gps apps for phones

I'm thinking of getting backcountry GPS app for my android phone. I'm going to run the trial next time I'm out in the bush. Does anyone use it or any other GPS/mapping app on their phones over handheld GPS?

Id like to know this as well. I have yet to find a good GPS app for my I-phone, so I have continued to use my handheld. Would be nice to just use the phone, one less thing to bring with you...

i have the backcountry navigator on my phone through u.s. celluar. i like it it has arial and topos. you can record a track and mark your stand sites. give it a try.

Just got the GPS MotionX app for my I-phone. Looks cool so far, I will let you know once I try it out in the field.

thanks a lot guys, I am Not sure about iPhone APs, I use the Android platform. But soon I'm going to try the backcountry pro and I'll give a review I've read quite a few positive reviews and watch some videos on YouTube I'll let you know how it goes.

Has anyone tried the Cabela's Recon, Just read an article in Ohio game and fish, they gave it a high rating, , Just wondered

I've read good reviews. The mapping looks better on the backcountry pro to me though. It is half the price though. But we are talking less than $10 for basically a full function handheld GPS

I use GPS Kit app on my i-phone. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Same functions as a high end gps for $10. I also have recon hunt just like gps kit better. The major drawback to phones is battery power but a back-up battery case or external solves this issue. Check out mophie battery back-ups.

I heard that too about the battery. On backcountry I read that if you don't record your tracks it's not so bad. Also, use airplane mode.

I used the back country app a lot this year. I really like it.

Do you need to have coverage to use the GPS apps. Most of the public land I hunt has very poor or non existant cell/data coverage.

Buy a $100 stand alone GPS and save your battery. I have all the GPS apps and never use them. I take my little pocket Garmin for that. It is way easier to use than your phone.

I agree 100% about battery life. If you want to use your phone as a full time GPS unit a backup battery is a must. But I disagree 100% on the apps being difficult to use. I've found all the apps to be much more user friendly than hand held units. Also I've found my phone to out perform my buddies Garmin Oregon 450. My phone acquires & locks sats better, screen is bigger & has better resolution, & import/export features are wireless due to cell service.

Apps over gps.

hhmm-so what do you do when there are no towers around? Batteries won't cover that.

A gps doesn't need a tower just a relatively good overhead.....never had my gps go down because there wan't enough 'bars'....

Miller-TD#2 wrote:Apps over gps.

hhmm-so what do you do when there are no towers around? Batteries won't cover that.

A gps doesn't need a tower just a relatively good overhead.....never had my gps go down because there wan't enough 'bars'....

Don't need cell service to use my gps app. There is a GPS chip in the iPhone works just like your handheld or possibly better. Now you do need to have maps stored in cache memory to access them without service. But your handheld must have maps loaded to access them as well.

cbigbear, yes to some extent, but I do not need a 'chip' nor did I need to download or install any maps, since the cache is for geopoints and waypoints etc., etc., nor do I have to worry about having service or not. My gps already came w/map-ware. If I lose my gps then that is all thats lost.....

-each to his own

The chip is in the phone when you buy it nothing extra. You don't download maps they're part of the app. And again you don't need cell service for the app to work. You were putting out incorrect info & I'm just setting the record strait. I don't care what someone else uses. My point is anyone that already owns an iPhone can use it as a GPS that tops most hand held units.

cbigbear,

uumm, ok, u'r right. Thanks for letting us know that you do not care what we use. I won't force my gps on you as well as you not forcing your iphone on me. by the way do you pay for that gps service?

Thanks for sharing. Have a nice day.

[we have become so techno savvy that the simple things that we knew so well have been forgotten]

http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html

No problem bro. Another good tip for you is always have a compass as a backup. I've seen cases were handheld units have actually quit working. I realize all techno devices have their limits.

Good day to you too.

lets take a moment: did you purchase the app or was it part of the package?

Purchased I think for $13, but I just checked it's currently $9.99.

Cbigbear wrote:Purchased I think for $13, but I just checked it's currently $9.99.

Interesting, then you will also note that it says "download" which to any techno savy person, the maps are part of the purchased app and not "You don't download maps they're part of the app." [which in and of itself is a contradictory statement] as you lead us to believe that they are already on the iphone, which means when you buy the app you get the maps......which is a basic data set of utilities that interacts with the "MAPS" and "TURN BY TURN" Navigation that is on the iphone already.

Thanks again for clarifing for us...I think that I will stay with my gps, its never failed yet, and I do not need a subscription.

Thanks again.

Thanks again for being patient with me for I know so little. Again returning to your statement of "You don't download maps they're part of the app." [the following is from the user's guide for the app....]it is not me saying that you are wrong - it is the users guide. Sorry:


How to Cache Maps
Access the map caching feature entering your Map Settings, tapping the Map Type field the tapping the blue arrow to the right of the map type you want to cache. On this screen, be sure Offline Maps are on . Then tap View/Edit Offline Maps. You'll start in pan mode , which allows you to zoom and pan to the area you want to cache. Then tap the + button and drag your finger on the screen to select the tiles you want downloaded. NOTE: Your current zoom level determines which titles are cached. If you want more detailed maps, ensure that you’re zoomed in as far as possible before you start dragging over tiles. You can deselect areas you’ve added by tapping the - button and dragging over the tiles you don’t want cached.

Once you’ve selected the area you want with all the various zoom levels you need, tap the Go button in the upper right corner. You’ll see your tiles begin to download.

Wow bro you must own stock in Garmin!!! Again let me break this down for you if you own a iPhone you can purchase an app call GPS kit for a one time fee of $9.99. This app use the GPS receiver chip that is in your phone when you buy it to show your location. The app has 11 different map style that can be accessed as long as you have 3G or wifi service. A couple of the useful maps are google hybrid & bing image. Once these maps are accessed & stored in cache memory they will show up in the field even if the phone doesn't have service. This all works with no subscription necessary. After a day in the woods you can export all tracks & waypoints to Google Earth by emailing the kmz file.

