iPad for GC

[+Team Lankidden]

Our iPad 2 is around ten days old, and was bought primarily to supplement family desktop & laptop as a laptop Browser, games player & eReader, but also to hopefully negate a need for a separate dedicated GPS handheld, for our relatively undemanding leisure, mainly lowland, walking. At the time, there was no thought of GeoCaching. HOWEVER ! ! ! Three local caches have now been visited, and two out of the three coordinates were spot on.

 

Leaving aside the obvious restrictions caused by it's physical size, while the iPad functions superbly well as a navigation device via the ViewRanger App, navigating to a precise point via pre-loaded coordinates, so far seems a tad clumsy. The coordinates only remain on the screen for around three seconds per click, and while the audio alarm is fairly accurate, displaying a "distance from" distance seems to require continually toggling between the Details Window and the previous Menu Page. So here is my question. Is there something I have missed, and is there an easier way of navigating via the iPad to a precise coordinate that I have so far not come across?

 

Many thanks

 

Lankidden

Oxford UK

[+eusty]

Does the iphone app work on the ipad? Maybe someone how has one would know, but that would solve you issues

[+Team Lankidden]

Does the iphone app work on the ipad? Maybe someone how has one would know, but that would solve you issues

 

Sorry, which iPhone App? The ViewRanger App I've downloaded is the iPad version, although it is also available as an iPhone App, or are we talking about something completely different??

 

Lankidden

[+eusty]

http://www.geocaching.com/iphone/default.aspx

 

Looks like you can use the ipad

Edited June 14, 2011 by eusty

[+CacheFreakTim]

Does the iphone app work on the ipad? Maybe someone how has one would know, but that would solve you issues

 

Sorry, which iPhone App? The ViewRanger App I've downloaded is the iPad version, although it is also available as an iPhone App, or are we talking about something completely different??

 

Lankidden

 

I have been caching with the iPhone and iPad for some time but have not heard of an app called "ViewRanger." I have used both the official Groundspeak app ($10) and Geosphere ($8.) Between the two I would recommend downloading the official Groundspeak app. It works very well on the iPad and its ability to download topo and satellite maps on the fly is really great. Give it a shot and let me know what you think.

[+Team Lankidden]

Hi Tim,

 

The ViewRanger App enables the downloading of complete Maps, or sections of Maps from most National Mapping Agencies, which here in the UK is The Ordnance Survey. The complete UK National map at 1:250,000 ie road atlas scale is a freebie, while 1:50,000 & 1: 25,000 walking and hiking maps can be downloaded for as little as £00.12 GBP per tile/section. Any POI or Cache can be entered, and live GPS positioning enables navigation to the POI to be displayed against realistic hiking mapping, showing footpaths, field boundaries, woodland, streams etc etc etc. This was one reason for which we purchased the iPad, although apparently ViewRanger, with which I have no connection other than being a satisfied customer, is available for almost any Smart Phone worldwide.

 

I have now downloaded the Groundspeak App, but have yet to try it out seeking a Cache, but I will give it a go tomorrow, in comparison to Viewranger, and will post a report.

 

What I would really like to find is an App which has a simple "old fashioned" GPS position window, displaying current coordinates in real time, just like my initial Magellan did around eight years ago, or any bog standard GPS handheld will still do. As I wrote in my initial post, Viewranger does display current coordinates, but for no more than three seconds on screen per click.

 

When GC'ing via the Groundspeak App, which version of mapping works best for you, street, topo, or satellite?

 

Lankidden

Edited June 14, 2011 by Lankidden

[+CacheFreakTim]

Hi Tim,

 

The ViewRanger App enables the downloading of complete Maps, or sections of Maps from most National Mapping Agencies, which here in the UK is The Ordnance Survey. The complete UK National map at 1:250,000 ie road atlas scale is a freebie, while 1:50,000 & 1: 25,000 walking and hiking maps can be downloaded for as little as £00.12 GBP per tile/section. Any POI or Cache can be entered, and live GPS positioning enables navigation to the POI to be displayed against realistic hiking mapping, showing footpaths, field boundaries, woodland, streams etc etc etc. This was one reason for which we purchased the iPad, although apparently ViewRanger, with which I have no connection other than being a satisfied customer, is available for almost any Smart Phone worldwide.

 

I have now downloaded the Groundspeak App, but have yet to try it out seeking a Cache, but I will give it a go tomorrow, in comparison to Viewranger, and will post a report.

