Best GPS tracking/posting APPs and Software for trip

[the4Dman]

I did a search on the site, cant seem to find this subject, and since the technology advances so fast, I figured this would be a good subject to discuss, even if it has already been discussed.

using a smartphone with a GPS app OR a Garmin type GPS: What Apps are available and what has your direct experience been?

I'd like the discussion to cover a few main points:

1) ease of use, (does the app make it easy to operate, are the instructions clear and are the buttons/icons easy to use)

2) automatic vs manual upload/update (is it better to store and upload waypoints vs. having them automatically update)

3) post clarity (is it easy for friends/relatives to follow along your route to see where you are, like without being members of some supergroup you have formed on line, or have to be a facebook member or something stupid)

4) troubles (is it a battery killer? doesn't work while some other app is running/shared resources? uses too much memory/storage, cell coverage issues)

5) FREE vs. PAY (or subscription) do any certain pay apps have a distinct advantage?

maybe posts can include something about a cool experience directly related to the subject....

Thanks
Pete

 

[StratTuner]

I did a search on the site, cant seem to find this subject, and since the technology advances so fast, I figured this would be a good subject to discuss, even if it has already been discussed.

using a smartphone with a GPS app OR a Garmin type GPS: What Apps are available and what has your direct experience been?

I'd like the discussion to cover a few main points:

1) ease of use, (does the app make it easy to operate, are the instructions clear and are the buttons/icons easy to use)

2) automatic vs manual upload/update (is it better to store and upload waypoints vs. having them automatically update)

3) post clarity (is it easy for friends/relatives to follow along your route to see where you are, like without being members of some supergroup you have formed on line, or have to be a facebook member or something stupid)

4) troubles (is it a battery killer? doesn't work while some other app is running/shared resources? uses too much memory/storage, cell coverage issues)

5) FREE vs. PAY (or subscription) do any certain pay apps have a distinct advantage?

maybe posts can include something about a cool experience directly related to the subject....

Thanks
Pete

Here's a quick answer:

1. Ease of USE: tomtom Go....you generally like what you learned first.
2. I don't understand question 2.
3. ditto for 3
4. Battery Killer? no, I have my cell phone connected to the electrical system, so the phone charges as I ride.
5. tomtom GO is available for cell phones or stand alone devices. Annual subscription is trivial. ($20?)

GO needs no active internet connection to work. All you need is a GPS ... the maps are self contained.

 

[ld_rider]

Tell us what you want to accomplish and we will come up with a solution. Or two or three.

Your post is kinda confusing. Almost like software developer questions but with the developer knowing little about GPS front ends ;-)

Ease of use is meaningless. I find everything easy. That doesn't mean you will. Would be better to try and get actual descriptions of steps that one might have to take for certain tasks..such as loading a waypoint or editing.

Automatic vs manual upload of waypoints. I have no idea what that means...Have you used a GPS before?

Why the worry about battery life? Aren't you going to have your phone plugged into a hot USB while riding? The GPS certainly will be.

Describe your perfect GPS/Tracking or whatever scenario and then we can figure out how to get there.

 

[the4Dman]

Tell us what you want to accomplish and we will come up with a solution. Or two or three.

Your post is kinda confusing. Almost like software developer questions but with the developer knowing little about GPS front ends ;-)

Ease of use is meaningless. I find everything easy. That doesn't mean you will. Would be better to try and get actual descriptions of steps that one might have to take for certain tasks..such as loading a waypoint or editing.

Automatic vs manual upload of waypoints. I have no idea what that means...Have you used a GPS before?

Why the worry about battery life? Aren't you going to have your phone plugged into a hot USB while riding? The GPS certainly will be.

Describe your perfect GPS/Tracking or whatever scenario and then we can figure out how to get there.

