Cell Phone VS GPS

[SoDaky]

Ditto.

 

[MtnOyster]

I prefer to use a gps with the onX chip over the phone. I don’t want to deal with phone battery life and if you don’t download the maps before you head in you don’t have the maps. But everyone’s got their preference, I prefer the gps


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same here

 

[DB Cooper]

OnX on my cell phone with a Dark Energy charger. Garmin GPS in the pack as an emergency back-up. I'm wanting an InReach or comparable model to text wife and send an SOS if needed

 

[SwiftShot]

I find the GPS with a chip way more reliable. It always works. With the phone system sometimes it has downloaded the map for me in that area and I dont now have service.

 

[Beendare]

I find the GPS with a chip way more reliable. It always works. With the phone system sometimes it has downloaded the map for me in that area and I dont now have service.

What? Sounds like operator error on your part.

To be clear so there is no misinformation out there....you do not need a cell signal for your GPS to work on your phone. My phone with GAIA works 100% of the time in multiple Remote wilderness areas in the lower 48, Alaska wilderness, Kodiak, Australia, Japan.

Heck it even works in areas I was having a hard time for my Sat phone to get a signal.

Use a dedicated GPS, fine....but don't say its because the phone systems don't work. They do. Personally, I like it much better just having one do all unit....and the maps are so much better its ridiculous.

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[N2TRKYS]

What? Sounds like operator error on your part.

To be clear so there is no misinformation out there....you do not need a cell signal for your GPS to work on your phone. My phone with GAIA works 100% of the time in multiple Remote wilderness areas in the lower 48, Alaska wilderness, Kodiak, Australia, Japan.

Heck it even works in areas I was having a hard time for my Sat phone to get a signal.

Use a dedicated GPS, fine....but don't say its because the phone systems don't work. They do. Personally, I like it much better just having one do all unit....and the maps are so much better its ridiculous.

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How do you download maps to your phone in the field?

 

[Brady1]

I carry cell phone with onx and garmin inreach mini. Both have worked great.

 

[SwiftShot]

What? Sounds like operator error on your part.

To be clear so there is no misinformation out there....you do not need a cell signal for your GPS to work on your phone. My phone with GAIA works 100% of the time in multiple Remote wilderness areas in the lower 48, Alaska wilderness, Kodiak, Australia, Japan.

Heck it even works in areas I was having a hard time for my Sat phone to get a signal.

Use a dedicated GPS, fine....but don't say its because the phone systems don't work. They do. Personally, I like it much better just having one do all unit....and the maps are so much better its ridiculous.

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NOT USER ERROR. If you want map data on property lines some programs require a signal. That is what I am discussing. You might be fine in places like Alaska, but when you are moving around in tight areas with lots of private around public you better have PROPERTY LINES, and for that some programs require a signal. Now ONX Maps doesnt but you better have had it download your specific area, and pray its app doesnt decide to crash on you. If it does well you must have signal again to get the property lines.

 

[muddydogs]

NOT USER ERROR. If you want map data on property lines some programs require a signal. That is what I am discussing. You might be fine in places like Alaska, but when you are moving around in tight areas with lots of private around public you better have PROPERTY LINES, and for that some programs require a signal. Now ONX Maps doesnt but you better have had it download your specific area, and pray its app doesnt decide to crash on you. If it does well you must have signal again to get the property lines.

What programs require a signal? Not a good mapping app thats for sure. GPS units crash just the same as a phone can crash which is seldom. Still sounds like user error to me or your using some cheap low rate mapping app.
Face it if you want to use a GPS unit thats all fine and dandy but right now the best thing going for maps and photos is the phone and mapping app. Battery life is getting better and better on phones and a guy that takes the time to figure out how to shut down all the crap they have loaded on there phone while in the field will find that battery life is great. Charge packs are dirt cheap and getting lighter and lighter so having extra power on demand is a non issue.

 

[Spoonman]

I use my cell phone and I have Basemaps and OnX. If I have cell service I use my phone, if I don’t I use my inReach to communicate if need be.

