iPad with charting software

Can you use a wifi model iPad with internal gps, but not pay for a cell contract?

IE, I would like to use the internal gps for a back up chart plotter but prefer not to sign up for another data plan.
 
Billfletcher said:
Can you use a wifi model iPad with internal gps, but not pay for a cell contract?

IE, I would like to use the internal gps for a back up chart plotter but prefer not to sign up for another data plan.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. That's exactly what I do. Also I just upgraded to the latest Boating USA HD version (with Navionics charts) and paid $10 for the enhanced navigation and enhanced chart detail. Not sure I will ever get a new chartplotter now. My iPAD stays well protected on the bridge.
 
Billfletcher said:
Can you use a wifi model iPad with internal gps, but not pay for a cell contract?
Click to expand...

I'm doing this with a refurbished Ipad 2, it is wifi with built in GPS, no data plan. Betweeen the ipad, Ram mount and Garmin charts I have $350 invested in it...............works flawlessly. I was going to replace my outdated Garmin, but not now.

John
 
ZZ13 said:
Absolutely. That's exactly what I do. Also I just upgraded to the latest Boating USA HD version (with Navionics charts) and paid $10 for the enhanced navigation and enhanced chart detail. Not sure I will ever get a new chartplotter now. My iPAD stays well protected on the bridge.
Click to expand...

Hey Bill,
Since you've used both BluechartMobile and the Navionics now with some time under your belt, I'd be interested to hear what you prefer about Navionics. I've used the BluechartMobile more, but mostly because the maps match up with the markings and soundings as I see on my Garmin dash mounted unit. That makes it easier to marry up on the in-dash for waypoints and RADAR overlay while looking at the ipad for the "bigger picture" relational view that's hard to get on my smaller screen.

I have used the navionics app briefly for their trail period, but it wasn't a long enough time for me to identify any strong points over the Bluechart that I had already paid for. What are the strengths and weaknesses you found in either product?
 
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Garmin blue charts have Activecaptain interacting great for fuel locations. Restaurants, marinas.and services. Navionics has plotter sync for the newer Raymarine plotters you can build a route at home and sync at the boat.
Actually after looking bluecharts has a similar function so I guess activecaptain is the only difference for me.
 
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JimFromMD said:
Hey Bill,
Since you've used both BluechartMobile and the Navionics now with some time under your belt, I'd be interested to hear what you prefer about Navionics. I've used the BluechartMobile more, but mostly because the maps match up with the markings and soundings as I see on my Garmin dash mounted unit. That makes it easier to marry up on the in-dash for waypoints and RADAR overlay while looking at the ipad for the "bigger picture" relational view that's hard to get on my smaller screen.

I have used the navionics app briefly for their trail period, but it wasn't a long enough time for me to identify any strong points over the Bluechart that I had already paid for. What are the strengths and weaknesses you found in either product?
Click to expand...
For me, James, the Boating USA looks, feels and acts like a traditional marine chart plotter while actually underway following the route. The most important to me is I can get progress data displayed as I am cruising. The Bluechart acts like exactly what it says it is - a planning tool. Seems I can only see where my boat is going and not much else, unless there are hidden menus and commands I haven't found yet to turn on distance traveled, time traveled, distance to waypoint, time to waypoint, etc. As you know it specifically says it is a planning tool and not to use it for navigation. As Havana noted, the integration with Activecaptain is nice and we actually bring up the Bluechart on my wife's other iPAD to check out that data. Or usual method is we set up the old RL80C at 6miles to get relative progress, I have my own iPAD at the helm running Boating USA/Navionics on a Ram Mount for up close navigation and my wife has Bluechart on her iPAD checking on all the ActiveCaptain data (hazards, marinas, etc). Not to mention if my brother is with us he's got something running on his phone as well. Ha!

Now If I had a nice modern Garmin on the boat I might find the Bluechart the best match as the Garmin would be giving me the navigation data I get out of the Boating USA now (which I rely on because the old RL80C is just too cumbersome for me to use).
 
ZZ13 said:
Absolutely. That's exactly what I do. Also I just upgraded to the latest Boating USA HD version (with Navionics charts) and paid $10 for the enhanced navigation and enhanced chart detail. Not sure I will ever get a new chartplotter now. My iPAD stays well protected on the bridge.
Click to expand...

