What's a good portable GPS?

[4RunnerAquasport]

What's the point if this ? Being able to have GPS signal when you have no cell phone service ?

And I agree 100% about that cell phone service and GPS are two different things. A true GPS in a cell phone will still locate you without cell phone service

Yes Sir, the gps in a phone will locate your position, but the gps kills the battery on my cell phone, the Dual battery lasts almost all day and works better at finding and keeping more satellites and triangulating a location because the gps in my phone sucks. In certain places even with internet, my position will jump around because the phone wont stay triangulated. I also dont have to worry about mounting my phone. The Dual sits on the dash without any mounting hardware. I have a tablet that the Dual pairs with on bluetooth so I also have bigger screen than my phone to navigate with. But, its also unnecessary if your phone gps works for you..

 

[Sleeter]

Attached are screen shots of Gaia GPS and HemaExplorer both showing the USGS layer.

Gaia

HemaExplorer

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kolelt]

Yes Sir, the gps in a phone will locate your position, but the gps kills the battery on my cell phone, the Dual battery lasts almost all day and works better at finding and keeping more satellites and triangulating a location because the gps in my phone sucks. In certain places even with internet, my position will jump around because the phone wont stay triangulated. I also dont have to worry about mounting my phone. The Dual sits on the dash without any mounting hardware. I have a tablet that the Dual pairs with on bluetooth so I also have bigger screen than my phone to navigate with. But, its also unnecessary if your phone gps works for you..

And this is good to use with a cell phone that already has gps built in?

 

[kolelt]

There's a local guy selling Garmin 62st for $150. What you thibk

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

And this is good to use with a cell phone that already has gps built in?

You could pair them up, but if your phone gps works well enough it's 100 bucks you don't need to spend.
I also didn't mention, my eyes are old, so navigating on my tablet I pair with the external gps is much easier. Then I just turn the phone off, which is what I'm trying to do when I'm on the trails anyway ha ha.
On the side note: I had a similar basic garmin 10 years ago when I used to own my Aquasport. It was pretty damn accurate to the fishing coordinates I was using in the Atlantic at the time. That thing got bounced all over the boat, it was pretty rugged. If your into hiking that might be the ticket.

 

[A.Wilson013]

There's a local guy selling Garmin 62st for $150. What you thibk

We use a bunch of Garmin Rino's while hunting and they're pretty sweet.

Sounds like a waste of $150 to me. You've got a GPS in your pocket right now with a bigger screen, higher resolution, and way more options.

When I used Gaia (on a shitty iPhone 4) to do the WABDR it was the most convenient thing I have ever used.

It was so accurate that I would get to a spot with 3 left turns within 25 feet of each other and by zooming in (on the downloaded map- no service) I could tell I wanted to take the one in the center, with the 1' boulder on the left side of the road, 10 feet in.

 

[kolelt]

We use a bunch of Garmin Rino's while hunting and they're pretty sweet.

Sounds like a waste of $150 to me. You've got a GPS in your pocket right now with a bigger screen, higher resolution, and way more options.

When I used Gaia (on a shitty iPhone 4) to do the WABDR it was the most convenient thing I have ever used.

It was so accurate that I would get to a spot with 3 left turns within 25 feet of each other and by zooming in (on the downloaded map- no service) I could tell I wanted to take the one in the center, with the 1' boulder on the left side of the road, 10 feet in.

My biggest concern is when I lose service. And there are lot of issues with this in NJ believe it or not. Even though ATT. So maybe that blue tooth gps would be my solution

 

[Sleeter]

My biggest concern is when I lose service. And there are lot of issues with this in NJ believe it or not. Even though ATT. So maybe that blue tooth gps would be my solution

Loose service? the GPS is not tied to cell service. Download the maps over wifi and then your goodtogo.

 

[A.Wilson013]

My biggest concern is when I lose service. And there are lot of issues with this in NJ believe it or not. Even though ATT. So maybe that blue tooth gps would be my solution

I think you're missing the fact that you don't need cell service for your GPS to work.

I downloaded (about 6GB if I remember correctly) a satellite view of my route (and about 5 miles on either side of it) from the southern border of WA, all the way to Canada.

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks for the screen shots! I can now see that the Gaia maps do offer the level of detail I need. So when I get the chance I plan to buy an iPhone and the Gaia app w/maps.

 

[kolelt]

I think you're missing the fact that you don't need cell service for your GPS to work.

I downloaded (about 6GB if I remember correctly) a satellite view of my route (and about 5 miles on either side of it) from the southern border of WA, all the way to Canada.

oh lol sorry, i though the cell phone GPS works through cell phone service....

so even if you have no service on cell phone, but have downloaded the maps, your phone can still track you?

 

[grapemilk]

Of note: Wi-Fi only iPads don't have GPS. Wi-Fi + Cellular iPads do have GPS and you don't need to activate the cellular service.

 

[A.Wilson013]

oh lol sorry, i though the cell phone GPS works through cell phone service....

so even if you have no service on cell phone, but have downloaded the maps, your phone can still track you?

Correct. Your phone GPS works through the GPS receiver in your phone and is not associated with cell service.

So even if you have no service on your phone, but have downloaded the maps, your phone can still track you with a very high level of accuracy. (and GAIA will show you that level of accuracy)

 

[RedSled]

Correct. Your phone GPS works through the GPS receiver in your phone and is not associated with cell service.

So even if you have no service on your phone, but have downloaded the maps, your phone can still track you with a very high level of accuracy. (and GAIA will show you that level of accuracy)

Yep, my Apple watch does that even if i do not have my phone with me.

 

[lojack323]

oh lol sorry, i though the cell phone GPS works through cell phone service....

I'm with you. I learned something new today and it's only lunch time lol. :nerd:

 

[kolelt]

Can Gaia do this. While your off roading. On a trail. Track your route and create the route you went. As in highlight the route you drove ?

 

[S4TA]

I clicked on this post to say I have a Garmin but pretty much only use the Gaia app on my iPhone. Looks like everyone beat me to the punch.

I use it for hiking too. I put it on airplane mode to save battery (GPS still works). To save more battery I kill the app when I'm not using it but I leave the phone on. After 4 hours and checking the app every 10 minutes or so, I still have about 90% battery.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WODWorldWide]

Can Gaia do this. While your off roading. On a trail. Track your route and create the route you went. As in highlight the route you drove ?

Yes, just download the maps for offline use. I have an iPad mounted with Gaia running and the XGPS150A and it works perfectly. Before I go to an area, I map out the different areas and create some waypoints. Then I will download the map around the area and when I get there, I can track everything.

 

[trailtruck]

Looks like there's a Gaia bundle on the Apple App Store right now for $19.99. Includes both Gaia and an app called OTM (Offline Topographical Maps).

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Got me an iPhone 7+ last week, and the Gaia w/maps bundle. Love it!

Thanks for the help.