We are hosting a GaiaGPS/Navigation 101 class on Saturday Feb 26th at 10AM. RSVP on the event page.
My Kit
Tablet: 10-year old Apple iPad Mini w/Retina Display (2nd Gen) with WiFi & Cellular connectivity.
Mount: Ram Mount "X-Mount" on B-Type Double Socket Arm mounted to a B-Type screw in (to dash or console) ball mount. The other cradle in the pic is for my Garmin InReach.
Software: GaiaGPS app with premium subscription for access to all map layers. You can use this link to save $32/yr on the subscription. Log into the GaiaGPS website and the app on your devices with the same account to use the membership everywhere and enable data sync.
Planned Upgrade: New iPad mini Wi‑Fi + Cellular 256GB - Space Gray ($866 all-in) and Garmin GLO 2 Bluetooth GPS for iOS and Android (external GPS radio).
Notes
My Kit
Tablet: 10-year old Apple iPad Mini w/Retina Display (2nd Gen) with WiFi & Cellular connectivity.
Mount: Ram Mount "X-Mount" on B-Type Double Socket Arm mounted to a B-Type screw in (to dash or console) ball mount. The other cradle in the pic is for my Garmin InReach.
Software: GaiaGPS app with premium subscription for access to all map layers. You can use this link to save $32/yr on the subscription. Log into the GaiaGPS website and the app on your devices with the same account to use the membership everywhere and enable data sync.
Planned Upgrade: New iPad mini Wi‑Fi + Cellular 256GB - Space Gray ($866 all-in) and Garmin GLO 2 Bluetooth GPS for iOS and Android (external GPS radio).
Notes
- Learn how to chart and plot on paper. I can show you how I do it, but there are also several more official (and complicated) ways demonstrated on YouTube. This is important because electronics fail (see note on heat below) and getting stranded due to electronics failure isn't something worth risking. I also import my planned routes and alternate routes into my my InReach unit as a backup to my tablet.
- Not all tablets are equal - iPads with WiFi only (no cellular) do not have a dedicated GPS Radio. This is true for many lower budget Android Tablets. These devices use Internet or WiFi signal triangulation to display relative location on a map. This is useless in the backcountry. I know for a fact that the iPads with cellular data capabilities have dedicated GPS radios and no connectivity to the internet is needed for the GPS to work. The same appears to be true with the 8-Inch Galaxy Tab A, their Mil-Spec Galaxy Tab Active, and probably other models as well. Whatever tablet you consider, look for "GPS" in the specs to verify that they are listed...
- Size Matters! Real estate around the driver in a TLC or other Toyota is limited. I recommend avoiding screens larger than 8-inches and I personally enjoy them in portrait mode instead of landscape. A special note: I attempted to use my 11-Inch iPad Pro during the Black Rock trip and was disappointed with the tablet's inability to keep up with our movements. I wheel low and slow and I had to frequently stop to let the navigation catch up to my progress. I have never had this problem on my 10-year old iPad mini. It could be inferior GPS radio or it could have something to do with the size of the screen.
- Heat is the enemy! I have had my tablet die on me several times due to overheating. It turns out these electronics do not like direct sunlight through a windshield for hours at a time. I am going to try and come up with some sort of shield to help prevent shutdown. For now hanging my ballcap over the unit seems to do the trick.
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