mike.williams

Thx. So there's a GPS chip in current phones that talks to satellites, and that's how mapping apps, like the native Maps app in IOS, work? Now it all makes sense. The scouts won't be in desolate areas, and will be in full patrols. Buddy system on steroids. It will require each patrol to know how to use at least one phone's mapping app, and how to input coordinates, right? Or do you recommend a free app so they are all working from the same screens? Understanding it's like asking what gas mileage I'll get without knowing car or driving conditions, what kind of accuracy can we expect assuming they can see 4 satellites and have a phone that's less than 2 yrs old?

Going to a state park to hold a GPS tracking competition for Boy Scouts. We do not have enough true GPS units, like Etrex. I see that there are Geocaching and other GPS apps for IOS and Android. I was not aware that a smartphone can triangulate signals from satellites. This park has very spotty cell service. If all the scouts have a GPS app on their phone, does it mean they don't need cell service to use the app?