Bluetooth GPS Receiver paired with iPad

I used to use this exact set-up until my clubs planes were outfitted with ADS-B. I bluetoothed directly to my iPad with Dual 150A. You will have to download the Dual 150A app to your iPad but as I remember it was not a big deal.

It worked great for me, never had a problem. I used it for both long and short XC when I was a student.
 
96gs917 said:
I used to use this exact set-up until my clubs planes were outfitted with ADS-B. I bluetoothed directly to my iPad with Dual 150A. You will have to download the Dual 150A app to your iPad but as I remember it was not a big deal.

It worked great for me, never had a problem. I used it for both long and short XC when I was a student.
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That's good to hear.. What app did you use it with?.. preloaded maps?.. foreflight?.. fltplan? It looks simple enough
 
I still have one as a backup to my ADS-B/GPS because my iPad is WiFi only. Works fine with every app I have used (of course that's only 6 EFBs).
 
I’ve been using that setup with ForeFlight for 6 years and 900 hours. The dual 150 is velcroed to the glaresheild and ‘permanently’ wired for power. I never even think about it. Have been thru 2 iPads and use FF on all flights. Connects every time, never goes off line, never loses the GPS fix. Rock solid for portable gear.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Bill Watson said:
I’ve been using that setup with ForeFlight for 6 years and 900 hours. The dual 150 is velcroed to the glaresheild and ‘permanently’ wired for power. I never even think about it. Have been thru 2 iPads and use FF on all flights. Connects every time, never goes off line, never loses the GPS fix. Rock solid for portable gear.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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did you have any issues with iPad memory?
 
cfd408 said:
did you have any issues with iPad memory?
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Memory due to the Dual unit? Don't see how that would be an issue. Memory issues due to Foreflight? I have a 64Gig iPad 2. I load everything except Terminal Procedures west of the Misssissippi but despite constant daily use in addition to FF, I still have 21Gigs free so.... no.

I did trade up from the iPad 1 to the 2 for processor speed which became practically required for FF. I started to thing they were getting ready to outgrow the 2 but there really isn't an alternative from Apple yet. FF now takes almost 6 seconds to load which seems long but definitely just a 1st world problem. Otherwise FF runs well and the Dual GPS unit just motors on... does it have a battery?
 
I use a sticky pad on the glareshield (I rent so can't use velcro). Bluetooth to my iPad and ForeFlight. I switch the iPad to 'airplane' mode so the iPad stays connected to the Dual and doesn't default back to the internal iPad GPS. I've had one or two cases where the 'auto start' feature didn't work. No clue why.
Side note: my setup allows me to capture track logs in FF then upload them to CloudAhoy.com for post flight debriefs. Absolutely love CloudAhoy.
 
Bill Watson said:
Memory due to the Dual unit? Don't see how that would be an issue. Memory issues due to Foreflight? I have a 64Gig iPad 2. I load everything except Terminal Procedures west of the Misssissippi but despite constant daily use in addition to FF, I still have 21Gigs free so.... no.

I did trade up from the iPad 1 to the 2 for processor speed which became practically required for FF. I started to thing they were getting ready to outgrow the 2 but there really isn't an alternative from Apple yet. FF now takes almost 6 seconds to load which seems long but definitely just a 1st world problem. Otherwise FF runs well and the Dual GPS unit just motors on... does it have a battery?
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Sorry if the question seems obvious.. I'm not an apple person.. generally prefer PC based operating systems. But from what I've been reading about the Dual unit, it pairs better with iOS.. so I'll pony up and pick up an iPad mini... of course now that I've read your post, I now know that 64gigs is plenty and at bare minimum I should get a 2nd generation iPad.. and to run in airplane mode... Thanks!.. I'm just that much wiser!
 
