This is not a Toy!

[FISHSTALKER]

I'm a big nerd. There I said it........I do my own builds and repairs on my computers.

Over the last two years I've tried to educate myself more about mapping and the expensive GPS devises used to report the maps. I was interested in buying a new multifunction device for both mapping and eventually adding radar but it had to have a good sized screen. I wanted to be able to see it from the back of my boat.

Here on the West Coast most Maps are dedicated to off shore Ocean fishing but I've been a landlocked Trout and Salmon fisherman for some 20 years now. It has taken a long time for the mapping companies to finally produce the maps for the Lakes in my area. Yet both Garmin and Navionics did come through and offer the inland Lakes. I own both brands of Maps and find IMHO that the Navionics is slightly better.

I had decided on a Garmin 4210 because of the screen size and price point. The best price I could nail down was around $1800 but I just couldn't pull the trigger. I had just spent $1500 on a Furuno FCV585 and a P66hd transducer. Low and behold when reading one of the fishing boards I frequent, one of the members was talking about using his Ipad for GPS. Now let me state here that I'm not a fan of Apple. No offense leveled at those users. I had a not so good experience with 2 Iphones. I'll leave it at that. After realizing that the Ipad is set up with aGPS chips (cell phone) vs an actual GPS chip and that external devises (antenna - added expense) would be needed, I looked at the 10" Thrive Android with the honeycomb system.

Now I didn't jump on the Thrive right away. I had to do my home work. I visited stores for hands on use. I read everything I could find on line in forums looking for all the yeahs and nays, tips and reveals. I came away more excited than when I started this search. The Thrive is a computer. (mine has a 32 gb chip in it.)

It's a Web Browser with e-mail. It has built in cameras, WIFI, HDMI for connecting on line movies to your HD TV. It has standard ports for USB and the HDMI along with power port, SD card slot, speakers and a 10.3" screen. Oh My!

Google play has an online store for both downloadable free apps and pay for apps. This is where I bought my Nation wide Lakes app. for $35.00. There are other online places for applications as well. (the wife made me download Birds in Space. It was free.)

My total cost with the mapping is under $500 with a two year warranty extension. Extras, I bought a cigarette lighter power plug for the boat and truck. (It has to have a 2.1 amp USB power rating.) Carrying case and a mount case for the boat.

Well here you go .... I've got the 10" flat screen with mapping that includes route and tracking, points of interest, satellite image, Terrain and Bing. It makes a very fast connect with up to 12 GPS Sattelites. (the antenna is built in.)

The Thrive is not waterproof. Currently there is a waterproof type baggy with power cord hook up on the market but I would suspect in the near future an add on case will be available just like the one for Ipad.

This mapping photo is Lake Shasta, Ca.

USA map -select state - area and list of Lakes.

This is a satellite img. notice the houseboat with wake just East of the I5 Bridge.

Panbo.com has done a review and listed some of the 3rd party accessories that are available.

[Knotlost]

That is cool, an it opens up some options. Could it be NEMA wired or hooked up into a autopilot in some manner?

[Tim Bromund]

Nice, I'm a big fan of Toshiba Electronic equipment. Looks like they have a nice dash mount/docking station available for it.

Only drawback that I could see is that it didn't look like it had NMEA out capability thought like a regular marine GPS unit would to connect to autopilot or a DSC marine radio. I wonder if there are some sort of USB or HDMI to NMEA adapters available out there.

Tim

[FISHSTALKER]

Yes!..... Hook up from the USB through or to an NMEA bridging device. This protects the PC/touchpad from potential grounding problems.

http://www.actisense.com/HTML/Products/Gateways/USB%20to%20NMEA%200183%20Gateway/index.php

http://www.maretron.com/products/usb100.php

[FISHSTALKER]

This is a photo of Collins Reservoir where I laid down some tracks a couple of days ago.

I added Lake O. I'm in Calif. so I can't plot myself there but I can get all kinds of info.

Walcot area

SEARCH

Marina

Marine and Outdoor shop

Waterfront Restaurant

Abe's Used as Example

[magic7777]

Hi, New to this but if I understand I should be able to do this with a motorloa droid phone. The screen would be smaller correct. I went in Google play app store but didn't see Nation wide lakes app but did find Navionics. Is that it or the same ? The phone is not water proof but there is a Otter box for it. I haven't had it that long but the battery doesn't seem to last that long so it would probable have to be plugged into a cigg lighter or something. Has anyone used a phone for this yet and what app did you use ? TIA

[FISHSTALKER]

US Lakes ($9.99)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppUsa&feature=search_result

US and Canada Lakes ($14.99)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppUsaCanada&feature=search_result

When you start the download process it will identify if the app is compatible with your device or not. The Cell Phones range can be limited by cell tower/repeater reception range. There is third party blue tooth devices that are available for true satellite connection and no limitation. This means you could carry your phone anywhere in your boat and still pick up the Sat signal from the Dual or Global Sat device. The down side is to use the phone you would have to back out of the GPS app. Also you would need to have a paid for phone service. The Thrive does not require that service because it is a true GPS unit.

Dual XGPS 150 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... +150&ajr=0

Global Sat-BT-368i http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BT-368i ... =yachte-20

They have Fishing Diary apps available too!

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=fishing+diary&c=apps

[carpedium]

exactly what I do as well

[ Post made via Android ]

[skipper19]

Yup, I have the HTC EVO smartphone and use the navionics app. For Lake O. It works fairly well and has the marina info along with shore dinning marine stores, marina info including the phone # to contact most of those featured info screens.

Sure has helped to keep me from grinding the paint off my rigger balls when fishing the Niagara bar between the red and green cans ....however a bigger screen than the 4.3 on the phone would be better....hmmmm, the other half has a Acer Iconia pad running Android honeycomb, 10.3 inch screen on that baby too....wonder if she will let me test drive it on the hot rod center console. Maybe some good Bungee cords will be useful.

Mark

[ Post made via Android ]