Best navigation to use driving from lower 48 to Fairbanks, AK (Hope: land, deal)

[akpls]

Originally Posted by Basse Bud

You may find a CB radio to be of greater value than a GPS, in that the truckers are a far more reliable source of
road conditions than spotty/occasional/non-existant signals...and there are a lot more truckers than usable cell areas!

That would be fine, except GPS doesn't use cell signals.

[riceme]

Originally Posted by akpls

That would be fine, except GPS doesn't use cell signals.

I think he was referring to the "GPS" that most of us use... the crappy one in our phones. That was how I read it anyways. You have to have a cell signal for that POS to work, right?? Heck, I don't know. It's never right anyways, so it doesn't much matter.

[AKStafford]

The GPS function in a cell phone (at least an iPhone) will still work. But the map overlay relies on data connection. So you can see which was is north but it won't show the map.
I use my iPhone (and a GPS) for geocaching. When you get in an area without cell connection, the GPS part still points you in the direction of the cache, but there's no map.

[akpls]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

The GPS function in a cell phone (at least an iPhone) will still work. But the map overlay relies on data connection. So you can see which was is north but it won't show the map.
I use my iPhone (and a GPS) for geocaching. When you get in an area without cell connection, the GPS part still points you in the direction of the cache, but there's no map.

The maps will work without a cell signal if you use an app that allows you to store off-line maps in the phone such as Google Maps, Maps.Me, PDF Maps, etc. The maps must be loaded ahead of time when you do have a data connection.

A dedicated GPS receiver such as the Garmin Nuvi requires no cell signal since the map is already loaded into it.. There really is only one road for a lot of the trip, so not much to see map-wise, but having a dedicated receiver allows you to see the distance and estimated time of arrival to any waypoints that you set. I'm kind of a gadget freak and for me it's just something to break up the monotony of the drive. And of course the GPS still won't tell you road conditions either.

[YemeniAlaskan]

After doing a lot of research and hearing from other travelers, the best thing to do is not use the phone navigation nor my car's nav because signals will be dropped and i will be charged roaming. So best option is to buy a navigation to put it on my windshield and drive with it.

So here is my question summing up this topic:

Which Navigation model # that can take me from lower 48 states, crossing Canada 2k miles, to Fairbanks Alaska?

[Litefoot]

I use the road map. The Road Atlas from Wal-mart.
I have a GPS and most of the time it takes me to the wrong place, dead end streets, bad roads...... you name GPS can ********* up real well. Back up is a small CB radio and the free road warrior info link on channel 19, channels can vary by state. Channel 19 is the trucker's channel in most areas of the country. However, on the West Coast, channel 17 is occasionally used in some areas. In California, for instance, channel 19 is used on the north-south roads, and channel 17 is used on the east-west roads. Channel 21 around LA. This is frequently confused, though, so check all three channels.

[YemeniAlaskan]

Originally Posted by Litefoot

I use the road map. The Road Atlas from Wal-mart.
I have a GPS and most of the time it takes me to the wrong place, dead end streets, bad roads...... you name GPS can ********* up real well. Back up is a small CB radio and the free road warrior info link on channel 19, channels can vary by state. Channel 19 is the trucker's channel in most areas of the country. However, on the West Coast, channel 17 is occasionally used in some areas. In California, for instance, channel 19 is used on the north-south roads, and channel 17 is used on the east-west roads. Channel 21 around LA. This is frequently confused, though, so check all three channels.

I feel more comfortable looking at a map virtually that updates with me when I am driving. I am sure there must be some really good quality navigation out there. I hope someone can suggest one model so I can take with me.

[Litefoot]

Originally Posted by YemeniAlaskan

I feel more comfortable looking at a map virtually that updates with me when I am driving. I am sure there must be some really good quality navigation out there. I hope someone can suggest one model so I can take with me.

The virtual map that updates while you are on the road will be useless with no signal from the satellites.
A black screen is no fun to look at when you need it and don't have it. Always at least carry a map as a backup.... just in case. Lots of people use their GPS to travel. What I don't like is ended up some where and not knowing how I got there in the first place. When I use the map I know how I got there and how to return from which I came.

[YemeniAlaskan]

Originally Posted by Litefoot

The virtual map that updates while you are on the road will be useless with no signal from the satellites.
A black screen is no fun to look at when you need it and don't have it. Always at least carry a map as a backup.... just in case. Lots of people use their GPS to travel. What I don't like is ended up some where and not knowing how I got there in the first place. When I use the map I know how I got there and how to return from which I came.

I won't have satellite in the Alaskan highway?
That is my only concern. So do you suggest i get a paper map like milepost, and a navigation system?

[AKStafford]

Originally Posted by YemeniAlaskan

I won't have satellite in the Alaskan highway?
That is my only concern. So do you suggest i get a paper map like milepost, and a navigation system?

You will have satellite reception the whole route. Even with a GPS, I would still have a copy of the Milepost.
Any decent GPS will work. I like Garmins, so I would be looking at a Garmin Nuvi.