OnX failed me when I needed it. Iphone version RANT

[Whisky]

Does Gaia have private and public ownership?

 

[MOHunter]

I'm going to get Gaia, for $30 I'll compare it to onxmaps on my late deer hunt. But after playing around with Gaia for the last hour I'm thinking it'll get the nod.

I also have Earthmate with my Inreach as a backup.

I tried Gaia before OnX. It worked, but the land ownership boundaries were way off compared to OnX. In some areas that is most definitely a deal killer.
I have also had my share of problems with OnX crashing UNLESS I'm in airplane mode. I've been told by their support that it's a very unique problem to me.
I've concluded that all of the phone apps, especially for iPhone, have their issues. I'm willing to put up with it for the extra tools OnX provides. And I'd still love for them to upgrade the functionality with true GPS features like go-to with a compass.
However, I still carry my Garman as a backup just to be safe.

 

[dotman]

Does Gaia have private and public ownership?

Yeah with the premium.

 

[bojangles808]

probably a dumb question but if i have an old android phone no longer with a sim card can i still run it in airplane mode with onx app and will it work still get the satellite signal? or do you need a sim card thats active

 

[tkaldahl2000]

I used it to get into a hard to access sliver of public. It worked, but during the pack out in the dark it began to show I was walking in the opposite direction I actually was. Luckily I never leave home without the garmin, because it showed I was following my original track. After a few minutes it began showing the correct direction again.

It coudve been my phone, could've been the app. All I know is I'll be buying the chip for my gps before next year. Plus my phone (Samsung s8) battery (even in airplane and battery saver mode) doesn't last as long as my gps.

Last year hiking in the dark with only my Etrex 20 screen for light ( don't ask) my gps would point one way and my compass the opposite. Followed the compass every time and after a few yards the gps would correct itself.

 

[flatlanderhuffandpuff]

3 out of the 4 of us in our group had issues with it at some point throughout the trip. Me and my hunting partner had the same issue at the same time.

I did have other means of navigation including a Garmin inreach explorer, but they didn't have my routes on them. This was a huge lesson learned as it was the first hunt that the routes actually had dangerous consequences. I guess I am just disappointed that I got such an unreliable a bug ridden tool for the money I spent.

Leading up to this trip I had researched the Gaia and Onx and found nothing but good reviews of both. I thought I might be hunting near some private borders so I opted for the OnX.

 

[406]

I've tried onx twice and had issues. Thought I was in the minority.

Running onx and bcn at literally the same time, both times, and bcn was much more reliable.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Merc]

Last year hiking in the dark with only my Etrex 20 screen for light ( don't ask) my gps would point one way and my compass the opposite. Followed the compass every time and after a few yards the gps would correct itself.

That's because the GPS needs motion to let it know which way the device is facing. It doesn't have an internal magnetism to tell it which way to point when sitting still.


The only issues I had with OnX was with not having the most current updates. Wyoming rest stop and McD's wifi solved that problem, but will have to give Gaia a chance.

 

[Mischief209]

probably a dumb question but if i have an old android phone no longer with a sim card can i still run it in airplane mode with onx app and will it work still get the satellite signal? or do you need a sim card thats active

Yes you can. You don't need any service. Use the Wi-Fi on the phone to download on x or any other navigation app. Then put it in airplane mode and turn on GPS and your good to go

 

[406]

Yes you can. You don't need any service. Use the Wi-Fi on the phone to download on x or any other navigation app. Then put it in airplane mode and turn on GPS and your good to go

Good to know!

