INavX

[landonshaw]

Just purchased the iNavX app for my new iPad. Are there any forums that are specific to the iNavX app? I have charts and routes in, grib files, all through trialnad error and a youtube on routes.

I want to add waypoints into a route and would like to read thru a thread to find out the best way. I have added the waypiint, then added to the chart, then went to the route and moved the waypoint to where I want it. Is there an easier way?

The forum would hel on this and all of the other issues I will come up with.
Thanks, Aloisius

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

I want to add waypoints into a route and would like to read thru a thread to find out the best way. I have added the waypiint, then added to the chart, then went to the route and moved the waypoint to where I want it. Is there an easier way?
s

No there is no easier way as far as I know.

INavX is a toy program made for a toy computer.

Charting is great with a mouse but woeful without.

IPad is great as a backup to a laptop with OpenCpn, etc, and the iPad has a great battery life, is small to go ashore and do emails.

But doing routes, moving waypoints, INSERTING waypoints, editing routes is a pain in the butt, and intolerable slow.
Run OpenCpan with a mouse for a few days and you'll see what I mean.

The other programs on iPad are no better... It's not an program thing, its a mouse thing

[landonshaw]

Currently I have OpenCPN on my computer below deck. A Garman handheld up top, and now the iPad onthe helm. Also carriy paper of everywhere we go. Burned up my last computer below in a large storm so decided to get another water proof backup. iPad with the "Tank" case.

Yes the Opencpn is a good program.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

iPad with the "Tank" case.

.

I was looking for a Tupperwear cake box. But no one does Tupperwear parties here!

Can't find one in the kitchen stores too.

I had the iPad with INavX in the cockpit without a box in the ICW and it was ok.

[Bregts]

Did you try this?
Create new route and go back to the map. Create a waypoint, tap the waypoint and select add to route. The waypoint will be added to the active route.

[Richard_W]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

But doing routes, moving waypoints, INSERTING waypoints, editing routes is a pain in the butt, and intolerable slow. Run OpenCpan with a mouse for a few days and you'll see what I mean.

Not disagreeing ... just curious re iPad nav apps. Have you played with Navionics with in app Nav module purchased?

I do not have experience with OpenCpan, but I found Navionics Nav module extremely flexible and easy to use ... to the point that I do routing on iPad now and transfer routes/waypoints to my other devices from iPad.

[landonshaw]

When I add a waypoint to a route, say in the middle, I add the waypoint, then touch it and add to the route. It automatically adds it to the last position. I then go into the route mode and have to move the waypoint to the correct position.

In OpenCPN and other programs I have, you can tell the program to add the waypoint in the middle of the route or where ever you want.

Maybe I am doing it wrong. I am only 2 days old with this app.

[landonshaw]

Richard W - so you use an app called Navionics Nav module on your iPad, not iNavX. If so, how does the rest of the program work? Well?

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

No there is no easier way as far as I know.

INavX is a toy program made for a toy computer.

Charting is great with a mouse but woeful without.

IPad is great as a backup to a laptop with OpenCpn, etc, and the iPad has a great battery life, is small to go ashore and do emails.

But doing routes, moving waypoints, INSERTING waypoints, editing routes is a pain in the butt, and intolerable slow.
Run OpenCpan with a mouse for a few days and you'll see what I mean.

The other programs on iPad are no better... It's not an program thing, its a mouse thing

Come on, Mark, stop your whinging and learn how to use it.

The screen is a touch pad. Your finger is the mouse. You should have multiple mouses / mice on each of your hands. Now learn how to use iNAVx. That requires hours of playing around while on watch. It can be fun if you allow it to be.

The iPAD surprised me how well it handled in the cockpit for 1000s of ocean miles with no protection. When it rained at sea, it went into a zip loc bag. They are very cheap, available at almost all supermarkets and you can even buy a couple of spares.

INAVx was supposed to be our backup with openCPN as the primary nav tool. The situation reversed within a few weeks once we started using them.

[landonshaw]

So jimbo485, do you find it awkward to insert waypoints? Or do you have a secret?

[Dockhead]

I've used INavX on an IPad for a couple of years as a backup/cockpit/random location plotter. I don't like Apple IThings -- not an Apple kind of guy I guess -- but I did not have any problems with the IPad for this application. I never put it into any protective case; just kept it under my spray hood when it rained. Screen is not very daylight visible, but if you can find a bit of shade it's ok. I wouldn't use it for primary navigation, but for all these secondary uses, it's fine.

I tend to agree with Mark about INavX being a toyish program. In my opinion, the developers did not sufficiently study real chart plotters before making up their own ideas about chart plotting. Thus there is no "Find Ship" function -- the cursor automatically snaps to your location every few moments unless you go into the setup menu and switch off the GPS, which is extremely annoying if you are trying to do passage planning and scope out a different area from where you are, one of the greatest potential uses of a tablet-based plotting system. The cursor doesn't read of lat long and distance and bearing to your location, like on a real plotter. Measuring distances in general is very awkward (I admit that it took me a year to figure out the ruler function; now it's somewhat better). Waypoints are very awkward; I don't even bother, which of course is a huge chunk out of the potential passage planning use for this program. There is a lot of functionality which was already worked out on real plotters way back in the 1990's, which INavX lacks.

