iPad for offroad nav

[Preacher]

is there a good app etc for use with ipad for offroad navigation

our club had robbert pepper visit us a couple of years ago and rob was using a series of units then to achieve his nav requirements \

i'm sure things have changed - what can we start looking at these days especially with the ipad scene

thanks for yuour input

dj

[TELF RRC]

You could try Motion X GPS.

[discotwinturbo]

is there a good app etc for use with ipad for offroad navigation

our club had robbert pepper visit us a couple of years ago and rob was using a series of units then to achieve his nav requirements \

i'm sure things have changed - what can we start looking at these days especially with the ipad scene

thanks for yuour input

dj

Hema now offer an iPad or iPhone app.

Vms have been doing it for a while....have heard good and not so good things about this app, particularly image quality. I asked vms for a money back guarantee but they said no. Decided not to buy based on their reply.

Waiting on response from Hema.

I use motion gpx but detail is not great, but it's super cheap.

[Disco4SE]

Thought I would send this link.
I have one in my D4. Tablets - Apple - iPad-2 (http://www.holdmyphone.com.au/select-your-device.html?hselect=Tablets&hselect2=Apple&hselect3=iPad-2&ddlsubaccessories=&ddlaccessories=&ddlBrands=Land-Rover&ddlModels=Discovery-4-09_11)
Cheers, Craig

[DiscoWeb]

Preacher,

In the latest 4X4 Australia Mag there was a piece on the new HEMA app for the Ipad.

As I was reading it last night and thinking about the I pad Imy daughter got for Christmas I took note, something like 1.5 GB download, has all the major HEMA maps and something like $179.

Sounds like a reasonable option.

George

[Tinman]

If you have a IPad 2 with 3G they have a AGPS chip on board. This means Assisted GPS, the chip a gps chip, inhances the siginal download from the cellular network towers not from the available satellites, works quite well depending on provider. May have some difficulty if no service available. Always a dedicated GPS is a better option.
Ps IPads with wifi only,use the wifi system to navigate only

[DiscoWeb]

Based on reading Tinman's post I did some quick "google research" and it appears that the Wi Fi version of the Ipad (i.e. - non 3G enabled ) does not come with the GPS and as such can not be used for navigation where not signal is available so installing mapping software would be a waste.

Additionally you do not need to be in mobile signal range to use the 3G device for navigation provided you have an app that includes pre-laoded maps, there appear to be a number of options including the HEMA one I mentioned below, VMS, Memory Maps etc.

The above is based on 20 mins of research on the net so I am not in anyway standing by the information as being correct but perhaps someone else can confirm if it is right ?

George

[gghaggis]

Both the iPad and iPad 2 models with 3G have aGPS, but I'm not sure if they fall back to (unassisted) GPS when out of network range. Given that I've seen one working in what I believe was an area out of range, I suspect that they do.

I just use a cheap Android tablet and run OziExplorer with maps taken from my Hema Navigator.

Cheers,

Gordon

[brenno]

George is correct.

I have an iPad 1 (3g & wifi), and can confirm that you do not need the cellular network to operate the GPS.

I've never had a sim card in mine since I've had it, hence no access to cellular networks. Both GPS programs I've used have worked fine.

The wifi version alone cannot be used as a GPS as it doesn't have the hardware installed.

[TELF RRC]

George is correct.

I have an iPad 1 (3g & wifi), and can confirm that you do not need the cellular network to operate the GPS.

I've never had a sim card in mine since I've had it, hence no access to cellular networks. Both GPS programs I've used have worked fine.

The wifi version alone cannot be used as a GPS as it doesn't have the hardware installed.

I'd agree with this, no cellular network required for thre GPS to keep running on my iPhone 4. With Motion X I download the area that I'll be travelling in while at home with wifi. I can chose the scale at which I download and there are a few different maps to choose from (motion X, Bing and Google). They had good information on tracks for a recent trip in West Cape Howe NP when I done that trip, downloaded at best detail scale while driving there when cellular network was available. Worked well but the maps are probably not as good as Hema.

The HEMA app looks quite good and the price doesn't scare me all that much.

I've found that the position of the iPhone in the car is important to getting good GPS signal and have found that a suction mount well forward on the windscreen works best. I think you would struggle a bit with an iPad unless you were going to get out regularly and check. I doubt there is a car mounting kit for an iPad, is there??

[Tinman]

Guys I need to correct myself. As i said the Ipad 2 has a AGPS which enhances the performance of standard GPS when it connects to cellular and wifi networks. The IPad 2 with 3g "Does have a standard GPS inside", which will connect to available Satellites as required.:blush:Sorry for the confusion

[Ranga]

Also try Bit Map if you already have maps.

