Hi

I do a bit of prospecting in the bush and Im after a GPS that can map out exactly where Ive walked (speed not so important for me).

Ive seen in a couple of posts on here where people have managed to downoad their route and overlay it on a google map (which is so cool!)

can anyone recommend a basic unit that will give me this function?

Cheers

Nasi

Gt 31 can be used for that, and bushwalking in general

Select to expand quote

NasiGoreng said...


...can anyone recommend a basic unit that will give me this function?

If you have an iPhone you can download an app for a few dollars called MotionX-GPS. It might be available for other devices as well. Here is an example of a run I did which will give you an idea of the overlay. I keep it in a waterproof bag obviously and you could do the same when walking in case of rain etc. It works fine as a basic unit which is what you are asking for and the price is right if you already have a device!

Cheers

I've found most GPS apps for smart phones rely on a data connection to work. Having a reliable data connection out in the bush would be an issue. There was one I found for Android phones which works as a real GPS without the need for a data signal Real Tracker or something like that but I'm not sure.

A Navi GT-31 will do what you want. It can be used to record waypoints and work out routes. Most users here we use our Navi to record where we have been which would be useful to work out where you have been in the bush.

The best one for Android is MyTracks by google. Obviously it relays straight over google maps on the phone, has graphs with elevation etc...all sorts of stuff. I use it a fair bit for MTB riding and it's awesome, does not need data connection. The only thing with smarts phones and that sort of thing is battery life, if you are going to be walking all day it's not going to cut it.

I tried a GT-31 and a Garmin back to back on the same trail, and found the garmin outperformed it in terms of accuracy.

I was gobsmacked, but there it is. The "distance travelled" on the GT-31 was clearly wrong compared to a map, whereas the garmin was spot on.

Ideally for bushwalking you'd want a unit dedicated for bushwalking, perhaps with a colour screen that shows a moving map. There are many garmin units that do this.

Select to expand quote

CJW said...

The best one for Android is MyTracks by google. Obviously it relays straight over google maps on the phone, has graphs with elevation etc...all sorts of stuff. I use it a fair bit for MTB riding and it's awesome, does not need data connection. The only thing with smarts phones and that sort of thing is battery life, if you are going to be walking all day it's not going to cut it.

Sounds like a good app also. The suggestion of this type of app was because of the cost compared to purchasing a device for that purpose only. The Motionx also uses the GPS Chipset so no data connection required. So there are alternatives out there and Nasi they may work for you as a trial without a huge outlay.

One thing I hadn't thought much about was the battery life as I only use mine for a few runs to see what sort of speeds I am achieving. But with any smart phone - when you are hiking you can turn off features so that it reduces the drain on the battery.