A DIY Satnav (1 Viewer)

[denisejoe]

Your work sorting these issues out would be very helpful - if/when you have it all sorted any chance of a "how to do it" post?

Additionally, if the android tablet has plenty of data and its own access to the internet, would this make it simpler and avoid having to link it to the phone?

We got so fed up with our landline being only used to answer unsolicited calls, we bined it and now use a 3 home internet (unlimited) at home and take it with us in the MH. Has worked very well throughout France and Spain so far and allows us 19 Gb / month of data. We also upgraded the tablet with 3 and this included 20Gb of data usable throughout Europe then we got a deal on the main mobile phone which now has 12 gb data. All the above always travels with us and the monthly cost is the same as BT landline and our old internet service.

How do you use 3 abroad do use a mifi or an inverter for the router

 

[Riverbankannie]

John
I used Google Maps on our recent trip to Greece. It performed faultlessly

Works seamlessly with Campercontact and saves having to enter co ordinates.
Being able to add a stop en route is handy too. Searching for a supermarket is so easy.

Wonder why people would use Copilot compared with Google Maps ?


Edit :
Looking on the App Store recent reviews for copilot are pretty negative

On our recent Germany trip, the garmin satnav froze so I turned to google maps on your recommendation. We had turned off the motorway as I suddenly realised that we were about to cross into Switzerland and as we were only going to Rhine Falls I didn’t want to bother getting a vingnette . Having turned off motorways and toll roads, it gave us what looked like an easy route so we set off. It then turned into a cycle path. !

 

[Robert Clark]

On our recent Germany trip, the garmin satnav froze so I turned to google maps on your recommendation. We had turned off the motorway as I suddenly realised that we were about to cross into Switzerland and as we were only going to Rhine Falls I didn’t want to bother getting a vingnette . Having turned off motorways and toll roads, it gave us what looked like an easy route so we set off. It then turned into a cycle path. !

Maybe you’d chosen a cycle route than a car route?

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[Riverbankannie]

One feature we do like on the Garmin, is the current speed shown bottom right hand corner. Does HERE maps have this ?

 

[Riverbankannie]

Maybe you’d chosen a cycle route than a car route?

No, my first thought, so I did go back into it to check when it tried to turn us onto the cycle path.

 

[DBK]

How do you use 3 abroad do use a mifi or an inverter for the router

The usual solution is a mifi but some use a mobile phone as a wifi hotspot. A domestic router will be connected to the land line in my experience and therefore won't work outside the house.

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[BwB]

One feature we do like on the Garmin, is the current speed shown bottom right hand corner. Does HERE maps have this ?

Yes it does have current speed (so does Google Maps now, on Android devices - Apple will follow, aparently).

 

[denisejoe]

The usual solution is a mifi but some use a mobile phone as a wifi hotspot. A domestic router will be connected to the land line in my experience and therefore won't work outside the house.

The 3 one is 4g it has a 240v to 12v plug but would I need a voltage stabiliser

 

[DBK]

The 3 one is 4g it has a 240v to 12v plug but would I need a voltage stabiliser

I can't comment based on any experience of this device. You could probably run it directly from the 12 volt system but at times the supply could be over 14 volts. Will this frazzled it? It might. I would use a mifi if only because it will physically much smaller.

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[TeamBandS]

How do you use 3 abroad do use a mifi or an inverter for the router

When abroad I either use the "3" home router on EHU or if just a night stop we use the tablet. Interestingly, the home router mains transformer outputs 12 volt DC so it would be able to run it off any 12 volt output. This router just sits in a window at home or in the van and firers up in about 30 secs so no issue switching it off when not being used. At home in the countryside in mid wales we get 20 mb + and without trying to position it in an optimum window in the MH, the lowest I have got in France or Spain is 8 mb but more often 12 -16 mb. To save data (19Gb / month abroad) I lower the bit rate if watching you tube or netflixs and have always had enough data to do everything I want. Hope this helps.

 

[DBK]

Following Robert Clark's suggestion Google Maps was the "go to" navigation tool I gave it another test today, letting it take Charlie and me to the vet. £39 lighter and discovering Charlie has an allergy was the only downside to the trip because Google did a very good job of getting us there. The voice instructions were much clearer than Copilot seems capable of. On the return journey I put in a diversion to Tesco which it did but as I was only going to the bottle bank and not the store itself as we left it tried to turn us round for a second attempt. Unlike my Garmin satnav it was very easy to delete the Tesco stop from the route. A very useful feature.

