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use my phone frequently, but it only works with a connection. Not worth much in Baja unless you have the maps downloaded, then all is good. Finding a street address never works. Hotels, cafe, & car dealers do work.

At this point in my offroad life I am using both Iphone or Ipad and Lowrance.

I am slowly transitioning to a tablet. with a new learning curve. Good enough for Baja and Excellent for the states. Yes I still have the Lowrance and still depend on it in Baja. Not so much in the states.
Choosing Android tablet for best choices in Baja. IOS misses out on the good MX specific software and maps.

PaulW wrote:I am slowly transitioning to a tablet. with a new learning curve. Good enough for Baja and Excellent for the states. Yes I still have the Lowrance and still depend on it in Baja. Not so much in the states.
Choosing Android tablet for best choices in Baja. IOS misses out on the good MX specific software and maps.

The good news is, there are lots of apps for tablet navigation. The bad news is, they all take work ahead of time.

My current go-to for navigation is the Magellan TRX7. Magellan is updating the software for this product first quarter 2018 (very soon). The update is going to include Mexico maps. How detailed, I don't know, but they're going after the recreational off-road market in a way that no other company has... worth a look if you're in the market. Their track publishing/sharing is really, really cool.

Magellan is still king in off-road racing, but they will get a damn good run for their money if they don't step up their game.

Let me give you some thoughts on my latest activities.
Any of the systems we mention require a huge learning curve effort. I am using my stuff on a weekly basis making tracks and loading and following tracks that others have given me. HDS Lowrance is doable and way to complicated for basic activity. The tablets are all touch screen and use while driving is very hit and miss. Yes learning curve is still an issue.
I have found the secret of any of the systems is a great map. That means ability to use Garmin maps. Garmin is so good that nobody compares. "For stateside". For Baja the map situation is quite varied. Garmin is still a leader, but Murdock is the winner provided you can find a GPS that is compatible. Now days it seems that making our own maps for Baja has to be the final answer. So far success with older Lowrance, or any non Nuvi Garmin, and just about any Android device. No hope for other brands because nobody has one to play with. All the development effort starts with Garmin Maps and expands from there.
* So what is the most common device? Lowrance is the racer standard. The race map can be put on any of them even without a map. I cannot live without a map because I am make my own tracks.
* Choose Gramin and if you want a current model the Oregon or Montana is best. Pricey and small screen. However just about any marine Garmin new (expensive) or old (used) will be a great device. Any Andriod tablet will work. I do not use IOS tablets, but I have my Iphone up to speed for viewing maps, but no new tracks and no importing other than the standard canned maps from the store. To much effort to get up to speed on another system. And I refuse to buy a service to meet my needs.
* I am a big fan on my "Inreach Explorer" with "Earthmate" map. For the states my map is full of all the required Garmin maps and the result is excellent. For Baja not as good. Easy to make tracks and easy to convert them to GPX/Lowrnace format, and best of all text/email two way conversations.
Food for thought

Paul.

So I should keep my lowrance baja 840 so I can still use the Murdock maps? and will the garmin stuff work on the Lowrance 840?

I will still be using both. I figured keep older unit lowrance and run tablet that way One has to work for what I need.....hah thoughts?

Keep your 840 and learn about tablets.
Lowrance/Murdock is great for Baja not so good north of the border.
Garmin maps will not work on Lowrance.
I will keep my Lowrance/Murdock , but an transitioning to tablet. Looks OK so far.
I have custom maps for my Android that are not shareable. My pickup has nav but no GPS so the tablet is my solution. tI has the latest Gen 3 nav so all the main roads are good in 3 countries, nothing in the back country. Maybe I will get up to speed on the tablet in time.
For the states "maps.me" (Garmin maps) on any device is pretty darn good, as are certain Garmin GPS units - like Oregon or Montana, but any marine unit will be good. Late model ones are out of reach price wise, but older seem reasonable. Find a Garmin marine expert to make a wise choice. Do not even consider a Garmin Nuvi.
For your device try the stuff in the store and report back.

This may sound incredibly stupid but if you have a brand new model Lowrance straight from PCI - newest touch screen. You have it all installed and want to go to Mikes Sky Ranch- but you’ve never been there and are going there with people who’ve never been there either. With that device how would you get there?

Buy the Baja map from PCI that is compatible with the version of your new Lowrance.
HDS gen 2 use a different map than gen3. Gen 2 and older are legacy units using the old format. Gen3 are the latest and use the new format.

You gotta talk Lowrance Nav Dumbass—- like how are you directed to say Mikes once you cross the border? Do you follow like a trail there from your current position? I realize it’s not turn by turn .

Using a Lowrance you need a track to follow. We have a large community that share tracks, but none of us have the new Lowrance units like what PCI is selling.
Without a track - no good. Get the Baja GPS map from PCI for your unit and it will have roads with labels, but you probably will need more info if you are not familiar with the big city on the west coast. In my experience it is pretty hard to use a GPS map to find your way. However I do it all the time, but I have a backup paper map to help.
The racers are happy with the latest Lowrance units because the race promoter gives them a track to follow. For the non racer it is a big issue.
I create tracks using Google earth, but have no clue how to make the track compatible with the new Lowrance units.

Otherwise use your paper maps and follow the roads.
Use Google earth and make paper maps as required and refer to them as you drive.

VintageIronFab wrote:This may sound incredibly stupid but if you have a brand new model Lowrance straight from PCI - newest touch screen. You have it all installed and want to go to Mikes Sky Ranch- but you’ve never been there and are going there with people who’ve never been there either. With that device how would you get there?

It doesn’t sound stupid at all. Lowrance is not know for being easy to use... just not intuitive at all.

I can’t answer your question, but I found a track on the TRX7 site that includes Mike’s. You could use the app on your phone to navigate it and use the Lowrance to track your movements.