Ipad running navionics seems to freeze

[Bathdave]

I have an iPad air 1 running Navionics. It is wifi only (so no built in GPS) so I have a Dual GPS receiver which I connect via Bluetooth.

It is a secondary system for me as I have an old Raymarine chart plotter at the chart table and I have just bought a RM E7 for the helm (but not yet fitted, as I am trying to work out the best way to mount it without spending more than the plotter cost on pods and grab rails - another post there coming I think).

I am finding my Navionics on my iPad seems to freeze my location, and is not easy to get rerunning ...not good for ones confidence if one is relying on it for a tricky bit of pilotage...

I THINK what might be happening is my iPad may be going to sleep, causing it to lose its Bluetooth connection to the receiver. Waking it up doesn't seem to immediately give me a live position, and lots of frigging around is necessary to get it to start. Another consequence is I lose the track (being a saddo I enjoying saving these...)

So three questions :

1. Are others having th same issue or is it just me?

2. Am I right that my problem is caused by ipad going to sleep, or is there another reason ?

3. How do I keep my iPad live and tracking me for a multi- hour passage (I power it through the 12v socket so no worries there.)

 

[duncan99210]

Never had any problems with Navonics on the iPad but it is a 3G one, so built in GPS.

As regards the iPad going to sleep, go to Settings>General>Autolock and select Never. You iPad will then develop insomnia, keeping Bluetooth connections open and thus hopefully maintain your tracks.

 

[FWB]

Is it due to ios 8.3?
http://bad-elf.com/blogs/bad-elf/18110008-status-of-ios-8-3-and-external-gps-receivers

 

[Bathdave]

Is it due to ios 8.3?
http://bad-elf.com/blogs/bad-elf/18110008-status-of-ios-8-3-and-external-gps-receivers

It may be related... I am running IOS 8.3 and per info on Dual site I have to fiddle around with location services to force the iPad to recognise an external GPS device...which is what the Bad Elf site you pointed me to is referring to I think.

My issue is that having gone through this (it doesn't take long, but it does mean I can't be hooked onto marina wifi at the same time) all seems to be working, then it stops.

I do think it may be because of going to sleep, and then because of the IOS issue, it doesn't automatically reconnect with the GPS receiver. I have real trouble getting it to reset to the external GPS.

I certainly couldnt countenance an iPad only navigation solution at present. A built in GPS that comes with the 3G ones would not present the same issue, I'm sure. Also I have a waterproof case for it, which seems to mak it easy to press the on/off button on the end and lose your chartplotter too!)

 

[Border Terrier]

Clear all applicatios and turn off.

Turn back on, making sure no applications are running and start Navionics application by itself.

I have had this problem with certain map applications.

 

[chrisfpaul]

I am having the same freezing problem with a brand new iPad with a GPS chip. I bought the new iPad because I was having the Bad Elf problems that others have cited. I am not having the problem with Navionics on my Android phone. It seems to happen more at slow speed ( I'm in a sailboat, so slow to me is under 3). My problem is that the screen freezes with speed at zero. There is no red line showing the direction of the boat. It seems to work 99% of the time when I'm en route. It works intermittingly half of the time when I am coming into an anchorage.

Bathdave, did you ever find a solution?

Thanks for the help.

Chris on Yar

 

[Bathdave]

I concluded that the freeze and loss of speed was due to the loss on connection with the gps transmitter.

I have been through an iPad upgrade and several iOS upgrades and don’t have this issue now other than a very occasional loss of power to the gps transmitter

with a built in gps chip on your iPad I would not expect the same thing to occur

 

[SimonD]

When I changed the android tablet I use with Navionics, it kept going to sleep. That's when I found a menu setting that forces the tablet to stay awake. Can't remember where it is, but it does exist and might be worth looking for.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

When I changed the android tablet I use with Navionics, it kept going to sleep. That's when I found a menu setting that forces the tablet to stay awake. Can't remember where it is, but it does exist and might be worth looking for.

In Navionics, click Menu then Settings then Disable Autolock.

 

[Refueler]

And people ask why I don't use iPad !!

Even most of the cheapest Android tablets have GPS built in ... as well as WiFi ....

 

[Sticky Fingers]

And people ask why I don't use iPad !!

Even most of the cheapest Android tablets have GPS built in ... as well as WiFi ....

Oh no not again....

 

[AntarcticPilot]

And people ask why I don't use iPad !!

Even most of the cheapest Android tablets have GPS built in ... as well as WiFi ....

I don't use i-whatevers because I prefer to actually own the device, without being dictated to about what I can run on it. Apple impose some incredibly restrictive rules.

 

[FWB]

When I changed the android tablet I use with Navionics, it kept going to sleep. That's when I found a menu setting that forces the tablet to stay awake. Can't remember where it is, but it does exist and might be worth looking for.

Download the Stay Alive app.

 

[chrisfpaul]

In Navionics, click Menu then Settings then Disable Autolock.

SimonD: Thanks! That sounds promising. I have done that. I'll report back.

 

[chrisfpaul]

SimonD: Thanks! That sounds promising. I have done that. I'll report back.

Oops: Thanks Sticky Fingers. Giving it a shot.

 

[Refueler]

When I changed the android tablet I use with Navionics, it kept going to sleep. That's when I found a menu setting that forces the tablet to stay awake. Can't remember where it is, but it does exist and might be worth looking for.

All tablets - like Notebook PC's default to sleep settings ... iPad / Android and Windows based ....

Many applications before had menu option to over-ride the sleep defaults - but it seems that many app's today have not implemented this and you have to use the OS menu .... a poor choice as it can lead to no sleep activation on all apps. When you only wanted it on one or two.

 

[chrisfpaul]

I disabled auto lock on My iPad Navionics settings. Nothing changed. The iPad Navionics speed reads as zero more than half of the time when my actual speed is greater than zero but less than five knots. Navionics on my Android phone works fine all of the time. As a workaround I use my Android phone Navionics when leaving and entering an anchorage at slow speed, and use my iPad Navionics when I'm a cruising speed which is gently around six or seven knots in my sailboat.

I suspect that it's not a sleep problem because presumably that would happen whether I'm going slower or faster.

Anyone have other ideas? Thanks!
Chris on Yar

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Ok, couple of other ideas.

on your iPad…

In Settings check that Location Services is on, you find it in the Privacy & Security tab

In settings for the Navionics Boating app, check that Location is set to Always or While Using, and that Background App Refresh is ON

 

[Refueler]

I disabled auto lock on My iPad Navionics settings. Nothing changed. The iPad Navionics speed reads as zero more than half of the time when my actual speed is greater than zero but less than five knots. Navionics on my Android phone works fine all of the time. As a workaround I use my Android phone Navionics when leaving and entering an anchorage at slow speed, and use my iPad Navionics when I'm a cruising speed which is gently around six or seven knots in my sailboat.

I suspect that it's not a sleep problem because presumably that would happen whether I'm going slower or faster.

Anyone have other ideas? Thanks!
Chris on Yar

is the position updating .. ie boat icon moving even though no speed indicated when this happens on the iPad ?

Silly question ... but why swap Android to iPad if Android is working correctly ?? Seems a bit strange.

 

[Caladh]

Never had any problems with Navonics on the iPad but it is a 3G one, so built in GPS.

As regards the iPad going to sleep, go to Settings>General>Autolock and select Never. You iPad will then develop insomnia, keeping Bluetooth connections open and thus hopefully maintain your tracks.

You’ll also drain the battery quicker