GPS/Tablet

[HeliSniper]

I've heard Bad Elf external gps is good but a bit pricey...


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If I am flying helicopters across country (even locally for that matter) or overlanding, I always have an external GPS slaved to my tablets. So accurate they keep me in the correct airspace and out of the airspace I don't want to be in. They do the same on the Alpine Loop in Colorado when the cell coverage runs out. I just have to do my part and download the maps I need ahead of time so I can use them offline. Otherwise the accuracy does not matter and I'm the little arrow in the sea of empty squares. Hey, that's kinda works as a metaphor for my life...... Anyway I have and use the Dual 150A and the Bad Elf Pro+. They are so good that I will pay the $600 for the Bad Elf GNSS Surveyor within the next couple of months. So fast and accurate it's well worth it IMHO.

 

[ChaseIt]

I am new to navigation and this has been the best thread I have seen so far. Great information.
Sorry if this is a stupid question but is there a way to use your existing GPS in your rig with a tablet and navigation app via bluetooth, instead of a second external GPS? I have a 2017 Tacoma with GPS.

 

[1Louder]

I am new to navigation and this has been the best thread I have seen so far. Great information.
Sorry if this is a stupid question but is there a way to use your existing GPS in your rig with a tablet and navigation app via bluetooth, instead of a second external GPS? I have a 2017 Tacoma with GPS.

I doubt the gps for your vehicle can be shared with other devices in your vehicle. If it could it would be via Bluetooth.


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[ChaseIt]

I doubt the gps for your vehicle can be shared with other devices in your vehicle. If it could it would be via Bluetooth.


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It has bluetooth because I use hands free for my phone. But I'm guessing the bluetooth is not hooked up to the GPS. I wonder if its possible.

 

[Ubiety]

existing GPS in your rig with a tablet and navigation app via bluetooth

Quite possibly but maybe not :) Everything would have to support bluetooth and GPS sync and be able to pair up - this will be specific to the GPS/tablet hardware that you have. My guess is that your tablet will support something like that but most handheld GPSs won't. That said my nav iPad2 does not have GPS and is able to sync with my phone's GPS and that all works. However my Kenwood APRS radio needs a completely separate wired GPS to do its thing. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Red Beard]

If y'all are looking for a really ridged tablet or phone mount check out the products from Hondo Garage. They make some great gear that will handle the rough stuff like a champ.

http://www.hondogarage.com/

 

[ChaseIt]

If y'all are looking for a really ridged tablet or phone mount check out the products from Hondo Garage. They make some great gear that will handle the rough stuff like a champ.

http://www.hondogarage.com/

Nice!! They have a great tablet and phone mounting solution for 3rd gen Tacos. They also have knobs to replace those lame factory knobs that are almost useless. Thanks @Red Beard. I will be ordering soon.

 

[1Louder]

I have never had a problem with the RAM Xgrip holders. A little bit cheaper than the Hondo holder. The rest of the bolt on RAM stuff works great as well.

 

[Red Beard]

Nice!! They have a great tablet and phone mounting solution for 3rd gen Tacos. They also have knobs to replace those lame factory knobs that are almost useless. Thanks @Red Beard. I will be ordering soon.

Great glad I could help out.

I have never had a problem with the RAM Xgrip holders. A little bit cheaper than the Hondo holder. The rest of the bolt on RAM stuff works great as well.

Ram X grips are a great product don't get me wrong. Where I ran issues with them was when I stepped up from an iPad mini to an iPad 5. The Xgrip would not hold it securely when off road. 3 day old iPad fell out of the mount on a wash board section and landed screen down on my gear shift, shattering the screen. It was time for a better solution.

 

[ChaseIt]

I have never had a problem with the RAM Xgrip holders. A little bit cheaper than the Hondo holder. The rest of the bolt on RAM stuff works great as well.

I'm a huge fan of RAM too. What I like is Hondo makes a mounting plat that mounts in the vent on the dash. You can mount a 1" RAM ball to that plate and run RAM products like the X-Grip. No drilling.

 

[1Louder]

Better lucky than good? Mine has been on all kinds of terrain and never failed. I did have to give up on a suction mount for my phone. That couldn't handle washboard abuse. I dropped a newer iPad once in a parking lot. I still apologize to my wife for my temper tantrum.

 

[Red Beard]

I'm a huge fan of RAM too. What I like is Hondo makes a mounting plat that mounts in the vent on the dash. You can mount a 1" RAM ball to that plate and run RAM products like the X-Grip. No drilling.

Be sure to check out the "Perfect Squeeze" and "Big Squeeze" they are absolute beasts when it comes to clamping phones and tablets.

 

[Red Beard]

Better lucky than good? Mine has been on all kinds of terrain and never failed. I did have to give up on a suction mount for my phone. That couldn't handle washboard abuse. I dropped a newer iPad once in a parking lot. I still apologize to my wife for my temper tantrum.

I had already replaced my Xgrip once because it had let my beat up iPad mini fall out 5-6 times in my rock crawler. One of those times it fell completely out of the truck in a bad off camber spot (had the doors off). Then the new one let my new iPad eat it so I went on the hunt for a stronger solution. I still have and use my Xgrips just not for my IPad.

 

[Ubiety]

Mental note - to myself - put something soft under the rig mounted iPad/laptop/etc :)

 

[Sprocket 1-505]

Do any of you use a garmin etrax 20 and are you able to use it with a tablet?

Still trying to get my set up squared away. I used a GoPro mount I already had with little modification to mount my trax. I want to use the GPS on it for a tablet if possible. I have a kindle but it's worthless unless all you play is angry birds. Anyone want to trade for an iPad? Your kids would love the kindle haha.

 

[Ubiety]

garmin etrax 20 and are you able to use it with a tablet

Have no experience with it but it appears to only support file transfer over its USB interface (not NMEA or other live tracking data). It does support file transfer over USB so it is possible that it could be used with a computer/tablet device but I found no evidence in the manual - and if so support might be limitted to Garmin software (e.g. Basecamp).

I did find this little bit of interesting info on Garmin's eTrex 20 web site:

Plan Your Next Trip
Take charge of your next adventure with BaseCamp™, software that lets you view and organize maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks. This free trip-planning software even allows you to create Garmin Adventures that you can share with friends, family or fellow explorers. BaseCamp displays topographic map data in 2-D or 3-D on your computer screen, including contour lines and elevation profiles. It also can transfer an unlimited amount of satellite images to your device when paired with a BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription.

 

[NYCO]

Samsung Tab A 8" with HEMA North America for mapping. using a Ram mount setup on my dash above the radio

 

[Ubiety]

Samsung Tab A 8"

Does that tab have GPS built in? Thanks!

 

[NYCO]

Does that tab have GPS built in? Thanks!

it does. I also have a Dual Electronics XGPS150A that I use if I need a boost. I had issues when in VT with the cloud cover getting a good signal from the tablet and that helps with a stronger gps signal.

most of the time the tablet gps is strong enough where the Dual is not needed.

 

[NW4XForester]

I decided to try a new mount because the ram pod I universal mount I had never fit right in my car.
I purchased a Panavise in dash mount that bolts in behind my radio trim and only has a 2" x 2" square mount sticking out. I used my ram mount parts I already had and got it set up quick.
Since installing I've actually turned the ram mount ball to the back so I could keep it closer to the dash for my passengers.
It holds my iPad mini no problem with very little movement off road.

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