Ask About Gaia GPS!

[1Louder]

ok thanks...

The blue dots are "breadcrumbs" which are left if you have tracking turned on. In the device you can set how often a point is set. The can be deleted from the the left menu. Again I would go through the Garmin Support site and watch a few videos or read so you can understand the device and web interface better. When you click one of the dots it does give you the pop-up. That is really meant for people to contact you. It also shows the lat/long of the interval point as well.



If you look at the blue highlighted track summary on the left if I click the trash can and confirm I want to delete it, it will disappear from the map. I am no Garmin expert though.

 

[Ubiety]

Ordered that new iPad today (sale going on at Amazon) and can't wait to get more familiar with Gaia!

 

[donkability]

complete rookie here, heading out end of may ordered gaia been playing with all the maps. I am only gonna have my phone and the app this trip, not doing anything hard core just getting my feet wet, will my gaia work as a gps as well? ive fiddled with it quite a bit but no real hands on out on the trails. whats gonna happen once i lose service. ive tried to read as much as possible lol what can i expect with just my iphone app? will i be able to get right to the mvum trails and if i download be able to have it working as a gps as well? Im lost.........or will be soon........

 

[1Louder]

complete rookie here, heading out end of may ordered gaia been playing with all the maps. I am only gonna have my phone and the app this trip, not doing anything hard core just getting my feet wet, will my gaia work as a gps as well? ive fiddled with it quite a bit but no real hands on out on the trails. whats gonna happen once i lose service. ive tried to read as much as possible lol what can i expect with just my iphone app? will i be able to get right to the mvum trails and if i download be able to have it working as a gps as well? Im lost.........or will be soon........

I highly recommend hitting YouTube and watching some videos. Your phone is your GPS (hardware) Gaia is an app that shows you your location and a lot more (software). If you want to have maps when you don’t have phone service you need to download them prior to losing phone service. Lifestyle Overland, SwellRunner, and many others have taken the time to create good tutorials to compliment what Gaia Support offers. Check them out.

 

[Ubiety]

After playing with a few iPad GPS apps I purchased a Gaia premium membership last night. What convinced me is the clean UI, feature set and overlay map availability. When compared with other apps the UI excels - full of info but in a clean/manageable layout. Feature set is related to UI - not too little and not too much. For instance MotionX has a ton of great features but it’s UI is not pleasing to me, MapOut is a great app but with spartan features. The map overlays are what swung me over - having WX, fire, public/private property, 4x4 road overlays is great! So far seems like an awesome app that I will use in and out of the Jeep. Just need my Ram iPad holder to start shipping!

Question - obviously would not apply to real-time overlays (WX, fire, etc.). When I download maps to Gaia will the static overlay data also be downloaded? For instance the 4x4 overlays? Or does one need internet connection for these to work? While I am at it... Will trip recording continue while Gaia is in the background (I’ll go spelunking in iPad settings)? Will I have to restart trip recording every time I stop and shut the iPad down or once toggled, will it continue until disabled?

Thanks!

 

[1Louder]

After playing with a few iPad GPS apps I purchased a Gaia premium membership last night. What convinced me is the clean UI, feature set and overlay map availability. When compared with other apps the UI excels - full of info but in a clean/manageable layout. Feature set is related to UI - not too little and not too much. For instance MotionX has a ton of great features but it’s UI is not pleasing to me, MapOut is a great app but with spartan features. The map overlays are what swung me over - having WX, fire, public/private property, 4x4 road overlays is great! So far seems like an awesome app that I will use in and out of the Jeep. Just need my Ram iPad holder to start shipping!

Question - obviously would not apply to real-time overlays (WX, fire, etc.). When I download maps to Gaia will the static overlay data also be downloaded? For instance the 4x4 overlays? Or does one need internet connection for these to work? While I am at it... Will trip recording continue while Gaia is in the background (I’ll go spelunking in iPad settings)? Will I have to restart trip recording every time I stop and shut the iPad down or once toggled, will it continue until disabled?

Thanks!

Overlays should be included in your downloads.
It will record track in the background but can’t download maps in the background for offline use. So on the trail you are good while recording.

I have been messing around with split screen on the iPad. Gaia supports it but many other apps don’t. I wanted to have a weather radar app on one side and Gaia on the other. My favorite radar app My Radar Pro does not work. I found a different one which does but will have to look up the name.

