gps/navionics phone for cold conditions

[troutcrazy]

I've really come to depend on Navionics.

I've had iPhones all along and I've been amazed at how poorly they perform in the cold.  The battery drops to 1% in a flash, and will shut down if I keep using it.

The gps is stunningly unreliable.

I think I'm going to jump ship and try a different phone.  Are you using something that works well for ice fishing?  I specifically want something to run Navionics accurately in the cold.

[gogetthegaff]

I've really come to depend on Navionics.

I've had iPhones all along and I've been amazed at how poorly they perform in the cold.  The battery drops to 1% in a flash, and will shut down if I keep using it.

The gps is stunningly unreliable.

I think I'm going to jump ship and try a different phone.  Are you using something that works well for ice fishing?  I specifically want something to run Navionics accurately in the cold.

I have an Android. Same problem with the battery. The GPS seems to get you in the ballpark, but honestly I don't know how reliable the depth charts are.  I'm going to try keeping the phone in a heavy sock or something with some hand warmers, and see if that helps.

[mudchuck]

I've owned both Android and iPhone, both have extreme cold issues, same with hot exposed to direct sunlight.
I keep my phone next to my body in an internal pocket, it helps but will lose battery if I keep the Navionics app open and running while out exposed int he cold, so I just use it for a moment while searching the location I'm looking for, then turn the app off & put it back in my pocket...it's a hassle but it's better than having the phone turn off because the battery ran down from extreme exposure.
I've also invested in a small charger I also carry with me and once set up in the location I want to fish, and under the flipover or in my pop up I can run the phone without draining the battery down rapidly as it is out of the extreme exposure situation and if it's really cold I'm running a buddy heater anyhow.

[koissu]

Depending on the model, you can still get the battery replaced for $30 and that may help for a little while. Edit: I was wrong, that ended 12/31/18  - wish I had done it. I have a 6S and if it's below 20 it can be at 90% and just shut off. I've been keeping it in an internal pocket like mudchuck suggests, with a handwarmer, and plugged into a portable charger pack. It's worked that last few times I was out in below 10 weather. Bit of a hassle for sure but I also need my Navionics

[koissu]

Depending on the model, you can still get the battery replaced for $30 and that may help for a little while. Edit: I was wrong, that ended 12/31/18  - wish I had done it. I have a 6S and if it's below 20 it can be at 90% and just shut off. I've been keeping it in an internal pocket like mudchuck suggests, with a handwarmer, and plugged into a portable charger pack. It's worked that last few times I was out and it was close to 0. Bit of a hassle for sure but I also need my Navionics

[shiveringjoe]

Modern smartphone GPS accuracy is actually pretty good. I would think that inconsistencies between navionics depth/structure and your GPS location are more from the depth charts than your phone location. I do a lot of field data collection for work using a range of GPS receivers. Straight phone gps accuracy is usually around 15-25'. You can get bluetooth GPS antennas for around $100 that will improve your accuracy and will also reduce battery consumption. There are plenty of external power supplies that are small and can fully charge a phone while in your pocket.

[pmaloney86]

You could get some electronics with a chart plotter and add the navionics card so you can use it fishing and leave your phone in an inside pocket so it stays warm.  Might allow you to buy a new toy and keep the phone you've got.

[gogetthegaff]

You could get some electronics with a chart plotter and add the navionics card so you can use it fishing and leave your phone in an inside pocket so it stays warm.  Might allow you to buy a new toy and keep the phone you've got.

Excellent suggestion! Garmin has a hand held marine GPS plotter them for about $250.

[mudchuck]

Excellent suggestion! Garmin has a hand held marine GPS plotter them for about $250.

Or buy the Striker4 Portable that has GPS included...less that $180 on Amazon right now.

[Champlain Islander]

Ironic that this subject has come up. I too have Navionics and have it loaded on my android Samsung galaxy 9. I use the app to navigate to a waypoint and then shut it down and keep it on an inside pocket. I installed a cell phone holder on my wheeler so if I am driving I can put the phone into that holder and not have to hold the phone and risk dropping it or freezing my hands. OK the most important part of my post is this:  My friends at Rays Seafood turned me on to a much better product to view Lake Champlain on a cell phone. It is made by Humminbird and is called smartfish. It cost 29.99 and unlike Navionics is just Lake Champlain. The detail is really good and accuracy is something else. Every time I checked it was spot on. If there is a small hump I can zoom into it and drive my wheeler right to it. Worth the money IMO. Thanks Rays Boys...great advice as usual.

