Are there apps for the AT for android phones? I need an interactive map of the trail I can access and download to my droid. Anyone had any succcess with this? I am tired of carrying both a cellphone and a GPS. Thanks.
Are there apps for the AT for android phones? I need an interactive map of the trail I can access and download to my droid. Anyone had any succcess with this? I am tired of carrying both a cellphone and a GPS. Thanks.
I've played around with it some. I am currently set to try this one: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...untrynavigator
You can select maps to have on your phone in cache for when you do not have a connection. I'm still new at this so I haven't figured out everything or how well it will work. What got me to try it was the fact you can select maps ahead of time that yon need cached on your phone and that it did USA Topo Maps which have the AT displayed, although I doubt it is a GPS accurate trail map. I think it will be close enough for most trail work and you can also create tracks and such. I'm still looking into if you can import a track into it so I can use a "latest version" of someone's AT GPS track or other trail.
FWIW I've played with GPS cell phone strategies in the past and find that the battery life is too short for an always on GPS style navigation, it would be better for occasionally verifying your location which is fine with me.
SGT Rock
http://hikinghq.net
My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT
BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
-----------------------------------------
NO SNIVELING
I really like Gaia GPS for my iPhone, and I believe there is a Droid version. If so, I highly recommend it.
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I use TurboGPS on my older Windows 6 / PPC phone. I noted that Turbo GPS 2 for Android is available.
I created custom map tiles for mine with MapGrabber and pre-loaded the GPS waypoints for shelters on my section hike. You can also overlay a GPX file or create your own.
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Information and resources for the A.T. hiker
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There is an android version, and so far it's worked like a charm for me. Depending on how large an area you want available you may want to consider getting a mongo memory chip if you don't already have one. As Sgt. Rock mentioned you have to download the map before you lose your data connection, and topo maps can eat up a lot of space.
One thing I haven't done yet is try to import a KML or KMZ file into Gaia. If that's possible . . . 'nuff said.
Other than that Gaia has been a piece of cake.
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Update Reference Back Country Navigator
I just imported the AT & BMT tracks into the software - easy as pie. It can use standard GPX files or Google Earth files. I think this software might be exactly what I was looking for.
I'm tapatalkin' ya'll
Last edited by SGT Rock; 03-23-2012 at 10:49.
SGT Rock
http://hikinghq.net
My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT
BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
-----------------------------------------
NO SNIVELING
I have an Android and I am using the app, "Hiker". It's a GPS, map, and compass. You can also send your gps coordinates to email, text, blog, or social media. I also bought the "AT Shelter Cast" app.
Sent from my R800x using Tapatalk
Fwiw, "POYNT" is also good. You can see restaurants, businesses, gas stations, and the weather. It's free.
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I don't use Gaia so I'm not sure. On BCN you open the file with the BCN and it asks you if you want to import the file. Then it gives you an option to import it into a current trip or a new trip. If you are starting the file, then you would want to create a new trip, say AT. If you already have a trip - say you have already got the trail track and you want to add the shelter waypoints, you would select "add to existing trip" and it would then add that data to the trip you are using for the AT. The initial conversion can take a while for large files like the entire AT track, but after it is immigrated into the software things mover pretty fast.
SGT Rock
http://hikinghq.net
My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT
BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
-----------------------------------------
NO SNIVELING
For iPhone, you send the tracks by email to [email protected] and Gaia will send you an email back with a link. Click on the link and Gaia GPS app opens and loads the tracks into your device. Kind of a workaround, but works great. I don't know if Droid app works the same way or not. Ask Gaia support.
Find the LIGHT STUFF at QiWiz.net
The lightest cathole trowels, wood burning stoves, windscreens, spatulas,
cooking options, titanium and aluminum pots, and buck saws on the planet
Gaia for android will only import GPX format. Easy enough to convert: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/convert...ert_format=gpx
Me no care, me here free beer. Tap keg, please?
Thanks everybody for the help. I ended up downloading gaiaGPS. Then I went to the ATC website and downloaded kmz versions of the parking and shelter waypoints. I had to convert them to gpx with (gpsies free software) on my laptop. Then I put the files on my android and imported the files to gaiaGPS. Several of the preloaded maps on gaia already had the entire AT on them!The shelter waypoints and the parking waypoints are perfect! Thanks for the help. See you on the trail.
I'm thinking about buying the app that Sgt Rock posted.
It seems to be a decent app!
-Jason
I've been playing with it a while and have been happy with it. I can download maps and have them available for my hikes and put my phone in airplane mode so no trying to establish connection so the battery lasts long, but the GPS still functions. Importing tracks and waypoints is super easy.
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SGT Rock
http://hikinghq.net
My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT
BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
-----------------------------------------
NO SNIVELING
I have been using BCN for about a year now and highly recommend. Just for giggles and grins (and because I am a tinkerer) I've started using Maprica and find the GPS location to be less accurate. When I hit the BMT the first of next month I'll be using BCN. In airplane mode I don't think my DroidX2 will have any problems with battery.
SGT
Where are the map files to download?
Meant to say tracks, not maps.
I find all this very very interesting. BUT I have stayed away from it for one reason and one reason only, battery life. My Tbolt eats up battery life like crazy. How are others doing using the apps and having their battery last more than 4 hours?
I also use and like both BackCountryNavigator and Maprika -- and find that the quality of the maprika map depends on the attention of the map maker and the accuracy of the base map...the quality can be quite good. BUT i love Maprika because it lets droid owners scan any trail map and sync it with google maps. i don't know of any other way to get paper maps to be GPS-able. I agree, though, if I could get an electronic trail map that worked with BCN i would just use BCN. Lately I've been posting connecticut walkbook maps on maprika, and have really been enjoying using them. These are only available in paper format. By the way, the Maprika website doesn't seem to list all their available maps ... the droid app does a way better job than the website... and you can add more maps for everyone to use!
Lazarus