GPS... What do you use?

FishCannon

FishCannon

Test Drive
Location
Tacoma, WA
This weekend I took the family out to a new spot. While out there, I thought to myself "Hey Dumb@55! how are you gonna tell what turnoff to use? How do you know where you're at while on the go?" And it occurred to me. I need to get a good GPS that shows Forest Service roads. I know there are systems out there, but I'm not sure which ones are good for off-road.

Enlighten me, people. What do you use? Or what do you wish you had?
 
TerryD

TerryD

Total Tease
Supporting Member
Location
Covington, Va
I use a tablet with ORUX maps on it. I'm looking to upgrade to a newer tablet soon and get either GAIA or Back Country Navigator. BCN has some ham radio features I like but Gaia I think has more support at the moment for OHV use.
 
jsexton

jsexton

Need Bigger Tires
Location
Lewis Center, OH
I use a Samsung tablet and Gaia, Maplets, maprika, google maps, or google earth depending on what I’m doing and if I have cell service or not.
 
CHUG

CHUG

Lockers Installed
Supporting Member
Location
McMinnville, Orygun
Garmin 60CX, which seen lots.. Even survived a short Scuba dive.. OOP's. After many day's in HOT sunshine. It lives!!... so far still works.
Dash board Garmin GPS with TOPO chip. And Old fashion Paper maps.. ;-) Due to lack of Cell service.
 
Just a Hunter

Just a Hunter

Bought an X
Location
Georgia
Gaia from Ancient Greek also spelled Gaea is the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek Primordial deities. Gaia is the ancestral mother of all life: the primal Mother Earth gobbledess. She is the immediate parent of Uranus (the sky), from whose sexual union she bore the Titans (themselves parents of many of the Olympian gobbles) and the Giants , and of Pontus (the sea), from whose union she bore the primordial sea gobbles. Her equivalent in the Roman pantheon was Terra. :)

Or maybe, it's this
https://help.gaiagps.com/hc/en-us/categories/115000704567-Android

I'm betting on the Greek gobble which enjoyed playing around.
 
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Snagger

Snagger

Test Drive
Location
Arden, NC
Gaia GPS. I plan trips, keep track of routes taken, mark campsites and other places of interest and share it with friends who might benefit from the info. I like it, although it did take some time to learn the features.
 
harryron

harryron

The Grumpiest of Mid-Westerners
Location
ohio
Take a look at OnX maps it's a app for hunting and fishing but it will show you what is public and private property It can be used with or without cell service.
 
Snagger

Snagger

Test Drive
Location
Arden, NC
harryron said:
Take a look at OnX maps it's a app for hunting and fishing but it will show you what is public and private property It can be used with or without cell service.
Click to expand...

Good point! Being able download and save maps for those frequent times you are out of cell range is an important feature to look for with any GPS or mapping app.
 
meisanerd

meisanerd

Need Bigger Tires
Location
Edmonton, AB, Canada
Prime said:
I installed OsmAnd. It uses all the trail maps from trailsoffroad.com.
Click to expand...
Yah, I love apps that use OpenStreetMap data. It's great because the data is usually pretty accurate, I can generate the files myself with a bit of work, and if I find something wrong, it can be fixed and submitted to the next set of map updates. I've been using OsmAnd on my phone for a few years now, even had a setup on my server to generate the custom maps with the data I wanted.
 
Xterrorista

Xterrorista

Charcoal Briquette
Supporting Member
Location
Denton, TX
Snagger said:
Gaia GPS. I plan trips, keep track of routes taken, mark campsites and other places of interest and share it with friends who might benefit from the info. I like it, although it did take some time to learn the features.
Click to expand...
Hmm, I'm gonna have to check some of these out.

We've always just relied on NatGeo paper topo maps of the areas we'll be in. Google Maps will let you map out places and save for offline use. Your GPS in your phone is always on and damn accurate even with zero signal. If I have the map up of a saved map or I loose gps while running it will still show me on Google maps where I am even tho it wont give directions or have features.
 
BCXterra

BCXterra

Bought an X
I use a Garmin Inreach paired with my iPhone. It rides clipped to my sun visor with a security strap & talks to my phone via Bluetooth.
The app is pretty good, does what I have limited expectations for it to do. It would be great if it had a backroads map book overlay, but then I also roll with the hard copy map book.
The other good thing is that it doubles as a satellite communication device to keep in touch with friends and family, or in case of emergency it has an SOS function.
 
Smileyshaun

Smileyshaun

Bought an X
Gia with a iPad mini , I mostly use it to just keep track of where I’ve been . I like to explore and see where roads go not pre plan much . I like the fact I can pull up different kinds of maps , I mostly use the forest service maps and the Gia maps . If you get a tablet just make sure it has GPS function without cell service. And for a mount I just use this contraption I Picked up in the clearance bin probably five years ago it’s been in a couple different vehicles and the suction cup still sticks to the dash with no problems.32D0D0DB-0A7E-4ED4-95A8-3D5D8D85D7B9.jpegD4BF5AAC-A122-4D3E-999A-F658482277CD.jpeg
 
scoyoc

scoyoc

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Fort Collins, CO
BCXterra said:
It would be great if it had a backroads map book overlay, but then I also roll with the hard copy map book.
Click to expand...

