iPad with charting software

Boat Guy also brings up great points, you DO need what he mentioned for those reasons.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks Boat Guy. I was back level. Upgraded and all good.

I second that using a touch screen on rough seas is difficult. Heck, even hitting the buttons on the chartplotter took some aiming and quick motion.
 
Running the nav app uses a fair amount of battery power. You're probably not going to run out. But, I keep power to it at the helm so it's always fully charged. That way in the even of an issue I have hours of use left.

So true. Many times if I'm running a weather radar app behind the Navionics app it will use more power than the iPad charger can supply and a phone charger will not cut it.

MM
 
Guess I gotta look at it again. Do you have a menu selection sequence?

Maybe I am confusing it with the one on my iphone. I definitely can't seem to find a way to save more than the current route on the phone app. Also, specifically I am using the Boating USA app by Navionics.

Bill,

Ipads and iphones store the routes and tracks in the archives. I think what you tried doing is displaying multiple routes on the screen at the same time. The issue is that, even though you have many routes saved, you can only see one at the time on the screen.

According to Garmin (as I was told by Garmin tech), they don't treat iDevices as real plotters, rathern than a planning and helping tool to official chartplotters. Garmin expects you to transfer your planned routes to a GARMIN plotter, where you'll see all the routes you wish.

Mark,
As to wich GPS is better, it's a good question. I'm not a marine electronics guru. But, IMO, there are tons of variables. If you're comparing latest and greatest iPad with older Raymarine MFD, the biggest difference (i think) is the GPS antenna and the transfer protocol (e.g. NMEA0183 or SeaTalk) it uses. It's very possible that older Raystar 120 could receive and broadcast GPS coordinates at slower rate than iPaid Air 2 or 3. But, if you have newest Raystar 130, then I doubt that any iDevices will beat it. I don't have any proof in front of me, so for now it's just my opinion.

Forget the refresh rate on older units, it's not fair to compare 10-15 year old technology to the newest iDevices technology. Of course the new ipad will be MUCH faster and pleasure to operate. Just like you, I use it all the time just b/c it's so convenient.
 
I use the Bad Elf with my iPad, it is great and agitate, but I'm only in a lake. I use BE since my iPad is only the wifi version, BE used the power from the iPad and finds the satellites.

I was looking at bad elf. The Bluetooth antennas looks like the way to go. My understanding of the iPads GPS is it is A-GPS or assisted GPS so it needs cell towers to aid location. With a true antenna you would be stand alone with accuracy of within 8'. Being self sufficient feels better. The Bluetooth version would let you leave your iPad plugged in as well

http://bad-elf.com/collections/bluetooth-gps
 
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Bill,

Ipads and iphones store the routes and tracks in the archives. I think what you tried doing is displaying multiple routes on the screen at the same time. The issue is that, even though you have many routes saved, you can only see one at the time on the screen.

According to Garmin (as I was told by Garmin tech), they don't treat iDevices as real plotters, rathern than a planning and helping tool to official chartplotters. Garmin expects you to transfer your planned routes to a GARMIN plotter, where you'll see all the routes you wish.
Thank you (and Boat Guy). I now see them. I had no clue to look there. I have both Navionics and Bluechart. I prefer Navionics for actual on route navigation.
 
I was looking at bad elf. The Bluetooth antennas looks like the way to go. My understanding of the iPads GPS is it is A-GPS or assisted GPS so it needs cell towers to aid location. With a true antenna you would be stand alone with accuracy of within 8'. Being self sufficient feels better. The Bluetooth version would let you leave your iPad plugged in as well

http://bad-elf.com/collections/bluetooth-gps

I use the Bluetooth Bad Elf unit and it works great.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I also use both iPAD and the Raymarine. iPAD is great for route planning and quick checks looking ahead at whats next. Redraws are faster than my old C80 and it allows me to use the Ray, to "keep my eyes on the road".

The big advantage of the Navionics on iPAD is that the charts are always up to date, unlike the Ray that is only as up to date as my chip. Where we boat, thats not a major issue, but in the southern sandy shoal areas I expect thats more important.
 
....The big advantage of the Navionics on iPAD is that the charts are always up to date, unlike the Ray that is only as up to date as my chip. Where we boat, thats not a major issue, but in the southern sandy shoal areas I expect thats more important.

