iPad iPhone GPS (Yes, again!)
Hey guys, I have done a search on all the old posts, some good info but none of them answer all my questions, so here we go again.
I have a 5m plate ali runabout with sounder, a work supplied iPhone 4 and a work supplied "new iPad". I use the boat 99% of the time in the sound around Garden Island and out the back of GI too. I'm never out of sight of land. I was hoping to get a GPS unit that would give me all the basic functions and a screen larger than the postage stamp sized stuff I have seen on cheap hand helds.
Essentially I would like to be able to share spots, mark my own spots and get back to them next time. Are there any apps that people have used and recommend that work well? Or am I waisting my time and should just save the $800 or so that seems to be the going rate? Or any suggestions for a basic dedicated GPS with marine charts and a decent size screen? (Hand held or fixed is OK)
Any help & comments appreciated.
Cheers.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Probably same as last
Probably same as last time. 1) work phone, with insurance? If not, ouch. 2) App? Navionics marine asutralia is good. There are alternatives though. 3) Safest is probably an etrex, but it has such a small screen. 4) Sharing? You can email out of navionics marine australia, but then you could just copy the points off an extrex too. 5) Maybe just a cheapie like the lowrance hds5 or the raymarine a57d?
Browndog
Posts: 582
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Hi Till, thanks for your
Hi Till, thanks for your thoughts, much appreciated.
Good point about insurance, maybe a waterproof cover might be worthwhile. (another $100 or so I'm guessing?)
The HDS5 & A57D look nice, but at around $1000 I don't think I can justify the purchase? If I was out every weekend, in new areas and away from land perhaps? As for the Etrex, am I right in thinking on top of the $100-$300 purchase price you then have to fork out for marine charts (another $250??) which is then getting close to the HDS5 & A57 (which I assume have charts pre loaded?)
As for the sharing, I'm happy to manually input them
Maybe a paper chart & compass is a better option, or iPad/iPhone? The Navionics one you mention above looks reasonable for $79 do you know if you can run the same one on iPhone/iPad or if they are specific apps for each platform? Would be handy if for one download I can have it on two devices (phone will always be with me, maybe take iPad out only when required?)
Is anyone else using an iThingy app in the sound and have good/bad experience with Navionics or other?
Sorry if I'm going over things that have been done to death already, but I was hoping to hear feedback from people who are actually using these apps for pros/cons.
Thanks all.
BD.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
The way apple product is
The way apple product is distributed, if you want it on two devices, you have to buy it twice.
kane
Posts: 1752
Date Joined: 07/12/08
thats incorrect
you buy the app once and you can share it between ifone and ipad using itunes ... at no extra cost
Gooooone Fishin!
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Nice, when I got my original
Nice, when I got my original version I couldn't transfer it to my new iphone. Maybe they changed that when they released the ipad.
milsey
Posts: 1462
Date Joined: 22/08/07
Mate get the Oceanic
Mate get the Oceanic Navionics. It cost me $13 and its amazing, i got it mainly for the dinghy but my mate doesnt have a GPS in his boat so very easy to put a few spots in off my GPS and away we go. Ive found it to be very accurate also, the only Neg point is it sucks your battery but an easy fix with a cigg socket and a 12V charger. Also make sure when your saving spots to save them as a Pin and not a Marker, The markers are actually editing the map and is shared with all the other members using the App.
Browndog
Posts: 582
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Thanks Milsey, good to hear
Thanks Milsey, good to hear it's working fine for you, nice point about the Pin/Marker difference!
On iTunes I have found Navionics "Marine: Australia & New Zealand" app for $15.99 that says compatible with iPhone & iPad, is this the one you have?
Cheers,
BD
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Work Supplied
Not so sure the boss would be too happy knowing you take the work gear out on the boat and use it for your own leisure. I am sure mine wouldn't be
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
Browndog
Posts: 582
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Hi Vince, my boss is fine
Hi Vince, my boss is fine with it, the reason he gives me these toys is so I can make calls and respond to emails etc 24/7, if I'm out on the boat and he emails/calls me he wants me to be able to respond. My boss is very flexible with work hours etc, but there has to be a balance. I can't bugger off early Friday afternoon and then complain that I spent an hour Sunday morning talking with clients and sending emails etc.
