Garmin blue chart external gps issues

[Courageous]

Hi forum,

I have BlueChart mobile on my ipad2 with an external Bad Elf GPS running. I see the connections via Bluetooth in the settings of the ipad but when i go to the BlueChart app and check the connected devices is see a "no chartplotter GPS found" message under the external GPS option. I'm using the current ios on the ipad. I tried the gamin support site without success.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Wayne

[Robertkwfl]

I have experienced occasional connection issues with the Bad Elf. I think it is a Bad Elf firmware issue, and I've seen it come and go over a couple of years with various iOS updates. Have you checked that iOS and the Bad Elf firmware are up to date?

[Courageous]

Originally Posted by Robertkwfl

I have experienced occasional connection issues with the Bad Elf. I think it is a Bad Elf firmware issue, and I've seen it come and go over a couple of years with various iOS updates. Have you checked that iOS and the Bad Elf firmware are up to date?

I have the bad elf app on the iPad as well. I completed a firmware update via the app. I'm wondering if it's an iOS compatibility issue??

[aquadreams]

I use a bad elf and an ipad with garmin bluechart. I've had connection issues where bluechart wasn't getting the gps connection even though the ipad was bluetooth connected to the bad elf. Not all the time but often enough. I figured out it was a sequencing issue such that I had to start bluechart first, then connect the bad elf.

I would have to disconnect the bad elf, turn off bluetooth, go into bluecharts and try to center the boat on the chart. It would say no gps found. i think this kicked BlueCharts into looking for the gps signal. Then I would leave bluecharts open, go into the ipad settings, enable bluetooth and connect to the bad elf. I would go back into bluecharts and lo and behold bluecharts now had gps.

Weird but it works for me. Try this and let me know if it works for you.

Cheers,
Joe

[Courageous]

Originally Posted by aquadreams

I use a bad elf and an ipad with garmin bluechart. I've had connection issues where bluechart wasn't getting the gps connection even though the ipad was bluetooth connected to the bad elf. Not all the time but often enough. I figured out it was a sequencing issue such that I had to start bluechart first, then connect the bad elf.

I would have to disconnect the bad elf, turn off bluetooth, go into bluecharts and try to center the boat on the chart. It would say no gps found. i think this kicked BlueCharts into looking for the gps signal. Then I would leave bluecharts open, go into the ipad settings, enable bluetooth and connect to the bad elf. I would go back into bluecharts and lo and behold bluecharts now had gps.

Weird but it works for me. Try this and let me know if it works for you.

Cheers,
Joe

Thanks Joe, I will try it again when I'm on the water outside cell range to be sure the GPS is being read properly.

Cheers

[Courageous]

Hi all for reference,

I was in contact with Bad Elf support and their response is below. I tested the change and it seems to work. (The test was turn on the BlueChart and get review the lat, long at your location, then turn off the app, turn on Bad Elf and the app get another lat, long from the same spot and the result was more refined with the same #'s shown on the Elf as displayed on the chart).

Supports response:

There are a few peccadillos about Garmin bluecharts...
To start with I want you to make sure EXTERNAL GPS is OFF in GARMIN BLUECHARTS. You will never see Bad Elf GPS listed here, this is limited to garmin chartplotters that are compatible. We're passing data via the corelocation framework so -
Go to the main SETTINGS on your iPAD.
- Tap PRIVACY
- Tap LOCATION SERVICES
- Make sure this is on GLOBALLY at the top with the toggle and
- Specifically for Garmin BLUECHARTS this should be set to Always or While
In Use.
This should get you up and running - please tell me I'm right.

Cheers
Wayne

[arthur.watson.1]

Are you sure that you really need the Bad Elf? I have been running Blue Chart Mobile on my iPad Mini for a couple of years now with just the built-in GPS; no problems at all.

Best,

Art

[Courageous]

Originally Posted by arthur.watson.1

Are you sure that you really need the Bad Elf? I have been running Blue Chart Mobile on my iPad Mini for a couple of years now with just the built-in GPS; no problems at all.

Best,

Art

Hi, my iPad 2 needs to be within cell tower range to pick up the coordinates. That's why I got an external gps

Cheers

[Sailmon]

Small distinction that may be useful. The cell (3G or 4G) capable iPads have a high quality built in GPS receiver and typically work well for navigation outside cell tower range. I believe "Wifi only" iPads do not. We use Garmin BlueCharts on our ipad2 and have never had a problem as long as there is satellite coverage.

[aquadreams]

GPS on an iPad require the cellular version. wifi only ipad does not have the hardware for it to be a GPS reciever. A wifi only iPad can get location information when in range of other wifi devices like a wifi router, but that is not a gps signal from gps satellites and won't help you when you don't have a wifi signal (and it's not really GPS info). That's what some of you are utilizing.

You can use google and confirm all this. Believe me, I went through all this when selecting a wifi only model for my ipad air 2 that replaced my ipad 2. I can also mention that I'm a Silicon Valley tech geek geek that knows his stuff and my wife works for Apple, not that that makes any difference except I get the employee discount on gear :-)

Cheers,
Joe