OK, fair questions

so I guess I need to go back to my experiences

my Garmin e-trex required me to "start recording" and then eventually upload the waypoints up to a computer. I found it difficult and time consuming.

ease of use comes from my experiences with all kinds of apps, where the intent of use is very narrow. It does one thing well and if you want to step out of the normal usage pattern, well then it all goes to s$*&. Like think about it this way: WAZE is a great program, 9 out of 10 times while i'm using it, I already know where I'm going, I just want to know about possible problems with traffic or cops. I can "Disable Navigation" but then it won't reroute me if there is a problem on my route. also ease of use means the text on the selection isn't tiny and theres plenty of "white space " on the page, ya know for us old guys

battery life is less of a problem until you dismount, and then if you don't turn it off immediately (like i'm more concerned with the sun going down and setting up camp before dark) some apps tend to be battery hogs

with some of the early apps automatic upload works fine until you are out of coverage, then the app seems to miss where I went, again maybe there's programs that don't have these issues.

so you pose the question, describe your perfect GPS tracking scenario

how about it figures out when I've stopped, pauses tracking/power /data, until it realizes I'm moving again.

it uploads my position to some sort of website that my friends/family can see where I'm at, and where I've been

if I want to take a photo and add it to my trip, i don't need to post to some sort of photobucket and link a URL

I can tell it or actually it can tell that I've been there or the route many times before and doesnt tell me where to go

I guess I'm asking who uses what programs AND do you like them.

what are you using?

 

[ste7ios]

Important information is how long will be your trips, what terrain, and under what weather conditions you're riding...

 

[the4Dman]

Important information is how long will be your trips, what terrain, and under what weather conditions you're riding...

great question;

road trips, multi weeks, and all weather (except extreme weather)

we have Garmin 590LM hard mount on one of the bikes

 

[ld_rider]

what are you using?

Like you, I am using the world's finest motorcycle GPS: The Garmin Zumo 590LM.

Now I'm really confused ;-)

Try this:

Use your 590LM GPS for well, routing and directions. Pick up a Spot 3 tracker so that your friends and family can follow your travels on a map in real time. When you stop, it will stop. It will leave breadcrumbs so everyone you authorized will be able to see where you have been and where you currently are.

To take a photo and add it to your trip (I have no idea what that means) use a camera. Maybe the one that connects wirelessly to our 590s? Garmin | VIRB

I trying to figure out your posts and so far I <think> you are trying to do everything with a smart phone using "apps" and limited cell phone coverage. That isn't going to work. Buy dedicated hardware for what you need to do. Photos? Camera. Tracking? Spot Satellite Tracker. Routing? GPS. Might want to check out the DeLorme Reach GPS and see if it has <some> of the features you are looking for: DeLorme inReach - Two-way satellite text messaging, tracking and SOS anywhere in the world

Good luck in finding your way through this!

 

[ste7ios]

Let me summarize your needs...

1. You're riding under any weather, long trips, mainly on-road
2. You want to record your track and publish it to your friends / family all the time
3. You want to take pictures but you don't need to upload them to the Internet
4. You need to know where you're... (But it's not clear if you need the GPS to guide you, or just follow a track. The MAIN purposes of a vehicle GPS unit)
5. Ease of use (that means to keep taps / clicks to a minimum, and usually integration)

Am I correct? Please clarify...

 

[Deleted member 1183]

Looks like the OP is talking about a tracking device primarily. I must admit I am close to getting one as there are times when I am out of phone range in the countryside that I travel and if I had an accident that immobilised me I would have a problem. Garmin do not seem to do one any more. They are also discussing this on the KTM forum, as a couple of offroad riders over there had problems one of which was fatal, but the rider was not found for a couple of weeks. I will check out where they are at on their research .

 

[ste7ios]

Also missing the most important thing... WHY do you want all of these? Some for an emergency, some for recreational purposes? Please clarify...

 

[drdubb]

Co pilot is a pretty good app for phones. I've used it in my car and limited use for the motorcycle. You can create route and or tracks in Furkot and upload to co pilot. I've not tried this, but I have for my Garmin660.

