paperless smartphone benchmarking

[ribozyme]

Hi everyone. I've been benchmarking off and on for about a year now but this is my first post. I'm curious about how people do paperless benchmarking on a smartphone and thought I'd share my current setup.

 

My general workflow is something like this: I lookup marks by zipcode on the GC website and copy the coordinates along with the documented history section of the NGS datasheet into a personal google map. From there I do any research that might be helpful such as looking at the satellite images or measuring distances from street centerlines. Once I'm out poking around the dirt I access this map on my phone and depending on how things go I can walk right to the mark, figure out clues from the datasheet, or check previous logs and pictures from GC.com. Once I'm back at my computer I can update the map, add a picture of the mark, and change the icon to an oh so satisfying green.

 

Basically google maps is my one stop shop for research, recovery, and documentation. The google maps integration on android phones works incredibly well (and turn by turn directions to get to the mark is great), but I don't know how well google maps is integrated into other smartphone platforms. I also don't know if there's a way to store map data directly on the phone for benchmarking in the boonies. For now at least I'm quite happy with this system, feel free to checkout my map here.

 

So is anybody else using a system like this? I'm all ears for tips, comments, and suggestions.

[Difficult Run]

It's already been done. Try this:

NGS Benchmark Viewer

 

And welcome to the Benchmark Forum!

~ Mitch ~

[ribozyme]

It's already been done. Try this:

NGS Benchmark Viewer

 

And welcome to the Benchmark Forum!

~ Mitch ~

Yeah I've explored the scaredycat map and it definitely inspired me. I don't think it's available in a mobile format though is it? I see that map as more of a research tool whereas a personal map can be used out in the field and for logging my own progress.

Edited July 19, 2010 by ribozyme

[Difficult Run]

Sorry, my bad. I don't have a smartphone nor have the expertise to manipulate Google Maps the way you do.

 

I like the idea though,

~ Mitch ~

[+billwallace]

Yeah I've explored the scaredycat map and it definitely inspired me. I don't think it's available in a mobile format though is it? I see that map as more of a research tool whereas a personal map can be used out in the field and for logging my own progress.

There is the rudiments of the beginning of a mobile version. I tried it out for a few minutes on my daughter's iPhone and it seemed to load pretty fast. It'll ask you a couple of times if it's OK to 'upload' your current location.

 

Should work great up there in bezerkely.