One interesting disappointing issue with the iPad2 - with polarised sunnies portrait mode (or maybe landscape, can't remember) you can't see the screen at all.

Had one for 10 days and that issue, along with poor screen resolution, and it being too big for my liking in a Defender, saw me return it for a refund. Apple have a 14 day notices questions asked return policy, so no harm in grabbing one for testing.

Personally, I think the 7" form factor is best for in-car navigation. I tried the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 7", and it was good except the GPS was too fickle. Hence it got moved on also. As you may have gathered, I'm pretty picky!

BTW, Android tablets are rapidly advancing - both hardware and software. Don't be scared to give them a try. A couple of mates are very happy with their aging Optus tabs for navigation. You can pick these up for about $100 second hand.

Sent from the dodgy keyboard on my phone via Tapatalk

[Disco4SE]

Hi all, found this on the LR UK site the other day.
Looks like a good mounting solution. DISCO4.COM - View topic - Mounting an iPad 2 in D4 (http://www.disco4.com/forum/topic73224.html)

Cheers, Craig

[Robocop]

I have the exact same proclip mount in the same spot for my iPhone. I can guarantee that mount alone isn't holding that iPad.

[jon3950]

Evening all - first post.

I have been looking around for a while for something to replace my PDA (with built-in GPS) running Tom Tom & Oziexplorer. I already own an Ipad2 and an Iphone, so just before Christmas bit the bullet and invested in Memory Map.

I looked at other options, including VMS, Hema HN5i and cheap Chinese, but finally decided to utilise the hardware I already had. I then experimented with the Bitmap, Mudmap/VMS and Memory Maps apps. I settled on Memory Map because, although I like Bitmap, the graphics aren't as good and the uploading process is painful. I didn't go with VMS because you can't get Hema maps on it and I don't like Smart topo. I like to use copies of the paper maps I'm using as I really just use the gps to locate myself on the paper map.

I tried it down in the Snowy Mountains over Christmas both 4wding and bushwalking (using iphone) and am happy with it. Off-road, in the Disco 3 I sit the ipad on the door of the top glovebox - sits in front of the passenger. I put the iphone in the hole where the touch screen would go. On-road I just use the iphone and also run Tom Tom on it.

Memory Map is a good, simple system - I particularly like the seamless topos, and its good to have it on both ipad and iphone and already having the hardware this was a good option. However, I still prefer Ozi and it was annoying having to buy copies of maps I already have.


Cheers,
Jon

[go-disco4]

Hi Preacher

I use the IPAD2 (3G + Wi Fi). You need the 3G version. It has the GPS chip which does not need cellular network connection.

I use the Hema Memory Maps (memory-map.com.au) - bit pricey but works well

check out Ram Mount (ram-mount.com) give them a ring and they will advise you on the model required. I used their 3 suction cap model. Very secure, very little or no vibration over corrugations.

On a recent long Birdsville trip, the system worked very well. The large screen is brilliant even in bright sunlight. no need for sunshade over the ipad in the car. My wife who was navigating was most impressed, so were the other drivers.

The large size does block a little of the windscreen, but not enough to matter.

Buy a cig charger. I got one from Jaycar, you will need the 2.1 amp version to charge and run the IPAD

hope helps

GD-4

[go-disco4]

I meant to say

"Hope This Helps"

GD-4

[trevorj]

Preacher; I use VMS on my iphone4, with the 250K topo maps (same as the paper version) for anything fine scale; Hema paper maps for the big picture stuff, but VMS is everything I could imagine at fine scale. We plotted our tracks/position within a few metres freecamping across cooper creek area, roxby, andamooka stations in August. Yes - screen size is small, but can zoom to a few metres. I havent used VMS on iPad, but I imagine it would do same job, on the bigger screen. Good reception in my D4 with the iphone loose on pass dash. Big advantage for me is one less coms gizmo to charge, carry, mount etc. iphone + satphone + UHF is all I carry these days. Latest VMS update has bunch of new bells and whistles, but for me the core business is 250K topo. My expl geologist mates are locked into the paper versions and when we travel together, its my iphone that gives them the metres-level location verification.
Hope this is a help.

[~Rich~]

GPS Oz is currently working on making Oz Topo available for the iPad. Many of our 4wd club are using Mud Map or VMS with more happy with Mud Mao than VMS. They are keen to see Oz Topo once released.