[pct-l] GPS?

[Ed Jarrett]

I have a Droid Bionic and used it last year in Oregon, combined with Backcountry Navigator w/halfmile way points installed.  You do not need a data connection for the GPS to work.  You do need a data connection to download maps, but you can do that ahead of time for later us.  It worked well for the limited need I had for it as a GPS.  Having the GPS turned on and active is a real battery drain on the phone.

Ed Jarretthttp://aclayjar.blogspot.com/

> Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:04:25 +0000
> From: fredwalters2 at gmail.com
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] GPS?
> 
> I have the impression that many carry smartphones (iPhones/Androids)
> virtually all of which include GPS (aGPS).  I would do the same as much for
> the town connectivity/phone/music as for the GPS.
> 
> However, do the GPSs in these devices need a data connection (Wi-Fi or
> cellular) ?  As I understand it aGPSs can operate in different ways, some
> just using the data connection to download new aGPS data for a faster fix
> (every few days), but the GPS will still work without such data but taking
> longer to get a fix (MSB mode).  Others need the data connection to pass
> GPS signals to a aGPS server which processes them and returns the fix (MSA
> mode).  So does anybody know if the phone the aGPSs will operate as
> straight GPSs (i.e. without the "a").
> 
> Background: seems that for an occasional backup assistance, the GPS in a
> smartphone does not mean extra weight,  and might still help, all be it
> with limitations (e.g. limited battery life).
> 
> Fred