What's Your Tools and Methods for Navigation?

[txj2go]

Primarily I rely on GAIA GPS on my old iphone. If I'm doing trails that are in my books I'll have the books along too, or maybe I'll print out maps on paper. I always have along a real compass FWIW. I will have the GAIA topo maps on my phone to use with the compass if the satellites stop working. I usually bring an ipad for movies and reading while camping so I can use that as a backup to the phone along with my Garmin Inreach Mini.

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[greige]

The device I have plugged into media port is called CarLinkIt which is essentially a rooted Android OS device that allows me to run it on the HMI (head unit) using CarPlay protocol, which also picks up GPS coordinates from the car (CAN). I use this to have apps on the head unit otherwise not available for things I run in the car. Like ARB Pressure Control, EcoFlow battery, Dometic Fridge, etc. In addition I use GAIA app on the head unit, which works amazingly well. As it gets the GPS long/lat from the car, it is very accurate, otherwise it will default to cell tower triangulation, which would be useless when there isn't any.

When I use iPad (for bigger screen convenience), I am solely dependent on it doing all the work itself, which also works accurately as the iPad too has its own GPS antenna.

So the carlinkit is not just a device that converts the wired AndroidAuto/CarPlay to wireless, it also let's you see apps on the head unit that are not normally able to be seen on the head unit with AndroidAuto/CarPlay?

 

[ecoBLVE]

So the carlinkit is not just a device that converts the wired AndroidAuto/CarPlay to wireless, it also let's you see apps on the head unit that are not normally able to be seen on the head unit with AndroidAuto/CarPlay?

Yes!
Basically, it is a rooted (unlocked) Android 12 OS so any app from the playstore works on it. Has bluetooth antenna, which is handy for me to run ARB pressure controller, fridge and ecoflow battery from the headunit. It has some custom car-specific things (like picking up GPS from the media patch-in), but otherwise useful in reducing dependency on phones and tablets. It does broadcast wireless carplay as its most marketed feature, but I dont care much for that as it has all the streaming apps already in it, including netflix

I did put a sim in it as well so it can have its own internet, but I use internet hotspot in the car itself because its cellular antenna is far better.

Net-net is:
Stellantis digital experience is very limited even in the latest Uconnect, Apple only allows a few apps to have carplay versions, forces you into their own ecosystem, and the aftermarket head units are very, very bad.

As I do not want the clutter on the dash (I’m done driving tactical vehicles), this makes a very clean install.

 

[SadRobot]

Trails off road and Gaia play well together for us. We find trails on trails off road and export to Gaia. We’ve got onX too but it’s still in its infancy by comparison. Also the Charles A Wells “Funtreks” Moab book is a great resource out there.

Exporting from TOR to Gaia has sadly stopped working for me on my iPad mini. I have to use their online website on my computer to upload trails now. They then do sync and appear on my ipad after that though.

I'm not sure if it has to do with the OS on my iPad or TOR.

 

[Jeepeto]

Exporting from TOR to Gaia has sadly stopped working for me on my iPad mini. I have to use their online website on my computer to upload trails now. They then do sync and appear on my ipad after that though.

I'm not sure if it has to do with the OS on my iPad or TOR.

? oh no! I hope this isn’t the new norm. I know they were working on dialing in their own app for some time, but Gaia is just so useful by comparison.

 

[SadRobot]

? oh no! I hope this isn’t the new norm. I know they were working on dialing in their own app for some time, but Gaia is just so useful by comparison.

Sometimes it's just buggy. For a while it would quit out of the TOR app every 20 seconds. That seems to have resolved itself though. ?‍

 

[Luekutus]

The device I have plugged into media port is called CarLinkIt which is essentially a rooted Android OS device that allows me to run it on the HMI (head unit) using CarPlay protocol, which also picks up GPS coordinates from the car (CAN).

Now THAT sounds cool!

 

[roaniecowpony]

So the carlinkit is not just a device that converts the wired AndroidAuto/CarPlay to wireless, it also let's you see apps on the head unit that are not normally able to be seen on the head unit with AndroidAuto/CarPlay?

Yes!
Basically, it is a rooted (unlocked) Android 12 OS so any app from the playstore works on it. Has bluetooth antenna, which is handy for me to run ARB pressure controller, fridge and ecoflow battery from the headunit. It has some custom car-specific things (like picking up GPS from the media patch-in), but otherwise useful in reducing dependency on phones and tablets. It does broadcast wireless carplay as its most marketed feature, but I dont care much for that as it has all the streaming apps already in it, including netflix

I did put a sim in it as well so it can have its own internet, but I use internet hotspot in the car itself because its cellular antenna is far better.

Net-net is:
Stellantis digital experience is very limited even in the latest Uconnect, Apple only allows a few apps to have carplay versions, forces you into their own ecosystem, and the aftermarket head units are very, very bad.

As I do not want the clutter on the dash (I’m done driving tactical vehicles), this makes a very clean install.

Thank you both for that point. I was messing around with TOR while connected to the head unit, trying to get the app, or any app to display and quickly realized it's a no-go.

So, which, of the many CarLinkit devices, do I need to display the TOR app and bridge the Jeep's GPS antenna to my personal device?

