IPad, Bad Elf and Navionics

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mjcg631

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Morning, I know there are a few threads but joining up this conundrum with both Apple and Navionics remains unclear.

In short: I have an iPad 6th Gen WiFi only. If I connect this to a Bad Elf and have the Navionics app + maps of UK & Holland, will this function as a chart plotter/GPS should (providing I have the Navionics maps downloaded)?

I'm not utterly crap when it comes to tech but when your 14 and 12 year olds can't help you, I look to your expertise for advice!

Thanks,

Max
 
Whilst I can't answer your question I understand that my wifi only iPad Air 2 doesn't have a GPS fitted, thus can't be used with chart plotting apps (or Pokemon Go).

I believe that the 3G and wifi version is needed to get the GPS unit but the Bad Elf provides the GPS input to a wifi only iPad. Amusingly the Bad Elf may be the better option as the GPS module fitted to iPads is supposedly fairly primitive.
 
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Yes it will. Connect the Bad Elf to the iPad via Bluetooth and that will give the GPS position on Navionics. Both of these will need a power connection for long trips. I use a different Bluetooth GPS but it works fine plugged in on the nav table with the old iPad up top.

The only odd thing I have noticed is that my GPS doesn't give a constant stream unless I'm doing more than 4 knots. I presume this is because it only gives out a position when that changes and at below 4 knots that only happens every few seconds. 10seconds at 4 knots is not very far so not an issue.
 
Thank you. If the Bad Elf is connected to the ipad via the 'lightning connector' does it then only need one power supply to it?
 
You may say the GPS in Ipads is primitive, but it works extremely well with Navionics in Uk, France, Holland, Belgium,
Germany And Denmark in my experience. I have no experience of Bad Elf but others on this forum have and they report it works OK. I am sure they will be along to confirm this shortly. You could consider an older IPad or other 2nd hand tablet and just use it for navigation, or sell your current one and upgrade.
 
I have heard of private pilots in the USA using an i-pad with an attached Bad Elf GPS for navigation so it will probably work with Navionics, but given the price of a Bad Elf GPS you might do better to trade in your i-pad for a GPS equipped tablet, but be aware that most i-pads only have A-GPS, which requires a mobile signal, and is thus useless offshore.
I don't think that tablets are a very good solution for navigation because most do not have a power hungry dedicated GPS chip and can be very slow to get a fix, (although my Hudl was actually fairly good), in addition screen brightness can be a problem. I suggest you read this article from the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2014/nov/13/whats-the-best-cheap-tablet-for-gps-use
 
mjcg631 said:
Thank you. If the Bad Elf is connected to the ipad via the 'lightning connector' does it then only need one power supply to it?
Click to expand...

I see that the newest Bad Elf can connect direct which is good but it needs a newish iPad - 4th Gen or newer.
Expensive though. I have a GNS 2000 that works on my iPad 2.
 
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Norman_E said:
I have heard of private pilots in the USA using an i-pad with an attached Bad Elf GPS for navigation so it will probably work with Navionics, but given the price of a Bad Elf GPS you might do better to trade in your i-pad for a GPS equipped tablet, but be aware that most i-pads only have A-GPS, which requires a mobile signal, and is thus useless offshore.
Click to expand...

This is not so. A-GPS uses a mobile signal to speed position finding but if there’s no signal, the GPS position still works just fine, takes slightly longer to acquire (like a few seconds....). I’ve used 2nd and 4th generation iPads (as well as iPhones) and Navionics in mid ocean with no troubles at all: the positions acquired agreed with the boat electronics.
 
I have an iPad Air (1st gen) which is Wi-fi only and connect it to a Garmin Glo for GPS, this works for me so long as the maps are pre-downloaded on Navionics so I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t work with the bad elf.
 
Norman_E said:
I have heard of private pilots in the USA using an i-pad with an attached Bad Elf GPS for navigation so it will probably work with Navionics, but given the price of a Bad Elf GPS you might do better to trade in your i-pad for a GPS equipped tablet, but be aware that most i-pads only have A-GPS, which requires a mobile signal, and is thus useless offshore.
I don't think that tablets are a very good solution for navigation because most do not have a power hungry dedicated GPS chip and can be very slow to get a fix, (although my Hudl was actually fairly good), in addition screen brightness can be a problem. I suggest you read this article from the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2014/nov/13/whats-the-best-cheap-tablet-for-gps-use
Click to expand...

Wow, just looked at Bad Elf GPS on Amazon and it said £158 for a GPS dongle. I still have a couple of ancient Bluetooth GP dongles which both worked well with OpenCPN and TomTom on laptops. TomTom was always fine on our HUDL, HUDL2 and Android phones. Original HUDL did take a little longer to get an initial fix. I've had 3 Huawei phones over the years and GPS performancehas been fine. Plus added bonus that Chinese government can always give my location in an ememrgency. :D:D

I have a screenshot on my phone showing 185mph on a bullet train and position was pretty good. I checked later against a nearby landmark and it seemed OK, difficult to be exact at that speed. I always found the accuracy OK when driving or at anchor.

