Cellular telephones are designed for use on land and that means frequently services are unavailable to those cruising off shore. There simply are not enough cellular signal masts out at sea.
This is a pity for those who would like to use a positioning device to drive chart plotting devices on their iPads or iPhones
At METS, Bad Elf introduced to the marine industry, Apple-approved accessories that enable the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad to receive real time GPS data on board via satellite – anywhere in the world.
They not rely on cell tower assistance to achieve a lock or to determine position.
The Bad Elf units include a high performance satellite receiver and antenna that receive data directly from the GPS satellites.
Locking on to up to 15 satellites, the unit supplies GPS data up to 10 times a second that can be accurate to within 2.5 metres. This also means users will improve their GPS lock on the water beyond cell phone coverage areas.
The device plugs into iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad 30-pin connector to enable satellite GPS, while a small and compact handheld version operates independently to wirelessly connect (via Bluetooth® wireless technology) up to five users who can share real time GPS data for display on digital charts and a wide range of other compatible marine apps.