ipod as a gps..

[Guest simon bourke]

hi folks.. ive come across a device from magellan, called a 'toughcase', that claims to add gps capacity to an ipod, and improve gps facility in an iphone.. does anyone know of them, or have a comment about them?

 

 

[Hongie]

never personally used one mate, but i know a few 4wd'ers that use them, and reckon they are pretty good... not sure i would trust a phone for primary navigation though...

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Hello Simon, thanks for telling us about this- looks like a good solid product- better that my simple belt clip on the side of the cockpit.

 

I have found my iPhone quite useful aloft- looking up runways, calling ahead, recording the flight track and taking movies of the panel and scenery. The size is a fair compromise, more portable than the iPad.

 

See an earlier post:

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/showthread.php/122903-iPhone-GPS?highlight=iphone

 

I still like this cheap app; it has fewer features than some of the expensive ($3.66) ones but the display is simple and very clear.

 

Biggest problem is the same as motorists face- potentially lethal distractions, especially without a co-pilot to keep watch!

 

 

[Guest simon bourke]

the case sounds good, the gps chip it uses checks out ok in the mentions it gets on the net, but the unit isnt cheap, and that makes it a gamble you dont want to get wrong hey. the iphone readable in sunlight koreelah? had a squiz in itunes for apps, and theres a few... shame the ipad is such a brick, and no usb, and completly tied to itunes. apple stuff is amazing, pity its a triumph of marketing over engineering in so many respects.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Yes, Simon the iPhone is readable in full sunlight. The GPS app that I use has a white background with very large, simple numbers-heaps easier to read than my old GPS, and Oz Runways is also quite readable- I do have to do some zooming, though. I also regret the lack of USB on iPad/iPhone; I'm told that you can wirelessly connect a full keyboard and who knows what else.

 

 

[Gkramer707]

My Dad has an iPhone app called WingX. We used it for 172SM cross country and it worked very well.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

There are some other solutions as well, like bluetooth GPS (http://www.newskyproducts.com/servlet/the-GPS-Receivers/Categories) so you can put it on the dash if you are having reception problems having it on your knee. Or one that plugs into the dock connector: http://bad-elf.com/products/gps/

 

We've currently got a couple of them on order to test with OzRunways, which will soon have full moving aviation maps. (One giant seamless WAC for Australia, yeah baby! And of course all the other maps.)

 

That said, in my bubble canopy, the built in GPS has been dead accurate so far and the screen very readable. (Remember, few aircraft have "full sunlight"; every canopy has a tint that makes a huge difference.)

 

 

[Relfy]

stop teasing me bass... glahhgh seamless wac....

 

 

[kaz3g]

There are some other solutions as well, like bluetooth GPS so you can put it on the dash if you are having reception problems having it on your knee.

I have been using these with a laptop running AirNav for about 3 years now. My current GPS mouse has a 16 channel receiver and charges on the same charger as my Blackberry. The laptop sits in the back out of the way and a 5" TFT daylight screen connected to the laptop is mounted in the cockpit where I can easily see it.

 

I don't know much about the intricacies of all this technology but I read recently - might have been in the crash comic - that the phone apps are not very good in aviation because they rely on the ground-based signal towers rather than satellites???

 

kaz

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

I'm advised that iPhones have a 12-channel GPS receiver but get an initial fix from triangulating phone towers. Then they receive info on the best satellites to look for. This is why an iPhone is so fast at locating itself. The down side is that if phone tower signal is poor, then it takes ages to aquire GPs satellites. Last week I tested mine on a drive up the Putty Rd (north of Sydney), where the terrain is notorious - no towers for much of the way (and unable to acquire GPS)

 

Despite this, there was enough signal for Instamapper laid down breadcrimbs for most of the trip.

 

 

[Relfy]

I tested GPS MotionX last night on my iphone and it was really quite accurate, to within about 2-3m while I drove all around twn and onto some of the dirt tracks around town also. I was quite impressed. It also has a function to beam your position to facebook, or other users and is really easy to use. I will save a track tonight and post it. I can reccommend this one, at $1.18, money well spent me thinks.

 

Here is a short track I recorded.

 

 

[Doug Evans]

Can we get map for Australia for wingX pro 7 I download it but dont have aussie maps any one know how to get it to work ?

 

 

[rankamateur]

I was over Aerokits the other day and Reg showed me his GNS 5870 bluetooth GPS reciever, it improves iPhone performance(especially Gen 3) but also works with iPod touch fron Gen 2 up

 

http://ozpilot.com.au/GPS/Bluetooth-Receivers/GNS-5870-GPS-Bluetooth-receiver/p-94-304-954/

 

given that I have no GPS but do have an iPod touch, I was very impressed!