Stand Alone GPS...

Deltaboy59

After being on the road and noticing all the areas that Google Maps is not available due to spotty cell service, and while you can download some areas from Google Maps now, it is limited, I purchased a GPS for my TV...happy so far...
6 inch screen... 
Voice navigation... 

Photomom

We have used Nuvis for many years and just upgraded to a similar model. Be sure to upgrade your maps periodically, and DONT be that guy who blindly follows GPS instructions up an impassible mountain or into the ocean. 

ericnliz

Photomom, That's just commonly known as adventure!

Photomom

Death by GPS is a thing... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_GPS

ericnliz

I know, I've been on the impassible snow covered mountain road, [at least that's what it was listed as], ran straight into a snow covered stream, had to dig out the snow [with an ice scraper] get the jack out, raise the front out of the stream, put it in reverse, drive back off the jack, retrieve jack, back up until I could find a place to turn around [about two miles!], and finally get back to where my GPS said to turn. During this period of time [it was winter] it was getting darker by the minute. NOT my idea of fun, exciting, but not fun.

db_cooper

And don't get fooled by it setting itself to "shortest" route.   Mine did that after an update, and kept routing me off of highways. No problem when I was in familiar WA roads,  but sent me on a fun route through the underbelly of Vancouver, CA.  Yes, it has an underbelly, but it's still pretty OK.

Nomad

Hmmmmm - Can't remember the last time I let a gps/phone plan my route. For me it's usually just my eyes and the map apps. So far so good.

jkjenn

ericnliz said:

I know, I've been on the impassible snow covered mountain road, [at least that's what it was listed as], ran straight into a snow covered stream, had to dig out the snow [with an ice scraper] get the jack out, raise the front out of the stream, put it in reverse, drive back off the jack, retrieve jack, back up until I could find a place to turn around [about two miles!], and finally get back to where my GPS said to turn. During this period of time [it was winter] it was getting darker by the minute. NOT my idea of fun, exciting, but not fun.

Those are the types places I go on purpose.  I did have to try to find a spot to turn around this summer on a mountain pass FS road that became too deep to risk driving further. Narrow road, of course.

I use my vehicle GPS the majority of the time. I have an app, if there is service that allows me to send locations directly from the phone to the Jeep. I really like it.

Photomom

To be clear, I use my Garmin all the time. It works great. But if it tells me to do something stupid, I'm not going to do it.

Nomad

And how do you know when it's being stupid?
About the time you don't is when you drive off the cliff :-(

Photomom

PXLated said:

And how do you know when it's being stupid?
About the time you don't is when you drive off the cliff :-(

Pretty much any time I get to a point where it says "travel off-road."

YMMV.

ericnliz

Primitive road sign is usually a dead giveaway! I use a TOM-TOM, and have for years. Any time I use it, I get all the GPS & map updates on it BEFORE I leave. Still, once in a while....it's like....now where am I...OOOPS! Must have been that last turn.

dmerzbac

ericnliz said:

I know, I've been on the impassible snow covered mountain road, [at least that's what it was listed as], ran straight into a snow covered stream, had to dig out the snow [with an ice scraper] get the jack out, raise the front out of the stream, put it in reverse, drive back off the jack, retrieve jack, back up until I could find a place to turn around [about two miles!], and finally get back to where my GPS said to turn. During this period of time [it was winter] it was getting darker by the minute. NOT my idea of fun, exciting, but not fun.

Now that is what I call an adventure! But not a fun one.

Vermonster

We have some roads in VT that become snowmobile trails in the winter.  People still try to drive them because their GPS tells them to.  One local fellow makes quite a bit of money pulling them out with a Bombadier snowcat, 4 in one weekend a couple of years ago!  (And despite a 4x8' sign warning drivers not to try to drive the road!)

SweetlyHome

We've been using my Garmin 450 for both on and off road travel for years now.  Thought the following might be interesting for some.

