Tablet mounting solutions?

macro · Post by **macro** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 2:46 pm

So, I'm in the market for a GPS for the van, I've never owned one because maps suit me just fine but sometimes I think it would be super handy.

Everything I come across though pretty much tells me that a tablet would be a better solution, unless I want a dual purpose waterproof deal for my bike as well, which I don't really care about.

SO! To all you adventurers, does anyone use a tablet for nav, and if so, where did you mount it? If you have a GPS that works great on backroads, I would also like to hear about it!!

Firesong · Post by **Firesong** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:44 pm

My wife and I run handheld. Geocaching and out in the bush units. Magellan 610 and garmin 450. Other than that just iPhone for road use. Not sure if like my tablet for that.

Post by **FalcoColumbarius** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:52 am

I use a laptop with a Garmin ordinance survey configuration that I have mounted on a positionable platform that's mounted from behind the driver's seat and can swing in a number positions:

I usually keep it between the seats where I can quick reference it from the rear view mirror. Thinking backwards is not difficult for me as I'm well acquainted with reading backwards from my sign writing days in the UK. If I need to make accurate projections I just stop and focus.

Falco.

yojimbo · Post by **yojimbo** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 4:25 pm

Sheepskin sheep covers man, feeling the sticky love.

I just use my phone for everything, music plays out of it via buetooth, the satnav plays over that via bluetooth, charge it as I'm driving, and job done. I started out thinking tablet and realised it was overkill. The tablet I got is now my ebook reader, for a satnav the smaller screen is fine, and having it paired all the time and mounted properly means I can take calls over BT easily too. Though thats in my commuter, deli is currently off the road requiring work :(

Post by **Big-Bird** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:46 pm

Here's a cool idea......its being fit in a Subaru but the concept applies.

alti2d · Post by **alti2d** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:17 pm

Check out ram mounts, they have all sorts of things, also do installations for laptops in police cars and the like. Ummm... May not be the cheapest solution, but it may inspire your creativity.

macro · Post by **macro** » Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:37 am

Falco, that thing is intense! I don't think that would work for us because if we're using the GPS it probably means we have a bed set up in the back and are going camping.

The Ram mounts are what got me thinking about this in the first place. They make console mounted solutions for almost all north american vehicles. The problem in the Deli is what to attach TO and where it would sit. I'm just trying to be difficult and see what the best option is!

Post by **FalcoColumbarius** » Sat Aug 30, 2014 5:22 pm

macro wrote:Falco, that thing is intense! I don't think that would work for us because if we're using the GPS it probably means we have a bed set up in the back and are going camping.

Oh, I've gone camping, as well. The platform doesn't use up that much space. Although I do have a nice tent with cots and a rug, tables, &c., if I'm going out by myself and not planning to stay for more than a night, I sleep in the wagon and the pentagraph doesn't get in the way. I designed it specifically for going out into the toolies, which is why I've loaded an ordinance survey map into the programme. The reason I went for the laptop over say the usual GPS units is because; A/ I want a bigger map; B/ I want detail.

One of the neat things about this set-up is that I can use it in concert with the altimeter to determine the weather.

What I mean is this:

The altimeter that comes with the Delica is a barometric altimeter, that is to say it works off the pressure of the environment the wagon is in. The Garmin programme that I'm using also has an elevation feature that is not barometric.

Let's say we drive into a valley and I wish to ford a three foot deep creek. Because I have a bigger map I notice that a little up stream there are a dozen other creeks feeding into the one I want to ford. Also looking at the bigger picture on my monitor I realise that there is no other way out and I'm going to have to come back the same way. So I check the elevation feature and it says I'm at 1,258 metres, I check how many satellites are tracking me and I see there are five strong signals, so I know that this reading is pretty accurate. Then I look at my barometric altimeter and it's reading that I'm at 1,823 metres. The lower the environmental pressure the higher the needle will read on the Delica altimeter. This tells me that because the barometric reading is greater than the satellite reading that I'm in a low pressure zone, which means weather/rain. If I ford this three foot deep creek and then it rains, when I come back it might not be three feet deep anymore, it might be nine feet deep.

This is one of the reasons I went with this set-up. I can also watch movies on it (it's hooked up with the sound system) and although I typically wouldn't watch movies in the toolies when I've escaped society ~ sometimes the passengers might need a little distraction. Also great for bush parties ~ not long ago I had Led Zeppelin live at the 02 Arena on at a barbeque, went down really well.

yojimbo wrote:Sheepskin sheep covers man, feeling the sticky love. ...

Got the idea off of DeliCat, It is more comfortable than the stock upholstery, keeps you cooler in the Summer and warmer in the Winter. I also restuffed the driver's seat with memory foam and a gel pad. If you look closely at the shoulder section of the driver's seat you'll notice that the sheep skin also covers my HAM radio speakers.

Falco.

P.S.: I've moved this thread into Delica Modifications.

almac · Post by **almac** » Tue Sep 02, 2014 1:23 am

I thought RAM mounts had a mount that bolted to the floor using a bolt from one of the seat mounts?
I thought this was a good idea since you wouldn't have to modify anything. just loosen the bolt, slip in the mount and tighten.
second picture here:
http://www.rammount.com/Gallery/ipadmou ... fault.aspx

macro · Post by **macro** » Tue Sep 02, 2014 5:22 am

Falco, I have got to see your van in real life one day, it seems you have it set up not too hot, not too cold, juuust right.

The floor mounted Ram is the easiest thing for us I think, anything else would put it either in front of the stereo (cupholders!) or in the passenger side. If I ever get around to building a centre console I think I'll incorporate a Ram mount somewhere.

Post by **FalcoColumbarius** » Wed Sep 03, 2014 10:05 am

macro wrote:Falco, I have got to see your van in real life one day, it seems you have it set up not too hot, not too cold, juuust right..

I lernt it from this curly haired blond chick I met out in the woods one day, she was hanging out with these bears. On hindsight the whole scene struck me as a little dubious, if you take my meaning.

Falco.

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