 

[N2TRKYS]

What programs require a signal? Not a good mapping app thats for sure. GPS units crash just the same as a phone can crash which is seldom. Still sounds like user error to me or your using some cheap low rate mapping app.
Face it if you want to use a GPS unit thats all fine and dandy but right now the best thing going for maps and photos is the phone and mapping app. Battery life is getting better and better on phones and a guy that takes the time to figure out how to shut down all the crap they have loaded on there phone while in the field will find that battery life is great. Charge packs are dirt cheap and getting lighter and lighter so having extra power on demand is a non issue.

How do you download maps on Onx without Wifi?

 

[Youngbuck86]

I use back country navigator with private land overlay. I can down load several different layers (arial and topo) when I have service. Then use the phone's gps with those downloaded maps when. I'm in the field.

 

[Beendare]

I can't speak to OnX...but with GAIA I can download and save any map as long as I still have cell service.

YES...you have to plan a head a little bit with GAIA as you cannot load a map off the satellite.

Its wise to cover all of your bases beforehand- Just like you would with any gear decision before a hunt.

Example; on a drop camp in Alaska, I talked to the pilot while still in town [Wasilla] and we had a few options on where to get dropped so I got the general areas downloading multiple maps JIC as insurance to make sure I had the map I wanted while in the field.

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[N2TRKYS]

I can't speak to OnX...but with GAIA I can download and save any map as long as I still have cell service.

YES...you have to plan a head a little bit with GAIA as you cannot load a map off the satellite.

Its wise to cover all of your bases beforehand- Just like you would with any gear decision before a hunt.

Example; on a drop camp in Alaska, I talked to the pilot while still in town [Wasilla] and I ended up downloading multiple maps JIC as insurance to make sure I had the map I wanted while in the field.

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Not being able to download maps with cell service and only with wifi seems odd to me. I was hoping it was just something I was doing wrong, cause plans change and you have to be adaptive. My gps with the Onx chip has never given me any issues, so I guess, I'll stay with what works for me.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Beendare]

Not being able to download maps with cell service and only with wifi seems odd to me.

Its Probably your phone set so that you didn't incur data charges....you bring up a point worth mentioning; I have unlimited data plan with my phone so I don't worry about downloading files over cell service.


BTW, I didn't mean for the "Operator error" comment to sound snarky...FWIW, it happens to me all the time with this new tech until I dial it in.


Either way, if you only want to download the GAIA maps over wifi due to restrictive phone plan, its a good idea to cover all of your bases. Another option vs multiple maps is to download a huge area at low resolution in case you don't end up where you thought.

With GAIA, its easy to download maps; 1) outline the area you want, 2) select the resolution,[ ie map detail] that you want. Watch the file size as it can be very large if its a big area at high resolution. They give you the option, so I sometimes have multiple areas with high res...then another large map at very low res so I'm covered.

Its another reason I like this system....many ways to skin a cat with this.

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[wapitibob]

OnX is so reliable I have no hesitation leaving the old Garmin at home. I download my entire hunt units, in multiple states before I leave and away I go. GAIA is just as reliable.

 

[muddydogs]

Downloading maps on cell service is slow, best to do it with wifi. I up graded phones this year and spent the little extra for 128 GB internal storage so now I just download maps for the entire unit or if the tag is wide spread I down load half the state. I run an Android mid level phone so the cost for the extra storage isn't much unlike the high dollar I Phone stuff.

 

[Adarby]

I use The Onx with my phone. It works great

 

[N2TRKYS]

Its Probably your phone set so that you didn't incur data charges....you bring up a point worth mentioning; I have unlimited data plan with my phone so I don't worry about downloading files over cell service.


BTW, I didn't mean for the "Operator error" comment to sound snarky...FWIW, it happens to me all the time with this new tech until I dial it in.


Either way, if you only want to download the GAIA maps over wifi due to restrictive phone plan, its a good idea to cover all of your bases. Another option vs multiple maps is to download a huge area at low resolution in case you don't end up where you thought.

With GAIA, its easy to download maps; 1) outline the area you want, 2) select the resolution,[ ie map detail] that you want. Watch the file size as it can be very large if its a big area at high resolution. They give you the option, so I sometimes have multiple areas with high res...then another large map at very low res so I'm covered.

Its another reason I like this system....many ways to skin a cat with this.

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Mine isn't a data charge or storage issue. That doesn't concern me at all. It just won't download on cell service. As it stands right now, I don't see a benefit of not using my gps over the phone.

 

[tracker12]

I carry both and will continue to go that route.