Originally I got it for my Geocaching hobby with topographical maps installed. This map set includes detailed information on rivers, streams, many trails and fire roads not on a roadmap and of course elevation which are not needed when driving and it will not "route" for driving nor are the roads themselves always displayed all that accurately.  The later is nice because the GPS does not go bonkers when you go onto new roads or get out of the car and walk into the woods.  This map set doesn't get updated frequently as the primary data it is intended to provide doesn't change much.  Seems like some that like to camp in the "boonies" like PXLated and jkjenn could really use this.

I soon learned I could obtain a "road map" map set for this type of GPS, purchased from Garmin and free on line.  The Garmin map set is the same as what is used in the Nuvi etc. and updates are frequently available in the same manner as well.  Although my GPS doesn't "talk" to me when using this map set it signal significant events and displays all the necessary directional information.  With this map set we find gas, restaurants, parks, and addresses as well as our way.  Honestly it is slower "finding" than a dedicated road GPS.

There is also satellite imagery available that can be over laid over either map set.  Many users with special interests create supplemental maps and points of interest data bases that can be incorporated as well.

The GPS does not use both map sets at the same time, we have to set it in off road and on road modes.  As an example; when Geocaching we start out in on road mode with GPS "driving" us to the closest road to the cache, we switch to off road and go for a walk.

To address PXLated concerns about roads to nowhere Garmin provides a mapping program called Basecamp (others are available) for use on a computer (PC or OS).  When planning a trip in a questionable area we create and review the "route" in Basecamp using the appropriate map set, satellite images, cross referencing with Google maps etc., and paper maps.  The "route", and important and interesting waypoints are transferred to the GPS for the trip.  Note that all but referring to Google maps is off line once downloaded.  Only limits are the memory space of the GPS and laptop.

Hope this helps. 

jkjenn

SweetlyHome said:

 When planning a trip in a questionable area we create and review the "route" in Basecamp using the appropriate map set, satellite images, cross referencing with Google maps etc., and paper maps.  

You said the "P" word. I think that's against @PXLated's religion.

Vermonster

Another good option for folks for off-road and who don't want to buy another dedicated GPS-  there are several phone apps that work well.  Gaia is one of the best and performs most all of the functions that a GPS unit will, with topo and sat photo overlays.  I use a GPS almost daily in my forestry business and some of the phone apps work so well that I'm using it most of the time for mapping and navigation. 

SweetlyHome

Vermonster said:

Another good option for folks for off-road and who don't want to buy another dedicated GPS-  there are several phone apps that work well.  Gaia is one of the best and performs most all of the functions that a GPS unit will, with topo and sat photo overlays.  I use a GPS almost daily in my forestry business and some of the phone apps work so well that I'm using it most of the time for mapping and navigation. 

Not heard of this app.  Does it require a data connection to down load maps while in use?  I'm very frugal on cell phone data and often have no or little connection.  Also many phone apps warn of decreased accuracy without out a cell connection.  Even with a connection phones are frequently less accurate than a dedicated GPS.  This much more noticeable off road than on.  What is your experience?

SweetlyHome

jkjenn said:

SweetlyHome said:

 When planning a trip in a questionable area we create and review the "route" in Basecamp using the appropriate map set, satellite images, cross referencing with Google maps etc., and paper maps.  

You said the "P" word. I think that's against @PXLated's religion.

Oops your right  However if you back up like I do or have experienced long out of the way detours as we have some planning is warranted for us.  Fortunately he doesn't seem to have a wand. 

Nomad

Jenn - I plan but with a small "p" :-)
SweetlyHome - I have the same type of GPS and Basecamp on my Mac. Don't use it much though. If you have an iPhone/iPad, check out the set of "ScenicRoute" map apps.

ChanW

I've found my phone gps, on my last three phones, to be very accurate for backcountry, off-road orienteering, in a vehicle or on foot. 

Haven't heard of Gaia, but I've used Backcountry Navigator extensively, and it's quite accurate (and I can highly recommend it for hiking and topographic map work.)