I'm glad you like your hand held unit & it works for you. Really I see no reason for you to worry about or read about GPS apps, so I put this info out there for anyone that might be interest in using their phone. After all the title of the post was GPS app.

I agree, partially, you mislead. but thats okay because you are clarifying better. Altho when I come home I do not need to 'email' anything to get my waypoints or tracking from my gps to google or my software, i download directly.

Yes, I know it said 'apps' but clarity helps promote stability. Its not just as simple as buying an app and hitting the woods, as you make it out to be..........why thats like buying a recurve and a set of arrows that you know nothing about and going bow hunting.....

which brings up that i came across three hunters sunday who were "attempting" to use the same app and -well- were lost.


have a good evening.

Well since you prove that your hand held is superior to all apps, don't hold out what ya using?

I did not say that it was superior, i just perfer it over apps, and I use Megellan. Don't care for Garmin.

And it clips to my vest so when I take it out to mark if I drop it it goes nowhere but just dangles, also since a compass was brought up if one does not understand longitude and latitude then the screen that shows them is gibberish which also means that a UTM scale [1:24, 1:50, 1:100] is outta reach when grid lines are turned ON

Last summer me and my daughter were on vacation with a family we are friends with surfing and beaching when a chance to scout stingrays popped up - generally we all have boat bags and all of these have a GPS and a Compass (I always use them together) with maps (hard copy) but since we were not planning stingraying we did not have our equipment - anyway my friend ended up trying his phone first time and it was great - did everything we needed - picture screen very good - amazing that someone new who already owns a phone could save many hundreds by using their phone. Interesting stuff.
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Miller-TD#2 wrote:I did not say that it was superior, i just perfer it over apps, and I use Megellan. Don't care for Garmin.

And it clips to my vest so when I take it out to mark if I drop it it goes nowhere but just dangles, also since a compass was brought up if one does not understand longitude and latitude then the screen that shows them is gibberish which also means that a UTM scale [1:24, 1:50, 1:100] is outta reach when grid lines are turned ON

I took a quick look at the Megellan site didn't really see anything comparable. Since you have done some reading on the GPS kit app maybe you could recommend a comparable unit for everyone.

I would if there were something that would be universal, but we will each have our own preferrance. Mine happens to be Megellan whereas another may choose Garmin.

There are usually 90 day return policies in effect when one purchases one, so trial and error by the user's are understood.

You pushed the GPS kit for the iphone, where it is yours by choice, I prefer a gps - we both have our reasoning for our choices. You claim it is easy to use and I know others who claim the opposite and have went back to a GPS Unit.

In the end, it will still come down to what one wants and how one wants to use it. I know for a fact that it[GPS Kit] had problems in Daniel Boone National, but then others may disagree.....side by side next to my GPS.

But, when all else fails, the map and compass will rule, provided you know how to use them together......the map & compass, even with a gps or iphone, are only as good as the persons knowledge of Orienteering.

Thanks Cbigbear for clarifying how the phone apps work when you don't have service. What type of accuracy do you think you are getting with the Iphone GPs? Is it feet, yards, 10s of yards?

I agree totally to each is his own. I'm not pushing anything just offering up some advice, as I'm sure you are doing the same.

All electronic devices are prong to failure. My phone hasn't yet, but could at anytime thus the reason I carry a compass.

Last Arrow wrote:Thanks Cbigbear for clarifying how the phone apps work when you don't have service. What type of accuracy do you think you are getting with the Iphone GPs? Is it feet, yards, 10s of yards?

That I'm not sure of, but I'll turn off my service & do a test run next time I hit the woods.

Wow. Ok, I haven't had a chance to use the app yet. I have used Magellan and Garmin handheads as well as larger fixed units.
The android app backcountry pro is $9.99.
It works off the phones internal GPS.
It doesn't need cell, or WiFi to work.
You do have to preload your maps, but they are no extra charge.

I like the thought of using apps for this because my phone is lighter than a handheld GPS.
I'm going to be carrying the phone anyway, why carry two GPS units.
It's only 10 bucks, and my last Garmin quit.

I have a Garmin GPSmap 60. I hunt in the Catskills region of NY. The GPS unit is great on water for fishing but really sucks in the woods. Reception is often spotty and if I do not "Aquire my satelites" on the road before going in it almost never works. I would really love to find an app that could work off of cell phone towers. The GPS requires clear line of sight and when you need it most you cannot choose where you will be. Anybody have any info on cell phone tower navigation?

Cbigbear wrote:

Last Arrow wrote:Thanks Cbigbear for clarifying how the phone apps work when you don't have service. What type of accuracy do you think you are getting with the Iphone GPs? Is it feet, yards, 10s of yards?

That I'm not sure of, but I'll turn off my service & do a test run next time I hit the woods.

I am curious to hear how this went and how accurate the app is. Did it work without the iphone on, etc., etc.

I tried with my phone & turned off cell service. It got me to my waypt same as it does with cell service on. I also tried with an old iPhone 3G that no longer has an activitated SIM card. I didn't use wifi to load maps, then road a few miles down the hwy with tracking on. When I got home I loaded maps & my track was right on the rd.

Cbigbear wrote:I tried with my phone & turned off cell service. It got me to my waypt same as it does with cell service on. I also tried with an old iPhone 3G that no longer has an activitated SIM card. I didn't use wifi to load maps, then road a few miles down the hwy with tracking on. When I got home I loaded maps & my track was right on the rd.

umm, Sounds pretty much as accurate as my GPS without the cell phone APP.