Moving forward and upwards (Desktop Planning/GPS/Tablet)

[Kage]

First post as I tend to do way more reading on this forum than posting. And after reading way more than I thought was possible on the various GPS solutions out there, I’m just as lost as when I started out at, and I’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction to narrow down my search some more.

Background: For a long time, I have used a DeLorme PN-20 and their Topo North America desktop software for planning our trips (Off-Road orientated, local parks and westward trips). This system has worked well for some time, but using the tiny screen of the PN-20 with vehicle navigation wasn’t the best. It did get the job done though.

Fast forward several years, and I’m ready to upgrade again, but I am not really finding what I am after (I think). And I am hesitant to just buy every app I see to try to find something that might work. So I am hoping to narrow things down a bit and work from there.

The Goal: I would like some sort of offline mapping solution that I can use on a laptop, and then transfer that data over to a GPS/Tablet to use while actually exploring. I.E. While sitting in camp without cell service, I want to be able to look at data off line on my laptop (Bigger screen, and, well, touch screens irritate me after a while), then transfer that data (way points, tracks, etc) over to the GPS/Tablet to use the next day.

Is there some sort of solution (or solutions) out there that will let me do this? It seems that dedicated GPS’s are going by the way side, and everything is becoming more APP based. Which is fine, but I don’t want to get married to something that is web based, or worst yet, web based, and goes away after a few years.

Hopefully that rambling makes some sense. Any suggestions in helping a tablet noob narrow things down would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kmrtnsn]

I just got a Garmin GLO for Christmas. I have an old iPad floating around that I plan on linking it to. Now to figure what App to use....

 

[DanCooper]

You are looking for a solution with three parts: The laptop, the GPS unit, and a bundle of software.

I happen to use (but am not entirely satisfied with as explained later) an Apple MacBook Air, a Garmin Montana 650, and the Garmin software suite BaseCamp primarily), OSM mapping software, and JaVaWa Device Manager (for moving maps back and forth between the laptop and the Montana). I also have an iPhone 6+ that I use for simple navigation tasks such as where is the nearest fuel, lodging, eating, etc. BTW, that iPhone solution works in Kyrgyzstan as well as it does in California (with a local sim-card installed) - it's MAGIC people!

Tha MacBook is fine, lots of storage, ample power etc., but if I were starting with nothing, I would likely use a Chromebook from Google itself. Less expensive, no bloatware, easily configurable.

I believe the Garmin Montana 650 is still the best for most people because it has relatively huge storage capacity for waypoints, is portable, and comes with relatively easy software for managing it.

The problems I have are with the software suite I use. I have problems (because I have not had the patience to sit down and really learn) using the route planning features of BaseCamp. The reason my laziness works for me is that I usually only plot a few points I want to "see" (or reach) and amble around until I get there. As One-Legged Lance once instructed in a seminar: "People, GPS UNITS LIE! Look out the window/windscreen and watch where you are going!" But then he also has a laptop crammed full of waypoints and detailed routes of ghost towns and abandoned mines that he likes to go to. He will have better advice than most on this forum about the proper software suite.

On the plus side, OSM is great. It is easy to add to your map collection and transfer to your Garmin. Likewise, the JaVaWa software is easy to use and allows me to keep a library of SIM cards with maps of different areas that I can easily swap in and out of the Garmin.

I would also switch to an Android phone. I have an Android (a Google Nexus) that I use when I travel in Europe/Asia/Central Asia that is a beauty. Small, simple, and any 12-year-old in other than a First-World Country can run get you a SIM card for it or buy more minutes to put on the card. In 'Murica, not so much a problem I know, but every now and then you might go somewhere else. Plus Apple is now building devices that make their engineers happy instead of what people want or need. RANT OVER.

My advice boils down to recommending you spend some time browsing through the GPS software forum as well as the hardware forum, and only then putting together a package that fits your actual and projected needs. I look forward to seeing what you end up with.

 

[jimi breeze]

The simplest method which works together in harmony would be to use Garmin GPS device with BaseCamp on your computer. If you download the particular North America maps from Garmin onto your computer you will be able to view it on BaseCamp.

I would ditch the computer while on the road and go with a tablet with the map regions downloaded. You can use the tablet to plan at camp and then to view while driving. But you could also use a tablet with apps such as Gaia or MotionX. There are many apps out here. See what people are using and why.

I use Gaia which is paired on my computer, tablet and phone. I use a separate GPS receiver paired with Bluetooth so cell service is not necessary operate. What I see and record transfers to the ~~cloud~~ when connected back to wifi or cell. Gaia is great for planning routes, laying down a track, then driving on it by viewing on my mounted tablet. There are a multitude of map options to download.

I also extensively use BaseCamp and Google Maps. Routes and waypoints transfer easily between and can be saved. I'm a NAV geek, what can I say....