GPS for wi-fi IPAD?

[Steve65E-NC]

I recently purchased a new IPAD (9th generation) with wi-fi but no cellular.  I have installed the trial period Foreflight and will probably move up to Foreflight Pro.  The IPAD does not have GPS.  I am installing a Stratus ESG 3i transponder that I understand will supply GPS to my IPAD.  However, away from running aircraft, like when traveling in automobile, I have no GPS.  Can I blue tooth to my smart phone?  Is there a reasonably priced GPS lump that is made just to blue tooth GPS to other units that will work.  I did not want Cellular for my Foreflight IPAD but did not realize this meant no onboard GPS.  Probably should have the paid the $130 extra and just not turned on the Cellular function.  Be forewarned.   

[Fly Boomer]

Search “iPad external gps”.  Tons of hits.  

[hammdo]

I’d setup a Wi-Fi hotspot on the phone, connect iPad to the hotspot and use that. I do that with both of my Wi-Fi only iPads…

it will use ‘internet’ for weather etc…

I have a Stratus 3 for the plane…

-Don

[Fly Boomer]

1 minute ago, hammdo said:

I’d setup a Wi-Fi hotspot on the phone, connect iPad to the hotspot and use that. I do that with both of my Wi-Fi only iPads…

it will use ‘internet’ for weather etc…

I have a Stratus 3 for the plane…

-Don

Will that allow your EFB access to gps?

[hammdo]

It will use the iPhones info for you location etc. it will show you position moving, ADSB traffic (internet), weather et. al.

the map will say ‘internet traffic’ upper left ….

-Don

[Fly Boomer]

2 minutes ago, hammdo said:

It will use the iPhones info for you location etc. it will show you position moving, ADSB traffic (internet), weather et. al.

the map will say ‘internet traffic’ upper left ….

-Don

Cool!  I haven’t used hotspot because my cell plan applies a substantial surcharge.

[hammdo]

Ah.. I have t-mobile it’s included. Wi-Fi only works well. I’d get the ‘elf’ if you want gps backup only…

-Don

[Fly Boomer]

Just now, hammdo said:

Ah.. I have t-mobile it’s included. Wi-Fi only works well. I’d get the ‘elf’ if you want gps backup only…

-Don

Both my iPads have GPS and cellular.  I use the iPad as my phone via VOIP.  Only downside is that all calls are on speaker.  Hardly touch the phone any more.

[TheAv8r]

Hey Steve,

The Stratus that's installed with the ESG i will give you WAAS GPS and ADS-B Traffic and weather in ForeFlight while you're flying or in the airplane. I'm not sure exactly why you'd want to see your position when you're not at the airport, but to do that, I'd suggest using ForeFlight on your iPhone which will use the phone's internal GPS. If that's not an option for you, Bad Elf makes several external GPS products but in my personal opinion that's a steep price to pay when you already have a solution for your Mooney inflight, which is when you'll need GPS position in ForeFlight the most. Another option, if you just recently purchased the iPad, is to return it and pay for the Cellular version. You do not have to have a data plan or pay for any kind of cellular service, you just need the cellular version of the iPad because it has the internal GPS chip.

Edited September 16, 2022 by Alex M

[kortopates]

My aviation mini iPad has always been just for the flying and as such as I have never felt the need for a GPS on the ipad when I have more than one certified IFR source on the panel that I am bluetooth connected too. And for a backup I have a GDL-39 portable GPS, that gives me WAAS position source along with wx and traffic. I do carry my iPhone with GPS and Garmin Pilot which is a distant last resort backup that I don't expect I'll ever need. 

On the ground, WiFi is prolific these days. Yet in the rare circumstance its not free, I use my iPhone as a hotspot (Free with T-Mobile), but that won't give me the iPhones position data, just internet access.

