Mobile data off/phone use as satnav in Europe?
Discussion
Amy recommendations for maps downloaded and any drawbacks etc? Phone will be in a tankbag/clear window etc but I want to avoid any charges; just use the phone as a dedicated satnav.
I understand in strong sun it'll be hard to see the screen and one thing I don't want is laggy maps just before a junction choice..
I understand in strong sun it'll be hard to see the screen and one thing I don't want is laggy maps just before a junction choice..
I'm not sure I can give you an answer that you want. I use Waze on a phone as it gives me directions but also real time updates of congestion, road closures and, of course, speed traps. I view the cost of the data roaming as insignificant against the costs of getting lost, getting delayed or getting nicked for speeding
However, my phone, and several others on the Old Gits trip in June, simply shut down because it was too hot. That's why my main navigation is via a proper Tomtom. (It also is MUCH better at handling pre-defined routes), Sitting in your tankbag, nicely insulated, with the sun heating things up through the clear top, then, I'd suggest, your phone too is at real risk of getting to hot and simply shutting down. How much is the avoidance of getting lost worth?
However, my phone, and several others on the Old Gits trip in June, simply shut down because it was too hot. That's why my main navigation is via a proper Tomtom. (It also is MUCH better at handling pre-defined routes), Sitting in your tankbag, nicely insulated, with the sun heating things up through the clear top, then, I'd suggest, your phone too is at real risk of getting to hot and simply shutting down. How much is the avoidance of getting lost worth?
I use the TomTom app on my android phone , its £3.99 a month or £30 for a year. Pretty much same functionality as a stand alone TomTom device, so great VFM for occasional use patterns.
After having the usual issue of not being able to see the phone screen in the sun, I bought a clip on sun shade off Amazon, cost £10 and works great. My phone is on a RAM mount on the yoke, so its behind the fairing screen. The sunshade does not look so sturdy to be on a naked bike handlebars at motorway speeds. The sunshade should also help with the heat issue, although I have yet to try it in 30 deg C.
After having the usual issue of not being able to see the phone screen in the sun, I bought a clip on sun shade off Amazon, cost £10 and works great. My phone is on a RAM mount on the yoke, so its behind the fairing screen. The sunshade does not look so sturdy to be on a naked bike handlebars at motorway speeds. The sunshade should also help with the heat issue, although I have yet to try it in 30 deg C.
Another wonderful result of..... 
Depending on who your provider is, roaming is just a fixed fee. Which means, just 1 byte sent over roaming incurs the full day's charge anyways. So unless you are not going to use any data at all, you may as well use it.
Another option is for about £20 we sorted a mate with a sim card that gave him 12gb of data with 3.
I'm with Vodafone and just paid £18 for roaming over the 9 day trip.
Depending on who your provider is, roaming is just a fixed fee. Which means, just 1 byte sent over roaming incurs the full day's charge anyways. So unless you are not going to use any data at all, you may as well use it.
Another option is for about £20 we sorted a mate with a sim card that gave him 12gb of data with 3.
I'm with Vodafone and just paid £18 for roaming over the 9 day trip.
I just use google maps.
Doesn't use much data... just looked at my bill from my last trip down to Italy and back and I used 1,740 MB of data whilst abroad...and that was free as part of my monthly plan.
I keep it in my top pocket, so don't actually look at it... more used for a general direction and any huge delays/road closures.
It's connected to my SENA unit..
Doesn't use much data... just looked at my bill from my last trip down to Italy and back and I used 1,740 MB of data whilst abroad...and that was free as part of my monthly plan.
I keep it in my top pocket, so don't actually look at it... more used for a general direction and any huge delays/road closures.
It's connected to my SENA unit..
Roaming is cheap still even if not free, realistically.
A more expensive but reliable offline option is Sygic - it is a very good standalone sat nav, was £16 I think one off when I bought it for an Android head unit I had in a beater.
I opted for that as the default sat nav as I didn't have to hotspot my phone to use it.
A more expensive but reliable offline option is Sygic - it is a very good standalone sat nav, was £16 I think one off when I bought it for an Android head unit I had in a beater.
