• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Hiking GPS app recommendations

W

writerman

Newbie
I'm looking for a good GPS application mainly for off-road hiking. I therefore want to see a proper map, not a facsimile of the road ahead, and I am not interested in route planning features.

I am a very new, and very green, Android user but highly experienced in using Garmin GPS units and cartography in general. I even wrote my own Windows-based mapping application.

What I'm looking for is an app that will not only show me my location but allow me to read it off numerically - preferably with a choice of coordinate systems - UTM, lat/long etc. I would like to be able to see a breadcrumb trail of where I have walked and to have a trip odometer feature.

But my only real mandatory requirement is it's essential that I can download maps in advance for off-line use. I won't always have internet access available.

I don't know how much the international coverage of apps varies but my immediate requirement is for an app that provides decent maps of Iceland.

Any suggestions or recommendations?
 
My biggest concern with a phone back-country navigation app would be battery life, as the phone is constantly trying to maintain weakening tower communications, something the handheld Garmins like my waterproof GPSMap 76CSx don't have to do.
 
Have look at OruxMaps, has the features that you want :)

For Iceland hiking you might download a vector map by OpenAndroMaps for OruxMaps.
Unpack the downloaded .zip file on your phone in /oruxmaps/mapfiles/ ...

BTW, this map of Iceland can be used in Locus too ;)

Harry
 
hstroph said:
My biggest concern with a phone back-country navigation app would be battery life, as the phone is constantly trying to maintain weakening tower communications, something the handheld Garmins like my waterproof GPSMap 76CSx don't have to do.
Click to expand...

I shall be taking my Garmin (eTrex) as well, but I don't have Garmin maps for Iceland. I thought the phone would be a good second line of defence and provide better maps. I guess I could make my own map for the eTrex if I had a decent paper map to scan in (that's what my mapping application, MapMan, does - it allows you to draw your own Garmin maps using scanned map images)

I am unclear about the degree to which phones rely on the mobile network, as opposed to satellite data, for identifying location. The phone I have on order (I don't have it yet) is a Samsung Galaxy S3 which I chose because it claims to have GPS capability. I assume that means a proper satellite receiver.
 
Most of the smart phones have GPS capability and don't need a mobile network for GPS tracking/navigation properly.
I use my HTC One X for car navigation (Navigon app) and hiking (OruxMaps, OsmAnd).

BTW, with a running navigation app my phone needs about 20% per hour off the battery.
My solution is to have a power pack (ANKER 5600mAh) in my backpack ;)

Harry
 
writerman said:
... I am unclear about the degree to which phones rely on the mobile network, as opposed to satellite data, for identifying location. The phone I have on order (I don't have it yet) is a Samsung Galaxy S3 which I chose because it claims to have GPS capability. I assume that means a proper satellite receiver.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of people get confused on this point for two reasons. 1) They usually use Google maps which requires a data connection to download the next part of the map and for directions and thus wrongly assume that ALL mapping/navigation apps require a data connection and 2) they think that GPS also uses a data connection, rather than being totally separate. Once you factor those two points in to peoples answers to your queries you can sort the wheat from the chaff .....

Oh, but can't help on the original question, sorry ...

Dave
 
Google agps - it shows that some types of GPS use data to help get initial infi to facilitate gps lock. Other than that, GPS is independent of data.
 
I use "Backcountry Navigator"; it caches map tiles, so you can browse & download while hooked to wifi at home. You can use airplane-mode to turn off the phone radios that will suck battery trying to acquire a signal that isn't there.

Personally, I'd recommend using the phone app (or even dedicated gps) to turn on, get a position fix, mark it on a paper map, and then turn the phone back off. Some people like to record tracks and things with them, but the battery life can really put a limit on how long a phone can be used like that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom