Bad Elf GPS for Ipad...

Or BE-GPS-1000 for short.

I just received the Bad Elf GPS receiver I order on Amazon. I was hoping that I would be able to use my Ipad as a GPS turn by turn navigator and also for backroads exploring. Being able to know my exact location on my ipad will go along way towards making it a multifunctional off road tool.



The Bad Elf GPS comes complete with the GPS receiver, lanyard, usb cable and instruction card.



The instruction card claims that there is an internal battery to store GPS data. Basically you don't lose your GPS signal every time your ipad goes into sleep mode or shuts off. It doesn't say how long the Bad Elf will stay on in this event. The cold start on acquiring a satellite signal is 2 minutes and 30 seconds for a warm or hot start.(These times come from the card and have yet to be evaluated.) Also I have had my laptop plugged into my Bad Elf plugged into my Ipad for about an hour and it as maintained a charge. I think that if you get an aftermarket Ipad car charger with a usb connection you could power the whole thing from the 12v outlet.



After you plug the unit into the Ipad and open an app that uses GPS it will prompt you to download the free software from the app store. No more plastic CD required for install, its green baby.



Now I just need a ram mount and then its time for some field testing! :smiley_drive:

I am really looking into this. Do u have a 3G version iPad? I have a wifi only and this I am hoping is a great gps solution. Please post your experiences and photos.

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I do have a 3G version. I was worried about wasting my measly 2 gigs a month on GPS signals. I hope At&T comes back with an unlimited plan sometime. Maybe after they release the second gen Ipad that is rumored to work on multiple cell carriers AT&T will feel some pressure to up my allotment. At least now Im covered anywhere anytime with the BE.

any idea this only works in the US or outside as well? I mean speaking about maps...

Im not sure, I am using an app called Topo Maps for Ipad that only uses USGS topos. The Bad Elf just piggybacks on any software that uses a GPS receiver so if your software is world wide that the Bad Elf will work wherever.

Thanks for sharing this information!

Since you own the 3G version of the iPad, it would be great if you could tell us how accurate the Bad Elf GPS is, compared to the 3G's built-in GPS. (The 3G's built-in GPS works without a contract with AT&T.)

I'd also be interested to learn if the Bad Elf GPS works better in a vehicle when you use the included cable to position the GPS up near the windshield, rather than attached at the bottom edge of the iPad.

Airmonger said:

I do have a 3G version. I was worried about wasting my measly 2 gigs a month on GPS signals.

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Can you elaborate on this statement?

You shouldn't need any carrier connection to use the GPS functionality of a GPS enablled iPad. The GPS is independent of your data cell signal and transfer.

haven said:

I'd also be interested to learn if the Bad Elf GPS works better in a vehicle when you use the included cable to position the GPS up near the windshield, rather than attached at the bottom edge of the iPad.

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The included cable is only a USB, you would probably need a 30 pin extention cable to do that.

DaveM said:

Can you elaborate on this statement?

You shouldn't need any carrier connection to use the GPS functionality of a GPS enablled iPad. The GPS is independent of your data cell signal and transfer.

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I did not know that, I was under the impression that the GPS required cellular data to work.

I just got my bad-elf GPS receiver in this week. I have a wifi only iPad that I'm using it on. I look forward to comparisons of what software to use. Specifically I'm leaving for Baja Dec. 26th and want to use it down there? Overall the bad-elf is exactly as advertised!

benedmonson said:

I just got my bad-elf GPS receiver in this week. I have a wifi only iPad that I'm using it on. I look forward to comparisons of what software to use. Specifically I'm leaving for Baja Dec. 26th and want to use it down there? Overall the bad-elf is exactly as advertised!

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I have the same Ipad. Please post up what apps worked best for you in obviously non wifi areas. Looking forward to hearing more!

Same here. Wifi only iPad. Interested in seeing how it works out as well the topo and road navigation software options you chose.

You might want to use a dock extension cable so you don't put stress on the connector by putting down the iPad or hitting the GPS unit

Wow.. 10hz update rate?!

winkosmosis said:

Wow.. 10hz update rate?!

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Is that good or bad?