[pct-l] Best iphone gps app

Sun Mar 13 20:35:17 CDT 2011

Check Halfmile's waypoints. Water and camp locations have their own waypoints. 

Jim Keener ( J J )

On Mar 12, 2011, at 12:21 PM, Will M <jalan04 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks for all of the advice.  Downloaded Topo with the halfmile wayponts
> and it looks  awesome!  Just out of curiosity, are there waypoints available
> for water sources and/or good camping spots?
> 
> Thanks again everyone,
> 
> Jalan Jalan
> On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 4:14 PM, Bill Burge <bill at burge.com> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> The use of the cell towers can get you an initial fix faster than the GPS
>> chip on the iPhone, but then the GPS chip uses the standard satellite
>> signals to refine that location.
>> 
>> The Halfmile waypoints are the main files you need.  The maps for something
>> like GaiaGPS or TopoMaps have to be downloaded from the topo map servers
>> that their software supports.  GaiaGPS has all the tracking and photo
>> marking and timing and stuff that isn't a lot of use on the Trail.
>> 
>> I second the recommendations of GaiaGPS for mapped locations and TopoMaps,
>> I have both and use them for their different purposes.  BasicGPS is an app
>> that tells you your current location in many different ways that might apply
>> to many different kinds of maps.
>> 
>> Another to look at is Accuterra Unlimited.  The maps are not as good, but
>> they make it REAL easy to get the maps for the trail.  Still, I reach for
>> TopoMaps before I open Accuterra.
>> 
>> (I just now see that the makers of GaiaGPS have offered the map loading,
>> reading and waypoint management functions of GaiaGPS, without all the
>> tracking stuff, as a free app called Offline Topo Maps (catchy name Andrew!
>> ;-) and I'll be grabbing that right now to try out.
>> 
>> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/offline-topo-maps/id376535806?mt=8
>> 
>> AccuTerra Unlimited
>> 
>> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/accuterra-unlimited-maps-gps/id355787609?mt=8
>> 
>> If I had to pick one app (besides the Basic GPS app Halfmile mentions) I'd
>> probably go with TopoMaps.  (It might be Offline Topo Maps, if there is an
>> easy way to enumerate maps to download.) Then you have to do the work of
>> finding the right maps to download.  I'd probably build the lists and
>> download them in sections, not the entire trail.  The app will get very slow
>> and cumbersome with the entire trail loaded.
>> 
>> Bottom line, when I do the trail, I'll probably be carrying a Garmin...
>> Apple would have to wonders on the battery front to change my mind.
>> 
>> BillB
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Mar 11, 2011, at 3:41 PM, Will M wrote:
>> 
>>> So what files do I need to download from halfmile's site? There are
>>> waypoints, tracks, topo files , etc..not sure which I need though I did
>>> download topo from the app store.
>>> 
>>> Will
>>> 
>>> On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 2:57 PM, Kevin Cook <hikelite at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Halfmile is quick!
>>>> 
>>>> I've settled on GaiaGPS on my iPhone. It lets you download offline map
>> data
>>>> and it will import all of halfmile's waypoints. I'm really liking it. I
>> have
>>>> Topo Map too. Halfmile is right, it's nice. I don't like that it doesn't
>>>> show the trail on many of the topos. Since I have both, I'll probably
>> use
>>>> both. I'm just not sure I'll download the hi res maps in Topo Maps.
>>>> 
>>>> As he said, Backcountry Navigator is an Android app, so you can't get it
>> on
>>>> the iPhone.
>>>> 
>>>> One more thing Will, you were misinformed about the iPhone's GPS needing
>> a
>>>> cell tower. It uses satellites just like any other good GPS. It has an
>>>> advantage over the GPS only devices, in that it CAN use the cell towers
>> to
>>>> help fix your location. They aren't needed though. I've compared it with
>> my
>>>> Garmin and DeLorme GPS's, and the iPhone appears to be about the same
>>>> accuracy. It's usually within 20 ft. Good enough for me. I'm either
>> right
>>>> where I'm standing, or about 10 feet to either side of myself LOL
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 3:38 PM, Halfmile <list at lon.net> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> My favorite iPhone GPS apps are:
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/basic-gps-now-utm-mgrs-email/id293699773?mt=8
>>>>> 
>>>>> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/topo-maps/id306014271?mt=8
>>>>> 
>>>>> Basic GPS has nothing to load, but you will need paper maps with UTM
>>>>> grids printed on them. If your unfamiliar with UTM see this:
>>>>> http://www.maptools.com/UsingUTM/quickUTM.html
>>>>> 
>>>>> Topo Maps allows downloading of USGS topo maps and importing of
>>>>> waypoints for offline viewing. You will want to pre-load data when you
>>>>> have a WiFi connection.
>>>>> 
>>>>> -Halfmile
>>>>> www.pctmap.net
>>>>> 
>>>>> ps - Backcounty navigator is good too, but it's an Android App.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 2:19 PM, Will M <jalan04 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> I'm looking to try out the iphone gps.  I'm told that without maps
>>>>> stored on
>>>>>> the iphhone itself, the gps function will not really work without a
>>>>> signal
>>>>>> from a cell tower.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> With that in mind, can someone recommend a good app or software that
>>>>> they
>>>>>> would recommend for the iphone.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Thanks
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