What is the best, Free Topo or gps software for a smart phone.

[roadrunner]

I will check out alltrails.

 

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[WIDirtFishing]

Do any of you posting on here that use a GPS with smartphone - Do any retain the GPS abilities even if you don't have service? If so which App are you using?

 

[GeekNJ]

Do any of you posting on here that use a GPS with smartphone - Do any retain the GPS abilities even if you don't have service? If so which App are you using?

If the phone has a GPS, it works without cell service. Cell service actually provides MUCH LESS accuracy then GPS service.

I use multiple road/driving based apps. There's a program called Maprika at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maprika&hl=en that allows overlays. Depends on which smartphone and what you want to do as options to consider. I do prefer a dedicated GPS when using one vs my smartphone, but I've even done geocaching using my smartphone without issue.

 

[roadrunner]

I have heard to switch your phone to airplane mode, then click on the satellites.
I personally have just clicked on the satellites when using gps.

 

[CajunPointHunter]

I like "my topo maps" by tremble outdoors

 

[Leopard11]

Ive thought about working on software that would intergrate historic survey mapping with current topo software. It would be a lot of work but very useful. Maybe add the older maps as layers. I dont know how many people would pay $10 for that (I know I would) but it would be something ive never seen and a must for serious detectorists im still a novice but learning all the time.

 

[Leopard11]

Not that I would be looking to get rich but would have to charge something for the enormous amount of work that would take.

 

[Clay Diggins]

I've been doing those old topo overlays for years. It's not really that hard. Look into the Qgis mapping program. It's free and although there's a bit of a learning curve just overlaying an old topo over a newer one or an aerial is pretty easy.

 

[Leopard11]

Nice, yeah ive always wished I had everything in one program for smart phone. Got tired switching from map to map. Something that would layer, like you could add a 1907 layer and an 1860 layer in color coded. Could get a good match up on a 1907 but obviously the 1860 would be a best fit I would think.

 

[AzViper]

I have been downloading and uninstalling different apps trying to find one I can put in Lat/Lon coordinates, and have them show up on a topo.
Been trying the Trimble apps, but they either show an ad in my search bar, or don't want to work right.
I have an Android system.

Do yourself a favor and save the cell phone for what its designed for as you never know when you need the phone for an emergency while outback and buy a Garmin eTrex 20 or the eTrex 30. Kinda like buying a digital camera that has the option to do record video, yes it works but not well.

 

[Bum Luck]

Do yourself a favor and save the cell phone for what its designed for as you never know when you need the phone for an emergency while outback and buy a Garmin eTrex 20 or the eTrex 30. Kinda like buying a digital camera that has the option to do record video, yes it works but not well.

Well, that may have been true a few years ago. but not anymore.

I have consistently (to my utter amazement) navigated to section corners using Back Country Navigator Pro on my Samsung S4 and the USGS topo map overlay. No adjustment needed. The maps were compiled with photogrammetry, and the corners never had actual coordinates on them. Accuracy is like 10 feet in the woods. The Garmins won't do better even if they have the maps or you had the coordinates.

I have always bought the best cell phone I could, and have seen great improvements over the years. The S4 is definitely a step up with their quad processor. I have to chuckle at folks that say, "I don't need all that crap, I just use the phone." This is just a cop-out to opportunity. \

Click on the map for a HR view.



There's quite a variety of maps to use too.

I would be open to get a stand-alone GPS unit if it could match the BCN's features, but I haven't found one yet.

Battery life is an issue. Turn off all your non-essential stuff, and maybe spring for a spare battery, fairly low priced.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Considering that the topo maps are only accurate to ~ 40 foot that's quite the feat. Add in the fact that the current official PLSS shows many of the topos to be off by as much as 150 foot. I'm guessing the Back Country Navigator "snaps" to predetermined grid points like many other programs. Even so the current accuracy of GPS chips is good enough to get you where you are going in most cases - even on a "smart" phone.

 

[Bum Luck]

....... - even on a "smart" phone.