Edited September 16, 2022 by kortopates

[201Mooniac]

3 hours ago, Steve65E-NC said:

I recently purchased a new IPAD (9th generation) with wi-fi but no cellular.  I have installed the trial period Foreflight and will probably move up to Foreflight Pro.  The IPAD does not have GPS.  I am installing a Stratus ESG 3i transponder that I understand will supply GPS to my IPAD.  However, away from running aircraft, like when traveling in automobile, I have no GPS.  Can I blue tooth to my smart phone?  Is there a reasonably priced GPS lump that is made just to blue tooth GPS to other units that will work.  I did not want Cellular for my Foreflight IPAD but did not realize this meant no onboard GPS.  Probably should have the paid the $130 extra and just not turned on the Cellular function.  Be forewarned.   

I have an old Garmin GLO GPS/Glonass I'd let go cheap if you want something to connect to over BT.

[LANCECASPER]

4 hours ago, Steve65E-NC said:

I recently purchased a new IPAD (9th generation) with wi-fi but no cellular.  I have installed the trial period Foreflight and will probably move up to Foreflight Pro.  The IPAD does not have GPS.  I am installing a Stratus ESG 3i transponder that I understand will supply GPS to my IPAD.  However, away from running aircraft, like when traveling in automobile, I have no GPS.  Can I blue tooth to my smart phone?  Is there a reasonably priced GPS lump that is made just to blue tooth GPS to other units that will work.  I did not want Cellular for my Foreflight IPAD but did not realize this meant no onboard GPS.  Probably should have the paid the $130 extra and just not turned on the Cellular function.  Be forewarned.   

Everyone is entitled to one mistake. . lol

This is exactly why every iPad bought for aviation should have cellular. When you go to sell it later, you get more for the cellular version - so it's not costing you much, so maybe it cost you an extra $50-$60 over the use of the iPad. It's a no-brainer to go with the cellular version.

[midlifeflyer]

34 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

Everyone is entitled to one mistake. . lol

This is exactly why every iPad bought for aviation should have cellular. When you go to sell it later, you get more for the cellular version - so it's not costing you much, so maybe it cost you an extra $50-$60 over the use of the iPad. It's a no-brainer to go with the cellular version.

I guess I made 4 mistakes. None of my iPads have been cellular. 

[LANCECASPER]

2 hours ago, midlifeflyer said:

I guess I made 4 mistakes. None of my iPads have been cellular. 

It depends on why you have it. If it's a last resort after everything else fails device, then it's nice to have the GPS built in. When your panel mounted GPS is affected by GPS testing/jamming, the GLONASS satellites still are received by the cellular iPad. Or if your panel goes dark, it's nice to have a GPS chip in the iPad. No need to activate the cellular service and pay a monthly fee unless you want to use it for other things.  I keep a copy of Foreflight on my iPhone also since it has GLONASS.

[kortopates]

23 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

It depends on why you have it. If it's a last resort after everything else fails device, then it's nice to have the GPS built in. When your panel mounted GPS is affected by GPS testing/jamming, the GLONASS satellites still are received by the cellular iPad. No need to activate the cellular service and pay a monthly fee unless you want to use it for other things.  I keep a copy of Foreflight on my iPhone also since it has GLONASS.

Are you really sure about that, both GPS and GLONASS use the same L1 and L2 bands with frequencies very close. Given how weak GPS signals are relative to the potential jamming power it seems you'd have to be pretty lucky to be in a position where your GPS lost lock but GLONASS was still hanging in there. I've flown over jammers before and lost everything GPS but did think to try my iPhone. 

[Hank]

6 hours ago, Steve65E-NC said:

I recently purchased a new IPAD (9th generation) with wi-fi but no cellular.  I have installed the trial period Foreflight and will probably move up to Foreflight Pro.  The IPAD does not have GPS.  I am installing a Stratus ESG 3i transponder that I understand will supply GPS to my IPAD.  However, away from running aircraft, like when traveling in automobile, I have no GPS.  Can I blue tooth to my smart phone?  Is there a reasonably priced GPS lump that is made just to blue tooth GPS to other units that will work.  I did not want Cellular for my Foreflight IPAD but did not realize this meant no onboard GPS.  Probably should have the paid the $130 extra and just not turned on the Cellular function.  Be forewarned.   

