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I'm not sure if you're talking about an entire garmin nav system (receiver and head) or just the receiver. I'm talking about just the receiver connected to a tablet or computer, running some nav software, like Navtrek, Rosepoint, etc. Some receivers run a proprietary language, and some speak NMEA XXX, which would be industry standard.A GPS is just a signal receiver. It's not a real fancy device unless you need 0.01-meter accuracy. GPS signal is simply a continuous string of lat/lon data. It's actually readable text. You can direct the output to screen and watch it. It combines the signals from as many satillites as it can find to overtriangulate your position. The more satillites it can find, the more accurate it is.On the boats we'd mount a receiver (tiny mushroom or puck-looking thing) up in the rigging and run USB down to a standard windows laptop or tablet. The nav software sees the receiver and uses its data to plot a position on a chart. If you've got a garmin mushroom (or puck) and it talks over USB using the standard language, there's a very good chance that it will work this way. I've gotten pretty good marine results with rather inexpensive, generic receivers. I get good signal in cars too, even with the receiver sitting on the floor.
OK, from some of the photos posted here, I know some of you pursue each of the two alternate options: do you use a dedicated navigation device (e.g., TomTom), or just the mapping program on your cell phone? And why? Thanks.
My Verizon service iPhones are useless in some rural areas of western and northern WI. If I'm not on Google Maps in advance, good luck making the connection.
I found Garmin units to be too fragile. And too expensive to have them break all of the time. I also like the numerous app/map options on a smartphone. I have used nothing but the smartphone for over 10 years now. My broke GPS units are on a shelf.Queue an idiot that thinks a smartphone does not work where there is no cell service in 3...2...1....
The smartphone is not going to provide traffic information where there is no cell service and you have to think ahead and download offline maps for the area you want to ride in which takes up memory on the phone. Oh and a smartphone doesn't work as a smartphone without cell service or WiFi. It will work as a camera, and run some offline programs, but that is about it. They are designed to be connected.
The smartphone is not going to provide traffic information where there is no cell service and you have to think ahead and download offline maps for the area you want to ride in which takes up memory on the phone.
With my Android phone, with downloaded Google "offline" maps, with the phone in airplane mode (so no WiFi or cell service), I can look up hotels, gas stations, restaurants, pick a place to go, route there, etc using Google Maps. I can't make a phone call, or reserve a room in a hotel, but all the GPS functions work. But I have had issues venturing into an area that I did not have the offline map for ... then it is useless (with no cell service).
Speaking of possible accidents, is anyone using a crash detection/reporting device or app for Android? I started looking but it seems like limited options and performance.
The thing I dislike most about phone navigation is you can't (easily) use the touch-screen with a glove on. Having to pull off a glove every time you want to look at something on the phone is a royal PITA. I bought a pair of expensive KLIM gloves that were touted as "touch screen phone friendly" with some magic threads on the index finger. Nope! Big waste of money. I use RidewithGPS as my course routing app on my computer. I can then convert it into a GPX file for the Garmin. A dedicated GPS will always be my primary navigation device, with a phone as a back up.
The GPX will import to the phone and display on a Beeline. I've not mastered GPX or a map maker program. Is RidewithGPS free? Can I use it on my computer?