I have an inReach mini. I think we can load kml files (Google Earth) into it using the web interface. If you get a kml track for your route you should be able to use it to navigate with the Earthmate app on your phone. I'll have to play around with it to be sure...
 
General_Tarfun

General_Tarfun

Sliders
Location
Atlanta, GA
IM1RU said:
Garmin Nuvi 720 (I think)..... and An Ipad Air with Gaia (because out here, you probably don't have service)
Click to expand...

I have something like that too, its really old and I was on the verge of tossing it but on one trip up in the mountains the phone maps were useless (all green, no road) and I found the Garmin worked great.
 
Gen X

Gen X

First Fill-Up (of many)
Supporting Member
Location
Ashburn, VA
Anyone figured out how to use GPS on a Chromebook? My tablet and laptop died awhile back, so I figured replace both with a Chromebook. I had no idea Chromebooks didn't have GPS. Now I have no navigation. Can I fix this?
 
Xterrorista

Xterrorista

Charcoal Briquette
Supporting Member
Location
Denton, TX
Gen X said:
Anyone figured out how to use GPS on a Chromebook? My tablet and laptop died awhile back, so I figured replace both with a Chromebook. I had no idea Chromebooks didn't have GPS. Now I have no navigation. Can I fix this?
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Bummer.. I used to run a plug in receiver and software from Delorme years ago before super smart ass phones! It was around a hundred bucks 20yrs ago so it's either 5$, 5000$ or they don't make it anymore haha~
 
TerryD

TerryD

Total Tease
Supporting Member
Location
Covington, Va
I'm in the market for a new Samsung tablet to run Gaia or BCN-XE on. I've passed up a few deals but I need to just go ahead and do it.

My old LG is struggling and it looks like they've dropped support for ORUX all together...
 
Brunnie

Brunnie

Bumpers Installed
Supporting Member
Location
Colorado Springs
scoyoc said:
I pretty much exclusively use Gaia now for navigation. I have a dash mount for my phone, so I cans speak to CarPlay. But it’s a great app.
Click to expand...
I bought an iPad Mini strictly for Gaia. Nice to have a large screen to look at. iPad must be cellular capable for the GPS portion but you do not need a phone number.
 
xyoverland

xyoverland

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
Turns out the recording doesn't work via CarPlay. That would've been handy. I can't splurge for an iPad mini, but maybe a cheapy Kindle Fire or similar small Android tablet.
 
scoyoc

scoyoc

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Fort Collins, CO
I tried to use Gaia with my Kindle Fire. It doesn’t have GPS so I got a $60 Bluetooth GPS off Amazon. It worked with Garmin Earthmate, but not with Gaia, so I sent it back. What ever you go with make sure is has cellular capability so it has a GPS. A plus-size phone would work well too. It’s pretty good on my iPhone 7 Plus.

I’m thinking about a cheap Samsung or refurbished 4th/5th gen iPad Mini. The iPad Mini 6th gen is coming out any day now, so the older models should drop on price by the end of April.
 
Brunnie

Brunnie

Bumpers Installed
Supporting Member
Location
Colorado Springs
scoyoc said:
I tried to use Gaia with my Kindle Fire. It doesn’t have GPS so I got a $60 Bluetooth GPS off Amazon. It worked with Garmin Earthmate, but not with Gaia, so I sent it back. What ever you go with make sure is has cellular capability so it has a GPS. A plus-size phone would work well too. It’s pretty good on my iPhone 7 Plus.

I’m thinking about a cheap Samsung or refurbished 4th/5th gen iPad Mini. The iPad Mini 6th gen is coming out any day now, so the older models should drop on price by the end of April.
Click to expand...
OK... Go to Swappa - iPads and find one that fits your needs and price range.


scoyoc said:
How do you have yours mounted?
Click to expand...
I bought this mount Mini-Mount and this stand Ram Flex Stand And connected it to the left passenger seat front bolt.
 
xyoverland

xyoverland

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
I ended up picking up a Garmin InReach Mini. It was pricier up front than competitors but cheaper long term with monthly fees. It allows you to set three messages with up to five recipients each, and sending those three messages are unlimited. So I have a “got to camp,” “running late but everything is okay,” and a “just checking in” that will text and email my wife along with my coordinates and a link to a map. And adds it to a map page that logs all the messages. I think each message can be sent to up to five recipients.

And if needed I can send custom messages to any contact, like if we’re stranded somewhere without cell coverage and need somebody to call a tow truck (which has happened).

A neat feature I didn’t realize it had until I set it up is that my watch directly connects to it, and from my watch I can send the three preset messages, start/stop tracking, or send an SOS. All without having to touch the unit.
 
DoomX

DoomX

Bought an X
Location
Wyoming
My Garmin is pushing 9 years old, but it works. If I am off road camping or hunting on public lands, I use Avenza, which is a free phone app. It's proven invaluable as far as plotting camping or hunting spots.
 
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