Do you have a preferred screen size for off road navigation? (vehicle)

[Charlie W2YBX]

Hello,

I'm researching how to outfit my rig for off road navigation. I'm leaning towards a tablet/ipad, using gaia or some other app, and picking up a gps receiver like a dual xgps 160.

I'm interested in what size screens folks use/prefer for off road navigation, specifically tablets or ipads but please weigh in if you absolutely love using a different device. Also, if I may ask, Do you regret buying the size you have? Would you like to go bigger or smaller? Do you have tablet envy? (kidding) Are you happy with the resolution? If there's anything else you'd like to add please do.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Tim]

I use an iPad 3, because it’s what I had when I started trying out apps. Do I like the size, it uses up a fair chunk of space and block access to the stereo a bit but I like the level of detail I can get. It’s also not in my field of view so I have to look away from the road/track to view it. I still prefer a dedicated SatNav for road stuff for that reason. Maybe if I had an iPad mini it would be different? Not rushing to spend the money to find out.


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[James Deaton]

Ipad air2 with bad elf gps pro+ for me. No regrets. It doubles as my music player so I don’t care that it blocks the radio.

 

[Charlie W2YBX]

Thanks for the responses! I think I'm leaning toward the iPad (2018), with the iPad mini 4 in second although it feels like its only about double my phones size (I have an iPhone 7 plus). I'm guessing its easier when you purchase apps if its all apple or all windows too.

 

[James Deaton]

It’s certainly less involved for your memory if everything is the same. The last thing Inwant to think about is tech stuff on the road, it just needs to be second nature, and work.

Apple is easy, and hard to brick. Typically a simple power cycle fixes whatever problems are occuring.

 

[toxicity_27]

I've got a Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.1 that I use for offroad navigation. I like the big screen. As was said it does block access to the radio, but I have steering wheel buttons that help with that. For highway use I typically have my Samsung Galaxy Note 5 that I use Google Maps for.

 

[ru108]

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 16MB with a 64MB SD card and a Garmin Glo. The resolution on Gaia and pretty much everything else is great. For now, I'm using an iKross cup holder mount I picked up off Amazon which does the job pretty well. The only drawback, as others have stated, is its blocking the radio and, in my case, climate controls some due to the size and the fact that the forward cup holder in my 4Runner is close to the dash. Being blind as a bat, being able to see the display is more important to me at this point.

 

[HKLover]

Another Samsung Tab A 10.1 w/S-pen here. I use both Gaia and Backcountry Navigator apps. Just depends on which map overlays I want.







Ram mounts are awesome and they are your friend.

 

[Charlie W2YBX]

Thanks for the responses and for the pics as well! That’s some great stuff, I am envious!

As for covering none, some, or all of the radio, I’m undecided. It’s 1 of 642 decisions I need to make regarding my rig, and the number just keeps going up. Good times!


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[Crapitecture]

I just set up my 12” iPad Pro as the screen yesterday. I took it for a short drive but no serious off roaming. I like the screen size so far, but time will tell if something a tad smaller would be better. Losing my backup camera screen sucks. I’ll not be using this setup in daily driver mode.

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[Charlie W2YBX]

I ended up picking up an iPad pro 10.5, 256gb Wifi. I checked out the Samsung s3, which is a great tablet as well, but my pros/cons list leaned slightly in favor of the iPad (some pros being the built in 256gb hd + already having an apple product to sync with). For the actual size of the screen/unit I ended up making cardboard templates of a few different sizes and holding them up all over the dash (for critical dimension guys like me it helps). On to the next piece of gear!

Thanks again for all the responses!

 

[Charlie W2YBX]

Another Samsung Tab A 10.1 w/S-pen here. I use both Gaia and Backcountry Navigator apps. Just depends on which map overlays I want.

Ram mounts are awesome and they are your friend.

HKLover, I really dig your set up! I'll be putting basically the same things in my jeep give or take.

Uniden Pro520XL - either mounted in the center console or where you have it by drivers right leg. Not sure yet. Advice welcomed!
iPhone - mounted to Vector bar
iPad - mounted to Vector bar
mobile ham radio (Icom ID-5100a most likely) - Brain mounted in the center console, control panel mounted to Vector bar. Advice welcomed!

I currently don't own the mobile ham ( I have a Yaesu ft60r), or the vector bar. I have everything else. I am definitely going DSTAR for my next/future radios.

If you don't mind, may I ask why you use the KenwooTH-D74a over a mobile set up? It's a radio i'm also considering when I upgrade from my Yaesu handheld. I know I'm getting off topic from my original post, hope that's Ok.

 

[HKLover]

If you don't mind, may I ask why you use the KenwooTH-D74a over a mobile set up? It's a radio i'm also considering when I upgrade from my Yaesu handheld. I know I'm getting off topic from my original post, hope that's Ok.