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[406]

^next question would be "which tablets have GPS and decent better life?"^

I'm getting to the point that I'd trade some weight for something I can actually see. That's why I started using my phone over my GPS in the first place, just couldn't read the thing anymore.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[the0thermrt]

I never had luck preloading ONx maps on my android. I use it to scout and check land ownership. 100% reliability using Backcountry Navigator Pro on my android. You can preload different topo maps for a selected area, even preloading topo overlay/imagery maps. I can use the imagery maps to follow game trails not on topos

 

[JustinSmith1754]

I use OnXHunt in conjunction with other devices and have had good success. I’ve had a similar situation as the original post, but I found that when I had the blank screen and the blue dot that my I-phone had briefly received a cellular signal and the app automatically switched from “off-line” to “on-line” maps. I had the problem last year and did not figure that out until my hunt was over. This year when it happened, I quickly switched it back to “offline” maps and was good to go. OnXMaps is a good tool to keep you legal when hunting close to neighboring private properties. I hope this info helps.

 

[406]

I never had luck preloading ONx maps on my android. I use it to scout and check land ownership. 100% reliability using Backcountry Navigator Pro on my android. You can preload different topo maps for a selected area, even preloading topo overlay/imagery maps. I can use the imagery maps to follow game trails not on topos

Same

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[COlineman78]

^next question would be "which tablets have GPS and decent better life?"^

I'm getting to the point that I'd trade some weight for something I can actually see. That's why I started using my phone over my GPS in the first place, just couldn't read the thing anymore.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Get an old Nexus 7. For the price of a used one you won't have to worry about babying it. Mine still runs great even though it was released in 2013. Pop in an SD card for your maps. If you want a bigger tablet the Nexus 9 is pretty awesome.

Buy Nexus 7 2013 (Wi-Fi) | Swappa

(Beware; this site allows for non-standard software. Most sellers will return to stock if you ask in the comments before purchasing)

 

[COlineman78]

I use OnXHunt in conjunction with other devices and have had good success. I’ve had a similar situation as the original post, but I found that when I had the blank screen and the blue dot that my I-phone had briefly received a cellular signal and the app automatically switched from “off-line” to “on-line” maps. I had the problem last year and did not figure that out until my hunt was over. This year when it happened, I quickly switched it back to “offline” maps and was good to go. OnXMaps is a good tool to keep you legal when hunting close to neighboring private properties. I hope this info helps.

I have both. I hunt in an area of very complicated boundaries and I'm sometimes trying to hit a 20 foot access strip where BLM touches a road so I double check on both. BCN is pretty close most of the time, but since game wardens are gonna use OnX I use that as truth when there is a discrepancy. BCN is not as easy to use, especially for those that aren't very computer literate. The newest OnX update has greatly improved stability, with the only major issue being that offline mode mysteriously disables itself all the time and it won't mix offline and online to use the offline maps if you have them and only download what you don't have.

 

[Fitzwho]

Mine worked mostly perfect in New Mexico last week. The only problem I had was that the offline maps I saved didn't save all of the public land boundary info. The public land layer was only in the +/- 1/2 mile of saved map, with just the topo or satellite picture in the middle 4 miles.

 

[ElkNut1]

Merc, this is why most hunters will use a GPS with an electronic compass, it will read accurate with your compass without moving! Your etrex does not have that function, you must be moving 10 yards or more for it to read accurately!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[FreeRange]

This

I have had Onx do the same thing- the one thing that at least in my case helped/solved the issue of "floating dot" was to make sure my phone was in airplane mode (using offline downloaded maps). Each time this has happened was when I was also on cell mode.

My experience exaclty. I will never trust OnX for navigation.

I've complained a lot about OnX, I have to say it worked the best it ever has for me this past weekend after I updated my iPhone 7 to IOS 11 and updated my OnX as well. Still buggy but the least buggy I've ever seen it. Came in handy when I got in an argument with a landowner trying to kick me off of USFS property.

Only works in airplane mode with offline maps downloaded.

 

[Mischief209]

^next question would be "which tablets have GPS and decent better life?"^

I'm getting to the point that I'd trade some weight for something I can actually see. That's why I started using my phone over my GPS in the first place, just couldn't read the thing anymore.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Most tablets I've seen have GPS on them. Not sure on battery life. With black Friday coming up I bet you could find a good deal on a 10in tablet like a Samsung or possibly a kindle. Lots of options for 100 bucks on 10in tablets on Amazon. Might have to search a bit on battery life and size