Who is using their iphone as a GPS

[Bjorn]

What maps and positioning software are you using. How do you like it-user friendly etc?
Any comments are welcome.

[Earthdog]

What's an iphone?

[sj_lutz]

Well, not an i-Phone, but I do use my Blackberry as a GPS.  

Google maps works pretty well, gives you the option of a roadmap, terrain, or satellite views.  I use that and a program called Blackstar, which gives you the traditional GPS type waypoint and compass stuff.  

I'd bet that Google has an iPhone friendly version, not so sure about Blackstar.

[wingnut]

Does it work without cell coverage?

Mike

[xtrema312]

I use my palm now in place of my car unit, but on foot I plan to use my hand held.  I don't need cell coverage for that, and battery life is better plus I can change out the batteries if I can't plug in.

[Blackhawk7204]

Try the MotionX-gps app, it's awsome! It does everything a gps and a compass does plus can take photos of your waypoints as well as email your position or any waypoint along with a message to any email or phone.
The email will even include a link to maps with your position marked on it.
The iphone is not waterproof but they do make watertight cases for it.

[Old York]

Originally posted by Earthdog:
What's an iphone?

Something you look out of?

[Bjorn]

"Try the MotionX-gps app, it's awsome!"

Thanks Blackhawk, that's the stuff I was looking for!

[Chris Shelton]

just read an article in Outdoor life about this very topic, I dont know if I could trust it??  But then again I dont really put my ability to not get lost in the hands of electronics!lol

[Jeff Strubberg]

I use mine for short trips.  The battery use is way too high to trust the thing on any trip of more than a couple hours.  

I've used Gaia GPS, but it's very kluzty to get around in.  WIll have to take a look at Motion-X.

Backups are great, but y'all that don't trust electronics climb behind the wheel of a car or truck every time you go hunting...

[Chris Shelton]

I dont have a GPS in my truck yet either, kinda suprising that probably one of the youngest users on here doesnt trust electronics while I hunt, huh!  Dont get me wrong if I could afford to own a GPS to take on hunts I would most definatly use it, but I cant, and I would like to think that I make out fine, I tend to not adventure as much though.  I get away from roads and trails, just generally I have about 50 square miles that I hunt and know them very well!

[Jeff Strubberg]

I was pointing out that your truck, assuming it's less than 25 years old, is a mess of electronics from oen bumper to the other and you trust it to get you where you are going.

Nothing wrong with distrusting any commercial device.  I just get tickeled at folks who distrust things because they have electricity runing through them.

[John3]

I've only ever used my compass.  The batteries never die on it.  On my Canada trips I did have a guide with me.  Here in the US I have not hunted in true wilderness and there is always a road, fence, river that I would hit if I did get "confused" as to where I was... On new ground(miles of public land) I will take a compass reading on my truck/camp before I start...

If I was getting dropped into a wilderness camp I would have a map, compass and maybe even a gps in my pack...

JDS III

[Bjorn]

"I use mine for short trips. The battery use is way too high to trust the thing on any trip of more than a couple hours."

Thanks for the heads up on the battery usage Jeff; I just picked up the phone last week and just getting familiar with it.

[Ground Hunter]

I'm more comfortable with a dedicated GPS unit, a compass and a map.  Too many eggs in one basket and unproven in harsh remote locations for a phone.  Where I hunt you can die - don't need that "convenience."  H

[Chris Shelton]

Originally posted by Jeff Strubberg:
I was pointing out that your truck, assuming it's less than 25 years old, is a mess of electronics from oen bumper to the other and you trust it to get you where you are going.

O gotchya, I really dont trust it either, got jumper  cables under my seat    , no in all seriousness it isnt the electronic it is the signal I dont trust.  I want to get a GPS, it is hard to mark exact spots on maps.  But I will never walk afeild with only a GPS, not that anyone was saying they do.  

Back on topic, that article I read showed a picture of the app for the iphone, it looked technologically simple, lol. Just a cordinate reading with a electronic compass!

[Jeff Strubberg]

Bjorn,

Drop me a PM if you want to talk iPhone apps...there are a couple I think everyone should have, especially for travel.

[Earthdog]

Still don't know what an iphone is,or a blackberry or most of the other things you guys are talking about.

I do have a GPS though,use it to find the direction to camp an then go back to my map an compass to get me there.

A couple of weeks ago I met two guys on a track in the area I was hunting and they told me how they had almost walked off a bluff by following their GPS in the fog.

That struck me a being very silly on a couple of points but I said nothing because I'm sure they worked that out for themselves.

I often do wonder what all the high tech guys are going to do if any of this stuff ever stops working,,,I guess I'll have the hills to myself huh.

[outbackbowhunter]

Just to side track the conversation a little, the Iphone has an internet browser function, how good is it?

Could you be reading these trad gang posts....can you check emails on them.

I use the internet a fair bit for my business and it would be handy if I could catch up with things in camp in the evenings when on solo hunts.

Basically I'm wondering if I could do this stuff on an Iphone or if I need a small laptop.

[ryped]

I use my iPhone with TragGang and email more than I use my desktop.