Russ - 1-21-2012 at 03:28 PM
I have a few GPS units now and the Tom Tom unit I just got shows no land details. Now I'm trying my boat unit and the instructions say water only.
Anyone try their boat GPS on land and do you get a topo type screen image?
bigzaggin - 1-21-2012 at 04:17 PM
You should U2U Bajamatic about this. He's a GPS pro.
Bajamatic - 1-22-2012 at 09:04 AM
As far as I know, gps units don't care if you are on land or sea - its all about what map you're using. Most units allow you to switch maps - tomtom
is more or less automatic, and it definitely is not topo (unless you install the Offroad navigator hack, but then you have to create and upload your
own maps). The marine gps systems will say water only because they don't have any land details. The land based units will only have streets and city
info - no marine details. Some offer both, but I think that's only the garmin 640. Most will only have either streets or marine info. And if you want
to see topo info, then you need to figure out how to add new maps and either make your own with fugawi (my favorite company name (where the f*ck are
we!)), buy them online from lbmaps or bicimapas, or buy one that already had that info - and to the best of my knowledge only lowrance sells an
acceptable baja topo right out of the box.
Sweetwater - 1-22-2012 at 10:16 AM
I'm very disappointed in the narrow, proprietary way that GPS has developed. I get such detail out of online based mapping such as Google and Chrome
but then have to deal with Garmin and their ilk to try to have a satellite based system in the field. And they are expensive and unreliable IMHO.
I have pulled the older versions of Mapsource to use for offroad purposes, they are not locked and they have older, dirt road types of data on them. I
know that Garmin has pulled that older data off the newer versions, some states and the feds have requested that to decreased off road use. And yes, I
am sure of this having a connection in a state geologic office....
I still like my maps and compass. They are not as reliable for marine use but I'm very good with 7.5 min maps.....
Combo GPSs
skippermike - 1-22-2012 at 01:01 PM
I second Bajamatic's posting.
I'm in the marine business, and have many miles as delivery captain. Also am part of a major off rad race team.
I looked for a combo unit and was pretty much disappointed. As noted, the Garmin 640 is the only onee I know to do both - BUT, the land display
leaves off some of the natutal features of a marine GPS, i.e. range and bearing to waypoint, compass course steered, etc.
When working in the "land" mode it has a different "personality" than the marine mode.
I use a big-screen Garmin for off-roading. The standard is more the Lowrance.
Don't know if a Lowrance Baja model would work in marine mode - you might want to look into them Though, they are way less user-friendly than the
Garmin.
Goo luck.
Bajamatic - 1-22-2012 at 03:45 PM
I think the best thing going these days is the iPad. There are some good apps out there for land, air and sea. Glare is the biggest drawback I've
found. It's an otherwise solid platform and you can use lots of map sources depending on the software you choose.
Russ - 1-22-2012 at 04:31 PM
OK, I'm not happy with the car or boat GPS units I have so I went to YouTube and looked at the Garmin Montana 650i. Pretty impressive and I think I
could deal with the 4" diagonal screen. I'm going to do more research and maybe some one here has experience with that unit down here. Please lets
hear what you use for off road exploring. This will be for my Ranger SxS. I want to explore/camp in areas with little or less traffic.
Pescador - 1-22-2012 at 07:16 PM
All of the map databases for water usage are terrible in our area Russ because they are based on old maps from the 1950's that were way off then and
still are. But on the water, the best thing is that once you set up a waypoint in your memory, you should be able to get spot on to that waypoint
when you want to return. I also keep a paper copy of all my waypoints so that if I have a failure then I can load things in the new GPS.
As far as land is concerned, I am trying out the bicimapas and will let you know what I find in the backcountry. We are headed to Mission Guadalupe
on Wed. so that may give me a good test.
GPS
skippermike - 1-22-2012 at 11:31 PM
Russ,
I started in my truck with a smaller (4.3") screen NUVI, but couldn't use it off road.
It was fine for city navigation here in CA and in Baja.
That's why I went to the 7" StreetPilot.
Bicimapas are great. Good city detail, and great off road/topo detail - just a little pricey.