The article looks as if it was written mid-late 2014, much of the kit I described didn't show any of the problems described apart from slow fix on HUDL (usually when used inside a building).

Perhaps a cheap tablet might be an alternative solution now. Huawei T3 8" or 10" mediapads are around £100 and GPS spec. sounds OK. Perhaps I misread the Bad-Elf price of £158 or was looking at the wrong item.
 
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I’ve just baught the bad elf dongle, works brilliantly straight out of the box, does not need additional power and Navionics used it without any intervention. Very pleased, I could of used Bluetooth and dongle but this seems to effect battery life more. The bad elf also allows charging via lead into itself via mini usb lead.
 
I had this setup but gave up and eventually went for a cheapnolotter for two reasons.

1) I couldn’t get a waterproof case which fitted the iPad when the bad elf was plugged in to the lightning connector.

2) Sunlight rendered the display almost useless.
 
A few friends who have their full private pilots license use Bad Elf on their iPads for navigation and they work really well. When I next upgrade my iPad, I will get the inbuilt version as I don't like bits sticking out the side of tablets as I fear them getting damaged at the most inconvenient time!
 
I'm not usually one to do iPad navigation but having been assigned nav duties on a friend's boat for last year's RTIR I packed as backup a shiny new 6th gen wifi-only iPad, navionics boating and GPS provided by a Garmin Glo (apparently not available via amazon at the moment though Hudson marine seem to have them for £80+P&P) connected via bluetooth. This performed fine, although the Glo's battery didn't last til the finish. Anyone having read the various threads the race experiences of the last group of starters will realise that's not such a terrible flaw...
 
mjcg631 said:
Morning, I know there are a few threads but joining up this conundrum with both Apple and Navionics remains unclear.

In short: I have an iPad 6th Gen WiFi only. If I connect this to a Bad Elf and have the Navionics app + maps of UK & Holland, will this function as a chart plotter/GPS should (providing I have the Navionics maps downloaded)?

I'm not utterly crap when it comes to tech but when your 14 and 12 year olds can't help you, I look to your expertise for advice!

Thanks,

Max
Click to expand...

Yes is the answer. It's what I use except I have a garmin glo instead of a badelf. Same thing though.
 
laika said:
I'm not usually one to do iPad navigation but having been assigned nav duties on a friend's boat for last year's RTIR I packed as backup a shiny new 6th gen wifi-only iPad, navionics boating and GPS provided by a Garmin Glo (apparently not available via amazon at the moment though Hudson marine seem to have them for £80+P&P) connected via bluetooth. This performed fine, although the Glo's battery didn't last til the finish. Anyone having read the various threads the race experiences of the last group of starters will realise that's not such a terrible flaw...
Click to expand...

Simple answer Yes, thats what I’m using when I’m not on our boat or on holiday and want to play
 
mjcg631 said:
Morning, I know there are a few threads but joining up this conundrum with both Apple and Navionics remains unclear.

In short: I have an iPad 6th Gen WiFi only. If I connect this to a Bad Elf and have the Navionics app + maps of UK & Holland, will this function as a chart plotter/GPS should (providing I have the Navionics maps downloaded)?

I'm not utterly crap when it comes to tech but when your 14 and 12 year olds can't help you, I look to your expertise for advice!

Thanks,

Max
Click to expand...

Yes and Yes.
It works well but I would also recommend a waterproof cover .(Lifeproof Nuud).
 
Mistroma said:
Wow, just looked at Bad Elf GPS on Amazon and it said £158 for a GPS dongle. I still have a couple of ancient Bluetooth GP dongles which both worked well with OpenCPN and TomTom on laptops. TomTom was always fine on our HUDL, HUDL2 and Android phones. Original HUDL did take a little longer to get an initial fix. I've had 3 Huawei phones over the years and GPS performancehas been fine. Plus added bonus that Chinese government can always give my location in an ememrgency. :D:D

I have a screenshot on my phone showing 185mph on a bullet train and position was pretty good. I checked later against a nearby landmark and it seemed OK, difficult to be exact at that speed. I always found the accuracy OK when driving or at anchor.

The article looks as if it was written mid-late 2014, much of the kit I described didn't show any of the problems described apart from slow fix on HUDL (usually when used inside a building).

Perhaps a cheap tablet might be an alternative solution now. Huawei T3 8" or 10" mediapads are around £100 and GPS spec. sounds OK. Perhaps I misread the Bad-Elf price of £158 or was looking at the wrong item.
Click to expand...

Wow - you are correct. I suppose the product is really in the cash cow stage of the product cycle. I bought a few years ago at £70.

It would be more cost effective to by a second hand iPad Air 2 (WiFi +Cellular) you can get them around the £200 price point.
 
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