iPod Touch 6th Gen and Garmin Glo or Elf

[gallet]

Hi,

 

I'm trying to work out whether I'm better off with a lightning connected gps receiver or a bluetooth receiver like the Glo, that's my first query, apart from the obvious convenience of being wireless is there any other benefit to the Glo.

 

My second query relates to maps and I'd appreciate it if someone had some first hand experience on this. I know that the iPod will erase its cached map data with the map app is closed but before going out if I load in the area I want by scrolling around while I'm connected to wifi, so that the maps are cached, if I were to then connect a wired or wireless gps like the two above, will the maps still read the gps data, from these gps units. And if they do read the map data will it give turn by turn directions at least to however much map data is loaded in.

 

Thanks.

[+Triple Crown]

I have a Bad Elf Pro+ (wireless) which I use along with an iPad when offroading to get the big picture. The GPS signal can be used by most apps. I prefer Galileo, and it allows you to download and keep lots of maps. However, it doesn't offer turn by turn navigation, just location on the map. I use my handheld Oregon to find the caches once I get close.

[gallet]

I have a Bad Elf Pro+ (wireless) which I use along with an iPad when offroading to get the big picture. The GPS signal can be used by most apps. I prefer Galileo, and it allows you to download and keep lots of maps. However, it doesn't offer turn by turn navigation, just location on the map. I use my handheld Oregon to find the caches once I get close.

 

OK, thanks. Can you confirm that you get the badelf location signal on the Apple maps app, when your ipad is offline?

[+geodarts]

I have used the GLO with my WiFi only iPad - generally for navigation or routing with offline maps (pocket earth, Navigon, Gaia GPS, Here). It has also worked with the caching app I use (Geosphere with cached maps).

 

I have a spare battery for it but have never had to use it, even when I have used the battery instead of a USB power cable in the car. With GLONASS I have never had a problem picking up satellites. When I first got it, the on/off button was very sensitive so that it would turn on accidentally, but a firmware update addressed that. In addition to a clip for hiking, I also have the mount for the dashboard.

 

Although I have used it with cached google maps, You might consider using other maps with it while offline. Here maps provide free offline voice routing, and you can enter coordinates, but so far I have not been able to link to it directly from my caching app, like I do with the others. The GLO has worked, though, with any maps I have tried.

 

Out of curiosity, I used it with an Android tablet that did not have a gpsr so that I could get a better sense of how it picked up satellites. The maps there worked fine. I do not think there would be a problem with either the GLO or the Bad Elf devices.

Edited July 17, 2015 by geodarts

[+geodarts]

OK, thanks. Can you confirm that you get the badelf location signal on the Apple maps app, when your ipad is offline?

 

I had to run an errand and loaded up directions using Apple maps before I left (along with the iPad and GLO). The location was spot on, but the routing apparently needs connectivity to work. I had the blue routing line on my map but that did not change even when I deviated from the course. I switched to google on the way back, and the location was perfect again, but routing needed connectivity.

 

As mentioned above, offline voice routing works fine with Here (free) or Navigon (paid) - and I presume any offline routing app would work well with either device. I use Navigon for driving and either pocket earth or Gaia because they integrate well with my favorite caching app. There are some caching apps that directly support offline maps (but rely on Navigon or other apps for routing).

Edited July 17, 2015 by geodarts