iPhone Chart Application

[Weyalan]

Some of my freinds have the nautical chart application for their iPhones. It looks really impressive... pretty much identical to what I see on my expensive chart plotter and Cmaps NT chip, for a fraction of the cost.

The questionis, does this application require the phone to have coverage, or will it work offshore / out of range of mobile phone coverage?

[ozskipper]

It works on GPS, so I cant see a reason for it to need to be in a cell.

Cheers
Oz

[Cotemar]

Weyalan,

Yes, the iphone 3G, 3Gs and 4 will work offshore

No, the original iphone will not work offshore

[TherapyCC29]

Weyalan -
I use my iphone app on the Chesapeake and it works great!
Tom

[capngeo]

Navionics and many others have the data native to the phone, so it does work independent of the network.

[Weyalan]

I kinda guessed that the GPS portion of the charting app would work anywhere. I wasn't sure whether the application would load all the charts onto the phone (or maybe all within 1000 miles or omething), or download "on the fly" as required. It seems that it must hold em all (iPhones must hve pretty large storage capacity these days, eh?).

[PamlicoTraveler]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I wasn't sure whether the application would load all the charts onto the phone (or maybe all within 1000 miles or omething), or download "on the fly" as required. It seems that it must hold em all (iPhones must hve pretty large storage capacity these days, eh?).

The charts are definitely preloaded so no connection is needed. When you install the application it needs a wifi connection to load the files onto the phone. After that it is on it's own except when you need updates.

My iPhone 3 doesn't allow multi tasking... Kind of problem using the Navionics because if I go back to check email or do something else I have to restart the app. It also stops tracking when you leave the program. No biggie, but kind of a pain.

[Auspicious]

The only issue is that if you are out of cell range the phone keeps looking for a signal, using a lot of battery energy in the process. If you switch to airplane mode the GPS is turned off.

Charts & Tides works great off-line, as do other nav apps, but the phone itself has an issue with battery consumption offshore if you want the GPS to work. I have a request in to Apple that they are (apparently) thinking about to be able to turn GPS back on in airplane mode just as you can turn wifi back on.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

The only issue is that if you are out of cell range the phone keeps looking for a signal, using a lot of battery energy in the process. If you switch to airplane mode the GPS is turned off.

Charts & Tides works great off-line, as do other nav apps, but the phone itself has an issue with battery consumption offshore if you want the GPS to work. I have a request in to Apple that they are (apparently) thinking about to be able to turn GPS back on in airplane mode just as you can turn wifi back on.

Which they can do with software no doubt but they will make you buy a new one to get it no doubt.

Just waiting to take the plunge myself.

Did you know that there is app to turn it into a strobe to check RPMs?

[Himself]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I kinda guessed that the GPS portion of the charting app would work anywhere. I wasn't sure whether the application would load all the charts onto the phone (or maybe all within 1000 miles or omething), or download "on the fly" as required. It seems that it must hold em all (iPhones must hve pretty large storage capacity these days, eh?).

I went to a seminar last Tuesday put on by Navionics with a live demonstration of their software both on I-phone and I-pad (and played with my HTC Evo) ...

It seems they load the individual chart you require (request either manually or via GPS location) real time ... if you have purchased their chart package for PC (cost $24.95) or their app ...

They also are launching a (at least for me at least) very interesting feature that they call User Generated Content ... basically a hands-on almost instantaneous modifcation to the Navionics charts with locally generated information (which is then verified) ... for everything from navigational aids to Marinas and wrecks ...

[53hemi]

I've been traveling the ICW from Norfolk to New Orleans for the last fifty+ days and the navionics app on my iPhone 4 I'd my only chartplotter. It's awesome, works great. Works outside of coverage, only thing is you need to download the areas you want while in coverage. After a few weeks I smartened up and downloaded everything I needed while in a good wifi area. Uses a lot of battery life, but I just installed an auto cigarette lighter in the boat and use a car phone charger. Great investment so far...

[Jacques2]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Navionics and many others have the data native to the phone, so it does work independent of the network.

I am not sure about that. If so : why it does not work on "the airplane mode " ?
When I live in France where I pay for my operator : no problem, it works with the GPS even in spots where there is no phone network available.
But, when, I will be onboard in Turkey next week I am afraid to have to pay for roaming... Even if "Data for foreign country" is off...
I did a test when I was in Italy a few weeks ago and I had a message like that :" Cellular data non available" (sorry for my english) and it does not work.... It was working only when I had a wifi connection.
So, for me the question is still there : how to configure the iPhone to be sure to have nothing to pay in a foreign country when using it with Navionics or other GPS system ?

[goboatingnow]

What iPhone are you using 3G , 3GS, or 4

Dave

[Jacques2]

Hi Dave !
I have an iPhone 4...
Jacques2

[goboatingnow]

Airplane mode on the iPhone specifically turns the GPS off as well as phone and wifi comms This is to comply with TSA and other bodies requirements.

Dave