geem
Well-known member
My Samsung tablet gives me the same exact location as my raymarine chart plotter. So does my phone. They are all incredibly accurate
A mobile phone with integrated full GPS
- Thread starter STATUE
- Start date
Buck Turgidson
Well-known member
Yawn.
Every thread that mentions a tablet!
Refueler
Well-known member
So according to you - I should ignore and not respond to a post ??
There's more to the world ......
You an iPad user ?? Would not surprise me !!
STATUE
Active member
OK EVERYONE, THAT WAS BRILLIANT and has got me on the trail to buy a new Samsung mobile phone. My current Samsung phone (at least 5 years old) left me abandoned on Exemoor, trying to find the source of the Exe, using Ordinance Survey app.
STATUE
Active member
SO, it seems the chart I should put on this new Samsung mobile phone is a Navionics one.
I'm only intending to float between Solent and Portland.
I'm only intending to float between Solent and Portland.
Rappey
Well-known member
Samsung now give 4 years of updates and 5 years of security. This was also rolled back to cover some premium phones
dunedin
Well-known member
Navigation is more than just having a GPS position, as I am sure you know. Screen size is a very important factor.
Probably OK in the relatively simple waters of Solent to Portland, but things like isolated rocks are often difficult to spot on “vector” charts on small screens.
Ideally I would want a Folio of paper charts (eg Imray as UKHO have discontinued their SCFs) to use for passage planning, as well as an electronic chart on my phone. If not paper charts, then at least a 10inch screen tablet.
With a large screen or paper backup for planning, yes Navionics (vector) charts are probably the simplest and good option.
But there are alternatives, including “raster” (printed lookalike) electronic charts which are worth considering - on Imray app, Memory Map etc
Refueler
Well-known member
Navionics (Garmin Italy) brought out Boat and Lakes app for phones / tablets.
Boating Marine & Lakes - Apps on Google Play
On first install - you can usually have 15 days or so free trial of the chart area of interest .. once trial ends - you either revert to the low res world chart or cough up the subscription.
The advantage is that you pay a subscription annually that gives you a chart set and all the updates ... if you stop the subscription after one year - you still keep the charts but then no updates.
I have the whole Baltic for 39 euros a year ... compare that to their SD card version ....
It cannot be installed on a PC though ...
I have it + Baltic charts on my Samsung S8 phone, my 8" Android Tablet, my 10" older Tablet ....
I was never a Navionics user until this came out ....
Refueler
Well-known member
I suggest have a look at :
Boating Marine & Lakes - Apps on Google Play
Like myself - reckon you might be surprised....
dunedin
Well-known member
Had that for years. Got on iPad currently for Europe and UK (phone version expired)
Hence why I said was pretty good. But it is extremely difficult to spot isolated dangerous rocks on Navionics, and a mobile phone screen size is not enough for passage planning except in places with very simple coastlines and no rocks.
Also got apps for NV Charts for Baltic and UKHO Admiralty Raster for entire UK waters. Personally tend to use a combination of UKHO paper Small Craft Folios, Memory Map UKHO raster on iPad and Navionics on ships chart plotters, if doing tricky pilotage.
vas
Well-known member
not sure what was the issue but a 5yo Samsung is highly unlikely (read effing impossible!) NOT TO have full blown proper gps.
So your issue is s/w, look into that!
V.
WindyWindyWindy
Active member
My raymarine plotter is an omap device, so actually is a low end telephone chipset with a few tweaks.
It also says not to use it for navigating..
Refueler
Well-known member
They all say that ...
geem
Well-known member
No idea what that means but mine gets its signal from a seperate GPS antenna. Both VHF radios have seperate GPS antennas and all three devices plus the phone and tablet all confirm we are in the same location?
Slowtack
Well-known member
My Huawei always knows my location.................and innermost thoughts.
Commercial Dave
Member
The "a" in "aGPS" stands for "assisted". This means that it can download the ephemeris data through some other means (usually WiFi or cellular data) and therefore can get a fix from cold much faster than without assistance. It is still a "full" GPS receiver.
Refueler
Well-known member
Pal of mine who repairs / services Mobiles reckoned aGPS came about to help phones in cities etc. where large buidings and difficult reception can impede phones limited antenna .. that the Cell Tower would 'augment' the acquisition of position - it could basically be all GPS . Cell + GPS or just triangulation of Cell alone ...
Anyway - its all history as literally all phones to day are far better than before - EXCEPT when it comes to battery life !!
Commercial Dave
Member
Yes the cell tower does augment the device in acquisition of position although not through triangulation, it's because they provide the cellular network so the device can download the almanac/ephemeris out of band, which is MUCH faster than acquiring it from the satellites themselves. This is why mobile phones are so fast to acquire a GPS fix even from a cold start because they have the ability to download the ephemeris through other means, whereas other devices without external network connectivity do not. Some devices such as fitness trackers and sports watches can also do this through bluetooth connection to a phone. It's very common now.