Ask About Gaia GPS!

[1Louder]

Hello everyone,
Well, GAIA has been unreliable to me... Yes, I am a Premium member so as All Trails and both have giving me headaches. I download few maps so far and they let me down for no reasons. I could blame Android Auto for resetting the app every time I turn on the engine on my truck! But Gaia does not recover well from it. I was in Anza-Borrego last weekend, trying to lead a caravan of 4 rigs, then lost the next waypoint. The "Explore" feature is great until it stops working.

My take on all this: ALWAYS carry a good old fashion map and learn how to read it. Your off-grid navigation kit should have a compass, hard copy map of the area, your knowledge on how to figure out your location, and the optional comms devices in case you get lost.

Gaia does not support Android Auto. If you have installed an Android OS radio that may be a different story. You should always share GPX tracks/waypoints with others in your group. That helps mitigate a single point failure. I completely agree papermaps should always be on hand as well.

I've had map issues in the past or forgotten to download a layer but never an issue with a track not appearing or waypoints.

When in doubt contact Gaia support and send them your log files.

 

[Alain M]

Thanks 1Louder, I will double check my setup.

 

[RJ Howell]

Question for ya'll. I'm looking into yet another area in Canada and using Backroads Mapbooks layer. What is this dotted red route?

On a MVUM that would be an unmaintained jeep trail.

 

[1Louder]

Question for ya'll. I'm looking into yet another area in Canada and using Backroads Mapbooks layer. What is this dotted red route?

On a MVUM that would be an unmaintained jeep trail.

View attachment 143721

I don’t see it referenced in the map legend here,

Backroad Mapbooks Canada | Gaia GPS

View Backroad Mapbooks Canada on your desktop, tablet, or phone offline with Gaia GPS.

www.gaiagps.com

I would call the authors and ask. There is a toll free number in the legend.

 

[1Louder]

I just published my article on CarPlay with Gaia GPS, https://www.4xoverlandadventures.com/gaia-gps-with-apple-carplay-now-available/

It's a nice upgrade. Routing could be improved and I mentioned that in my article. For me it will be more of a secondary screen than the app telling me when to turn. I find marking waypoints easier.

Feel free to ask follow up questions here.

 

[M Rose]

I just published my article on CarPlay with Gaia GPS, Gaia GPS with Apple CarPlay Now Available - 4X Overland Adventures

It's a nice upgrade. Routing could be improved and I mentioned that in my article. For me it will be more of a secondary screen than the app telling me when to turn. I find marking waypoints easier.

Feel free to ask follow up questions here.

You speak of “ Turn by Turn” directions... does this work similar the street turn by turn on Wade or similar?

 

[1Louder]

You speak of “ Turn by Turn” directions... does this work similar the street turn by turn on Wade or similar?

yes and no. I would read the official blog post from Gaia GPS on that. If you go from Forest road X to Forest Road Y it should tell you to turn but you also have to draw a driving route prior.

Do not expect Gaia to create a long route magically Offroad like Google, Waze, insert another app name here, will do on streets.

 

[M Rose]

yes and no. I would read the official blog post from Gaia GPS on that. If you go from Forest road X to Forest Road Y it should tell you to turn but you also have to draw a driving route prior.

Do not expect Gaia to create a long route magically Offroad like Google, Waze, insert another app name here, will do on streets.

No I was thinking more along city, county, and state roads and highways until getting to the FS roads and trail systems.

 

[1Louder]

No I was thinking more along city, county, and state roads and highways until getting to the FS roads and trail systems.

There is no need for that functionality. If you have a starting waypoint you can then ask for driving directions. When you do that the app can open either Apple Maps or Google on iOS and Hoogle on Android. You will then get the directions in one of those apps.

 

[M Rose]

I was wondering if there is a plug-in for using APRS with GAIA like Backcountry Navigator does?

 

[1Louder]

I was wondering if there is a plug-in for using APRS with GAIA like Backcountry Navigator does?

No there is not. I doubt there ever will be. BUT you can always go on the Gaia GPS Community Forum and vote for that feature. It has been suggested in the past.

 

[M Rose]

No there is not. I doubt there ever will be. BUT you can always go on the Gaia GPS Community Forum and vote for that feature. It has been suggested in the past.

The only reason I run GAIA is because BCN isn’t supported on iPhones... I really don’t want to switch back to android.... but if APRS isn’t supported, then I might have to.... unless the new OB 2.0 takes care of it.. I will be sure to make the suggestion...

 

[M Rose]

No there is not. I doubt there ever will be. BUT you can always go on the Gaia GPS Community Forum and vote for that feature. It has been suggested in the past.

I went and voted and left my $0.20 worth.