[gogetthegaff]

Ironic that this subject has come up. I too have Navionics and have it loaded on my android Samsung galaxy 9. I use the app to navigate to a waypoint and then shut it down and keep it on an inside pocket. I installed a cell phone holder on my wheeler so if I am driving I can put the phone into that holder and not have to hold the phone and risk dropping it or freezing my hands. OK the most important part of my post is this:  My friends at Rays Seafood turned me on to a much better product to view Lake Champlain on a cell phone. It is made by Humminbird and is called smartfish. It cost 29.99 and unlike Navionics is just Lake Champlain. The detail is really good and accuracy is something else. Every time I checked it was spot on. If there is a small hump I can zoom into it and drive my wheeler right to it. Worth the money IMO. Thanks Rays Boys...great advice as usual.

Thanks CI for the tip. Sounds like a good way to go.

[KillerFish]

I have a sonarphone unt for sonar to my phone and am very happy with it...

A portable battery, sonarphone, and navionics app would solve most of your problems - just warm up the phone in your pocket occasionally to keep it from dying

[EyERipLip]

I have had the same problem. Just keep in the closest pocket to your body and bring a charger. Most small speakers have chargers built in. Once its turns back on ur still at 80%

[gogetthegaff]

I tried sticking a toe warmer on the back of my Android Saturday. Kept it warm all day, and no issues with battery discharge. But as for the Navionics, it was not giving me accurate information on Carry Bay. Depths were off by 6-8 FOW in some cases. I could not locate a 9' hump that showed on the chart as being in 13-14 FOW. Ended up being a 15' deep flat as near as I could tell. Drilled several holes in the vicinity and there was no change in depth. Strange, because I have located shelves and humps with it before on Champlain and other lakes. Not sure what was up. Seems like its not always reliable.

[Champlain Islander]

That's what drove me to try the humminbird fishsmart. It works different from navionics but IMO has much better mapping and accuracy.

[troutcrazy]

That's a great tip, Champlain Islander!  Those guys at Ray's know a thing or two.  I'll probably try it.

I think my battery problem is made worse because my phone is kind of old-- in a "forced obsolescence" kind of way.  Because it doesn't have to be very cold.  But I'm not giving Apple another dime.  So I'm a little unsure of what to do.

A charger!  That's a good idea.

Hmmm.... I'm tempted to seek out a dedicated handheld unit, but who knows how that will hold up in the cold.

I do have a fishfinder/chartplotter that I use on my kayak.  I'll give that a shot, but I'm not crazy about the added weight of the battery on long hauls.  I walk.  Sometimes I walk for miles.

This whole practice of babying the phone is not for me.  I'm going to find a better idea, somehow.  I'm also realizing that my phone is not going to be useful in case of an emergency on the ice.  Stupid thing, anyway. 

[keithm87]

I used to sell phones (ATT) and as much as I despise all that apple stands for, and hate the sheeple fanboys, the iPhone is a whole different level than almost every android out there. The galaxy s series has made strides, but reality is that iphone's and iOS specifically are the most stable phone platform. Also worth noting that batteries, screens, etc are all made by the same companies, apple sources from the same places that samsung, htc, etc do, they are all using the same battery technology. Newer Li battery tech is starting to address the cold weather thing. but iOS is way more stable than android (less crashes, few to no viruses), and iOS is much friendlier to batteries. I have tried well over 50 different android devices, and started as an android user, switched over to apple though and wouldn't go back.

[Champlain Islander]

I have the Samsung Galaxy S9 since last summer and don't have any problems with the battery so far. I keep it in a upper shirt pocket which is inside my Striker Climate coat so it stays warm. I do put it in a holder on my wheeler if I am navigating to a spot so I don't have to hang onto it as I drive but put it back in my warm inside pocket when I get there. I think the battery life starts to drop just before the 2 years is up on the purchase plan. Probably designed that way so people are pushed into getting something new.