Same game anymore.

 

[Clay Diggins]

The Broadcom BCM47521 chip the S4 uses is a big advance for cell phone "GPS" technology. The ability to geofence with much lower power consumption really creates a lot of possibilities for the future of cellphone transitions between tower triangulation and full WAAS reception. The ability to use up to four GNSS doesn't improve the accuracy but it does help overcome the compromise antennas with a limited horizon that are necessary for a hybrid device.

A dedicated GPS needs none of that. There is no need to geofence and antenna design can be optimal.

It's going to be difficult to ever turn your MP3 player/camera/GPS/motion sensor/video/game/web browser/tiny battery/voice recorder/text sms/email/app server and uh ...phone into a fully functional GPS unit that can fulfill the function of my $88 dollar Garmin. Maybe soon but not yet.

 

[Bum Luck]

The Broadcom BCM47521 chip the S4 uses is a big advance for cell phone "GPS" technology. The ability to geofence with much lower power consumption really creates a lot of possibilities for the future of cellphone transitions between tower triangulation and full WAAS reception. The ability to use up to four GNSS doesn't improve the accuracy but it does help overcome the compromise antennas with a limited horizon that are necessary for a hybrid device.

A dedicated GPS needs none of that. There is no need to geofence and antenna design can be optimal.

It's going to be difficult to ever turn your MP3 player/camera/GPS/motion sensor/video/game/web browser/tiny battery/voice recorder/text sms/email/app server and uh ...phone into a fully functional GPS unit that can fulfill the function of my $88 dollar Garmin. Maybe soon but not yet.

Here's a link to the Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 Active:


The specs:
IP67 certified – the number 6 designates that it is totally protected against the ingress of dust and the following number 7 designates that it is waterproof to 1 metre for at least 30 minutes.
ABS/carbon fibre casing so knocks drops and bumps won’t damage it.
5" HD Full HD (1080x1920) TFT LCD screen optimised for use in daylight AND to be used whilst wearing gloves
16GB internal storage and a massive 64GB expansion (MicroSD) capacity
Big computing power with 1.9 GHz Snapdragon 600 Quad-core CPU, 2GB RAM
Google's Android 4.2.2 operating system, which comes skinned with Samsung's Touchwiz user interface which I personally really like.
Removable 2600 mAh battery
8MP camera
Dual-band satnav receiver: GPS & GLONASS

The best parts:

1: You're not stuck with the same OS or software. It upgrades, and you can choose your apps, which there's a lot of and constantly undergoing improvement - one of the things that makes this country great. I use BackCountry Navigator Pro, and I like it. My Garmin is in the desk drawer.

2: Maps. There's a variety of them, and with the S4, you can download them ahead of time or switch them in real time. You're not stuck with Garmin's crappy web site "updates", which I've given up on - I think they're selling new units and not interested in support. That sells more new units; great corporate philosophy.

3: One less piece of gear.

It is really cool to drive along at 75 and see the screen update like you are watching it from a plane in "real time". Then switch map bases from photo to USGS.

I believe the S4 represents the future of handheld navigation. I also think that Garmin has sat too long on it's "laurels", another name for butt. Maybe they saw the end coming and are just riding it out for the $ as long as people buy their stuff ..........

 

[Clay Diggins]

Your GPS chip (actually it's a full GNSS processor) on the S4 is actually quad band which helps it be more reliable with it's limited horizon. It's not limited to GPS or GLONASS.

There is no locational advantage to GLONASS. GLONASS has the same horizontal accuracy as GPS. GPS is accurate to 7.8 meters (25+ feet) @ 95% reliability SIS. Since you are not SIS your actual GPS accuracy is closer to 10 meters @ 95% reliability. (It's that last 5% that kills overconfident GPS users). The GLONASS system is a little less accurate in the vertical (z axis) than GPS.

The accuracy comes from using WAAS - not the GNSS bands themselves. Number of Satellites and sample rates also play a significant part in reaching the system accuracy potential. The antenna used and it's placement are high on that list and of course radiation, angle, and cover both local and atmospheric play a significant part in any single readings accuracy.

