Anybody use Android tablet for topo maps

[old_man]

I want to take an Android tablet and use it with a GPS to follow my position on topo maps. I HATE Apple, so don't even go there.

Anybody doing this? I saw somewhere that Trimble had a good app, but later I saw that they may have dropped it or gone out of business. I'm not particularly interested in turn by turn directions but want to be able to use images like Google Earth and see where I am and where I have been.

I have been investigating doing this on a Raspberry PI with a color touch screen, using some of the GIS libraries available, but I really don't have the time to write it.

 

[dan1977p]

Check out LeadNav. I use it on my iPhone and I know they have apps for android too.

 

[WB9YZU]

Tom, A couple of years ago, or maybe less, there was a thread in the Adventure Forum about using a Smartphone for Topo use - maybe a trip to the waybackmachine would add clarity (or muddy the waters).

I use MotionX products... Not sure what they have for an Android.

 

[GSequoia]

I use Gaia GPS on my iOS devices but it's also on Anrdoid. Works great. I use an external GPS for better accuracy.

 

[WB9YZU]

I like the idea of an external GPS ant. but don't see a jack on the iPhone or tablet. How's that hook up?

 

[GSequoia]

I like the idea of an external GPS ant. but don't see a jack on the iPhone or tablet. How's that hook up?

Bluetooth. This is the exact product I use.

 

[87manche]

not sure what the ipad has for internal GPS, but my nexus GPS/Glonass receiver is 10 hz and very accurate.

http://backcountrynavigator.com/

 

[JohnX]

I too have been using backcountry navigator pro....does what I need for $10.

 

[GSequoia]

not sure what the ipad has for internal GPS, but my nexus GPS/Glonass receiver is 10 hz and very accurate.

http://backcountrynavigator.com/

The iPad and iPhone use an integrated cellular modem and GPS. From what I understand those are not as accurate as dedicated GPS devices because they use cellular as a crutch.

That said I've never really had an issue using the internal GPS on my various generations iPhones and only went external because the iPad I have is the non-cellular model so lacks GPS entirely.

 

[Devilfrog]

Not sure what you have for a tablet, but both my old non cellular Galaxy Tab 2 and Tab 3 have GPS receivers built in. I use Backcountry Navigator as well.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

[old_man]

I have been looking at picking up a cheap Chinese tablet with GPS. I can get it for around $85 shipped.

 

[GSequoia]

I have been looking at picking up a cheap Chinese tablet with GPS. I can get it for around $85 shipped.

I was going to get a smaller tablet for the purpose but I love the size of the full size iPad so am sticking with that. I'm only using that device because I already have it (plus it's a few generations old so if it gets destroyed I'm not out much).

 

[Royal Nonesuch]

Definitely recommend GaiaGPS. I run it on an iPad, but only because work gave me one otherwise I'd be using their Android version :roflmao: It's an Air2 with cellular support, but I don't have a plan on it.

A few days before I go somewhere I set it to download the area I'll be traveling in, both USGS Topo and Google satellite. Typically, I'll download a huge surrounding area in Topo (for emergencies/alt routes) and just sat. view for where I plan on going. It allows you to drag-n-drop a square on the map to get exactly what you want. I will frequently do multiple squares. You can also select the level of detail/resolution to control filesize.

Once you're in the back country, the areas you've downloaded just show up on the map and you can scroll around them seamlessly. I have found the GPS accuracy to be very good - I have used it through Panamint Valley, Death Valley, Eastern Mojave, Joshua Tree/Old Dale, Los Padres, Southern Sierras and others I'm probably forgetting. It's brutally accurate in the deserts, the only time it ever showed me as significantly off-track was driving through a heavily forested area of the Sierras, using it inside the Jeep. Once I got out and stood in a small meadow it dialed right in.

It does route/distance tracking and history, all exportable if you're looking for something like that. There's lots of other layer options/databases I haven't explored i.e. for hiking-oriented trails etc. Good stuff.