I have now installed CamperContact (other apps are available ) on this tablet and early testing suggests it works as seamlessly with Google Maps as Robert suggested.

We are off to France in about a month and will give this setup a good test then.

 

[carolyn]

On our recent 6 week tour of Norway and a bit of Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Holland and France we ended up relying on Google maps very successfully. Our Garmin was only of any use as a guide to speed limits, it was useless as a Satnav . I have an iPhone and unfortunately they no longer support Tomtom speed camera app which is a pity as it runs nicely in the google maps app.
Had thought about a cheap android phone as a Satnav. I might look at a small notepad.

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[Camdoon]

In France now and have 3 different systems. An installed Chinese 10"Android radio/Bluetooth/reversing camera; an android phone, and an iPad mini. Sitting on a Renault Master base it is quite straightforward to have a phone and iPad within reach and not obstructing closure of the blinds. I have used Camper Contact for a while but this is the first time in earnest for a few years so have upgraded.
The Chinese android needs some tweaking under the bonnet as it normally thinks we are driving 20 yards east of the motorway we are on so an issue with the satellite sensor.
I started using SyGic on the iPad but it flagged up a 30 minute delay on the M20 when heading to Folkstone when the delay was restricted to those coming west. I was using Copilot as well but balking at paying for traffic.
The next day selecting the Aire through CC on the phone I clicked through to Google maps and that's been my default since although Sygic beeps at me when I go over the speed limit.
As with any routing GM is not perfect and has taken me down a road which would have been easier in a car and coming off motorways its description of which lane to use has been convoluted. I do like how easy it is to find coffee or fuel on route.
I notice that Camper Contact allows you to use other Sat Nav applications but not CoPilot.
So in the never ending quest for the perfect SatNav - I am perhaps a bit further forward but perhaps not.

 

[SpeedyDux]

My Garmin has not been out of the box since I discovered tom Tom's free android speed limit & camera app, which works very well with Google maps and makes for a comprehensive set up. I have a 3 contract so data not a problem in Europe.

View attachment 320910

This is only legal in France if it warns the driver of a potential danger zone around a speed camera location, but since 2012 if it shows the actual speed camera location that becomes a serious offence with draconian penalties if caught. Including seizure of your vehicle.

TomTom Support

uk.support.tomtom.com

See also:

Article L413-2 - Code de la route - Légifrance

Code de la route > Chapitre 3 : Vitesse. (Articles L413-1 à L413-5) > Article L413-2

www.legifrance.gouv.fr

 

[chaser]

I have been on about this for years now but no one seems to take any notice, all you need is park4night app and Google maps on a decent large smartphone with a good data contract, all in one ,all free, works all over the world nevermind Europe, when you get to where you want to go just change your Google to walking and it will take you right to the door of anything you want.
I know this also works with searchforsites so presumably camper contact as well if you would rather.

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[DJA]

Hi SpeedyDux

Tomtom do not create Speed Cameras files for France. When you download a Speed camera update it includes France but it is a Danger Zone file and is not specifically about Cameras. There may well not be cameras present or if they are may be sometime into the zone before they appear. They have done this so the data complies with the French Law..

 

[SpeedyDux]

Hi SpeedyDux

Tomtom do not create Speed Cameras files for France. When you download a Speed camera update it includes France but it is a Danger Zone file and is not specifically about Cameras. There may well not be cameras present or if they are may be sometime into the zone before they appear. They have done this so the data complies with the French Law..

Agreed. If you have an older Tomtom that hasn't been updated since 2012 you would have to delete the speed camera POIs in France and several other European countries to stay legal.

There was some controversy whether sharing speed camera locations via a FB group was an offence. A test case in the Cour de Cassation (appeal court) in 2016 decided it wasn't illegal.

At one time the French government had an online road map showing all the (then) fixed speed cameras but that appears to have gone.

 

[berni109]

If you are looking at various sat nav apps in general then have a go with osmand. I was pointed in its direction from a thread on here some time ago and it is a bit quirky to start with but easy once you start using it. Used it in various parts of the world for both driving and walking without problems

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[Hymie]

Does anyone know how much data Google maps eats in a days navigation, say 6 hours driving time.