If you really get into this, you'll bump into the track point limit on Garmins - 10,000 poimts on mine. This is an annoyance for following/chasing
Baja races.
I just became aware of a piece of software called gpx2img, which claims to take a large set of track points - like a Baja 1000 race course - and
convert them to a "clear" map that can be overlaid on a regular map, i.e. bicimapas map.
I haven't had chance to spend time with it - but will report when I have a chance.
I've heard from people using IPads, but question how durable they'd be.
Also, whatever you choose, look at RAM Mounts to secure them to your vehical - they are great!!
[Edited on 1-23-2012 by skippermike]
Russ - 1-23-2012 at 06:57 AM
skippermike/Pescador One of the GPS units I have is the Nuvi and it's great up north but lacking down here off road. Same with the TomTom. I'll do
some searching on the bicimapas map and look forward to your reports.
Off Road GPS
skippermike - 1-23-2012 at 07:04 AM
The NUVI will take the bcimapas, and work fine - even do autorouting, like in the states.
If you tell it that off road is OK, it will even try to do autorouting off road.
The problem with the small NUVIs is that, when you start getting all bicimapas detail on the screen, it gets a little cluttered - especially off road
at any speed. I haven't tried the newer 5" models - 1490??
Also, take a look online and see if you see any Garmin StreetPilot 7200 or 7500 units around - I'm very happy with mine.
Russ - 1-23-2012 at 08:06 AM
Another problem is it's all in PC talk and not Mac.
Bajamatic - 1-23-2012 at 09:09 AM
I use an iPad gen.1 and an xgps Bluetooth receiver with cached google earth files and/or motionx iPad app. Kind of amazing. I also have a tom tom to
which I addded Offroad Navigator but that's very complicated. Ive also used a nuvi. As far as stand alone units go the nuvi was best but it doesn't
come close the iPad set up.
Bajamatic - 1-23-2012 at 09:11 AM
Garmin is VERY Mac friendly these days
Bajamatic - 1-23-2012 at 09:27 AM
One more iPad plug - it also serves as my weather fax, star chart, field guide to whatever, holds my essential manuals in the kindle app, and stores
all my other useful data like my favorite nomad threads and any other intel I've collected online. It's my electronic leatherman.
Ateo - 2-13-2012 at 10:23 AM
What am I missing here? How can an iPad do gps when there is no 3G service -- say on the way to San juanico?
Bajamatic - 2-13-2012 at 10:28 AM
with this:
http://autocarsuperstore.com/product/72_Dual-Electronics-XGP...
and this:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motionx-gps-hd/id370488535?mt...
it does everything every other GPS unit does, and more.
Bajamatic - 2-13-2012 at 10:29 AM
from the reviews:
Wicked awesome stand out app of 2011
by CaptYon
I've been using this app for going on 2 years and mostly for off roading in the Baja and other locations in the SE....
[Edited on 2-13-2012 by Bajamatic]
Ateo - 2-13-2012 at 10:41 AM
Gracias bajamatic!
Toobman - 9-9-2013 at 10:49 AM
Gracias indeed Bajamatic! I was about to pull the trigger on a GPS unit for my first solo Baja trip (wife's requirement!) on Amazon when it occurred
to me to check here first. I'm so glad I did. I'm going to go with the iPad solution now.
Jack Swords - 9-9-2013 at 11:51 AM
http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-USB-Navigation-Receiv...
Have used this with laptop computer and Google Earth in Baja. Preload GE when online, then use it offline.
Tacodawgtim - 9-10-2013 at 09:15 AM
Saw the post about using ipad as GPS. Very interesting. I do a lot of off road driving in buggies and jeeps. Looks like a great new toy. Thanks
for the info...
Toobman - 9-16-2013 at 10:48 AM
Bajamatic, how are you able to import cached GE files into MotionX as a custom map?
I got the MotionX HD app on my 1st gen iPad. Its looking very promising. I was able to create tracks on google earth (on my laptop), and import them
into motionX. If I am online, I have the choice of opening the tracks on GE or OpenCycle. However, I am only able to save the OpenCycle maps for
offline use.