Harvey, I have a Motorola Droid MAXX and I can guarantee you that it DOES have a GPS that functions away from the cell towers. I use the Navionics software on it regularly. I have downloaded the maps for the areas I frequent to the phone. The Navionics map display position agrees with my two chart plotters within the precision of the maps and chart plotters. This is generally better than +/- 20' depending on number of satellites detected and the quality of the underlying map positioning.hardee":105n22m9 said:AstoriaDave":105n22m9 said:
I had a Motorola Droid Max, I can guarantee you that it does not have a GPS that functions away from the cell towers. I had many times, both on the water and in no cell coverage areas on land where my phone would not tell me where I was on a map program.
On my current phone, a Samsung S4, I have had the pleasure of it not knowing where I was several times up in the Broughtons.
Since my phone is android, I use Google Maps. I also use My Radar app, which uses a mapping base, There is also an AIS ap that I use called Boat Watch, which uses (I think) Google Maps too. I don't use it for navigation.
Pat, since I don't use I-OS anything I cant speak to them, but I'm pretty sure that not all smart phones are all created equal.
Hope that helps.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Backup GPS or smart phone acceptable?
- Thread starter CDory23
- Start date
Greg, excellent summary!
I phone 5S, both wifi and cell phone turned off: accuracy is such that you can tell which room I am in the house--basically within 10 feet or less. Walking to the front door--about 50 feet, shows, the trail, but slightly delayed. Maybe not quite as accurate, and not as fast as my Garmin 1040 xs, but very close.
I phone 5S, both wifi and cell phone turned off: accuracy is such that you can tell which room I am in the house--basically within 10 feet or less. Walking to the front door--about 50 feet, shows, the trail, but slightly delayed. Maybe not quite as accurate, and not as fast as my Garmin 1040 xs, but very close.
rogerbum":4a6nhuk5 said:Harvey, I have a Motorola Droid MAXX and I can guarantee you that it DOES have a GPS that functions away from the cell towers. I use the Navionics software on it regularly. I have downloaded the maps for the areas I frequent to the phone. The Navionics map display position agrees with my two chart plotters within the precision of the maps and chart plotters. This is generally better than +/- 20' depending on number of satellites detected and the quality of the underlying map positioning.hardee":4a6nhuk5 said:AstoriaDave":4a6nhuk5 said:
I had a Motorola Droid Max, I can guarantee you that it does not have a GPS that functions away from the cell towers. I had many times, both on the water and in no cell coverage areas on land where my phone would not tell me where I was on a map program.
On my current phone, a Samsung S4, I have had the pleasure of it not knowing where I was several times up in the Broughtons.
Since my phone is android, I use Google Maps. I also use My Radar app, which uses a mapping base, There is also an AIS ap that I use called Boat Watch, which uses (I think) Google Maps too. I don't use it for navigation.
Pat, since I don't use I-OS anything I cant speak to them, but I'm pretty sure that not all smart phones are all created equal.
Hope that helps.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Thanks Roger,
Apparently I did not have the right settings, nor did the guys at the store do much to help that. I didn't have navionics on my phone, but I am considering getting an Android tablet that I could use for that.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
I think some of the confusion comes from the "A-GPS" feature, which IS a true GPS. The "A" means assisted, which means it uses triangulation from cell towers to speed the acquisition of the satellites. That marketing hype has led a lot of people to believe (incorrectly) that the device doesn't have true GPS.
I recall going round and round with people when the Droid first came out (I bought one the first day they were offered) and with the confusion about that "new iPad thing" and the wifi only version vs the wifi/cellular when the iPad was first offered. Sales people in the Verizon store and the Apple stores didn't know the capability of the devices they were selling. Even though we had been using our iPad far beyond cell coverage as a back up to the chartplotter, we had scores of people (with no hands-on experience) saying that wasn't possible.
Greg's post about the best usage of a phone/tablet vs a stand-alone GPS should be archived - a first rate explanation.
Looking back, the first generation iPads were released in 2010 (wifi only on April 3rd, wifi/3G on April 30th of that year) - just 5 years ago. These devices (and the following Android tablets) changed the way we look at electronic navigation. In 5 short years.
A blog post I made in 2012 about "marine navigation with an iPad" still gets views most days. Route planning with an iPad (or other tablet or smartphone) is so fast and easy... and you can do it from home, or in the cockpit of your boat while taking in the sunset. Using the device as an accurate backup is another means of "having and using available information" while underway.
We have some amazing personal devices that that are also worthy AIDS to navigation. They shouldn't absolve us from maintaining situational awareness. This summer, Joan bought me an Apple Watch. While many think it is a "cute, Dick Tracy kinda toy," it has navigation and communication usefulness. A little "ping" on the wrist lets you know about an upcoming turn. On the whale watch boats, we often get info via text - pretty handy to have that right on your wrist without having to pull out the phone. Check out other uses on Active Captain.