I am at the same point. Not motivated to spend the money to upgrade my existing chart plotters since I have the iPad to use in conjunction with the chartplotters.

For me - I would NOT take out the chartplotters. For my type of usage, iPad alone w/o chart plotter is not an option.

If I am not mistaken, BlueChart app was the first iOS based charting app that incorporated Active Captain. Read in a recent AC newletter there are over 10 apps that now have integration with AC.

Starting to play around with Polar. Have heard some really good things about it and it has AC integration.

Has anyone else looked at Polar?
 
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FootballFan said:
I am at the same point. Not motivated to spend the money to upgrade my existing chart plotters since I have the iPad to use in conjunction with the chartplotters.

For me - I would take out the chartplotters. For my type of usage, iPad alone w/o chart plotter is not an option.

If I am not mistaken, BlueChart app was the first iOS based charting app that incorporated Active Captain. Read in a recent AC newletter there are over 10 apps that now have integration with AC.

Starting to play around with Polar. Have heard some really good things about it and it has AC integration.

Has anyone else looked at Polar?
Click to expand...
The bold line confused me. Could you explain how you would like to remove chart plotter but for some reason you can't just use the iPAD?
 
ZZ13 said:
For me, James, the Boating USA looks, feels and acts like a traditional marine chart plotter while actually underway following the route. The most important to me is I can get progress data displayed as I am cruising. The Bluechart acts like exactly what it says it is - a planning tool. Seems I can only see where my boat is going and not much else, unless there are hidden menus and commands I haven't found yet to turn on distance traveled, time traveled, distance to waypoint, time to waypoint, etc. As you know it specifically says it is a planning tool and not to use it for navigation. As Havana noted, the integration with Activecaptain is nice and we actually bring up the Bluechart on my wife's other iPAD to check out that data. Or usual method is we set up the old RL80C at 6miles to get relative progress, I have my own iPAD at the helm running Boating USA/Navionics on a Ram Mount for up close navigation and my wife has Bluechart on her iPAD checking on all the ActiveCaptain data (hazards, marinas, etc). Not to mention if my brother is with us he's got something running on his phone as well. Ha!

Now If I had a nice modern Garmin on the boat I might find the Bluechart the best match as the Garmin would be giving me the navigation data I get out of the Boating USA now (which I rely on because the old RL80C is just too cumbersome for me to use).
Click to expand...

Thanks Bill,
I forgot about the active captain detail, and I also hadn't thought about the navigation detail because I use BCM more in a planning capacity both pre-trip and at the helm. If Im going somewhere new and don't have time to use homeport software for a real importable track/route from the laptop and transfer via SD card, I'll use the ipad and then manually pick those same points on the in-dash unit while under way. (My Garmin is the generation pre-wifi which allows you to move the actual route from the ipad to the in-dash.) As a result, I'm looking at the on-board unit for all the data you mentioned, not the ipad. I'll have to go back and look at navionics/boating USA again. Not like we have anything else to do up here in the cold for another month!

As a side note, I did just see over on panbo that there is a Bluechart Mobile 2.0 coming out this summer. It will have a lot more weather details and other information integrated.

Here's the article.
http://www.panbo.com/archives/2015/...onar_gpsmap_7x16_and_bluechart_mobile_20.html
 
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What do I need to get for a Ipad in order to have the GPS signal - I can get the navonics (sp?) but when i am not near wi-fi it shows no location.
 
ZZ13 said:
Absolutely. That's exactly what I do. Also I just upgraded to the latest Boating USA HD version (with Navionics charts) and paid $10 for the enhanced navigation and enhanced chart detail. Not sure I will ever get a new chartplotter now. My iPAD stays well protected on the bridge.
Click to expand...

Thanks Bill. I picked up an Ipad 2, with GPS during lunch today. The Nav chart transferred over from the old I pad nicely. I also stopped by Best Buy, but they don't carry any good Ram or Tallon mounts, so I will order those on-line.

Question - I know most are running their Ipad with connected power, but can you do it without a 12V supply? My old ipad went screen dark after 30 secs of non use, but I suppose their is a way to bypass that? I looked in the "settings" area, but don't see anything.
 
