Jump to content

Anyone use a tablet for navigation?

JTowne

JTowne
in This Old Boat

 Share

Recommended Posts

JTowne

JTowne

Posted
Posted

I don't want to keep flipping screens or splitting my screen this year , and seems kind of overkill to but another expensive unit . I have the lakemaps card for my humminbird and I love it . However I'd like to have something else so I can have one whole display of sonar and other of map/contours .

 

Does anyone have any experience using any of the navigation apps on a tablet ? Was thinking a nice big tablet with a mount would do the trick . I wasn't sure how reliable or accurate this would be .   Also would the tablet have to be on a active carrier to do the real time tracking ?  Or Is this handled by some sort of internal gps device ? 

 

Thanks all for any insight 

stoneam2006

stoneam2006

Posted
Posted
I don't want to keep flipping screens or splitting my screen this year , and seems kind of overkill to but another expensive unit . I have the lakemaps card for my humminbird and I love it . However I'd like to have something else so I can have one whole display of sonar and other of map/contours .
 
Does anyone have any experience using any of the navigation apps on a tablet ? Was thinking a nice big tablet with a mount would do the trick . I wasn't sure how reliable or accurate this would be .   Also would the tablet have to be on a active carrier to do the real time tracking ?  Or Is this handled by some sort of internal gps device ? 
 
Thanks all for any insight 
I use navionics on my phone works really well and is way cheaper...going to pick up a cheaper tablet to run it off this year. I know a couple others who do on here as well and work really good. Actually found out about it fishing with another member here.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Fishnut

Fishnut

Posted
Posted
Not 100 percent sure about service...I believe it will but I will just hotspot my phone to it

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

 

Your phone might not work as a hot spot for a tablet. Mine did not. I use an iPad and a bad elf for a gps. The map app I use is navatonics boating. It works great. The bad elf cost 150.00. Make sure it is blue tooth compatible. When you down load the map app make sure you down load the map for offline so you can pull it up when your not In WiFi. I use it in my boat so I don’t have to have a split screen and I use it in My rzr when we are going for a ride in some place new. If you have a tablet with a gps built in to it you don’t need a bad elf.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

stoneam2006

stoneam2006

Posted
Posted
Your phone might not work as a hot spot for a tablet. Mine did not. I use an iPad and a bad elf for a gps. The map app I use is navatonics boating. It works great. The bad elf cost 150.00. Make sure it is blue tooth compatible. When you down load the map app make sure you down load the map for offline so you can pull it up when your not In WiFi. I use it in my boat so I don’t have to have a split screen and I use it in My rzr when we are going for a ride in some place new. If you have a tablet with a gps built in to it you don’t need a bad elf.
 
 
Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app
I hotspot my kids tablets every day along with my smart TVs and Chromecast. As long as tablet is Android based you can download Google maps and use that I'll do it tonight on kids tablet to double check but definitely can hotspot tablet no issue as long as your phone plan has hotspot

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Lake Ontario United mobile app

JTowne

JTowne

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I also had navionics on my phone but wasn't sure if it worked because of my cell service, so not clear if a tablet would do the trick , 

 

so in theory as long as I purchase a tablet with an internal gps and download the offline maps I should be all set ? 

stoneam2006

stoneam2006

Posted
Posted
I also had navionics on my phone but wasn't sure if it worked because of my cell service, so not clear if a tablet would do the trick , 
 
so in theory as long as I purchase a tablet with an internal gps and download the offline maps I should be all set ? 
I'll try it with my kids tablet tonight double check but in therory yes

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Fishnut

Fishnut

Posted
Posted

I believe you can hot spot from a cell phone but you don't need data you need a gps fix. unless your phone can send a gps position to your tablet you will need a bad elf or a external gps for your tablet.

stoneam2006

stoneam2006

Posted
Posted
Would be great to hear your findings before I pull the trigger 
So here it is....

Tablet 1 is Samsung tab e 7" with cell service
Worked perfect gps signal picked up location of me at home no external anything needed....pic 1

Tablet 2 is next book 7" Walmart special no cell service other than hotspot. Didn't work as tablet has no GPS receiver as fishnut described.

So my finding is that you will need to have a tablet that is thru a cell provider. Or get the external stuff fishnut described but I don't know much about it.

Could look into "better" quality tablet than my Walmart special that may have the internal GPS available which would allow you to download the app via hotspot then use offline as good is sattiite.

I would assume if you bought (example) the Samsung tab e without cell service it should still work as the receiver is inside the unit...again no experience but would have to imagine this would work just fine.

Johnson58 runs an iPad and if I remember right he did not have any external gear for GPS may be worth reaching out to him as well.

Good luckMVIMG_20180411_194635.jpg

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Chowdaire

Chowdaire

Posted
Posted

I do this with navionics and a 10” Android tablet with GPS and no cell coverage.

Downloaded the app on my home WiFi.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

  • Like 1
Chowdaire

Chowdaire

Posted
Posted

Yep. I shopped around for the cheapest I could find with a 10” screen and internal GPS.

Also had to be Android because I use a Smart Troll for depth/speed/temp.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

  • Like 1
stoneam2006

stoneam2006

Posted
Posted
Yep. I shopped around for the cheapest I could find with a 10” screen and internal GPS.

Also had to be Android because I use a Smart Troll for depth/speed/temp.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
Thanks for the info....should help op out and makes it a little easier for me too...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Lake Ontario United mobile app

58Johnson

58Johnson

Posted
Posted

The 58Johnson tablet referred to by Stoneam2006 that I use is an iPad mini with ATT cellular service. The app I use is Navionics Boating App for iOS. I pay for the Navionics+ in app purchase. It is less than $20, a true bargain.

  • Like 1
stoneam2006

stoneam2006

Posted
Posted
The 58Johnson tablet referred to by Stoneam2006 that I use is an iPad mini with ATT cellular service. The app I use is Navionics Boating App for iOS. I pay for the Navionics+ in app purchase. It is less than $20, a true bargain.

Thanks Mark....had it backwards lol I've been running the app on phone since you showed it to me.

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

 

 

JTowne

JTowne

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Great info everyone thanks so much . Chowdaire that's exactly what I'm after . .. stoneam thanks for reporting your findings . 

 

I think i will start my search for a decent tablet with internal gps and give it a go . Surely it'll be cheaper then buying another unit just for more screens . 

 

LOL. I feel stupid complaining about switching screens or it's not big enough !! Technology spoils you !

  • Like 1
joesmo

joesmo

Posted
Posted

Keep in mind, I use an iPad for navigation  (Navionics) also but found viewing tough when the sun is high... I do not have a hard top, however. 

Chowdaire

Chowdaire

Posted
Posted

Good point, joesmo. I can see my Humminbird fine in high sun with my sunglasses on but need to lift them to see the tablet.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

sjhags

sjhags

Posted
Posted

Another good option is buy a android double din head unit. Amazon sells them. Can rig up a backup camera. Install navionics and it will run your radio. So if you feel like upgrading your radio you can run navionics with downloaded maps for a couple hundred bucks. And stream music on your phone. And use the dashcam/backup cam to record video on an SD card while you fish.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...