RCinNC
Well-Known Member
I've been using MyRoute for quite a while now; when I started with it, it was still called Tyre to Travel, until Tyre split into two different entities. Now, I mostly use MyRoute as a mapping tool, then upload the .gpx file to Rever for actual navigation.
You don't need a cell phone signal for the phone's GPS to be able to provide navigation. What you do need is an interface that can translate the satellite signals into usable navigation data. Some apps, like OSMand, let you download maps onto the phone itself and store them there. Others, like Rever and Google Maps. have offline mapping features. I have an old Droid Turbo phone that has no carrier, that I briefly experimented with using as a GPS-only device running Rever. Even without cell or data service it worked as a GPS, though the OS for that phone was just a little too out of date to effectively run the Rever app.
I've been using both smart phones and standalone GPS units for a long time now, and the limitations of the phones as a motorcycle based navigation tool have been a frustration. Screens that can't be seen in regular daylight (also a limitation of the car based GPS units on a motorcycle), not waterproof, screens that can't be used with a gloved finger, fragile USB power connections, damage to internal components from vibration, and overheating in the sun...all of these are pretty common complaints. I still use a phone exclusively when it comes to navigation while driving a car; in that arena, they surpass the GPS units. In the harsher environment encountered on a bike, I think the phones' limitations really shine through. I'm excited about getting the Zumo XT up and running on the bike to see how it compares.
You don't need a cell phone signal for the phone's GPS to be able to provide navigation. What you do need is an interface that can translate the satellite signals into usable navigation data. Some apps, like OSMand, let you download maps onto the phone itself and store them there. Others, like Rever and Google Maps. have offline mapping features. I have an old Droid Turbo phone that has no carrier, that I briefly experimented with using as a GPS-only device running Rever. Even without cell or data service it worked as a GPS, though the OS for that phone was just a little too out of date to effectively run the Rever app.
I've been using both smart phones and standalone GPS units for a long time now, and the limitations of the phones as a motorcycle based navigation tool have been a frustration. Screens that can't be seen in regular daylight (also a limitation of the car based GPS units on a motorcycle), not waterproof, screens that can't be used with a gloved finger, fragile USB power connections, damage to internal components from vibration, and overheating in the sun...all of these are pretty common complaints. I still use a phone exclusively when it comes to navigation while driving a car; in that arena, they surpass the GPS units. In the harsher environment encountered on a bike, I think the phones' limitations really shine through. I'm excited about getting the Zumo XT up and running on the bike to see how it compares.