Here is your S4 GNSS (GPS) chip. It's the most advanced GNSS processor available for phones today. Tomorrow that title will probably be with another company.




Quoting processor speeds or static memory doesn't help decide how good the locational ability is. The fact that you can choose an OS or screen color doesn't have anything to do with GPS functionality.

Even Samsung doesn't put much faith in the differences in processors or 32 bit/64 bit discrepancies. The S4 was reviewed based on the Korean model that uses the much faster quad hi/lo Broadcom 64 bit processor instead of the simpler quad Snapdragon 600 32 bit 64 bit simulator. There are other significant differences not shown in your advertising cut and paste.

If Samsung would post the sample rates or number of satellites or how the dual tuned wifi/gps antenna strand performs compared to a dedicated design or how their geofencing capability compares to a dedicated system that has no need of transitions, or about 12 other major items that make a real difference we might be talking apples to tree fruit instead of downloadable apps to locational ability.

Even granting you the specs may one day be the same in electronics I think smart phones will still be providing you with GPS as a bonus feature for sales sake. In any case they have a long way to go before you can run over your smartphone with a jeep and still have a good functioning GPS unit with another 16 hours to go before you need to replace the two off the shelf 35 cent batteries. Real world experience.

Lets just agree that a Samsung S4 is a true marvel of modern technology with some good GPS capability. Claiming accuracy figures that are better than GPS commercial standards or confusing processor "speeds" with GPS capability does nothing to boost the actual capability of what is probably the most GPS capable "smart phone" available today.

GPS is getting more accurate every year but very little of that improvement is due to the commercial or phone chips in use. Those improvements look to be ongoing for several years so we can expect to see even older GPS units get more accurate over the same time frame. Lots of moving targets out there.

If it's any consolation my Garmins, DeLormes and Trimbles really fail in the movie playing, music and phone department. Although that could be changing soon. Eventually it probably won't matter whether you get your locational information from a phone or a dedicated unit or your toaster. For now smart phones are still playing catch up with dedicated GPS units in general. Or maybe GPS units are playing catch up with audio communications technology.

I write software for several types of GPS units (including "smart" phones) and there is no reason the Garmin system couldn't support a phone or a music player if you added a few cheap chips and some waterproof speakers. I wouldn't write off Garmin's "modern" capabilities just yet.

 

[DiggItUp]

Mine's called "GPS Tracks". Only 4 bucks. I have iphone though (not sure if in android?). You can set waypoints, save coords, take pictures and assign them to coords so you know what the site looks like. Lots more features I haven't even figured out yet. Very good app.

 

[AzViper]

Your GPS chip (actually it's a full GNSS processor) on the S4 is actually quad band which helps it be more reliable with it's limited horizon. It's not limited to GPS or GLONASS.

There is no locational advantage to GLONASS. GLONASS has the same horizontal accuracy as GPS. GPS is accurate to 7.8 meters (25+ feet) @ 95% reliability SIS. Since you are not SIS your actual GPS accuracy is closer to 10 meters @ 95% reliability. (It's that last 5% that kills overconfident GPS users). The GLONASS system is a little less accurate in the vertical (z axis) than GPS.

The accuracy comes from using WAAS - not the GNSS bands themselves. Number of Satellites and sample rates also play a significant part in reaching the system accuracy potential. The antenna used and it's placement are high on that list and of course radiation, angle, and cover both local and atmospheric play a significant part in any single readings accuracy.

Here is your S4 GNSS (GPS) chip. It's the most advanced GNSS processor available for phones today. Tomorrow that title will probably be with another company.

View attachment 929138


Quoting processor speeds or static memory doesn't help decide how good the locational ability is. The fact that you can choose an OS or screen color doesn't have anything to do with GPS functionality.