I only wanted to buy one ham transceiver. I needed something that could easily go between multiple vehicles and take with me when hiking. I have a 36" triband antenna mounted on my Jeep and a 14" Diamond HT triband antenna for it for when I go mobile. Much better than the rubber duck that it came with.

 

[Charlie W2YBX]

I only wanted to buy one ham transceiver. I needed something that could easily go between multiple vehicles and take with me when hiking. I have a 36" triband antenna mounted on my Jeep and a 14" Diamond HT triband antenna for it for when I go mobile. Much better than the rubber duck that it came with.

Makes sense. How is the range in the vehicle / on the trail? Can you hit repeaters ok while traveling? Sorry for so many questions!


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[HKLover]

Makes sense. How is the range in the vehicle / on the trail? Can you hit repeaters ok while traveling? Sorry for so many questions!


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So to be honest, I haven't really used it much since I bought it this past winter. I just don't have "the ham radio bug" that others do. I have had it since January or February I think and have only spoken to one person on it. I bought it mainly for emergency purposes during travel since cb's kinda suck when it comes to range especially in the back country. Now, I did have it turned on one time during a trip from Las Vegas all the way to Cleveland and had most of the repeaters along 15, 70, and 80 programmed in and I was able to hear conversations from I believe Alaska all the way to Key West. And that was with the 14" Diamond HT antenna on it since I was in my F350 and not my Jeep with the 36" antenna. So, it seemed to do pretty good, but I am still really new to the ham world. I guess I need to mess with it some more at some point. I just have so many projects going on when I am home with my Jeep and when I am at work I just don't have the time. I need a 30 hour day and a 9 day week.....

 

[Charlie W2YBX]

So to be honest, I haven't really used it much since I bought it this past winter. I just don't have "the ham radio bug" that others do. I have had it since January or February I think and have only spoken to one person on it. I bought it mainly for emergency purposes during travel since cb's kinda suck when it comes to range especially in the back country. Now, I did have it turned on one time during a trip from Las Vegas all the way to Cleveland and had most of the repeaters along 15, 70, and 80 programmed in and I was able to hear conversations from I believe Alaska all the way to Key West. And that was with the 14" Diamond HT antenna on it since I was in my F350 and not my Jeep with the 36" antenna. So, it seemed to do pretty good, but I am still really new to the ham world. I guess I need to mess with it some more at some point. I just have so many projects going on when I am home with my Jeep and when I am at work I just don't have the time. I need a 30 hour day and a 9 day week.....

Hehe so true, I have too many projects too. With so many choices and so much gear to buy, researching it all is like a full time job! I'm pretty new to ham as well, I got my tech license last year. With so many choices of radios and antennas, I've had to start making spreadsheets for all of the things I want!

Thanks again for the response!

 

[HKLover]

Hehe so true, I have too many projects too. With so many choices and so much gear to buy, researching it all is like a full time job! I'm pretty new to ham as well, I got my tech license last year. With so many choices of radios and antennas, I've had to start making spreadsheets for all of the things I want!

Thanks again for the response!

I just got my tech license this past winter and then passed my general the following week.

One of the reasons I got the Kenwood TH74D is because I feel it covers all the bases. It's portable, lightweight, good battery life, rechargeable batteries, D-Star capable, does APRS, color screen that is easy to see under multiple lighting conditions, triband capable, I was able to add an external microphone, can record multiple GPS tracks and export to a mapping utility(admittedly I am still trying to figure this part out, if I am wrong somebody please correct me), and easily programmed using the included software.

I am sure there are other points that I am missing and hopefully someone that is much more knowledgeable about ham and the radio can step in and mention them. I may not have "the bug" but still want to learn.

 

[RootedWanderers]

Another Samsung Tab A 10.1 w/S-pen here. I use both Gaia and Backcountry Navigator apps. Just depends on which map overlays I want.

Ram mounts are awesome and they are your friend.

Im looking to get a tablet, I just ordered my Vector Offroad bar like you have everything attached to. What case do you have the tablet in? It's a great set up. I am taking my technician test next Sunday and going with an Icom HT. like the set up you have.

 

[HKLover]

Im looking to get a tablet, I just ordered my Vector Offroad bar like you have everything attached to. What case do you have the tablet in? It's a great set up. I am taking my technician test next Sunday and going with an Icom HT. like the set up you have.

The case is just a cheap one that I ordered from Amazon. It's pretty good. Seems to provide decent protection so far, The kickstand that is built into it is pretty useless. It just tips over when you try to use it.



Read the reviews. Like I said, it's nothing high end, but it does seem to do the job as far as protection goes.

Edit: For some reason it is not letting me post the link.

It is the TabPow case for the Samsung TabA10.1 with S-pen on Amazon.

 

[GrayGhost]

I use my iphone 6 plus, backed up by good old USGS or forest service maps.