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Garmin Smartphone Link App

AKsuited

AKsuited

New member
I finally got a smartphone the other day.

I found a Garmin page that suggests the Garmin Smartphone Link app would work with the Nav VI.

Anyone know if it will work with Nav V?

I am interested in being able to display weather radar on the Nav V.

Any information or advice appreciated.

Harry
 
AKsuited said:
I finally got a smartphone the other day.

I found a Garmin page that suggests the Garmin Smartphone Link app would work with the Nav VI.

Anyone know if it will work with Nav V?

I am interested in being able to display weather radar on the Nav V.

Any information or advice appreciated.

Harry
Click to expand...
Yes, it works fine with the Nav V.
 
I use it with my Nav V and really like being able to see the weather radar on the GPS.
One big complaint people have with the app is the weather warnings, especially if you are connected to the GPS with sound.
With all the flooding in the mid-west I get a flood warning every 15 minutes or so. This has been going on since April.
If I don't need the sound I mute my GPS so I don't have to keep hearing the weather warning.
 
For our trip to the national from Ontario and back we used a grand total of 29 MB of data on the app. It's small packets of data that provide the weather updates. I've looked at the radar and changed routing in the past to avoid the worst of storms. The weather warnings do get tedious, for me it's strong wind warnings that I normally get. My only wish for the app would be to opt out of certain types of warnings, marine for example.
 
Like Lee and Dave, I don't see much data usage with it. Presume that it is very efficient and using small packets. I too did the Nationa Rally but also wrapped around that a much larger trip, doing most of the Appalations, etc. It was 5,000+ miles (8,500 km) over roughly 3 weeks and very low data usage.

Unlike some, my biggest usage and favourite feature of the Garmin Smartphone Link App isn't the weather portion, but rather the live traffic re-routing.

This came into play around Nashville and other areas but was especially helpful when going up the Eastern Seaboard and around NYC/CT on a weekday. I really try to do that stretch on a Sunday when possible, but scheduling doesn't always allow for that. Google Maps and my GPS had the main section of that day's route listed as 6.5 hours. It took almost 9 hours, but would have been much longer due to traffic, construction, accidents, etc., had it not been for the Smartphone Link App Traffic re-routing. On at least 3 occasions it re-routed me with a "stated" time savings of 30+ minutes. Some areas it identified 20+ minute delays with no viable alternative. This feature is my #1 reason for using/liking the app.
 
I live near lake and get small craft advisories all the time. When I don’t need the weather updates, I go into Bluetooth settings on the nav V and disable smartlink.
 
On my recent trip I got lots of traffic and roadworks advisories, none of which were much help. I also got one advisory of an accident: there was absolutely no sign of it. I ended up turning it off, it was just a distraction.
 
First ride with Smartlink I was warned of stopped traffic 50 miles down my route, but I figured the situation might change before I traveled that far so I kept going. Five minutes later, I was told the route was clear. Ten minutes later, another stopped traffic warning, another five minutes, traffic clear, etc. Just kept repeating....

Turned out the highway passed through a factory site and they were shuttling train cars from one side to the other. No worse than a traffic light.

The warnings of upcoming speed limit changes are more useful.
 
lupinblue said:
On my recent trip I got lots of traffic and roadworks advisories, none of which were much help. I also got one advisory of an accident: there was absolutely no sign of it. I ended up turning it off, it was just a distraction.
Click to expand...

Mine cries wolf quite often so I ignore it.
Retuning from the National I had several warnings of long delays and there was nothing.
 
I also hate the constant high wind advisories and was going to turn off the weather alerts, but last year we were in Canada and leaving a friends house after a over night stay. The unit warned me of a Tornado warning in our area. We knew nothing's of this and stopped to do some more research via the phones. Turns out the warning was in the opposite direction we were headed. My friend did state that the weather turned really foul about 15 minutes after we left his house. I decided that I would live with the high wind alerts as this would have saved our bacon if we had been going the other direction.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
mlheck said:
I also hate the constant high wind advisories and was going to turn off the weather alerts,
Click to expand...

I don't think you have the option to turn them off.
If it was possible I would use live radar and shut off weather alerts and weather forecast.
 
Lee said:
I don't think you have the option to turn them off.
If it was possible I would use live radar and shut off weather alerts and weather forecast.
Click to expand...
You are correct, it is all or nothing with the weather. I had planned to unsubscribe from the weather service. Changed my mind though.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
I'm beginning to rely on my smartphone more and more while on the road. I have mounted it on a RAM mount and use Google maps to tell me about traffic and road closings. Something the Garmin can't do. I have a radar app which shows me approaching storms. My Galaxy S9 is waterproof and I have touch sensitive gloves so I can access it as easily as the Nav V. I had Smartlink but have now removed it.
I use the Garmin for routing longer trips using basecamp but run Google Maps simultaneously so I can be warned of traffic or detours.
 
lkraus said:
...The warnings of upcoming speed limit changes are more useful.
Click to expand...

Lee said:
Didn't know this was a option.
I checked the app on the phone and don't see a option for this.
Click to expand...


My mistake, partly because I assumed that both the Nav and my Zumo 595 shared the feature and partly because the warning is not a feature of Smartlink, but is from a setting on the Zumo. The 595 and the Nav V and VI use very similar software, but they do have some small differences. This may be one of them.

On the 595, Settings>Map &Vehicle>Audible Rider Alerts allows the individual selection of alerts for Speed Limit Reduction, Speed Limit Exceeded, Animal Crossing, Railroad Crossing, Schools, Curves, and Slower Traffic.
 
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