We have two phones with 19gb pm roaming on each, intend to roam down from Calais through Portugal and back up through the Costa's, I'd love to have an idea of data usage.

Currently using a Garmin 7" (Traffic updates provided via the app on the phone) with a Tomtom 5" as a backup, run them together although they constantly differ on how to get from a to b.

I may try the Garmin running alongside a 10" Lenovo yoga pad to compare but data usage stats would be helpful.

I have no current trips planned so I could check it myself unfortunately.

 

[BwB]

Does anyone know how much data Google maps eats in a days navigation, say 6 hours driving time.

We have two phones with 19gb pm roaming on each, intend to roam down from Calais through Portugal and back up through the Costa's, I'd love to have an idea of data usage.

Currently using a Garmin 7" (Traffic updates provided via the app on the phone) with a Tomtom 5" as a backup, run them together although they constantly differ on how to get from a to b.

I may try the Garmin running alongside a 10" Lenovo yoga pad to compare but data usage stats would be helpful.

I have no current trips planned so I could check it myself unfortunately.

Not much. My Vodafone app logs in 100mb increments and even after a few days of Google Maps and emails it didn't budge. You can also download sections of maps in advance to save a bit more data but in reality, with your 19GB allowance I don't think you'll notice.

 

[chaser]

Does anyone know how much data Google maps eats in a days navigation, say 6 hours driving time.

We have two phones with 19gb pm roaming on each, intend to roam down from Calais through Portugal and back up through the Costa's, I'd love to have an idea of data usage.

Currently using a Garmin 7" (Traffic updates provided via the app on the phone) with a Tomtom 5" as a backup, run them together although they constantly differ on how to get from a to b.

I may try the Garmin running alongside a 10" Lenovo yoga pad to compare but data usage stats would be helpful.

I have no current trips planned so I could check it myself unfortunately.

IV never noticed it use much at all, I think if you are already set to roaming it knows where you are anyway.
But the main thing is you don't have to download any maps so that saves a bit, and they are always up-to-date no updating anything.

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[Robert Clark]

As a safety precaution I download an offline google map of where I’m travelling before leaving home

 

[Landy Andy]

On Google maps you can’t get it to adjust its routes depending on your size and weight limits.

 

[chaser]

On Google maps you can’t get it to adjust its routes depending on your size and weight limits.

No, you are right with that , unfortunately.
Shame but we haven't felt any need as you can preview the route beforehand.

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[chaser]

As a safety precaution I download an offline google map of where I’m travelling before leaving home

I have done this but find if you use it for your route it won't recalculate if you take a wrong turn.

 

[Hymie]

I have done this but find if you use it for your route it won't recalculate if you take a wrong turn.

Neither do my Garmin, the latest model with the latest maps or my TomTom with latest maps, sometimes 10 miles or more before it stops tell you to do a U-turn.

Sometimes had to stop & re-do the route in order to stop the u-turn commands, bloody nuisance.

 

[MR. FUSION]

I have been on about this for years now but no one seems to take any notice, all you need is park4night app and Google maps on a decent large smartphone with a good data contract, all in one ,all free, works all over the world nevermind Europe, when you get to where you want to go just change your Google to walking and it will take you right to the door of anything you want.
I know this also works with searchforsites so presumably camper contact as well if you would rather.

Google on walk mode........Last time I tried that I ended up on the smugglers trail

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[chaser]

Google on walk mode........Last time I tried that I ended up on the smugglers trail

View attachment 321246

When I said change to walk I meant after you were parked up

 

[Clarky]

After following this interesting thread I have been having a play with Google Maps.
While it calculates a route very quickly I can’t see a way of altering the route to a preferred road.
On CoPilot you can touch a spot on the map and it will give you the option of ‘Route this way’ but I can’t find anything similar on Google.
There must be a very simple way, just that I haven’t found it yet.
Any ideas?

Richard

 

[chaser]

Neither do my Garmin, the latest model with the latest maps or my TomTom with latest maps, sometimes 10 miles or more before it stops tell you to do a U-turn.

Sometimes had to stop & re-do the route in order to stop the u-turn commands, bloody nuisance.

Google maps is immediate, sort of never thinks about it, but one thing it does if you have definitely got to go back is takes you in a circle around other roads to get back instead of telling you to u turn, bit of a pain that is but at least you can zoom out and see where it is taking you.

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