Trying to Decide On A Portable GPS. Your thoughts?

[cwf]

I use Garmin ... period. The others have some nice 'features', but the Garmin and their support have been great.. I have had them on boats, motorcycles, airplanes, now use to tow our AS...

My wife is comfortable with the iPhone... but the screen is too small, especially when moving...her iPad works better, but we have to run our internet hotspot to make it work. and it is fairly reliable.. but still dependent on cell towers... a big weakness where AS tend to go..

So... the GPS which uses the Satellite is a more reliable signal, but still imperfect compared to my old compass and land nav skills with a good map and references.

for instance.. GPS has inherent offsets which can put you yards away from your actual position... similar to cell towers...but with a good map, compass and reference points, I can get you much closer...but not as fast..and without a lot of effort as the GPS does.

WE even have the GPS in the TV... it gets you within the same distance as the portable Garmins... because they use similar logic/processes... and it is 'turn by turn' in the TV so I don't have to watch the map.

A benefit of GPS is you can get them with 'weather' option.. but you have to get a subscription $$$ to turn on the feature.. It is very handy with airplanes, motorcycles and marine applications... and at times, even the AS travel might benefit from up to date weather info and moving maps..

Of course, with the AS you won't need the 'sonar' feature... i hope.

[alantbird]

My TOMTOM gives me FITS! When I need it most it fails me. SO Garmin it is next time we hit the road coast to coast.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by alantbird

My TOMTOM gives me FITS! When I need it most it fails me. SO Garmin it is next time we hit the road coast to coast.

A coworker of mine used to have a TomTom. He still tells the story of when he was smack in the middle of a high-rise bridge over the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and it told him "Turn right." The GPS mistook the waterway for a highway!

[mefly2]

Cell phone Nav replaced portable Garmin ...

[ErikFrolich]

I use the maps app on my iPhone. You need a phone anyway why spend money on a second device! You can use the money you save on more fuel!!!
Happy travels!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by ErikFrolich

You need a phone anyway why spend money on a second device!

That kind of depends on your phone's data plan and how close you are to incurring overage charges for the month.

I'll admit I only upgraded from a flip-phone to a smartphone last week and don't yet have a good handle on how much data individual applications use, so I don't know if using a GPS/mapping/routing app all day will require a lot of data transfer. But with data overage charges on my smartphone's data plan running $15 per gigabyte, I'd rather use a GPS that isn't on my data plan and avoid the risk.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

That kind of depends on your phone's data plan and how close you are to incurring overage charges for the month.

I'll admit I only upgraded from a flip-phone to a smartphone last week and don't yet have a good handle on how much data individual applications use, so I don't know if using a GPS/mapping/routing app all day will require a lot of data transfer. But with data overage charges on my smartphone's data plan running $15 per gigabyte, I'd rather use a GPS that isn't on my data plan and avoid the risk.

Plus the phone screen is small and, in my use for it at work, it is doubtful it is meant to be used 12+ hours at a time.

I agree with the idea of wanting fewer devices, but the cost in both ways coupled to a small screen made the 7" Garmin easier to buy. Not to mention closer to free with points off a fuel card.

[Gearheart]

We upgraded from Garmin to Tom Tom and gave the Garmin to our son. We could not get used to the Tom Tom and traded with son to get Garmin back. He eventually pitched the Tom Tom and now uses a phone app. Now looking to get the garmin 760 RV with back up camera.

[Zil]

Yes the Garmin with backup camera is my next $300.

[rodsterinfl]

We are a house of Garmin owners and like them. I use a Garmin Nuvi 3490LMT named Gretchen. She is voice activated. I say, Gretchen, find address. She says "speak an address in the US" and I say #### Airstream Way, Tampa, FL and she sets it up. You can add waypoints between as well just by speaking them. Most of the time it works quite well. Other times I look like I am crazy yelling at my dash repeating myself as she misunderstands.

My other family members have simpler units. That require touch screen address entry. I am not sure if you have to have an RV model at 10 feet or so height but you do have to be mindful of that if NOT an RV model. Allstays app will help with clearances on routes if you do not get an RV model.

Smart Phones are great most times as some share. I do better with a dedicated device.

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Plus the phone screen is small and, in my use for it at work, it is doubtful it is meant to be used 12+ hours at a time.

