Poll

Has the GPS receiver seen its day?

Yes
2 (20%)
No
8 (80%)

Total Members Voted: 10

Author Topic: The demise of the GPS receiver  (Read 1387 times)

Offline Gackt

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2013, 10:29:19 pm »
Being based on Android I guess then that you can stretch the screen to make what you are viewing larger? That would be handy for me. When we did that night cache a little while ago I held Yorkshire Yellow's GPSr for a while, but without my glasses on I did find the display a bit small to see. With my phone I can stretch the screen so that I can view it a bit bit easier.

The dedicated GPS does still tend to have that bit more ruggedness about it though. I was out the other night for a few hours in constant rain, only walking, not caching, but was checking out places for possible caches. It's the first time since I mostly moved to my phone over my dedicated GPS that I felt a bit nervous keeping it out in the open. Only got it out of my pocket when I needed to check coords of where I was.

Offline walktall

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2013, 10:29:32 pm »
£600

I would want it to sign the log for me as well at that price

:D
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Offline Mashcast

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #17 on: October 24, 2013, 10:01:59 am »
I'm caching on my phone (Samsung Galaxy SII) - using the c:geo app and I think it's pretty good so far.

Phone caching has it's advantages especially for urban caches where you can paperless cache and also log your visit from GZ. No need for any planning if you have a decent network connection.
Also c:geo has allowed me to save any number of cache details offline as a basice member (i thought this was a premium perk but the app does it anyway) - going offline just using the GPS part of the phone saves a lot of battery.

For longer walks and rural areas then I suspect a GPSr would be more ideal. My 6 year old likes navigating to the cache and I do worry that my phone will break if she drops it. They're of more use for premium members too who can download PQ's. I'll be looking to get a cheapish GPSr from ebay soon to try it out. It's also more convenient to replace batteries.

So I would say both have advantages and disadvantes still, so GPSr is not dead yet  :)

Offline Gackt

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #18 on: October 24, 2013, 01:27:26 pm »
They're of more use for premium members too who can download PQ's.
Do you know that you can download PQs to the phone you are using c:geo with, as long as you receive email on your phone too, just like you can with a dedicated GPSr? In fact maybe easier than some as you don't need to connect it to any computer via a cable.

- Create a PQ, it will be sent to you by email.
- Open your email and download the attachment.
- Open c:geo and press 'Stored'.
- Press 'Menu', then 'Manage', then 'Import GPX. c:geo will search your phone for any GPX files and list them for you.
- Select the one you want to import, which will just be the one if you haven't tried before. The phone will then process the file, this could take some minutes depending on how large the PQ was.

You've then got details of a host of offline caches in your pocket. And one good thing with a phone like that one is that you can store many more caches than many dedicated GPSrs can. If you've you've had the PQ in your phone for a long time and you want to check if any certain caches are still available and don't have any issues, then just select the cache and press 'Refresh' to updated the individual cache details.

If you knew all that then sorry, but it might be useful for someone else who is reading here :)

Offline walktall

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #19 on: October 24, 2013, 02:53:16 pm »
I've used c:geo as well on my Windows smart phone but much prefer using a device that has OS maps on it and c:geo doesn't interface with Memory Map on the mobile. Or does some one know how?

I would used my smart phone more but the resolution of the screen to select an object on the map is very poor, my old iPaq was far better and usable. I normally give up on my smart phone after I've managed to select everything on the map except what I want to :o
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Offline Gackt

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #20 on: October 24, 2013, 08:52:37 pm »
I have not used Memory Map, so do not know if it can be used with c:geo. Addional offline maps can be installed though, for example these ones. I have the England and Wales map installed, and have just installed Belgium too. Using a combination of offline maps, like those, and a loaded PQ means you're setup for caching on a phone just like a dedicated GPSr and don't have to download a byte of data in the field.

The maps linked to above though are nowhere near as detailed as OS maps. But if anyone has any digital OS maps that are in the .map format, then they should be able to be used with c:geo.

Offline Mashcast

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #21 on: October 25, 2013, 09:58:44 am »
Quote from: SangueG
Do you know that you can download PQs to the phone you are using c:geo with, as long as you receive email on your phone too, just like you can with a dedicated GPSr?

