Globe article on hikers relying on GPS units in smartphones

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...from_danger_and_put_them_in_it/?p1=News_links

Brian

Was just about to post this article but it's already here - nice to see them encouraging people not to be stupid and to do a bit more thinking and planning ahead of time so we won't read about their rescue later.

I think it's important to emphasize that a smartphone with a GPS app is not the same as a GPS using satellites. I'm no expert on smartphones, and there are probably some models which have both capabilities, but my 'Droid does not.

We carry extra batteries for our headlamps, cameras, GPSes. I've started carrying an extra battery for my smartphone. You still need a signal, but without juice whether you have a signal or not is irrelevant.

Excellent article and happy to read that Olivia is on the bandwagon pushing "preparedness" and not being so dependent on one's cell phone.

I think the reality of what can happen on a hike is clearly demonstrated in an article such as this, and might carry even more weight than a simple list of items one needs to "be prepared". Reading this could very well make some potential hikers sit up and take notice of exactly what the recommendations are for "hiking safe" and how much you are placing yourself and your checkbook at risk when you choose not to.

One really does compliment the other.Olivia is a real voice making that connection for those who are not fully informed.

Very well written!

Say what?

It's unfortunate that the article is implying that "you need a signal" to use any of the GPS apps for smartphones - it's simply not true. There are many GPS apps with maps that can be used offline, just like a regular GPS. Just Google "offline GPS apps" - there are LOTS of them.

Here's just one:

Outdoors Navigator
Once in the field outdoor enthusiasts can navigate with “Outdoors Navigator“ using their iPhone or Android device to find trails, navigate off-road maps and share stories with their social networks. Trimble Outdoors Navigator provides access to more than 68,000 topo maps in the U.S. and Canada.

In the field, no connectivity is needed for the app to work. It will provide maps and navigation guidance as well as track over 10 adventure statistics including distance traveled, elevation gain/loss, and speed. It will also allow the user to capture location-tagged pictures, audio, video and personal notes.

Click to expand...

I have a feeling the person that wrote this is going to be getting a lot of emails.

EDIT: Reading the article again, it seems that they are talking about "getting a signal" in reference to attempting to make a call, not to use the smartphone's GPS app. My bad.

The first thing I noticed when I went to the link was the silly ad of the "family" hiking a ski trail put out by the State of NH. Now I'll go back and read the story...

Kevin Rooney said:

I think it's important to emphasize that a smartphone with a GPS app is not the same as a GPS using satellites. I'm no expert on smartphones, and there are probably some models which have both capabilities, but my 'Droid does not.

Click to expand...

?

To be literally correct, GPS uses the NAVSTAR* satellites. There are other methods of phone localization based upon the timing of cell signals received from multiple nearby cell towers or nearby WIFI access points. These other methods are not GPS--however, it is possible that they are incorrectly called GPS by some.

* NAVSTAR is the US DOD satellite GPS system and the Russian GLONASS system is also operational. There are several other similar systems that are not yet operational.

I recently had an opportunity to compare the GPS tracks produced by an iPhone and a Garmin 60CSx.

The tracks were recorded while walking ~8 miles in the Walden Woods conservation area (Lincoln and Concord, MA). The area is tree covered and the topography is mostly relatively flat--while the skyview isn't perfect, it shouldn't be that challenging to a modern GPS.

I plotted the two tracks on top of each other on a topo map. The tracks agreed pretty well in most places, but there were some significant excursions (up to ~200ft) from our route by the iPhone track in some places. This was not a planned comparison so we were not careful about how we carried the units--the 60CSx was just thrown in the top pocket of my pack (which generally works pretty well) and my friend carried his iPhone in his pocket part of the time and in his pack part of the time. (A pocket is not generally a good place in which to carry a GPS--one's body can block the signals.)

These results suggest that iPhone is less robust to realistically less-than-perfect hiking GPS signal conditions than is the 60CSx.

Doug