 

[1Louder]

The only reason I run GAIA is because BCN isn’t supported on iPhones... I really don’t want to switch back to android.... but if APRS isn’t supported, then I might have to.... unless the new OB 2.0 takes care of it.. I will be sure to make the suggestion...

The primary challenge with iOS and APRS used to be that iOS did not support serial bluetooth connections. Now it does. Whether more developers will work on integrating that is hard to tell. The APRS.FI app will work with serial bluetooth. Mobilinkd offers an interface device for APRS.FI but it is not well documented. Mobilinkd TNC3

Why am I typing all of this? Well while a lot of people would like APRS integration the market for it is very small. Developers have to be willing to commit the resources.

Here's where to vote though: APRSdroid integration !

BCN is WAY behind schedule but they are developing an iOS app.

 

[M Rose]

The primary challenge with iOS and APRS used to be that iOS did not support serial bluetooth connections. Now it does. Whether more developers will work on integrating that is hard to tell. The APRS.FI app will work with serial bluetooth. Mobilinkd offers an interface device for APRS.FI but it is not well documented. Mobilinkd TNC3

Why am I typing all of this? Well while a lot of people would like APRS integration the market for it is very small. Developers have to be willing to commit the resources.

Here's where to vote though: APRSdroid integration !

BCN is WAY behind schedule but they are developing an iOS app.

Already Voted Chris, Thank you. APRS isn’t a deal breaker yet... but will be in my future if this virus keeps it up.

 

[Charles M]

The only reason I run GAIA is because BCN isn’t supported on iPhones... I really don’t want to switch back to android.... but if APRS isn’t supported, then I might have to.... unless the new OB 2.0 takes care of it.. I will be sure to make the suggestion...

Thank you for this post I have been thinking of getting the Gaia but, it sounds like they are not as interested in keeping droid up to date and I must say not having APRS is the deal breaker for me thank you for saving me the money I would have spent on Gaia.

 

[RJ Howell]

Question for ya'll. I'm looking into yet another area in Canada and using Backroads Mapbooks layer. What is this dotted red route?

On a MVUM that would be an unmaintained jeep trail.

View attachment 143721

Update!
Gaia responded today and BRMB had been updated with new tracks/trails and the legion had not. All is in process now. This track (I questioned) is the TCT (trans Canada trail).

 

[1Louder]

Thank you for this post I have been thinking of getting the Gaia but, it sounds like they are not as interested in keeping droid up to date and I must say not having APRS is the deal breaker for me thank you for saving me the money I would have spent on Gaia.

Gaia GPS just released a major update to the Android version of the app.https://blog.gaiagps.com/android-beta-bomb-the-next-generation-of-gaia-gps/

Adding APRS functionality is an entirely separate thing.

 

[1Louder]

Update!
Gaia responded today and BRMB had been updated with new tracks/trails and the legion had not. All is in process now. This track (I questioned) is the TCT (trans Canada trail).

View attachment 144832

That’s great. I’m glad you reached out to Gaia support.

 

[1Louder]

APRS Clarification -

I think there is the belief that incorporating APRS into an app is easy. First and foremost I want to clarify how most of the apps display APRS data in them.

Method 1 -
They require a data connection (phone service) to send and receive said data. This requirement is completely useless when out of the trail with no phone service. Apps like APRS.fi and APRSDroid look neat sitting at home. Out on the trail with no cell signal you are out of luck.

Method 2 -
a direct hardware connection to a HAM radio with APRS and an interface which can communicate with an App.
Example: A Kenwood D710 radio ($600 ish) a TNC box like the Mobilinkd 3 ($119.95) a cable to connect the radio and TNC box ($20 ish) and a compatible app like APRSDroid or APRS.fi. Put all of that together and it may or may not work. Many iOS users saying they can't get the Mobilinkd 3 to talk to APRS.fi while some say it does. Technical support is lacking.

Method 3 -
a hardware connection with a basic Ham radio and another device which can add the APRS functionality.
You can google these setups. This thread is not the place to discuss them. I have tested a setup like this in the past and the 5 watt handheld could not do a good job at sending the APRS data packets reliably.

Even if Gaia GPS could incorporate APRS data via some type of data transfer with a site like APRS.fi it would still require a cell connection to do so. As soon as you go out of cell coverage Poof that goes away.

This is my opinion and my opinion only but there is not a large enough user base for an app like Gaia GPS to support the development effort to incorporate this into the app. Adding the fact that additional hardware is required which may or may not lead to technical issues makes it even harder to convince app developers to incorporate APRS into said apps. If you wish to discuss the software and hardware aspects of APRS you might take a look at this thread, Anyone using APRS? , or others on Overland Bound and elsewhere.

Besides all of this I believe there are newer methods of seeing other Ham operators on a map besides APRS but I am no expert in that area.

I hope this helps and puts some context on how APRS actually works in apps.