Bluetooth GPS for iPad and topo app?

[Megalodon]

What is the best app to download that would work with a bluetooth GPS?

I'm thinking of picking up the GPS unit, but what would be the best topo app to purchase with this that is able to wrok with the GPS? Please let me knwo your thoughts.
http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/16597

 

[ptschram]

What, the assisted GPS isn't enough for you?

Got nothing to add, but boy did I get into an argument with my kid over the fact his iPad doesn't have a GPS receiver.

 

[KyleT]

the dual burns through batterys pretty fast from what I have read. the plug in dongle seems to work well for pilots in the cockpit, but cant say as I have never used one. only played around with foreflight and the built in gps.

 

[varova87]

Getting a Garmin for Christmas pissed me off this year because it reminded me that my $500 iPad can't do GPS worth it's weight in plastic.

Would love to use it as GPS, but can't find a decent receiver.

 

[robertf]

my ipod touch does some gps things. I used mapmytracks to figure out where the hell I am on my kayak or off road.

I would think that the really big ipod touch and the ipod phone would have the same capabilities

 

[az_max]

I bought a BT gps from Dealextreme. Can't find the SKU number, but it's battery and usb powered. I got the one with an external antenna port because of past problems with GPS and the rover's heated windscreen. Has worked very well on trips, but I haven't had it up in thick pines or redwoods yet. I pair mine with a Touchpad, so I can't help you with ipad apps. Also use my android phone with the TP, but I believe it's A-GPS.

 

[akronk1]

Parked my vehicle at the back of the driveway & :banghead: forgot to lock it and some STINK'N MF decided to go shopping and take my yr old Garmin. Luckily that all that was taken and nothing else was taken or broken. Pisses me off, but learned my lesson, don't forget to lockup. Only good side is that my sister inlaw is excited as she finally knows what to get me for a b-day present, lol

 

[varova87]

Parked my vehicle at the back of the driveway & :banghead: forgot to lock it and some STINK'N MF decided to go shopping and take my yr old Garmin. Pisses me off, but learned my lesson, don't forget to lockup.

It's reasons like this that I took so long to find a new place. Finally found a 3-story townhouse with the bottom floor being a large garage. Pull in, open the door, drive in, close. Climate controlled and out of the reach of weather and thieves.

 

[knewsom]

Yeah, the wifi iPad doesn't have a gps receiver. Only the 3G ones.

 

[KngTgr]

. I pair mine with a Touchpad, ... Also use my android phone with the TP, but I believe it's A-GPS.

Please elaborate

 

[az_max]

Please elaborate

I was one of the lucky 10,000 to get an HP Touchpad. You can pair almost any BT device with it (it defaults to keyboards or WebOS phones, but 'other' gets you the SPP). Mapping Tool Pro looks for devices with GPS in the name, so if you name your BT GPS or android phone with GPS in the name, MTP picks it up. You still need wifi connectivity to get maps, but a myfi or hotspot app gets you that.

And my Samsung Galaxy only has A-GPS. So it doesn't do me any good in the forest.

 

[Some Dude]

To clear up a few things:

1) the WiFi iPad has no built in GPS receiver. It can attempt to locate itself if you are connected to a WiFi network based on maps of known WiFi locations. Worthless for any kind of navigation at all.

2) the 3G iPad has A-GPS, but it is completely capable of getting an extremely accurate fix hundreds of miles from civilization. The A in A-GPS means assisted. It will use the cellular network, when available, to acquire a fix faster than waiting for satellite acquisition.

There is an awful lot of confusion about the iPad's GPS capabilities because people don't understand that map data requires a data connection and must be preloaded before you leave a service area. If you bought the right iPad (3G) and the right software, I would put the iPad up against any consumer level Garmin or Magellan.

 

[ptschram]

It was my understanding that there was no real GPS receiver in the iPads and that the location was triangulated between cell towers and wireless networks.

 

[Some Dude]

Negative. The 3G iPad works like a boss out in the boonies. I use mine with preloaded maps all the time. Has saved my bacon a few times out in the vast wasteland of southern Idaho.

Your understanding is partially correct in that the WiFi only iPad does what you are talking about, and the 3G iPad will use available cell tower data to acquire a fix faster, but it will also do full and complete acquisition hundreds of miles from the nearest tower. It just takes a few seconds longer when it doesn't have tower data.

 

[bmxer06pa]

Negative. The 3G iPad works like a boss out in the boonies. I use mine with preloaded maps all the time. Has saved my bacon a few times out in the vast wasteland of southern Idaho.

Your understanding is partially correct in that the WiFi only iPad does what you are talking about, and the 3G iPad will use available cell tower data to acquire a fix faster, but it will also do full and complete acquisition hundreds of miles from the nearest tower. It just takes a few seconds longer when it doesn't have tower data.

What program do you use to predownload maps?

 

[ptschram]

How does one determine if theirs is a "3G"?

 

[knewsom]

How does one determine if theirs is a "3G"?

If yours has a strip of plastic along the back top of the iPad and a SIM card slot on the side, then it's 3G.

 

[ptschram]

If yours has a strip of plastic along the back top of the iPad and a SIM card slot on the side, then it's 3G.

It's not mine, I won't make the mistake of buying an apple product again.

 

[Disco2Guy]

The answer as to what app to use on iOS for GPS tracking?

GPS Kit hands down. I've been using this app for over 3 years now. They've made all kinds of good features, and the map caching is really nice.

You simply move the map to the area you want and zoom to the desired level. A yellow overlay represents the bounds of the area to be cached. If you select an area with too many tiles it will tell you. Each area you download is saved as its own set. Unfortunately, you can't name these sets. This would let you go back and delete an area if you didn't need it anymore, based on the name you specify instead of "Rectangular Area".

I should also mention you can select the provider of the map tiles, such as Bing, Google satellite, terrain, etc.

It's easy to email your tracks and waypoints, post them on Facebook or Twitter.

You can drop a weather station icon on the map to get updates in that locale.

To import a gpx file, just email it to yourself, open the message on you iOS device, click an hold on the gpx file. You'll get an option to import into GPS Kit.

There's a lot more to the app, but that's most of the juicy bits that I use.

 

[KyleT]

my ipad2 is VERY accurate with GPS. i would say 3 feet or less (DO NOT have 3g activated or turned on).

the use in a car is limited because the metal box you are in.

the bad elf is supposed to be really good.