On the other hand, INavX handles the cartography superbly, something which other programs have more difficulty with. It is truly seamless. And the cartography is an outstanding, fabulous bargain, compared to buying chips for dedicated plotters, or paper charts.

And of course it's fantastic to have a huge library of charts covering a big chunk of the world, on your little IPad -- which makes it very useful for passage planning, if you shut off the GPS. I guess that's the best thing of all -- for something like $100 (IIRC) you can buy up to the minute up to date charts covering all the Atlantic coasts of Europe plus the Med to Monaco -- so half of Western Europe, really, with a year of updates included, and you can carry all that around anywhere with you. Now that's really good for planning and even just for dreaming about your next cruise.

[Richard_W]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

Richard W - so you use an app called Navionics Nav module on your iPad, not iNavX. If so, how does the rest of the program work? Well?

Very well for me ... I like it a lot. Two disclaimers ...

First, none of iPad apps including iNavX can match sophistication and functionality of some dedicated chartplotters or PC/Mac applications. Second, the reliability of iPad and apps is not as high as of the dedicated devices ... built in GPS receiver for example.

I use iPad as my backup, and my first mate uses it to double check on me while I continue to use Garmin chartplotter at helm. I found Navionics app to be the easiest to use from all iPad charting apps.

I understand that iNavX might have some functionality that you care about not available in Navionics ... you would need to check on that. Here is my high level summary of 3 other iPad apps I use:

NAVIONICS Mobile App
x good charts
x excellent nav module and route planning (in-app purchase)
you can do the entire route on one screen scrolling around
you can add/remove the waypoints right on the route
you can move the route around by moving the waypoints
distances and statistics are automatically updated on the same screen

NAVIMATICS Mobile App
• basic charts
x activecaptain guide

BLUECHART Mobile App (by Garmin)
x very good charts but not as functional as BlueChart g2 Vision
x available weather and wind, radar info (in-app purchase)
• rudimentary route planing
• activecaptain guide, gets in a way a bit, no way to hide it


x = functions that I use the app for, with Navionics being my full time app


Hope this helps ...

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

So jimbo485, do you find it awkward to insert waypoints?

Or do you have a secret?

1. Yes.

2. No secret. Just awkward.

But all the other advantages make up for it. And this is from someone who bought their first Apple product in 2010. Sorry, Bill!

Typically we will have both OpenCPN and iNAVx going at the same time, but we are using the iPAD as the main tool, even though from the cockpit I can see openCPN on a flatscreen at the nav table. I can even use the wireless mouse from the cockpit to control openCPN, zoom in, zoom out, but I dont. I use iNAVx with my fingers.

I even take the sexy thing to our bunk! YMMV and you might have a woman. Oh, yes, we have one of those multi-functional gadgets on board as well!

[Richard_W]

I thought the picture is worth 1000 words ... Navionics Nav module ...



On the left you have nav panel with the current leg/waypoint highlighted. On the right top you have course info to the current waypoint, bottom to the destination. I am not at that location and GPS was off ... so both are blank.

You can edit the waypoint/route in real time by switching to edit mode (two clicks). You do your edits on the same screen by sticking your finger (to add waypoint) or sliding it (to move waypoint) or tapping plus confirm (to delete waypoint). Click once when done to go back to nav mode ... easy!

[Cavalier]

Back to the OPs original question:

1) While in chart mode zoom/pan to the point in the chart you want to add the waypoint, centering the desired point on the screen.
2) Tap the waypoint tab and tap "new waypoint" it will be assigned the next unused WP number sequentially. Don't press anything else on the dialog box that appears - just tap 'outside' of it.
3) Tap the routes tab and, while on your selected route, tap "+". A green plus sign will appear next to all of the waypoints. Tap the plus sign on the waypoint prior to the one you want to 'insert'. A dialog box will appear with all of the WP numbers in.. scroll down to the appropriate new WP number and tap it to select it.
Done!

iPad isn't a replacement for a chartplotter: I've had one in the cockpit multiple times without a specialized cover while offshore and had it drenched. Fool hardy - i know, but nothing was damaged.
The screen is awful in strong daylight. You either have to squat in the companion way during the day to see it or you're forced to drop the screen brightness to min at nighttime in fear it'll burn your retinas out!
Regardless of what the pundits may say, the supposed 12 station WAAS compliant internal GPS rarely tallies with actual marine 12 or 24 station WAAS compliant GPSs.

However, the iNavX program (with Navionics charts) is actually ok considering that it's on a 'toy' tablet - which is far easier to wield in the cockpit than a laptop. The inclusion of grib overlays etc. is great and so are the quick&dirty built-in tide tables. There are some bits of the program that make you want to headbutt a spike, but on the whole it's a useful reference tool while mid-voyage.