Vermonster said:

Another good option for folks for off-road and who don't want to buy another dedicated GPS-  there are several phone apps that work well.  Gaia is one of the best and performs most all of the functions that a GPS unit will, with topo and sat photo overlays.  I use a GPS almost daily in my forestry business and some of the phone apps work so well that I'm using it most of the time for mapping and navigation. 

Vermonster

I've not found accuracy to be a problem even where there is not a good cell signal.  Maybe I havent been in a place where there is no signal at all.  The primary problem is pulling up the map so best to do it when you have a good signal or wifi.  In most cases your phone will "hold" the map without having to store it in internal memory.   ChanW, yes, Backcountry Navigator is another good one that I've used. 

As an interesting side note-  I am a member of a search and rescue organization and our experience is that triangulation on the location of a cell caller can be REALLY inaccurate, occasionally by as much as a couple of miles.  If we can contact the caller, we try to coach them through reading off their coordinates which generally works much better. 

Photomom

Vermonster said:

As an interesting side note-  I am a member of a search and rescue organization and our experience is that triangulation on the location of a cell caller can be REALLY inaccurate, occasionally by as much as a couple of miles.  If we can contact the caller, we try to coach them through reading off their coordinates which generally works much better. 

But, but, triangulation always works on TV! You'll probably tell us next that law enforcement agencies can't find a house based on an IP address, or generate a high resolution image from a blurry surveillance camera.

SweetlyHome

As I mentioned above I primarily use my GPS for geocaching.  It is a general opinion that circle and my personal experience that caches are better located when using a GPS.  That is they are physically located closer to the posted coordinates when originally located with a GPS. When I search with my phone I frequently have to increase the radius of my search to make the find.  Obviously the need accuracy is a function of the application.  I am going to take a look at these other recommended apps.

Photomom

SweetlyHome said:

As I mentioned above I primarily use my GPS for geocaching.  It is a general opinion that circle and my personal experience that caches are better located when using a GPS.  That is they are physically located closer to the posted coordinates when originally located with a GPS. When I search with my phone I frequently have to increase the radius of my search to make the find.  Obviously the need accuracy is a function of the application.  I am going to take a look at these other recommended apps.

And it is a general opinion that folks who HIDE geocaches using smartphones should take up some other hobby (I am being kind here.) I use a Garmin 62S for hiking and geocaching (I'm a hider as well as a finder). If you really want to know where you are that is the sort of GPS you need.

Ratkity

I have found my Garmin motorcycle GPS to be superior to the crazy loco (redundant) navigation software in my truck. There's the mode where I can back track, save the fun ride I just had, look at it in Basecamp (computer software for Garmin) and the find cooler places to explore. It tells me when curves are incoming, where wildlife crossings are up and coming and I can pick "Adventure" routes (hilly, winding, etc). 

I read about geocaching. I think it's a cool thing. I guess it's changed dramatically since smart phones and hand-held GPS came into the picture. Wasn't it compasses and landmarks?

Photomom

No, you're thinking of Orienteering, which uses maps, compasses, and landmarks. Or possibly Letterboxing which uses landmarks.

Geocaching was only made possible in May 2000 when President Clinton discontinued "selective availability" so that military geopositioning satellites could be used by ordinary people. Geocaching is based on GPS receivers and the internet.

Oh, there is also Waymarking, which uses the internet, GPS receivers and landmarks.

So many pastimes, so little time.

Cheesewiz

Navigated the southwest for over a decade. You can have a GPS/Google maps, give me a good topo map and a compass! I have seen way too many people banging on the dash in the middle of noplace! Backup for the lazy days maybe but im sorry paper and a old school compass and point recognition! The sun rises in the east sets in the west! Ive been places GPS does not work !

(Edited by Admin--please read the forum rules about use of appropriate language.)

Nomad

FYI - The ScenicRoute maps are stored locally.

Cyclonic

PXLated said:

And how do you know when it's being stupid?
About the time you don't is when you drive off the cliff :-(

But it will be fun!

Nomad

Wheeeeeeeeeee, Splat.