Great point, however, it works as you described only if you going through the steps of downloading updated maps. There are always some kind of updates take place and you should get a popup when updates for your maps are available. If you skip this, then you're running only those charts you've downloaded with initial setup.
 
I use the Bluetooth Bad Elf unit and it works great.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

+1

Just be careful with software upgrades. I was always in sync with them until I had a situation when ipad's new OS upgrade was not in sync (yes I've upgrade BE latest version as well) with Bad Elf's software. I had to wait for those two to start "playing nice with each other". Took about a month or two.

Now I'll be waiting a bit before jumping the gun.
 
FWIW, Navionics recommends the Dual XGPS 150 for use with wifi-only iPads. I haven't tried mine yet, but I'm anxiously awaiting the thaw...
 
I use a Ram Mount - nothing providing "water proofing". I could see the need for waterproof if you were on an open helm during inclement weather.

If the concern was water splashing from rough sea's - my opinion is the iPad has lost functionality for me due to action of the boat. As much as I love the iPad and the chart plotting software of choice - in rough water situations I have found it very difficult to interact with the screen through gesture controls. Maybe its just me.

In rough water situations - I am interacting with the chart plotter with buttons and soft keys much more than I am the iPad. As the technology sits today, would always want the iPad in my Ram mount - but not give up my chartplotter(s).

Thanks everyone for the suggestions

I am using Furuno TZT for plotter and sounder and the I-pad is just a repeater in my scenario, in my avatar the back rail of the stearn is where I want to mount the I -pad to be able to see the fish sounder and chart contours at glance while fishing. I know I have seen streamlined pod unit maybe for sailboats but cannot seem to find it. I am looking a clean purposed built water proof rail mount unit.

Thanks
 
I have had situations, fairly narrow channel. Zoomed in on both chartplotter and iPad. Visually confirm I am in the middle between day markers, RayMarine shows centered between day markers, iPad shows on top of - or outside of markers.

In that situation - something on the iPad is just not correct.

iPad 3, Blue Chart from Garmin, Maps updated on iPad - 18 month old Navionics chip in e120's.

I wonder if it is a location accuracy issue of the iPad internal GPS, Chart error, or the fact that the iPad allows a limitless zoom in. That at an exetreme zoom somehow the accuracy is affected of translating chart position issue.

Wow, I am quickly getting over my head with the mathematics of how chart displays are driven.

Or is it a combination of all 3 that is causing the erroneous display.

I have switched to an iPad Air 2. Will be back on the boat in a couple of weeks - trying to figure out is this going to be better.

Overall I love the iPad for charting application - I would not leave home without it. But still like having that chart plotter even if it is an antique.
 
I seem to only use the chartplotter for radar. I have used my iPad consistantly for years now. Even brought the 36db home from RI using only the iPad. My complaint on my E120's is the zoom level I can zoom way in on the pad and my routes and tracks are easy to see not on the E120 its a thin black line that resembles all the other lines on the chart. I understand the future of the chartplotters bring Internet access etc but until that happens I'll use the pad.
 
I was looking at bad elf. The Bluetooth antennas looks like the way to go. My understanding of the iPads GPS is it is A-GPS or assisted GPS so it needs cell towers to aid location. With a true antenna you would be stand alone with accuracy of within 8'. Being self sufficient feels better. The Bluetooth version would let you leave your iPad plugged in as well

http://bad-elf.com/collections/bluetooth-gps

Why is it necessary to use a seperate gps antenna? Is the one built in to the device insufficient?
 
Why is it necessary to use a seperate gps antenna? Is the one built in to the device insufficient?

My understanding is that the wifi only model does not have a GPS receiver, the option with a cellular connection does have a reciever.
 
This is from Bad Elf site below. It sounds like the only advantage of the BE is a quicker response time if your iPad is looking for cell towers.

2. I have an iPad/iPhone with cellular that already has a GPS chip inside it. Why would I need a Bad Elf GPS product?

All iPhones and some iPads come equipped with access to the internet via the cellular phone data network. These units also include “A-GPS. The “A stands for “assisted, as in assisted by the cell towers. So if your iPhone/iPad (with cellular) has a connection to the cell towers, the assisted GPS inside your iPhone/iPad will work well enough for most activities. But away from the cell towers, up in the sky, out in the woods, or at sea, the GPS can take 20 minutes or more to locate you. Because Bad Elf GPS products rely only on the satellites orbiting the earth and never on cell towers, they can locate you quickly and accurately anywhere on the planet.
 

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