Should have gotten Samsung. Even my cheapie Lite tablet, $105 two years ago, has GPS. Yeah, it's wifi only, so set it up before getting in your vehicle and it tracks just fine.

[ArtVandelay]

Assuming you have an iPhone, link them and the iPad will get GPS from the iPhone.

[kortopates]

Assuming you have an iPhone, link them and the iPad will get GPS from the iPhone.

I am trying it now.
My WiFi only iPad is connected to my iPhone hot spot.
I appear to get only partial position data. By that i mean my Blue location dot moves on the map in Garmin Pilot, but it’s doesn’t give me direction/speed vector. it doesn’t give Track nor Ground speed.
interestingly, it does give me distance from next waypoint and GPS altitude.
Better than nothing.
Could be a GP vs FF if it works better for you in FF.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carusoam]

I have iPhone paired to iPad…

and still use the SkyRadar for WAAS while in the plane….

 

Paul, if your blue dot is moving… it’s probably because it is not a WAAS source….

Can’t beat WAAS for accuracy.

 

When using CloudAhoy, if you use the non-WAAS source… you can get some real funk in your data… it will only show a couple bread crumbs to show your track along the runway… some of those crumbs may not even be on the runway…

PP guesses only, not a tech guru…

 

Best regards,

-a-

[kortopates]

1 hour ago, carusoam said:

I have iPhone paired to iPad…

and still use the SkyRadar for WAAS while in the plane….

 

Paul, if your blue dot is moving… it’s probably because it is not a WAAS source….

Can’t beat WAAS for accuracy.

 

When using CloudAhoy, if you use the non-WAAS source… you can get some real funk in your data… it will only show a couple bread crumbs to show your track along the runway… some of those crumbs may not even be on the runway…

PP guesses only, not a tech guru…

 

Best regards,

-a-

Great idea on the iPad lacking details because it's not a WAAS source - that made sense till I realized the iPhone is only getting GPS from its internal GPS aided by 5G cell - theoretically what it should be passing to my iPad. But the iPhone shows all the GPS details with velocity vector, but not the iPad.

[ArtVandelay]

Great idea on the iPad lacking details because it's not a WAAS source - that made sense till I realized the iPhone is only getting GPS from its internal GPS aided by 5G cell - theoretically what it should be passing to my iPad. But the iPhone shows all the GPS details with velocity vector, but not the iPad.

Go to location services, make sure precise location is enabled for your app. Maybe location services is not as functional as GPS.
P.S. some apps will not used location services if you don’t have GPS and so won’t work.

[midlifeflyer]

12 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

It depends on why you have it. If it's a last resort after everything else fails device, then it's nice to have the GPS built in. When your panel mounted GPS is affected by GPS testing/jamming, the GLONASS satellites still are received by the cellular iPad. Or if your panel goes dark, it's nice to have a GPS chip in the iPad. No need to activate the cellular service and pay a monthly fee unless you want to use it for other things.  I keep a copy of Foreflight on my iPhone also since it has GLONASS.

People sure get zealous about their personal choices. Other choices that have worked fine for almost a dozen years are "mistakes."  

but don't worry. Your iPad will have a heat shutdown during the jamming anyway.  

[Hector]

The elf gps has long battery life and works well as a BT gps for iPad.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[midlifeflyer]

8 hours ago, Hector said:

The elf gps has long battery life and works well as a BT gps for iPad.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I still have my first XGPS150. Gotta be about 8 or 9 years old now. At this point mostly relegated to being a passenger on commercial flights, but still rock solid.

[Steve65E-NC]

I have decided to purchase a Garmin Glo2 GPS with 12/24V power cable from Amazon for $99.00.  Foreflight says it will work fine with my IPAD and their product.  This combination is still cheaper than a cellular IPAD.  Foreflight said that a blue tooth or hot spot link to my Android smart phone would not work with their product.