View Full Version : Map for Android Phone
XCskiNYC
08-03-2011, 16:51
Anybody know if there's a way with Android 2.2 (LG Optimus V, Virgin Mobile) to either modify the Google Map or load a separate map that will depict the AT? The current map has excellent terrain detail but doesn't show hiking trails.
30 Large
08-03-2011, 17:58
The best option you have is to use the Google Earth app from the android market, then download a .kml file of the AT. The drawback is that I believe the smallest .kml I have seen for the AT is nearly 800mb
Wise Old Owl
08-03-2011, 18:35
How about Backpacker GPS trail pro - trimble outdoors.
Wise Old Owl
08-03-2011, 19:01
Oh - go to android apps and just type Hiking in the search - lots of interesting stuff
XCskiNYC
08-11-2011, 15:50
Help a technically challenged hiker, tell me how to get the .kml file into my phone (on the SD card presumably if it's almost a Meg). Is the .kml file a map that will work with the positions from the phone's gps receiver?
I have the Google Maps and also started using Google Tracks which is a fun program with some quirks.
The map image it has doesn't really scale as you zoom in and out. It has one map image so as you zoom in tight it starts to pixellate.
The track is squiggly. Tracks on my Delorme PN20 look much straighter. Apparently the Google Tracks line puts in more position points, or the Delorme averages them out, but it makes you wonder about the accuracy in measuring overall distance. I'll have to measure it carefully against my Garmin Forerunner 305 on a run but just looking at it casually and comparing it to the distance on the Forerunner it seems that it's making the distance a good 10 or 20 percent greater than the actual distance.
The best thing about Google Tracks is that it has an announcement feature, which can be set at any interval from once every minute to once every hour. As you are running and listening to music it fades down the music, announces your stats (total time, total distance, average speed), then fades up the music.
For some reason it doesn't work properly with distances above 0.99 miles and below 3.0 miles. For example, it will say 1.28 as "zero point two eight" or 2.02 as "zero point zero two."
30 Large
08-16-2011, 16:30
You can sign into your google account, go to google maps and create a "My Maps" map, for which you can import a KML file. Then on your phone, the Google Maps Android app will allow you to turn on the "My Maps" layer, which will then display the KML data for the map you just created. This doesn't work with Google Earth Android, however.
XCskiNYC
08-17-2011, 22:44
Okay, I'll play around with it and try to get it to work.
The Google Tracks app measured a 4.08 distance run (measured on a Garmin Forerunner 305 which is generally fairly accurate, i.e. a known mile measures between 0.97 and 1.03 on the Forerunner) as 5.46 miles. It seems that the problem is that it runs the line right from one position to the next, creating a squiggly line. If you stand still with the track still recording it will get a severe case of "hunting" for the satellite signal, creating a great deal of measured movement without you actually going anywhere at all. They do say this is a beta program.
Ladytrekker
08-17-2011, 22:58
My phone battery drains while I am looking at it, so I got a Garmin 60csx and love it. This site has many free maps you can download that gives you detailed maps I downloaded the SE USA into my Garmin and then while I was hiking on the Florida Trail it showed as the FT I was pretty happy with that.
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/
Anybody know if there's a way with Android 2.2 (LG Optimus V, Virgin Mobile) to either modify the Google Map or load a separate map that will depict the AT? The current map has excellent terrain detail but doesn't show hiking trails.
Two words:
Gaia GPS.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dmobile-apps&field-keywords=gaia+gps&sprefix=gaia+gps
Two words:
Gaia GPS.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dmobile-apps&field-keywords=gaia+gps&sprefix=gaia+gps
I have recently gotten Gaia GPS for my iPhone (Android version also available) and it really looks great. You can download maps for offline viewing (so no cell connection needed) and import a track (like the AT section you are hiking). Now you have a detailed topomap on your phone with the AT in nice, easy to see red, and your location is displayed whenever you want to double check it. Unlike creating a track as you hike, which uses battery power thirstily, this type of use does not. You won't need this capability much on AT, but I like to know where I am (and on other trails it can save lots of backtracking and frustration to say the least).
You can sign into your google account, go to google maps and create a "My Maps" map, for which you can import a KML file. Then on your phone, the Google Maps Android app will allow you to turn on the "My Maps" layer, which will then display the KML data for the map you just created. This doesn't work with Google Earth Android, however.
I've been playing with My Maps and found it to be very limited in the number of data points one can import on a kml. Have not done exhaustive searches for work-arounds, but the limitation is documented, and I was unable to get the whole trail in one file.
30 Large
08-23-2011, 16:52
I've been playing with My Maps and found it to be very limited in the number of data points one can import on a kml. Have not done exhaustive searches for work-arounds, but the limitation is documented, and I was unable to get the whole trail in one file.
Yes, unfortunately I believe the data points are limited to I believe 800(?)
JustFinished the AT. I have the entire AT on my droid phone. Contact me if your interested in the waypoint s.
Wise Old Owl
12-07-2011, 16:55
My phone battery drains while I am looking at it, so I got a Garmin 60csx and love it. This site has many free maps you can download that gives you detailed maps I downloaded the SE USA into my Garmin and then while I was hiking on the Florida Trail it showed as the FT I was pretty happy with that.http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/Is the battery more than one year old? Replace it. Then figure. Out how to turn the gps and display on & off.