I opted for that as the default sat nav as I didn't have to hotspot my phone to use it.
Hugo Stiglitz said:
... and one thing I don't want is laggy maps just before a junction choice..
In that case a dedicated Sat Nav like the Garmin Zumo XT is what you want. It's very fast to update, has an algorithm it uses when you're in a tunnel or out of reception so when you emerge to a roundabout it's already displaying your junction. Waze (free, from Google) is very good and I'm looking forward to using that at some point but it can be slow to recover if it loses satellite reception and it only runs on phones, which I don't really want to have on the bike or keeping powered on all day.maps.me is good too as already mentioned and you can download the maps you need over wifi from your home or hotel first then there's no data use on the bike, but you miss out on temporary road closures, high traffic or just closed road diversions.
stang65 said:
A few years ago in France I just used Google maps via the normal app with the map downloaded and roaming turned off. The sat-nav worked great but with hindsight I should have left roaming on. The data it uses is minimal and live traffic updates are really useful.
This for me too. I've done both and always use google now with roaming on avoiding motorwaysDetect is very good too
Birky_41 said:
stang65 said:
A few years ago in France I just used Google maps via the normal app with the map downloaded and roaming turned off. The sat-nav worked great but with hindsight I should have left roaming on. The data it uses is minimal and live traffic updates are really useful.
This for me too. I've done both and always use google now with roaming on avoiding motorwaysYou can Offline Google Maps... although personally I'd want it Online even if purely for traffic (and even then I'd be using WAZE). Most mobile providers are pretty resonable when using your Data abroad. EE for example do a roaming pass add on for £10 per month (you can add and take it off again whenever you like). Seems a small price to pay to continue using your device abroad "as normal". Although your circumstances or motives may be different...
joropug said:
Roaming is cheap still even if not free, realistically.
A more expensive but reliable offline option is Sygic - it is a very good standalone sat nav, was £16 I think one off when I bought it for an Android head unit I had in a beater.
I opted for that as the default sat nav as I didn't have to hotspot my phone to use it.
I had Sygic for a while, it strangled itself trying to download an updated map of Poland once too often when I was looking to navigate in Devon.A more expensive but reliable offline option is Sygic - it is a very good standalone sat nav, was £16 I think one off when I bought it for an Android head unit I had in a beater.
I opted for that as the default sat nav as I didn't have to hotspot my phone to use it.
I went back to a self-contained TomTom.
This was a few years ago.
I think Google Maps is less good than it used to be.
I find it's like back to 2004 or something, GPS is great for telling you where you are, but it pays to have planned the route manually.
Around the West Country, most satnav apps seem to do the bipolar thing of either trying too hard to get you to an A road or sending you down a track which turns out not to be a useable highway. Farm tracks appear as lanes, some lanes are missing from the map.
Hugo Stiglitz said:
Possible to run headphones into helmet with satnav on phone on one of these apps?
I've tried the satnav in tank bag on s dry run route and it's too much head down checking.
Sat Navs and phones use Bluetooth so a Bluetooth headset like this https://www.cardosystems.com/shop/packtalk-bold/ will be what you need. There are cheaper headsets but the less you pay, the lower the volume and/or sound quality and/or features.I've tried the satnav in tank bag on s dry run route and it's too much head down checking.
When you're approaching a large junction in an unknown city, on the 'wrong' side of the road you'll really appreciate having a bright Sat Nav mounted up high and loud instructions via Bluetooth. This is one area where technology really has moved the game on massively over paper map or a phone with maps.
Honestly, I'd look at an Ultimate Addons or QuadLock option to bolt the phone to the bars or somewhere on the bike. Visual directions will beat voice directions any day of the week.
But yes, especially on Android apps will be able to give voice navigation even with the phone "locked". On apple the number of apps that will continue to work with the screen locked by more more limited.
But yes, especially on Android apps will be able to give voice navigation even with the phone "locked". On apple the number of apps that will continue to work with the screen locked by more more limited.
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