No, I didn't!  :)

I've only just purchased a premium membership so so far I've been doing all my 'caching without using PQ's. c:geo has been allowing me to store cache details offline without limits (I have about 400 caches stored on my phone for Swindon area) so I've been able to navigate and see cache descriptions offline without any issue up until now. The only thing I don't currently get offline is a map layer - I assume this is what memory map is for so i'll check that app out :)

I'll have a play with the PQ feature to my phone though, but I'm not sure what benifits I'll get from them yet, until I actually get a GPSr which can handle PQ's. I'll probably be asking GPSr relate questions if I bump into any of you at the Cotswold Water Park meet up.


Offline Gackt

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #22 on: October 25, 2013, 08:53:06 pm »
You can have an offline map layer by just downloading and saving one of the free maps from the link in my last post to your phone. They're not great for rural caching, but they are better than no map, and no data charge because they are off line obviously.

You don't need memory map. Though if we can make it work with c:geo and you don't mind spending some money, I think the maps would be a lot better.

See attached screen shot of the free england map working with c:geo.


Edited to add, I could create a few users guides for here on this subject, but if wanted it wouldn't be for a week or so. If you get to the event at the water park I can show you how I have set my phone up with these maps.
« Last Edit: October 25, 2013, 08:55:32 pm by SangueG »

Offline SidAndBob

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #23 on: October 27, 2013, 10:10:05 pm »
Just joined up to make a couple of points on this thread. ;)

Although I'm a big fan of the dedicated GPSr I have also used smartphones to assist the process for a number of years now. OS maps on a large, high resolution screen are something else. 8)

For those that don't want a mobile phone contract, are you aware of OVIVO? They operate on the Vodafone network. You buy the SIM (£20) and that's it, you never pay anything again. Every month you get 150mins of calls, 250 texts and 500MB of data for free, which is plenty for a light user just wanting to look up geocache listings. Every month these allowances are renewed. I know it sounds too good to be true, but there you go. ;D

I'm sure that many people are aware that MM Tracker was available for Android. This was an unofficial app that filled the Memory Map gap on the Android platform. If you have access to Memory Map QCT maps this works beautifully with them. It was shut down by Memory Map, but you can still find the application via unofficial channels.
Plan your trips on mapRoute. Free 1:25K OS maps and an official Geocaching Live partner application.

Offline walktall

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #24 on: October 28, 2013, 01:04:36 am »
Great info  ;D
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Offline Griff Grof

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #25 on: October 28, 2013, 09:12:58 am »
Great info  ;D

Certainly  ;D

I agree that OS maps on a high-res screen like a smartphone is something completely different... One thing that's always had me confused with memory map, though, is whether or not it is a one-off payment, monthly payment, how many maps you get to start with, and what devices it's compatible with  :-\
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Offline SidAndBob

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #26 on: October 28, 2013, 12:30:29 pm »
Glad to be of help. I can't see Ovivo lasting forever, but they've been going a few years now. The SIM only recently went up from £15 too.

I believe the Memory Map application is free, but the maps are very expensive. See here.
You buy the maps you want and then you own them.
While there are Memory Map apps that run on IoS and Android now, the company left their customers high and dry for several years producing no mobile app on any current platform. Users were very unhappy and turned to MM Tracker in droves. Memory Map finally published an IoS and Android version of Memory Map last year. The previous version ran on Windows Mobile 6.x, which dates back to 2007.
The older OS maps were not encrypted and were extensively pirated.

If you're looking for alternatives, I wrote this blog in January. You can create perfect, free OS 1:25K maps for a mobile device. The catch is that you need a Magellan eXplorist 510, 610 or 710.
If you want OS 1:25K maps on your PC to plan routes, there are free web apps of course, one even comes with Geocaching Live integration. ;)
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Offline Wrighty

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #27 on: October 28, 2013, 05:27:17 pm »
Think i have mentioned somewhere before i use the Locus free app on my smartphone,it has add ons for geocaching and maps,great os mapping and also links into c.geo,google earth and streetview.Can also use these apps on your tablet.

Will show anybody interested on sunday.

Offline Griff Grof

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #28 on: October 29, 2013, 08:00:57 am »
Thanks again for the great into, both of you  ;D

Yes, please show me on Sunday Wrighty - it sounds good  ;D
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Offline SidAndBob

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Re: The demise of the GPS receiver
« Reply #29 on: November 12, 2013, 01:45:52 pm »
Just a quick note to say that Memory Map (and Satmap) have just slashed the price of their 2014 OS maps. Amazingly, it's now Garmin Discoverer that looks over-priced.
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