I can understand others might not be so understanding.
Cheers,
BD.
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
I hear you...
Pretty much the same here but because of the size of the company the paper work involved in explaining loss/damage is frightening LOL. My vehicle caught fire on the freeway not long ago and the fear of loss/damage to the blackberry and notebook etc. led me to hurredly rescue those ahead of some of my own personal stuff.
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
milsey
Posts: 1462
Date Joined: 22/08/07
Yer mate thats the one, I
Yer mate thats the one, I think when i got it was around $13. I bought my Bro a waterproof case also and it is very annoying when it comes to calling but will prevent water damage and it was only $25 on ebay so could be worth looking into.
Browndog
Posts: 582
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Thanks Milsey, will download
Thanks Milsey, will download tonight and look at case options too.
kane
Posts: 1752
Date Joined: 07/12/08
these look good
http://www.lifeproof.com/shop/cases/ipad-2/
Gooooone Fishin!
kane
Posts: 1752
Date Joined: 07/12/08
I've got an average gps/sounder in my boat
which i plan to get rid of down the track when ive got a spare 3 grand to get the new sounder / gps combo i want.
in the meantime i use navionics on my ifone to see better charts when required. i do this in conjunction with the crap humminbird gps (for the larger screen when great detail is not so important). its a crap setup but the point im getting to is the navionics system on ifone / ipad is fantastic. the information on the charts craps all over my "proper" humminbird marine gps map and if im ever unsure about potentual hazards the ifone is what i rely on for a clearer picture.
like i say its not an ideal situation but its a new boat im still setting it up and this system works for me for the time being, i dont see any issue using an ipad with the navionics app at all.
Gooooone Fishin!
Rob H
Posts: 5798
Date Joined: 18/01/12
Only thing with the Navionics
Only thing with the Navionics program is it seems to be a PITA to put a mark on it-no MOB or "mark" button etc?
Or are there some tricks?
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Browndog
Posts: 582
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Thanks guys, I just
Thanks guys, I just downloaded the Navionics and had a quick play, looks like it will do me just fine, even if it seems a bit clumsy. Will find out more once I become familiar with it.
I agree it's not a substitute for a dedicated unit, but should cover 99% of my needs for now. Now just gotta get the waterproof covers...
Thanks Fishwrecked.
BD.
flexn
Posts: 232
Date Joined: 19/03/12
I used this app from jurien
I used this app from jurien bay and we were miles out. It was dead on accurate reading exactly the same as my mates Furuno GPS unit. Plotting is easy on it, just play with it and got to no how it works
Longole
Posts: 55
Date Joined: 20/02/11
A few of us have been
A few of us have been comparing the Navionics App on Iphone4s, Google nexus and chartplotter/sounder with navionics gold chip for a few months now. App is very accurate and sooo much cheaper than getting a plotter, chip, card reader and nav planner for laptop! Plus not constantly taking chip out of plotter to get maps to show on computer. Phones seem to pick up the satellites as good as plotter does.
Down side is obviously battery life on phones but as others have said this can be overcome with USB cable to cig.lighter. Not too worried about phone breaking, everything is backed up to either icloud or google account.
If only there was a depth sounder app.....
Luckydog
Posts: 42
Date Joined: 09/04/12
I've been using the
I've been using the navionics in conjunction with the gps in my boat and find its pretty accurate.
for a cheap application it certainly does its job in my opinion
feeding the fish since 1982
Rob H
Posts: 5798
Date Joined: 18/01/12
tips please!
so whats the easy way to put a mark on it at your present position?
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
kane
Posts: 1752
Date Joined: 07/12/08
move the cross hair
to your position, then hit the question mark icon, then hit add marker - then you can type in a title - dhuie spot, good cray ledge etc etc
Gooooone Fishin!
milsey
Posts: 1462
Date Joined: 22/08/07
What Kane said, but press set
What Kane said, but press set on GPS position to make sure its accurate.