 

What I would really like to find is an App which has a simple "old fashioned" GPS position window, displaying current coordinates in real time, just like my initial Magellan did around eight years ago, or any bog standard GPS handheld will still do. As I wrote in my initial post, Viewranger does display current coordinates, but for no more than three seconds on screen per click.

 

When GC'ing via the Groundspeak App, which version of mapping works best for you, street, topo, or satellite?

 

Lankidden

 

I swap between topo and satellite depending on the environment. For rural areas satellite works well for me and for the woods I use topo. Also for traditional GPS apps check out MotionX GPS. It has every feature under the sun you might want in a typical GPS and it runs on both the iPhone and iPad. It only costs $3 too.

[+Team Lankidden]

I have now downloaded the Groundspeak App, but have yet to try it out seeking a Cache, but I will give it a go tomorrow, in comparison to Viewranger, and will post a report.

 

Hi Tim,

Have just been out to find today's Cache. Had all three Apps open, ViewRanger, Motion X, and the Groundspeak GeoCache App. On a severely limited survey of a single Cache, whilst standing at GZ, ViewRanger displayed a distance to site of between zero & two feet. At the same location, GeoCache displayed a distance to site of twelve to sixteen feet, while when Motion X displayed zero feet to site, I was actually standing at around fifteen feet from the site, in fairly dense undergrowth. Although clumsy, I do find it easier to navigate to GZ by switching screens within ViewRanger. Switching between the Google/Bing Map, and the Distance Window within the GeoCacheApp is fairly accurate, but the App is let down by being designed for the iPhone, thus causing blurring if zoomed to full screen on the iPad. Motion X I find is an excellent product, with the iPad version being scaled up to successfully take account of the iPad screen real estate. The screen display is excellent, and the "My Position" window first class, I would like to take more advantage of what Motion X has to offer, but I need to work my way around the many many windows and options.

For the record, you can find ViewRanger's Home Page here. http://viewranger.co.uk/ and I see that the USA Nat Geo 1:24,000 mapping is readily available.

For me, navigating via GPS, while superimposing my GPS position onto known and trusted paper mapping iPad screen images is a no brainer, and once I get used to the additional features built into Motion X, and can combine both Apps while in the field I might even stand a chance of becoming reasonably proficient at GeoCaching.

Had a look at MacCaching, but as the WebSite doesn't appear to have been updated in over two years, and as the App is only compatible with Garmin & Magellan units, it's probably not for me.

 

All the best

 

Lankidden

[+CacheFreakTim]

I have now downloaded the Groundspeak App, but have yet to try it out seeking a Cache, but I will give it a go tomorrow, in comparison to Viewranger, and will post a report.

 

Hi Tim,

Have just been out to find today's Cache. Had all three Apps open, ViewRanger, Motion X, and the Groundspeak GeoCache App. On a severely limited survey of a single Cache, whilst standing at GZ, ViewRanger displayed a distance to site of between zero & two feet. At the same location, GeoCache displayed a distance to site of twelve to sixteen feet, while when Motion X displayed zero feet to site, I was actually standing at around fifteen feet from the site, in fairly dense undergrowth. Although clumsy, I do find it easier to navigate to GZ by switching screens within ViewRanger. Switching between the Google/Bing Map, and the Distance Window within the GeoCacheApp is fairly accurate, but the App is let down by being designed for the iPhone, thus causing blurring if zoomed to full screen on the iPad. Motion X I find is an excellent product, with the iPad version being scaled up to successfully take account of the iPad screen real estate. The screen display is excellent, and the "My Position" window first class, I would like to take more advantage of what Motion X has to offer, but I need to work my way around the many many windows and options.

For the record, you can find ViewRanger's Home Page here. http://viewranger.co.uk/ and I see that the USA Nat Geo 1:24,000 mapping is readily available.

For me, navigating via GPS, while superimposing my GPS position onto known and trusted paper mapping iPad screen images is a no brainer, and once I get used to the additional features built into Motion X, and can combine both Apps while in the field I might even stand a chance of becoming reasonably proficient at GeoCaching.

Had a look at MacCaching, but as the WebSite doesn't appear to have been updated in over two years, and as the App is only compatible with Garmin & Magellan units, it's probably not for me.

 

All the best

 

Lankidden

 

Ya you will get variances from time to time in distance so don't let that get you down. Also to get around the blurred maps when blowing the app up to full screen I have found switching from Bing maps to Google Maps (Menu->Settings->Map Sources) really helps. You can go full screen and get full screen satellite maps.