Even Samsung doesn't put much faith in the differences in processors or 32 bit/64 bit discrepancies. The S4 was reviewed based on the Korean model that uses the much faster quad hi/lo Broadcom 64 bit processor instead of the simpler quad Snapdragon 600 32 bit 64 bit simulator. There are other significant differences not shown in your advertising cut and paste.

If Samsung would post the sample rates or number of satellites or how the dual tuned wifi/gps antenna strand performs compared to a dedicated design or how their geofencing capability compares to a dedicated system that has no need of transitions, or about 12 other major items that make a real difference we might be talking apples to tree fruit instead of downloadable apps to locational ability.

Even granting you the specs may one day be the same in electronics I think smart phones will still be providing you with GPS as a bonus feature for sales sake. In any case they have a long way to go before you can run over your smartphone with a jeep and still have a good functioning GPS unit with another 16 hours to go before you need to replace the two off the shelf 35 cent batteries. Real world experience.

Lets just agree that a Samsung S4 is a true marvel of modern technology with some good GPS capability. Claiming accuracy figures that are better than GPS commercial standards or confusing processor "speeds" with GPS capability does nothing to boost the actual capability of what is probably the most GPS capable "smart phone" available today.

GPS is getting more accurate every year but very little of that improvement is due to the commercial or phone chips in use. Those improvements look to be ongoing for several years so we can expect to see even older GPS units get more accurate over the same time frame. Lots of moving targets out there.

If it's any consolation my Garmins, DeLormes and Trimbles really fail in the movie playing, music and phone department. Although that could be changing soon. Eventually it probably won't matter whether you get your locational information from a phone or a dedicated unit or your toaster. For now smart phones are still playing catch up with dedicated GPS units in general. Or maybe GPS units are playing catch up with audio communications technology.

I write software for several types of GPS units (including "smart" phones) and there is no reason the Garmin system couldn't support a phone or a music player if you added a few cheap chips and some waterproof speakers. I wouldn't write off Garmin's "modern" capabilities just yet.

Barry very well worded my friend. I would not be surprised to see Garmin come out with additional features that makes their GPS units very attractive to the cell phone user. Oh I will play with FREE GPS software on my Samsung Galaxy S4, but my cell phone is designed and used for other uses other than relying on my cell as a GPS. It’s more important to me to have a means of communication in the event of an emergency. In the nearly 40 years of hunting in the outdoors I have always had a great sense of direction and at no time was I ever in a situation I did not know where I was. I still have my old Garmin 12 XL GPS that I mark my starting point then turn it off and back into the backpack.

 

[Bum Luck]

Your GPS chip (actually it's a full GNSS processor) on the S4 is actually quad band which helps it be more reliable with it's limited horizon. It's not limited to GPS or GLONASS.

There is no locational advantage to GLONASS. GLONASS has the same horizontal accuracy as GPS. GPS is accurate to 7.8 meters (25+ feet) @ 95% reliability SIS. Since you are not SIS your actual GPS accuracy is closer to 10 meters @ 95% reliability. (It's that last 5% that kills overconfident GPS users). The GLONASS system is a little less accurate in the vertical (z axis) than GPS.

The accuracy comes from using WAAS - not the GNSS bands themselves. Number of Satellites and sample rates also play a significant part in reaching the system accuracy potential. The antenna used and it's placement are high on that list and of course radiation, angle, and cover both local and atmospheric play a significant part in any single readings accuracy.

Here is your S4 GNSS (GPS) chip. It's the most advanced GNSS processor available for phones today. Tomorrow that title will probably be with another company.

View attachment 929138


Quoting processor speeds or static memory doesn't help decide how good the locational ability is. The fact that you can choose an OS or screen color doesn't have anything to do with GPS functionality.

Even Samsung doesn't put much faith in the differences in processors or 32 bit/64 bit discrepancies. The S4 was reviewed based on the Korean model that uses the much faster quad hi/lo Broadcom 64 bit processor instead of the simpler quad Snapdragon 600 32 bit 64 bit simulator. There are other significant differences not shown in your advertising cut and paste.