Gaia just added a bunch more overlays that are relevant to vehicle users. Be sure to always check out the Gaia blog post site for details.

Best app out there. I know not everyone will believe that, want to pay an annual fee, or don’t need all if the features but Gaia is leading the way with up to date map data.

 

[Ubiety]

Overlays should be included in your downloads.
It will record track in the background but can’t download maps if the background for offline use. So on the trail you are good while recording.

I have been messing around with split screen on the iPad. Gaia supports it but many other apps don’t. I wanted to have a weather radar app on one side and Gaia on the other. My favorite radar app
My Radar Pro does not work. I found a different one which does but will have to look up the name.

Gaia just added a bunch more overlays that are relevant to vehicle users. Be sure to always check out the Gaia blog post site for details.

Best app out there. I know not everyone will believe that, want to pay an annual fee, or don’t need all if the features but Gaia is leading the way with up to date map data.

Thanks! Do you know if a map will automagically be updated on a device if it has 1) been updated by Gaia, and 2) has previously been downloaded to device as offline map? Wondering if I would need to delete and re-download to get updates? Automagic updates would be awesome!

Going to run around a bit later in the morning and plan on giving Gaia a quick try on the move.

Read an article and learned some multitasking gestures this morning. Plan is to have tunes and Gaia window opened simultaneously. Got cell capable iPad (for the GPS) and don't yet have a data plan - though can tether to iPhone I guess.

Have a great weekend!

 

[1Louder]

Thanks! Do you know if a map will automagically be updated on a device if it has 1) been updated by Gaia, and 2) has previously been downloaded to device as offline map? Wondering if I would need to delete and re-download to get updates? Automagic updates would be awesome!

Going to run around a bit later in the morning and plan on giving Gaia a quick try on the move.

Read an article and learned some multitasking gestures this morning. Plan is to have tunes and Gaia window opened simultaneously. Got cell capable iPad (for the GPS) and don't yet have a data plan - though can tether to iPhone I guess.

<Shameless> Found out this week that I did not make it through workplace's second round of recent layoffs so am tightening belt and looking. Thankfully got great severance and have continued employment for the time being - been using that time to get resume polished and join LinkedIn :) I am a SW guy in a SW town (Seattle area) so am not anticipating any issues finding employment (would be nice to pocket the severance) but would appreciate if anyone knows of cool opportunities if they would pass along. Would enjoy stint in cartography or overland related fields with a company with integrity. </Shameless>
Have a great weekend!

Layoffs suck. I’ve been there and my wife has too, more than once.

If a map is updated you have to redownload it. That’s why I don’t keep anything older than a year.


Gaia with NOAA Radar app running next to it. I have Gaia showing the new USFS Recreation site layer.

If you tap on a site you get the name and (I) icon. Tap again and you will get a link to the website for more information. The same applies to the MVUM trails. Lots of good info for each trail.

 

[1Louder]

Here’s a example of forest road detail.

Tap any forest road. If they data exists Gaia will display it. I suggested they increase the size of the pop up window on the iPad. If a forest road is passenger car friendly it will state so.

 

[Ubiety]

Awesome feedback, thanks! I *think* I noticed the popups for the 4x4 roads last night, awesome! Better than having to remember the legend - but that will come with use. I like the radar app idea and will go fetch it this AM. After getting membership I was surprised at the number of maps/layers available as they are not all mentioned on the web site. Gonna take a bit to figure out which ones are best for each situation. The private property ones are interesting as it shows names of owners - checked out for our house and my folks house. Quite a good research tool.

I started downloading maps and got mediocre d/l speeds - nothing near what our connection is capable of. Now I am getting 0Mbps but the download does not seem to be complete. Hmmmm. Are Gaia's server's overburdened/slow or could this just be an anomaly?

[Edit] - poked stop link for map download and now it shows maps 100% downloaded. The d/l was 1.1 gigs and 91,947 tiles - so fairly large, right at the limit I believe.
[Edit again] Poked around and saw I could resume download - so I did and it started. This time getting close to speed of our internet connection. Wonder if there was some server maint going on...

Thanks for the support!

 

[Ubiety]

Ok, another question... After downloading most of the West coast I figured out that I needed to have the different layers (MVUM, etc.) enabled to actually download them - otherwise only got the Gaia base map as that was the only map enabled. Deleted all downloads and time to start over.