Havana S – awhile back you posted the Tallon mount you were using. I can’t find that old thread. Can you re-post please? I have the Ipad 2 and will suction cup mount it to corner of dash. Thanks.

 
ZZ13 said:
The bold line confused me. Could you explain how you would like to remove chart plotter but for some reason you can't just use the iPAD?
Click to expand...

It was a typo. sorry. I corrected the post just now. Meant to say I would NOT take out the chartplotter. Can understand why that is confusing.
 
Billfletcher said:
...Question - I know most are running their Ipad with connected power, but can you do it without a 12V supply? My old ipad went screen dark after 30 secs of non use, but I suppose their is a way to bypass that? I looked in the "settings" area, but don't see anything.
Click to expand...

I don't remember for sure if Navionics works the same way (most like does), but when I run the Blue Charts, the system knows and uses some internal setting keeping the screen active. I think this feature was added with later IOS upgrade (can't say for sure which one). I remember that earlier this was an issue, at least on my iphone.
 
Alex, I still have to go to my iPad settings and "lock" my screen so it doesn't go to sleep and I have the lastest software (this was navionics) app

Well I just ran the bluecharts app that also went to sleep.
 
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Billfletcher said:
Thanks Bill. I picked up an Ipad 2, with GPS during lunch today. The Nav chart transferred over from the old I pad nicely. I also stopped by Best Buy, but they don't carry any good Ram or Tallon mounts, so I will order those on-line.

Question - I know most are running their Ipad with connected power, but can you do it without a 12V supply? My old ipad went screen dark after 30 secs of non use, but I suppose their is a way to bypass that? I looked in the "settings" area, but don't see anything.
Click to expand...


Bill go go here and change to "never"
View attachment 39211
 
Billfletcher said:
Thanks Bill. I picked up an Ipad 2, with GPS during lunch today. The Nav chart transferred over from the old I pad nicely. I also stopped by Best Buy, but they don't carry any good Ram or Tallon mounts, so I will order those on-line.

Question - I know most are running their Ipad with connected power, but can you do it without a 12V supply? My old ipad went screen dark after 30 secs of non use, but I suppose their is a way to bypass that? I looked in the "settings" area, but don't see anything.
Click to expand...
Your first question is a good one. My old boat has like a dozen 12V devices all on one 12v buss - L760 fishfinder, RL80C MFD, TriData, RN300, Bow speaker amp, Autopilot display, autopilot computer, VHF radio, Seatalk Bus, Systems Monitor display, etc. First problem I have is the L760 fish finder simply won't turn on if I turn I don't turn it on first. It seems real sensitive to voltage/current levels. So I turn it on first. After a while sometimes the RN300 cuts out. If I never turn on the L760, then everything stays up fine. So I think I have some sort of "too many things sucking 12V current at once" thing going on. I tried plugging the iPAD into the 12V outlet but it doesn't keep charge very well that way. So since I run the generator I plug it into the 120V outlet. It then stays fully charged. Without it connected to power at all I get about 5 hours of so of battery use before the iPAD gets down into the low battery warning range. I think everything but the last sentence was way more info than you were looking for.
 
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Havana Shamrock said:
Alex, I still have to go to my iPad settings and "lock" my screen so it doesn't go to sleep and I have the lastest software (this was navionics) app

Well I just ran the bluecharts app that also went to sleep.
Click to expand...

Joe,

I'm running Blue Chart Mobile version 1.4.4 and IOS 8.1.2 (12B440).

My iPad settings:
Auto-lock = 2 min
Restrictions = off
Lock/Unlock = ON


If for whatever reason yours doesn't work, try "Settings" then "General" then "Auto lock" and then "never".

P.S.
Just as a memory refresher test, I have my ipad now showing BCM screen, I'm not touching it for about 6 min and it's still on. IF it was in different screen, the 2 min auto-lock would trigger and turn it off.
 
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Thanks for the feedback. The gizmos and gadgets available can be overwhelming.


HS – I can’t figure out how to make my Ipad stop going to sleep, and I can’t open the attachment you posted. Can you give this to me again please?

 
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