I'm looking at a GPS system for an overland trip next summer. I've got around $200 to spend on this. Any of y'all have any suggestions? (I'll have the GAIA app but I need a GPS unit other than my phone.)
Overland GPS on a budget
- Thread starter Harriss Vann
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- budget gaia gps overland gps
Member III
I use gia on a tablet and have had great luck with it, just make sure it has offline GPS capability . I use to use a acer tablet I got free with a laptop but it finely died so now I use a iPad mini . no matter what you use have paper maps for a backup
Can also get a Bluetooth GPS receiver and sync it to the iPad. Had good luck with that hunting.
Explorer I
This may seem stupid on my part but doesn't an iPad have a GPS in it?....I've never had a problem with HEMA not knowing where I am. Granted I've never been that far out of range, most of my travels are within the Ohio River Valley but I am planning on a big trip "out west" next summer. Will I need to buy some other sort of GPS to compensate if I'm not within cell range?
But the iPad typically requires to have cell service. That’s my understanding. So syncing it to a Bluetooth GPS receiver makes it so you don’t need cell service for the device.
Explorer I
Got it, so if I'm out of cell range then the GPS is not working...couldn't I just use my old Tom Tom to fill in the gaps when I have them? Or if I wanted to keep the iPad going I would need the GPS add on gadget?
The WiFi only iPads do not have GPS built in, but the WiFi+Cellular iPads do. The GPS receiver is part of the cellular chipset but you don’t need cell service (or even a service plan) for the GPS to function.
Pathfinder III
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I was able to get a mobile ready iPad mini for $100 and probably $50-75 bucks in mounting and it is awesome!
Enthusiast III
GPS and mapping/direction software are two different things. GPS just gets your location and elevation based off of positioning satellites in orbit. It doesn't know anything about your surroundings. To make GPS useful, it needs to be paired with software (an app). Some software uses offline data to drive the maps/directions, some use your device's data plan to dynamically load and update the data as you go.
Syncing a GPS device to a tablet won't necessarily give you maps to make the signal useful. You need to get an app that either keeps the data local by default or allows you to download the data ahead of time (which requires you to know where you're headed). Personally I use Gaia, it has lots of map layer options and allows you to sync a decent amount of data for offline use.
Hope this is helpful.
Advocate II
I use Gaia on a 9.7" Samsung Tab s3 and works great. I have allot of offline maps downloaded to the storage so I don't need cell service to run them on. Get the paid version, it opens up a ton of features. Im just learning the software and already loving it.
Enthusiast III
I am a budget Outlander and try to keep the cost down. I have a netbook ares 8a, bought two with cracked screens for $40 and bought replacement screens on Ebay.With YouTube videos for reference I replaced them myself. They are not highly rated but it's what I got. which is a little slow. I want to purchase a bluetooth
Enthusiast III
...gps receiver. Anybody have experience with these and can recommend a particular unit that performs well but won't break the bank?
Member III
can't remember the brand on the mount but it holds a tablet with no wiggling, the suction cup is made of some super sticky material that will even hold onto a dash , had one just like it in my old grand Cherokee for over a year and it never came off even with tons of hard driving. Gaia is a great app , Really easy to build routes at home, the android version seems to have a few more options compared to the apple version but both track very well . 
Explorer I
WOW! There are some really knowledge folks here...thanks for all the info...my iPad has a unlimited data plan that uses cell service...I'll try downloading a map before I head out of tower range...
So if my tablet uses a cell signal then I should not need a GPS device? I just want to make sure I am reading this correctly.
Enthusiast III
Does anyone know of any good phone/tablet mounts for a Jeep TJ? I have tried a few and whenever I'm on the trails it bounces out.