Doug F said:
I use a sticky pad on the glareshield (I rent so can't use velcro). Bluetooth to my iPad and ForeFlight. I switch the iPad to 'airplane' mode so the iPad stays connected to the Dual and doesn't default back to the internal iPad GPS. I've had one or two cases where the 'auto start' feature didn't work. No clue why.
Side note: my setup allows me to capture track logs in FF then upload them to CloudAhoy.com for post flight debriefs. Absolutely love CloudAhoy.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip!.. Never heard of CloudAhoy.. will look into it.
 
cfd408 said:
That's good to hear.. What app did you use it with?.. preloaded maps?.. foreflight?.. fltplan? It looks simple enough
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I used foreflight...works like magic.
 
Doug F said:
Side note: my setup allows me to capture track logs in FF then upload them to CloudAhoy.com for post flight debriefs. Absolutely love CloudAhoy.
Click to expand...

I love CloudAhoy. I wish my CFI-I had used it as part of my training.
 
I get the impression that it's become a stable technology, so most of the available bluetooth GPS receivers should work, though I'm sure you get some duds.

Not being an Apple guy, I use a Globalsat BT-359 paired to an 8" Android tablet running Avare software. I already had the tablet and the software is free. Worked great for me ferrying an unfamiliar open cockpit biplane 1000 miles to home.
 
Doug F said:
I use a sticky pad on the glareshield (I rent so can't use velcro). Bluetooth to my iPad and ForeFlight. I switch the iPad to 'airplane' mode so the iPad stays connected to the Dual and doesn't default back to the internal iPad GPS. I've had one or two cases where the 'auto start' feature didn't work. No clue why.
Side note: my setup allows me to capture track logs in FF then upload them to CloudAhoy.com for post flight debriefs. Absolutely love CloudAhoy.
Click to expand...

I’ve never had any noticeable issue with the iPad defaulting back to the internal unit. My first iPad was configured without cellular and therefore without an internal GPS, so when I configured the 2nd one with cellular & GPS, I was looking for something like that to happen. It didn’t as far as I can tell.

BTW, I stopped selecting airplane mode on the ‘pad as well as the iPhone. At some point they seemed to have become sentient enough to turn down the power sucking functions and spare the battery. And as we all know, communicating pocket devices don’t interfere with avionics anyway.

I’ll have to checkout Clouds Ahoy. Thanks!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Be aware that iOS updates occasionally break blue tooth GPS receivers ability to send data to iOS programs. It's happened twice now. Don't be too fast about upgrading until others have found no problems.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Be aware that iOS updates occasionally break blue tooth GPS receivers ability to send data to iOS programs. It's happened twice now. Don't be too fast about upgrading until others have found no problems.
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Good point.. I see the issues my wife has with her iPhone and Apple updates.. another reason I'll never switch from my Samsung S series phones. I am however only planning on running a wifi enable iPad.. so those automatic updates across the 4G link when you least expect it shouldn't be an issue... at least not while I'm cruising at 4000ft AGL
 
Yep, I like the Dual, because I can toss it up on the glareshield, and it's paired via Bluetooth to Foreflight/iPad. Been using it for a long time now, no issues. It is on the glaresield, vice the seat next to me, or elsewhere in the cockpit - nothing to block GPS signals.
 
cfd408 said:
Good point.. I see the issues my wife has with her iPhone and Apple updates.. another reason I'll never switch from my Samsung S series phones. I am however only planning on running a wifi enable iPad.. so those automatic updates across the 4G link when you least expect it shouldn't be an issue... at least not while I'm cruising at 4000ft AGL
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I haven't been "burnt" by those updates as yet, I just wait until ForeFlight clears the new version. I use an non-cellular iPad with a Bad Elf myself.
 
I have the Bad Elf Pro Bluetooth to my iPad Air2 for ForeFlight. Works great.
My iPad is a non-gps model.
I have Bluetooth for the gps and WiFi for the STRATUX. I should upgrade my Stratux and add gps to it.
Stratux gets me FIS-B and traffic data.
 
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