Question is what layers do you find essential? I am thinking Gaia base map, MVUM and USGS topo. Are these redundant? Should I consider other layers?

Thanks! Took the iPad/Gaia along for the commute to work yesterday and was impressed with GPS cold acquisition speed and accuracy are (iPad never turned off so GPS may always track). It used the base map that I had downloaded (no data connection purposefully) and I got a nice track that a buddy was able to import no problem (GPX). Still waiting on the Ram iPad holder to be released...

Greg

 

[1Louder]

Question is what layers do you find essential? I am thinking Gaia base map, MVUM and USGS topo. Are these redundant? Should I consider other layers?

Where available I prefer the USFS 2016 layer, MVUM, Satellite (I use Google, a custom map layer), and then sometimes a road layer of some type like MapBox HD. If the Nat Geo layer is available (say Grand Canyon, Death Valley, etc) those are very good too.

Everyone has different preferences. To me the USFS layer shows the clearest depiction of forest roads.

 

[RoboCop]

Gaia just deleted full tracks and partially deleted other tracks. Anyone having this problem? I honestly don't know why I still use Gaia. It's been extremely unreliable for me from my old iPhone, to my current Android, to my personal Mac, to Windows 8 at work, then newer windows 10. Gaia or myself is absolutely the common denominator. Please, someone tell me you're having issues like this so I can stop thinking I'm crazy. I hear nothing but positive things about Gaia yet I hardly have anything positive to say myself.

 

[1Louder]

Gaia just deleted full tracks and partially deleted other tracks. Anyone having this problem? I honestly don't know why I still use Gaia. It's been extremely unreliable for me from my old iPhone, to my current Android, to my personal Mac, to Windows 8 at work, then newer windows 10. Gaia or myself is absolutely the common denominator. Please, someone tell me you're having issues like this so I can stop thinking I'm crazy. I hear nothing but positive things about Gaia yet I hardly have anything positive to say myself.

Have you reached out to Gaia support?

Never heard of partially deleted tracks. Maybe you are having syncing issues. Contact support!

 

[jimbofoxman]

What am I doing wrong? I have downloaded map areas and it's acting like the layers aren't downloaded. So I get real fuzzy maps and if I get a partial signal it starts getting clearer bit by bit. It's like the layers aren't downloaded and it's trying to load them on the fly. Maybe I have something messed up with the layers. I've been trying different layers. Is it downloading only the ones you have visible at the time you select download? I'm missing something, worked fine last summer and fall. I just deleted all the downloads and started over.

 

[The other Sean]

How many layers do you have on? I've found if I have too many layers active, it really bogs down my tablet. Try turning off a layer at a time and see where you end up.

 

[jimbofoxman]

How many layers do you have on? I've found if I have too many layers active, it really bogs down my tablet. Try turning off a layer at a time and see where you end up.

Sunday I only had two on. One of the USFS layer and the NVUM layer.

Few weeks before, I'm pretty sure all I had on was one of the USFS layers.

 

[Ubiety]

Is it downloading only the ones you have visible at the time you select download?

Yes - I learned that the hard way. Thought it would download all the layers "in my list of layers" but it only grabs the ones that are enabled/visible.

 

[1Louder]

Yes - I learned that the hard way. Thought it would download all the layers "in my list of layers" but it only grabs the ones that are enabled/visible.

You are correct there is a big difference between choosing what maps you would like to have access to vs what layers you want to display at any given time.

 

[1Louder]

What am I doing wrong? I have downloaded map areas and it's acting like the layers aren't downloaded. So I get real fuzzy maps and if I get a partial signal it starts getting clearer bit by bit. It's like the layers aren't downloaded and it's trying to load them on the fly. Maybe I have something messed up with the layers. I've been trying different layers. Is it downloading only the ones you have visible at the time you select download? I'm missing something, worked fine last summer and fall. I just deleted all the downloads and started over.

You can always check what was downloaded by going to the saved icon, maps, and then pick from what you have downloaded. Then make sure your device has no internet connection and check to see if you are happy with what was downloaded. I would also clear your cache under settings to make sure you are not looking at anything that is automatically cached as you view map areas.

Here's the iOS help file if you use Android read that instead. Download Maps for Offline Use and of course if you think you are doing everything correctly then contact support!