Using a 3g Ipad as chartplotter, sim required to use GPS?

[fredrussell]

Before I shell out wads of cash on a proper chartplotter I thought I'd try the Ipad route. I've bought a 3g Ipad2 on ebay (hasn't arrived yet) and already have Navionics for my iphone - but will I need a sim card to use the GPS feature of Ipad?

cheers
fred

 

[Spi D]

No, but..

Apple designed the Ipad so, that the internal SIM slot device is combined with the GPS so it must be SIM capable.

If you have an Ipad without SIM capability you need an external GPS receiver. Several around for the connector or as Bluetooth, but of course not as convenient as the built in feature.

 

[fredrussell]

iPad I've bought is described as "locked to Vodafone" - can I assume it has a SIM card slot?

 

[Tradewinds]

Sounds like it.

When you fire it up it will say 'No Sim'.

Ignore that and just carry on using the iPad - it will have full gps functionality.

 

[fredrussell]

Excellent, many thanks guys.

 

[Cardo]

Just in case someone wades in with erroneous information (sadly occurs rather often in relation to this issue!) to muddy the waters, I shall +1 that you _can_ use the GPS chip without a SIM card. I've been doing it for the last 2 years.

 

[duncan99210]

And another one. No sim in the iPad but the GPS works perfectly. Always has.

 

[Spi D]

Yes, indeed.

Same goes for wi-fi & Bluetooth, if you need it, as this is not dependant of the SIM/GPS module at all. I too have been doing this for years, commonly with my mobile set to share it's internet connection, hence showing as a wi-fi accesspoint on the iPad.

And while we are at it, my recommendation for sea chart on iPad is Navionics (have Jeppesen C-Map as well but seldom open it).

 

[ffiill]

I just bought a stand alone blue tooth gps.
Although using it with android the speed with which it locks onto gps and streams nmea data is quite astonishing compared to using the internal gps.
Mind you I managed to get an unused in its box one about 4 years old for £4.50 on e bay!

 

[Alpha22]

I've been doing it like that too. Then I got PAYG sim and occasionally splash out the required £5 for a bit of data. You lose any left over data after a month or two, but hey..... hang the expense!!!! Live life on the edge!!!!

 

[Spi D]

The performance of the GPS receiver is by design and sophisticated technology - and good reception of satellites' signal. Almost all manufacturers use SiRF chipset of which i believe version IV or V are latest and integrate the most powerful processor.
The actual amount of data transferred from the receiver to the application is very small but of course the application itself and hardware it runs on have an impact on the experience.

Over here my mobile phone costs £7.90 per month, including 3 hours voice, unlimited SMS and 20 GB data at 4G. That covers all my need for browsing and streaming of movies - plus some.