My current solution is the Garmin with a Spot device. I carry a point and shoot camera and my android phone. I also picked up a hard drive to back up picks.

 

[Cigar Mike]

A good GPS and a Spot should give what you need. Plus your phone provides updated information in areas that have coverage. I like the Spot because I can send an prewritten message that we are fine to loved ones or a I need help message. They can also see our location by going to my Spot page. The 911 feature is something I have never had a need to use but it is nice knowing it is available. When we rode mainly off road I also carried the rescue insurance to cover the cost of the helicopter ride.

We use two GPS units. My bike has a tracking GPS that allows me to download routes and tracks and records my track and has a trackback feature. It records not only where I have been but when. The other GPS is more like a normal car GPS with lifetime maps. Both units run off the bikes power. My unit is old and I am used to it. The new units have added features which probably make them much better.

The routes I like to ride are not the fastest or shortest which means I load the route and the track and I never use the auto reroute. I like that it provides distance to next turn and time of arrival at final. If I need to go off route for some reason I drop the guidance and put in the new destination/waypoint. Or if looking for gas or food use the find feature and hit continue route. Keep in mind I don't own a smart phone so you understand why it is old school.

 

[StratTuner]

Glympse deserves a mention here... it's a FREE app for cell phones that creates a web page that shows... where you are in real time...

It has to have cell service to work, but the data impact is unnoticeable, and it makes it possible for anyone on the internet to track you.

 

[frozenpoet]

Backcountry navigator, running apps, rever, they can all track you with various information. Runtastic can show real time tracking on facebook, saves the end rout that you can share, you can take pics in the app, and it'll tag it along the rout. Will still keep track of you even without data, although it will be lacking some information. It doesn't have tbt navigation though.

 

[the4Dman]

Also missing the most important thing... WHY do you want all of these? Some for an emergency, some for recreational purposes? Please clarify...

since it has been asked, my current need isn't actually my need.

My wife will be doing a cross country ride this summer ( Sisters' Centennial Motorcycle Ride ) and wants to keep a realtime (moving) log/update so we (family/friends) can all track her from back home.

she has the garmin and now from your suggestions will probably get a spot device. The software suggestions: we will try and see what we like.

one of the problems we can't test too well is the "out of service" we live in the NY metro area, it's tough to find large areas of no coverage.

a little more background: we had very mixed results a few years back, using some cell phone tracking software. it was a memory and Battery HOG, it required both devices (or more) to be running the app at all times. basically it sucked.... but with the new requirement and some new equipment, hopefully those challenges have been overcome.

I was asking to see what is available and what the experiences have been and this forum is a great resource. It's truly a community and I appreciate the genuine interest and input.

Thanks for all the leads and advice, and feel free to keep the thread going, I think the exchange of experience and opinion is a great thing.

 

[ste7ios]

https://www.google.gr/search?q=trip...md=ivn&ei=zyD4VvOfIMqU6AT5m52YBw&start=0&sa=N

 

[ste7ios]

Have in mind that GPS chips are power hungry and will drain the battery very quickly. You can't avoid this... The smartphone must be powered most of the time.

 

[ld_rider]

My wife will be doing a cross country ride this summer

Ok, now we are getting somewhere!

First: Get a Spot Tracker Gen 3 and pay the $99 annual or $15 monthly fee for messenger service and basic tracking.
Once that is setup head to Spotwalla.com and setup a free Friends and Family account. Anyone invited can see your wife's progress in practically real time.

If you don't have med air ambulance service, get it. Go to https://medjetassist.com/ and sign up for either annual or monthly coverage. Make sure and get the optional motorcycle transportation for a few extra bucks.

Good luck!

 

[LM15]

From what I have read on various forums, the DeLorme inReach SE, while costing a little more than the SPOT offers a superior constellation of satellites (is uses the Iridium network) and offers two-way text messaging and pairing via Bluetooth with smartphones. I would suggest looking into this. DeLorme was recently acquired by Garmin.