If Samsung would post the sample rates or number of satellites or how the dual tuned wifi/gps antenna strand performs compared to a dedicated design or how their geofencing capability compares to a dedicated system that has no need of transitions, or about 12 other major items that make a real difference we might be talking apples to tree fruit instead of downloadable apps to locational ability.

Even granting you the specs may one day be the same in electronics I think smart phones will still be providing you with GPS as a bonus feature for sales sake. In any case they have a long way to go before you can run over your smartphone with a jeep and still have a good functioning GPS unit with another 16 hours to go before you need to replace the two off the shelf 35 cent batteries. Real world experience.

Lets just agree that a Samsung S4 is a true marvel of modern technology with some good GPS capability. Claiming accuracy figures that are better than GPS commercial standards or confusing processor "speeds" with GPS capability does nothing to boost the actual capability of what is probably the most GPS capable "smart phone" available today.

GPS is getting more accurate every year but very little of that improvement is due to the commercial or phone chips in use. Those improvements look to be ongoing for several years so we can expect to see even older GPS units get more accurate over the same time frame. Lots of moving targets out there.

If it's any consolation my Garmins, DeLormes and Trimbles really fail in the movie playing, music and phone department. Although that could be changing soon. Eventually it probably won't matter whether you get your locational information from a phone or a dedicated unit or your toaster. For now smart phones are still playing catch up with dedicated GPS units in general. Or maybe GPS units are playing catch up with audio communications technology.

I write software for several types of GPS units (including "smart" phones) and there is no reason the Garmin system couldn't support a phone or a music player if you added a few cheap chips and some waterproof speakers. I wouldn't write off Garmin's "modern" capabilities just yet.

I don't think you're carpin at me here, at least I hope not. I use dual frequency RTK GPS units almost daily for a living; corrections from the DOT internet castor or base station and radio modem; the accuracy is on the order of a couple of millimeters. They are accurate but the interface is not for the average user. It's designed to produce real-time survey-grade coordinate pairs, do COGO, and perform common construction tasks, not navigate me through the boonies with a map as a backscreen. My S4 does that nicely.

I actually use it in the woods with the USGS map to nav to section corners. I commonly get better than 30 feet, and I know what 30 feet is. That is in addition to the map error.

It's easier and slicker that anything else I can find, for reasons I've already explained.

I'll hold my breath for Garmin to get a clue. I own 4 of them.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy my phone.

 

[Gelmac]

I went through the same issue last year and here was my solution in detail...

Sadly and most disappointedly, my phone (company) went to iPhone late last year,
so I have now picked up a Garmin ONLY because of this reason!!

One thing to remember! Using GPS (on any device) will SUCK your battery life...
so carry a spare or solar charger if you are going off-the-grid for any longer than 3-4 hours!!

I got in the habit of turning to AIRPLANE mode OR pulling the battery when not actively working
a pre-laid path/track into a location!!

Anywho, the best FREE Android app I found after virtually trying them ALL...hands-down!

Orux Maps

AND if you combine it with one of the online services listed below for UPLOADING and/or SYNC'ing tracks, waypoints,
pictures, etc...YOU BECOME A GPS ROCKSTAR (ALL FOR FREE)!!

• Everytrail.com
• gpsies.com

Here's the "short-list" of a few of my most favorite features...
With OruxMaps you can:

• Online maps can be cached for offline navigation.
• Map Creator, from online maps to offline maps
• Offline map viewer. There is an application that lets you create calibrated maps for OruxMaps (see Download and Manual page).
• Offline layered maps.
• TrackLog: Record your tracks (gpx, kml format)
• View old tracks/routes (gpx and kml format)
• ....
• Upload/download your Tracks from Everytrail.com
• Upload tracks to gpsies.com
• ....
• Live Tracking with MapMyTracks.com
• Show coordinates, header, speed, altitude, ...
• And this is only the beginning!

View attachment 782547

View attachment 782545 A sample map...BUT they have topos, streets, even satellites!!!

Hope that helps you out!!

Take Care,
JC

Very informative writeup JC ! thanks for the info !