Five years ago, there were a lot of people pooh-poohing the value of a tablet or smartphone onboard. (OK, some still do :wink: ) If one has the device, it is worth exploring the function of it for best use.
A friend of ours takes pride in the fact that he "doesn't need a smartphone." But, he regularly relies on his wife to "look that up" on her iPhone. :roll:
Jim
I recall going round and round with people when the Droid first came out (I bought one the first day they were offered) and with the confusion about that "new iPad thing" and the wifi only version vs the wifi/cellular when the iPad was first offered. Sales people in the Verizon store and the Apple stores didn't know the capability of the devices they were selling. Even though we had been using our iPad far beyond cell coverage as a back up to the chartplotter, we had scores of people (with no hands-on experience) saying that wasn't possible.
Greg's post about the best usage of a phone/tablet vs a stand-alone GPS should be archived - a first rate explanation.
Looking back, the first generation iPads were released in 2010 (wifi only on April 3rd, wifi/3G on April 30th of that year) - just 5 years ago. These devices (and the following Android tablets) changed the way we look at electronic navigation. In 5 short years.
A blog post I made in 2012 about "marine navigation with an iPad" still gets views most days. Route planning with an iPad (or other tablet or smartphone) is so fast and easy... and you can do it from home, or in the cockpit of your boat while taking in the sunset. Using the device as an accurate backup is another means of "having and using available information" while underway.
We have some amazing personal devices that that are also worthy AIDS to navigation. They shouldn't absolve us from maintaining situational awareness. This summer, Joan bought me an Apple Watch. While many think it is a "cute, Dick Tracy kinda toy," it has navigation and communication usefulness. A little "ping" on the wrist lets you know about an upcoming turn. On the whale watch boats, we often get info via text - pretty handy to have that right on your wrist without having to pull out the phone. Check out other uses on Active Captain.
Five years ago, there were a lot of people pooh-poohing the value of a tablet or smartphone onboard. (OK, some still do :wink: ) If one has the device, it is worth exploring the function of it for best use.
A friend of ours takes pride in the fact that he "doesn't need a smartphone." But, he regularly relies on his wife to "look that up" on her iPhone. :roll:
Jim
I'm using an Ipad Air with Navionics all mounted in a Pivot case with suction cup mount. Its fits nicely right beside my HDS7 and all in all I'm very happy with the setup. Its not weatherproof though and it does need to be plugged in and charging for anything more than a few hours of use. Its a great setup though and I find myself using it for nav most of the time with the HDS7 running beside it as backup.
http://www.pivotcase.com/
I do have an older Garmin handheld that I keep in my emergency bag.
http://www.pivotcase.com/
I do have an older Garmin handheld that I keep in my emergency bag.
I don't think that using a phone/tablet is any different than what some people do in using a laptop as a backup (or even primary) navigation source. A phone or tablet is probably more durable than your average laptop. Pretty much all the cons mentioned for phones/tablets also apply to laptops. Plus laptops don't usually have built in GPS functionality.
You can buy durable laptops (e.g. Panasonic Toughbooks). But for the price of one of those you can probably get a dozen tablets.
You can buy durable laptops (e.g. Panasonic Toughbooks). But for the price of one of those you can probably get a dozen tablets.
Pat Anderson
New member
hardee":1k2dttv8 said:Greg, Thanks for all the details. If it, (the Motorola Droid Max) had a GPS in it then the phone must not have been set up for it to work, as in roaming off so I wouldn't be using Canadian towers when running around on the fringes. However, that would not have been the case in Colorado and New Mexico, unless the GPS was turned off permanently somehow.
I did multiple trips into the Verizon store and several calls to Motorola tech support with no perceptible change in "GPS" function. Could have something to do with my less than savvy computer skills.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Harvey, the GPS in phones does not require cell service or roaming. The setup on an iPhone is in Privacy | Location Services, and then can be turned on or off on a per app basis. I have it on for Maps and US & Canada Navionics, and off for almost everything else.
Don't know about your phone, but it should be in Settings somewhere!
We still use a laptop running Coastal Explorer software for backup to our Garmin multifunction chart plotter. Free map updates daily from Coastal Explorer, stores routes as windows files. Uses a GPS puck via USB connector which we Velcro on the flat area behind the passenger side front window. Easy route planning using a mouse to point and click. Active Captain embedded. Big screen for cheap. Run power off a 400 watt inverter. Nice if you want to zoom in and out for the bigger picture. Does not need the internet or cell coverage to navigate or to look over a chart.
D.D.
D.D.