[pct-l] smartphone as two-way, also?

Tue Oct 26 18:53:50 CDT 2010

Let's also no forget the video camera, journal, compass, maps, flashlight,
guidebook(? this just occured to me), and probably more things I'm not
thinking of.

I put the 2 apps through their paces a bit more. The topo app only shows me
topos. I much prefer the data in MotionX. I can't tell how much space each
topo is taking, but I'll find that out. I do know it took awhile to download
each one. I downloaded 4 or 5 to experiment with. It is much easier to put
halfmile's waypoints into though. Just browse to his site, and there they
are. I also just tried to see how much data Section A uses in MotionX. It
took quite awhile to download this tileset, but it's HUGE. The app
originally  estimated it would require 477MB, but it ended up only needing
430MB. It took FOREVER! OK, not literally, but it took more than 24 hours.
It kept losing network connection as my internet at home is spotty right
now, so everytime I moved the phone around between different parts of the
house, work, remote sites, etc, it would interrupt the download. The nice
thing is, it will resume where it left off. Of course I had to look at it to
tell it to try again. Oh well, at least it finished! I downloaded from Campo
to ~San Gorgonio Pass with a ~60 mile width. I think when I hike, I will
break it up into smaller sections, but I'll have to experiment more. I only
downloaded the paid version of the app Friday.

Halfmile, I think the problem you had with MotionX's limited # of waypoints
was because you were using the trial version? It only allowed me to save 1
track in the trial version. I was worried I would lose day 2 of a ride, but
I was able to leave the recorder paused, email myself the first saved track,
delete that one, and then send myself the 2nd one. Now that I have the paid
version, I don't think there are any limits to how many tracks or waypoints
I can use, other than memory limitations in the phone.

In regards to battery life, my iPhone used half a full charge running the
GPS all day on my ride 2 weekends ago. We rode from Flagstaff to the Canyon
via the AT trail and forest service roads. We were out of cell range most of
the time, based on checking the signal when I would pull it out to take a
picture or whatever. I actually had 2 apps tracking the ride, but I don't
think it affects battery to have multiple apps accessing the GPS. We had a
supported camp, so I was able to charge it up for the 2nd day of riding.
Again, I used up around half the fully charged battery. Much of the time
both days I was also listening to the iPod!

Perhaps I should pull this out to another thread, but I'm planning to use an
nPower PEG to keep it charged. Has anyone used one of these? I know
Burnie(Megan) used on this year, but she never mentions it in her journal
except at the beginning. From the website, it sounds like a few hours of
hiking will fully charge the phone, so I should have continual access to the
device. I wrote all this yesterday, but waited until I had a final size for
the above data. I noticed someone mentioned this device earlier today. Maybe
I should put this in that thread or start another.

On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 4:43 PM, James F. Miller
<jamesfmiller at hotmail.com>wrote:

>
> You can use the thing as a phone, GPS AND camera. One item replaces three!
>
> > From: ned at mountaineducation.org
> > To: halfmile at pctmap.net; pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com
> > Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:29:46 -0700
> > CC: pct-l at backcountry.net
> > Subject: Re: [pct-l] smartphone as two-way, also?
> >
> > My "smartphone" is not so smart. It turns itself on inside my pack and
> > drains the battery unless I pull the battery at the trailhead. It even
> > unlocks itself and makes calls to who knows where, all by itself! Pain in
> > the arse, really.
> >
> > So, now that phones are becoming so "smart," with GPS as you're saying,
> do
> > we, now, have a lighter pack because we no longer need to carry our
> phones
> > and GPS units (by investing in these "smartphones")? Such a deal! Or is
> it
> > still better to carry both?
> >
> > Can a smartphone also communicate two-way if there are no towers around?
> The
> > Garmin we used this Spring, the Rino 530HCx, had a wonderful two-way
> radio
> > that kept us all connected through the woods on the snow so we could help
> > each other find the way. Are the phones able to do this yet?
> >
> >
> >
> > Ned Tibbits, Director
> > Mountain Education
> > 1106A Ski Run Blvd
> > South Lake Tahoe, Ca. 96150
> > P: 888-996-8333
> > F: 530-541-1456
> > C: 530-721-1551
> > http://www.mountaineducation.org
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Halfmile" <list at lon.net>
> > To: "John Abela" <pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com>
> > Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> > Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 11:10 AM
> > Subject: Re: [pct-l] smartphone as GPS
> >
> >
> > John,
> > For the iphone I think the two best apps are Topomaps and Basic GPS.
> >
> > http://topomapsapp.com/
> > http://www.basicgps.net/Basic_GPS/Main.html
> >
> > Both work well in areas without cell service and are accurate to
> > better than 50 feet in my testing. You need to preload maps into
> > Topomaps (best to use wifi) and it can download waypoints directly
> > from my site at www.pctmap.net. Basic GPS only displays your location
> > in UTM coordinates, so you would use this app with maps that have UTM
> > grids printed on them. This is simple and works well and you can
> > easily plot your location on a map with 25 meter or better accuracy.
> > Basic GPS saves your phone battery too since you turn the phone on,
> > wait a minute or two for the GPS fix, plot location, then turn the
> > phone off. An iPhone will only run a few hours with the GPS on before
> > it drains the battery.
> >
> > Last time I tried to use Motion X, I didn't find it very useful
> > because it didn't work well preloading maps for areas without cell
> > service and had limited waypoint storage capability. Maybe that's
> > changed.
> >
> > -Halfmile
> > www.pctmap.net
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 10:37 AM, John Abela
> > <pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > @Jim K,
> > >
> > > Did you just use the pdf formats, or did you use the gpx waypoints and
> > > load
> > > them up into MotionX, or some other method?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> > > On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 10:27 AM, Jim Keener ( J J ) <
> > > pct2010 at ridgetrailhiker.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Greetings,
> > >>
> > >> If a device is marketed as having "GPS", it will have satellite
> location
> > >> capability. Smartphone GPS is typically not as accurate as dedicated
> GPS
> > >> devices.
> > >>
> > >> Many, many hikers have completed the PCT without any GPS capability. I
> > >> carried an iPhone 3Gs this year and, using Halfmile's waypoints,
> located
> > >> myself any time I wanted. There is some really good GPS software
> > >> available
> > >> for almost all smartphones.
> > >>
> > >> Walk well,
> > >> Jim Keener ( J J )
> > >>
> > >> On Oct 25, 2010, at 10:11 AM, "greg mushial" <gmushial at gmdr.com>
> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> >> Message: 2
> > >> >> Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 08:44:13 -0700
> > >> >> From: Austin Williams <austinwilliams123 at gmail.com>
> > >> >> Subject: Re: [pct-l] smartphone as GPS
> > >> >> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> > >> >> Message-ID:
> > >> >> <AANLkTinOvNfuQPZHGGwxJk2BCWN9RR=DTjKCx7wJ9yr6 at mail.gmail.com>
> > >> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Be careful. Most of the time the 'GPS' in smart phones is based on
> > >> >> cell-tower triangulation, NOT gps-satellite triangulation. That
> means
> > >> >> when
> > >> >> there are now cell towers around, the "GPS" on the phone won't
> work.
> > >> Make
> > >> >> sure you buy one that uses *real* gps, not the kind that uses cell
> > >> >> tower
> > >> >> triangulation.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Just a heads up.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> --
> > >> >> Austin Williams
> > >> >>
> > >> >
> > >> > Is there any (published) indication of accuracy difference? Seems
> that
> > >> since
> > >> > generally towers don't jump around, they should be as good as
> > >> satellites...
> > >> > no?
> > >> > TheDuck
> > >> >
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