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iPhone GPS apps

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Slingerland
1st Mate

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USA
96 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/11/2010 : 14:53:34

Since my boat doesn't have a knotmeter, and since my family is encouraging me to upgrade my cell phone, I'm thinking about killing two birds with one stone and buying an iPhone 3gs. What I would LOVE to have is a GPS app that tells me my current speed. What I do NOT want is to pay an exhorbitant monthly subscription fee.

Does anybody know a good... inexpensive!... iPhone GPS app that gives current speed?

Thanks!

Howard Warren
Little Rock, AR
1979 C-25 #1435, "Novia"

Edited by - on

BenD
1st Mate

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USA
36 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 15:01:49

Either Charts & Tides...$19.99 (works great for me, very accurate GPS location with accurate up-to-date charts and even ties into ActiveCaptain for user-input info and reviews of marinas, anchorages, etc....

Also, heard good things about Navionics (I believe that it won an award from Practical Sailor, though that was last year).

The third one is iNavx, which I haven't tried, costs $49.99, but supposedly interfaces with MacENC for a more sophisticated charting package...

Good Luck!

Edited by - on

BenD
1st Mate

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USA
36 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 15:03:11

And all three give you GPS speed ....

Edited by - on

Slingerland
1st Mate

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USA
96 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 15:06:24

Thanks! I found a few threads on the site here, but outside of Navionics the apps seem to be outdated.

SailMaster looks promising, too.

Edited by - on

BenD
1st Mate

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USA
36 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 15:11:46

Charts & Tides is by Navimatics and is a great app. It is not outdated. In fact, when the iPad was released, it was one of the apps that Apple chose to spotlight...

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 15:18:02

OK, so I have a phone that makes phone calls. That's all I need/want. But, my wife has one that does everything she needs and 1000 more things. (Although, she seems to have a hard time making/answering phone calls with it.) Do these apps only work on iPhone or do they work on non-ATT phones like my wife's Verizon?

Edited by - on

Slingerland
1st Mate

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USA
96 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 15:52:55

Actually, I'm like John... my kids and my wife have ultra-complex phones, while I have one that will make calls. Up until cecently, my employer refused to let us bring camera phones into the workplace. But now, it seems a lot cheaper to buy the phone with bells and whistles. Plus as an added advantage, I won't be poking holes through Novia's hull!

On the other hand, what about "regular" GPS units?

Edited by - on

Mark Maxwell
Captain

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USA
329 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 16:46:29

If your just looking for speed, check out MotionX GPS. It's only $2.99. There is a 'Lite ' version that is free. It has Speed,Compass,Waypoints,Tracks,Records Time traveled and more. It also can overlay Maps for driving (NOT CARTOGRAPHY) They also make a GPS Drive App for turn by turn directions. Best 'GPS' App in my opinion.

Apps don't cost monthly,but you still have to pay for the monthly phone+media. If you don't want to add a monthly phone bill, just get a handheld GPS. Garmin and Magellan both make good units that can give you simple features for less than $100 with no monthly fee.

Edited by - Mark Maxwell on 09/11/2010 17:02:51

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 18:37:18

You can also join the NC Earth beta program for free, and help them launch their charting software. Search for "NC Earth" in my posts earlier for instructions.

I use Motion-X GPS for car navigation, I haven't tried it on the water, I also have their "lite" version, which is a decent GPS.

I also have Navionic's Marine West, I think it was $10.

As far as what'll work on a given phone, all the above are for i Phone, except for NC Earth, which also has a Droid app (Verizon), but you have to have a Droid phone. The rest may work on a Droid phone as well, if they've ported the software to that operating system.

There are also Windows Mobile phones, but I don't know much about them.

Edited by - on

Mark Maxwell
Captain

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USA
329 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2010 : 19:44:00

Another thing to be aware of is that a GPS will give you speed 'over ground'. It will not be able to tell you speed 'through water'. Water current can only be read by a transducer in the water.

A boat heading into a 3knot current may only show 2knot on a GPS, while a transducer will show 5knots.

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Stuff4Toys
1st Mate

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USA
83 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2010 : 16:43:30

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mark Maxwell
 Another thing to be aware of is that a GPS will give you speed 'over ground'. It will not be able to tell you speed 'through water'. Water current can only be read by a transducer in the water.

A boat heading into a 3knot current may only show 2knot on a GPS, while a transducer will show 5knots.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Doesn't a GPS calculate speed by triangulation from satellites? What would water speed have to do with your motion between satellite signals?
JOhn ><>

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2010 : 17:11:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stuff4Toys
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mark Maxwell
 Another thing to be aware of is that a GPS will give you speed 'over ground'. It will not be able to tell you speed 'through water'. Water current can only be read by a transducer in the water.

A boat heading into a 3knot current may only show 2knot on a GPS, while a transducer will show 5knots.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Doesn't a GPS calculate speed by triangulation from satellites? What would water speed have to do with your motion between satellite signals?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">It doesn't--that's why he said "over ground" (over the bottom) and "not through the water". Current will affect the SOG--those who want to fine-tune trim by measuring speed through the water (taking current out of the equation) need a speed log.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 09/16/2010 17:23:24

Slingerland
1st Mate

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USA
96 Posts

Response Posted - 09/16/2010 : 19:46:21

At this point, all my sailing for the next few years will be in a local lake, 6 miles E-W by 1 mile N-S. Not much current to deal with (grin).

Thanks!

Edited by - on

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