I agree with the idea of wanting fewer devices, but the cost in both ways coupled to a small screen made the 7" Garmin easier to buy. Not to mention closer to free with points off a fuel card.

I don't use the screen. Siri gives me audible directions. If I want to know about road conditions or weather I ask and she tells.

[TinShack]

Originally Posted by Zil

Yes the Garmin with backup camera is my next $300.

That's where I'm going too. Do you have a place to get the bundle for $300? The cheapest I found it was $350. See my post #9 in this thread.

[ErikFrolich]

We have been on the road foe 3 of the past 12 months covering 11 western states. Never lost coverage with the map app , only used it to find things so no overage problems.
I also highly recommend the Benchmark map books for each state. We found BLM land where we could boondock, forest service campgrounds $4.00 a night, state campgrounds $20. Stayed away from RV parks. You can't get this information with garmen or TomToms. Works for us!

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by ErikFrolich

We have been on the road foe 3 of the past 12 months covering 11 western states. Never lost coverage with the map app , only used it to find things so no overage problems.
I also highly recommend the Benchmark map books for each state. We found BLM land where we could boondock, forest service campgrounds $4.00 a night, state campgrounds $20. Stayed away from RV parks. You can't get this information with garmen or TomToms. Works for us!

That's why you have no coverage problems, you're on the road. You need to get off the road.

Ken

[Msmoto]

Top of the line Garmin has voice commands and works well. Also some have input capabilities for the specs of your RV, height, weight, length etc. they are called DEZL, I believe. In practice I have at least two Garmin units running, one with sound, the other giving trip data and giving me nearly a "heads up" speedometer.


Ms Tommie Lauer
Greensboro, NC
2015 Serenity 30 RB / 2008 Dodge Cummins 4 X 4
WBCCI #4165 AIR #31871

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Msmoto

Top of the line Garmin has voice commands and works well. Also some have input capabilities for the specs of your RV, height, weight, length etc. they are called DEZL, I believe. In practice I have at least two Garmin units running, one with sound, the other giving trip data and giving me nearly a "heads up" speedometer.


Ms Tommie Lauer
Greensboro, NC
2015 Serenity 30 RB / 2008 Dodge Cummins 4 X 4
WBCCI #4165 AIR #31871

So, there is such a thing as a female gadget geek. I have heard about it before, but passed it off as mythological. There is hope for the world after all. I wonder how many more of you are out there. My wife is close, but i'm sure even she would make fun of me for having two GPSs running. She doesn't know I secretly also track our trips on my android phone.

Ken

[samb]

I quite often run 2 GPS's on trips. Not so much to find my way, but for the entertainment value. It is so much fun to listen to them argue as to the correct route even when set to the same route options.
Sam

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by samb

I quite often run 2 GPS's on trips. Not so much to find my way, but for the entertainment value. It is so much fun to listen to them argue as to the correct route even when set to the same route options.
Sam

Now that's a great idea!!!


However my wife and I do that already (argue about where to turn). I do not believe we are set to the same options, though.

Ken

[dbj216]

I'd like to try the Garmin 760 series for trucks and RVs. My Garmin takes me and my 34 footer on roads where my long trailer and I struggle. I sometimes don't want to go the shortest way, or the fastest way. I want to go the safest way with my long trailer.

My Super Duty navigation system is a PITA. Clumsy on touch, clumsy on voice. My Garmin is easier to use and more accurate.

If you are going to use your navigation device for pulling your Airstream, get the truckers and RV option. I'm going to.

David

[Protagonist]

Having long ago gotten accustomed to the quirks of my GPS units, my trip planning goes like this:
1 - Check the Allstays app on my tablet for low clearances.
2 - Having confirmed that there are no underpasses or tunnels to avoid, I plot my route on Google Maps, which gives me the option of click-and-drag to change my route.
3 - Having plotted my route, I determine which waypoints I need to enter into my GPS to take me along that route.
4 - I enter those waypoints into my Garmin. If I need more waypoints than the Garmin will handle along one route, I plot my course to the next fuel stop, and at the fuel stop I enter the waypoints for the next leg of the trip.

Takes a bit of extra effort up-front to do it that way, but when I do, my Garmin tells me exactly where I want to go, not where it thinks I should go!