Can I use GPSMAP as an external GPS for my Android phone?

Discussion related to the Garmin GPSMAP 66sr GPSr
Post Reply
User avatar
vsa
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2023 7:57 pm

Can I use GPSMAP as an external GPS for my Android phone?

Unread post by vsa »

Can I use GPSMAP 66sr as an external GPS for my Android phone?

In Garmin Explore app I see config switch "Prefer Device Location" When I turn On, I see blue cursor with bluetooth symbol.
I think the GPSMAP works as an external GPS module for the Garmin Explore app.

I tried to configure the Locus Map program to also use my GPSMAP66sr to record the route more accurately and save battery power. In the external sensor settings, Locus sees the GPSMA66 but does not accept, or understand, the data from it.

Does this solution work for anyone with maybe another hiking/mapping app?
---
Magellan SporTrak, eTrex Legend C, eTrex Vista HCx, Oregon 300, GPSMAP 62s, 66sr, 67i.
User avatar
GPSrChive
Site Admin
Posts: 3881
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 11:29 pm

Re: Can I use GPSMAP as an external GPS for my Android phone?

Unread post by GPSrChive »

Certainly not via Bluetooth, but you may be able to get something working with a hardwired connection. This would require someone to test and report how they were able to make it work.
Nail
Posts: 191
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:08 pm

Re: Can I use GPSMAP as an external GPS for my Android phone?

Unread post by Nail »

vsa wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 9:15 pm save battery power.
How do you want to save battery?
Using two devices at the same time will result in higher power consumption.
Once I saw on Youtube how someone used a smartphone and had a GPSMAP in their backpack, it doesn't appeal to me and I didn't delve into the topic.
Locus Map can record tracks and import tracks or routes from other sources. GPX, KMZ and KML data formats are supported.
Maybe record the track on GPSMAP and then import it into Locus.
User avatar
vsa
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2023 7:57 pm

Re: Can I use GPSMAP as an external GPS for my Android phone?

Unread post by vsa »

If I turn off location services on my phone, my battery lasts longer.

GPSMAP66 is more accurate than GNSS on a cell phone.
---
Magellan SporTrak, eTrex Legend C, eTrex Vista HCx, Oregon 300, GPSMAP 62s, 66sr, 67i.
Nail
Posts: 191
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:08 pm

Re: Can I use GPSMAP as an external GPS for my Android phone?

Unread post by Nail »

Bluetooth transmission is also energy-intensive.
I understand that you want to be well positioned in Locus while traveling.
Do you just want a well-recorded track?
I don't know why you don't want to use GPSMAP once you have it?
I'm not criticizing your approach, but I'd like to understand it.
remco
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2022 12:42 pm

Re: Can I use GPSMAP as an external GPS for my Android phone?

Unread post by remco »

I was looking into a similar setup. I'm waiting for a specific USB cable to arrive to give it one last try, will report back if it works.
I understand how using a Garmin device as an external GPS sensor would be a jerry-rigged solution at best, and it definitely would not provide the seamless experience I'm hoping for.

My motivations are two-fold:
I want to use my GPSmap 66 as my main receiver since it's the best GNSS receiver I own. Also, there are enough situations in which a single GPSmap 66 is a great user experience and I wouldn't need anything more.
However:
1. I see a use for digital map products in the field, and Garmin does not provide the best user experience nor the best value for money.
Being able to navigate an offroad trip in real-time with an iPad or Android tablet is a very nice experience. Especially when using customized maps. The map choices available for Garmin Explorer just don't cut it.
Planning the next leg of a trip is also a very nice experience using a tablet computer. Especially when you have multiple maps or satellite charts available. Ideally, you would be able to see all the tracks you've recorded and waypoints you've placed in real time. And the waypoint you draw on your tablet would automatically sync to the GNSS receiver. Navigation instructions as well. Since I'm not aware of a receiver/app combination that does this, I can try to bypass this all by communicating the location information from the receiver to the tablet with a high frequency.

My second motivation is perhaps less practical.
I'm a little worried about all the vendor-lock-in behavior Garmin is showing.
They require me to have their spyware installed on my phone and my PC if I want to connect my GPS device to Basecamp (my eTrex Vista didn't need that) or one of their apps.
They insist on recording all the activities in a proprietary format that is difficult to access and then raise the price to use the API to connect with their service to level 3rd parties that are not interested in creating an exchange. (For now you can still export to GPX files but who knows for how long)
One day I woke up, and they had completely removed the Spotify integration of my Fitnesstracker without so much as a heads-up. Which, for me, was an important selling point. Why? Apparently, you can own the hardware, but since the firmware is behind their firewalls, they decide what functions you can use. That, to me, is a risk I would like to mitigate.
User avatar
javawa
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2023 12:07 am

Re: Can I use GPSMAP as an external GPS for my Android phone?

Unread post by javawa »

remco wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2023 12:04 pm I'm a little worried about all the vendor-lock-in behavior Garmin is showing.
They require me to have their spyware installed on my phone and my PC if I want to connect my GPS device to Basecamp (my eTrex Vista didn't need that) or one of their apps.
They insist on recording all the activities in a proprietary format that is difficult to access and then raise the price to use the API to connect with their service to level 3rd parties that are not interested in creating an exchange. (For now you can still export to GPX files but who knows for how long)
You don't need to install anything to access the data on your device from your computer, just connect it with a USB cable. You even don't need BaseCamp since the files with data are directly accessible, in contrary to the eTrex Vista where you needed MapSource or BaseCamp to access the data.
What do you mean with the "proprietary format", the FIT format? It is well documented on Garmins website, including libraries for several programming languages that can be used by developers to create their own solutions that do not need Garmin API's.
Also, when 3rd parties want to exchange data with Garmin Connect, they can use the API's for free.
My Garmin GPS collection: https://www.javawa.nl/collectie.html
Post Reply

Return to “GPSMAP 66sr”