 

[greige]

Thank you both for that point. I was messing around with TOR while connected to the head unit, trying to get the app, or any app to display and quickly realized it's a no-go.

So, which, of the many CarLinkit devices, do I need to display the TOR app and bridge the Jeep's GPS antenna to my personal device?

From what I was looking at, it's not any of the units that upgrade the wires carplay/AA to wireless. It's one of the tbox kits

 

[rivercrossing]

I use a tablet for nav. You can download all your maps, Topo, Road, forest, and sky view too. This way you don't need cell service. If gps is down you could still look at the topo and sky view and work out out where you are by using landmarks.
The tablet works great to record and share your recorded track. Also there are lots of programs you can use, you can even use more than one at the same time.

Here are some of the apps I use.

Trails off road (Subscription)
Caltopo (Subscription)
Alpine quest (limited free version, or one time fee for the full app)
Owlsheadgps (California only but free)

You can use the camera in the tablet to make photo waypoints in some of the apps. As a backup I have the same apps on my phone, but I have ever had the tablet not work.

 

[ecoBLVE]

So, which, of the many CarLinkit devices, do I need to display the TOR app and bridge the Jeep's GPS antenna to my personal device?

I picked good one on second try. It is carlinkit tbox which was the only Android 12 device at the time, and now it looks like uses 13.

After setup you go to its factory settings pass code: 4545 and turn on ‘use car gps’ option in more settings menu, that did it for me. I then downloaded a bunch of apps I use and they all work fine.

One finer point on ToR:
The way I use it is basically to do research on a pc/tablet before a trip. Then when I find something, I go down to navigation section and send it to GAIA. This is a premium feature, well worth it. Then when I get in the Jeep, the GAIA apps that is running on the head-unit has the track i sent it.

Be mindful, tinkering with apps on the head-unit is not recommended while driving. These are tablet app versions after all, not optimized for distracted driving.

But the gaia app will navigate you as you move, and you can pre-download sections of maps and overlays you want ahead of time.

To have internet to the carlinkit thing, you can either put an active sim inside it, or tether it you your phone. I did both, but then chose a 3rd option - activating jeep hotspot with AT&T data plan as that is using its own cellular antenna in the car and worked far better in more remote places. I say this to add this; do not fall for the gimmicky ‘cell signal boosters’, those don't work, they just add to the clutter.

Also, there is a video of a guy who shows how to tap into the media plug with the carlinkit-like device, so you can hide it behind the dash. I did that as well as I wanted the device to be hidden, and not take up the space inside the center console storage (there is a media usb plug in there as well).
Took me some time to find the clip, here it is:

Look at the video desc for parts list

 

[roaniecowpony]

I picked good one on second try. It is carlinkit tbox which was the only Android 12 device at the time, and now it looks like uses 13.

After setup you go to its factory settings pass code: 4545 and turn on ‘use car gps’ option in more settings menu, that did it for me. I then downloaded a bunch of apps I use and they all work fine.

One finer point on ToR:
The way I use it is basically to do research on a pc/tablet before a trip. Then when I find something, I go down to navigation section and send it to GAIA. This is a premium feature, well worth it. Then when I get in the Jeep, the GAIA apps that is running on the head-unit has the track i sent it.

Be mindful, tinkering with apps on the head-unit is not recommended while driving. These are tablet app versions after all, not optimized for distracted driving.

But the gaia app will navigate you as you move, and you can pre-download sections of maps and overlays you want ahead of time.

To have internet to the carlinkit thing, you can either put an active sim inside it, or tether it you your phone. I did both, but then chose a 3rd option - activating jeep hotspot with AT&T data plan as that is using its own cellular antenna in the car and worked far better in more remote places. I say this to add this; do not fall for the gimmicky ‘cell signal boosters’, those don't work, they just add to the clutter.

Also, there is a video of a guy who shows how to tap into the media plug with the carlinkit-like device, so you can hide it behind the dash. I did that as well as I wanted the device to be hidden, and not take up the space inside the center console storage (there is a media usb plug in there as well).
Took me some time to find the clip, here it is:

Look at the video desc for parts list

Please forgive the dumb question, but what does GAIA do for a TOR user?

 

[SadRobot]

? oh no! I hope this isn’t the new norm. I know they were working on dialing in their own app for some time, but Gaia is just so useful by comparison.

I just did some troubleshooting with TOR support. I had to do a delete and re-install of the app on my iPad and re-authorize TOR on Gaia's website. That seems to have gotten it working for now. ? ?

 

[ecoBLVE]

Please forgive the dumb question, but what does GAIA do for a TOR user?

It’s the other way around. GAIA is great GPS navigation app. When you find a trail in ToR you have an option to se the track to GAIA for navigation. For me the convenience is great. You can research at home, and send the track to gaia that you can pick up in the car. Gaia then gives you navigation within 7 sec (long/lat) accuracy.

here is a video of the steps (all from the car display): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/y082...7454.MOV?rlkey=k3e32cb50ouis0ysx57n8kjto&dl=0

 

[AZ Hella]

Pick your favorite app(s) and download the map(s) then, use CarPlay/Android Auto.
I use Trails offroad & Gaia but also download apple maps.

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