am not the most Tech Savvy Guy, more of a push a button and it works Guy. The Garmin GPSMAP works fine but being an Old Guy I would like a larger screen, maybe the size of an IPad Mini. I get the idea that Cell Service needs a signal to work, and that Satellite device like my InReach and GPSMAPS work off satellite, Explain how I can download a map to a non-satellite device and it knows where I am when I am in the middle of no where ? :unsure:

I need some advice and no better place than here. I know that some use Gaia , All trails or others. Can I use my GPSMAP device to link to an IPad Mini or should I just F'ing start over.

My requirements

Portable

Large color screen

It doesn't need to be fancy, just track progress along a designated trail.

Easy to use

Show my how to get back to where I started from. Sometimes doing back fire roads it splits off many times and its easy to get lost, so I wold like the breadcrumb trail option.

HELP ME

Thanks
 
I'm sure this is not what you are thinking but I picked up a Garmin GPS for when my iPhone does not have a signal. I like it enough I bought a second one of the same model for $15 in case it ever gets stolen. I have it hardwired in and usually don't take it out. It does have a breadcrumb feature too. I have tried to download offline Google maps but they don't seem to work for me.
 
I've been happy with Gaia GPS, you can download map segments for the times you may lose service. Many of the local trails can be searched on there, but as a compliment I have trailsoffroad.com as well. Trails Offroad has downloadable GPX files that you can import into Gaia for the offline mapping.

I think all of this can be done on an iPad mini if you prep ahead to load the maps up. I keep thinking about bringing my mini to try it out, but haven't yet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Apparition
I've been trying out Avenza maps on my Android and like it so far. GPS is pretty accurate when I cut cell signal but haven't really pushed it far off the beaten path yet. Can download lots of custom maps and assuming it's on the Apple store, should work on an iPad or iphone for the GPS usage.
 
Viking Jeeper said:
I'm sure this is not what you are thinking but I picked up a Garmin GPS for when my iPhone does not have a signal. I like it enough I bought a second one of the same model for $15 in case it ever gets stolen. I have it hardwired in and usually don't take it out. It does have a breadcrumb feature too. I have tried to download offline Google maps but they don't seem to work for me.
Click to expand...

Yea but I am looking for something with a larger screen

rasband said:
I've been happy with Gaia GPS, you can download map segments for the times you may lose service. Many of the local trails can be searched on there, but as a compliment I have trailsoffroad.com as well. Trails Offroad has downloadable GPX files that you can import into Gaia for the offline mapping.

I think all of this can be done on an iPad mini if you prep ahead to load the maps up. I keep thinking about bringing my mini to try it out, but haven't yet.
Click to expand...

But i am wanting something that I can look up trails, while I am out on the trail also not just from my home.
 
Plumber1 said:
Yea but I am looking for something with a larger screen



But i am wanting something that I can look up trails, while I am out on the trail also not just from my home.
Click to expand...
Avenza has map look up within the app but again not sure if it's Apple compatible.
 
I think you need an iPad with GPS built in, that's the easy solution. Then you can use gaia or all trails. The iPad has enough memory to load tons of trails for a huge area, like the entire state. That way you can search offline which is what you'll be out in the sticks. You basically just pre-load the entire region you are in. I think the iPads that have cell plans have the GPS chip, the 3G or 4G versions.

Just checked the Apple website for the iPad mini with GPS, they call it "Wi-Fi + Cellular models" (you don't even need to get a service plan for the GPS to work from what I understand)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Midnight LJR, rasband, Rick Flair and 1 other person
Greetings, I am an android user but my approach works for apple as well. I like Onx Offroad for maps and navigation. I have it on my phone and I purchased a 10" Dragontouch tablet with GPS for just over $100 on Amazon. I also have it on my laptop. I like it on the laptop for looking at areas I want to go. Then I go to both the tablet and the phone and download map sections in that area for use offline. Pretty simple to do. Instructions are easy to follow. The software picks up the gps from the tablet or phone and follows you on the screen. You can also drop breadcrumbs. I have also used my phone as a mobile hotspot so the tablet could use it as a feed.
To back this up I also have Back Country Navigator pro which allows you to import routes from various software like FunTreks which also follows the waypoints in their books for popular trails. You will find these apps wherever you download apps. For me it was the Google Play Store on my phone. I am not a computer wizz but none of this was very hard.
 
Gaia GPS for General back country navigation.

All Trails App for established trails.

google maps downloaded so available offline for the road.

All on IPad or phone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pagrey
Midnight LJR said:
Gaia GPS for General back country navigation.

All Trails App for established trails.

google maps downloaded so available offline for the road.

All on IPad or phone.
Click to expand...
Ok so explain this part to an old guy

I get the idea that Cell Service needs a signal to work, and that Satellite device like my InReach and GPSMAPS work off satellite, Explain how I can download a map to a non-satellite device and it knows where I am when I am in the middle of no where with no service 🤔
 
Most modern phones have a GPS receiver that is very accurate. The phone knows its latitude and longitude but without a pre-downloaded map or cellular data service it cannot display the map features. Dedicated GPS units have the map features saved. Most iPads also have a GPS receiver.
 
Plumber1 said:
Explain how I can download a map to a non-satellite device and it knows where I am when I am in the middle of no where with no service
Click to expand...

Well the iPhone has a GPS in it, the iPad has an optional GPS in the LTE models (or I think it can piggy back on the iPhone for non-LTE models - but I’d need to test mine to verify).
 
Viking Jeeper said:
Most modern phones have a GPS receiver that is very accurate. The phone knows its latitude and longitude but without a pre-downloaded map or cellular data service it cannot display the map features. Dedicated GPS units have the map features saved. Most iPads also have a GPS receiver.
Click to expand...
Ok I get the phone has a GPS receiver built in, but how does this work when you have no Cell Service ? And if I buy an IPad without a service it only works when you have WIFI. So if I am out of cell range and my IPad has no internet connection how does this work ? Maybe I am missing something
 
GPS receiver is separate from the cell service receiver so even when you have no cell service your phone knows its location on the earths surface (as long as it can receive GPS signals, which is a different thing). I'm not sure what models of iPad do/dont have GPS. I have an iPad mini 1 that has a GPS receiver.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rasband
Viking Jeeper said:
GPS receiver is separate from the cell service receiver so even when you have no cell service your phone knows its location on the earths surface (as long as it can receive GPS signals, which is a different thing). I'm not sure what models of iPad do/dont have GPS. I have an iPad mini 1 that has a GPS receiver.
Click to expand...
So does that mean that GPS part of my phone is working on satellite ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: pagrey
Plumber1 said:
So does that mean that GPS part of my phone is working on satellite ?
Click to expand...

Yes it does! Around town it usually won’t use the GPS because it can accurately determine your location via lower power alternatives (cell towers, Bluetooth devices, WiFi networks), however once you’re out away from that it falls back to a proper GPS chip.
 
Top Bottom
Back