Witch app on my Iphone?

[+Hidde109]

I'm new at geocaching. In a couple of weeks I'm getting a new Iphone. Wich app is the most suitable for me? I'm just looking for an app in wich I can manualy put in the gps-coordinates and than want an arrow wich is pounting in the direction I have to go, and telling me what's the distance I have to travel. In other words, plain simpel.

[+Lieblweb]

Download all the FREE apps and try them all.

 

The free apps will probably be limited with what you can do with them. Whichever app you like, you can pay for the full version later. Also, these apps have more capabilities as you upgrade them & have premium membership.

 

I would think the Groundspeak geocaching app is the most popular.

[+padutchtravel]

Hi Davy! I am new too and I use my iphone as well. I like geocaching.com's app they have a free app which very easy to use. It tells you the location of caches closest to you. The only problem with the intro app is it tended to freeze up on me a lot. Must have been a bug in the system. Now I use the full paid version with no problems and I like it. Just remember with a phone your limited to where you have reception on your telephone. which is why I am getting a handheld gps. Because I like doing caches out in the woods better than urban.

[+nightowlzzz]

I'm new at geocaching. In a couple of weeks I'm getting a new Iphone. Wich app is the most suitable for me? I'm just looking for an app in wich I can manualy put in the gps-coordinates and than want an arrow wich is pounting in the direction I have to go, and telling me what's the distance I have to travel. In other words, plain simpel.

 

I have the free MotionX app and have also paid for the MotionX GPS, maybe about $3 (don't remember, not important; so worth it!). The app has a ton of features that you would probably enjoy having. In addition, it does the two things you want which is to point and shoot. (so to speak) ..... You can put coords in and it also has a compass.

 

When you decide you want a more featured geocaching app, take a look at the geocaching.com app - it's awesome paperless caching and at only $10, well worth the investment, especially when you consider all you get for it. If you create pocket queries ahead of time and download them to the phone while in wifi (or 3G) range, you can then refer to each cache when out of cell range.

 

Just keep in mind that 2 burgers and fries, and drinks will cost more than the apps and the apps last a lot longer. ;-)

[+Chief301]

Lieblweb's advice is good, try all the free apps and see which one works best for you....BUT, don't judge the official Geoundspeak app based on its intro version....they're not at all the same. The free app is really just to give you a taste of what Geocaching is...the paid app is a real caching tool.

 

Some folks think $10 is a lot to spend on an app, but it's the best ten bucks I've ever spent.

[+Hidde109]

Tank you all for the replys, I'm now just looking more foreward to my new Iphone I'll try them all. I'm not looking for a cheap solution, but for a simpel solution, just tell me in wich direction I have to go, and how far. Tanx again!

[+Godzilla Rocks]

I've been using the Groundspeak app since I started and think it rules! They update it on a pretty regular basis and allows paperless caching anytime any where.

[+TomToad]

Groundspeak app is probably going to be what works best for you. If you want a more general purpose, non-geocaching specific app, I would recommend MotionX. If you decide to become a premium member, I would also recommend looking into Geosphere, it will let you organize and filter pocket queries in many ways the official app wont.

[+FLYBYU]

I have an Iphone and use the Groundspeak app. It's a little pricey at $10, but it works so well it is worth it. For urban caching I use this as it's paperless, out in the boonies I use my Etrex, I have to manually enter cords for it though. The Groundspeak app makes it really easy, especially if you don't have a computer, as it can all be done on your phone.

[+Hidde109]

Hm, I'm not that happy whit the app from Groundspeak. The accuracy is most of the time 10meters, wich is a lot!. I take it that this is due to my phone, not to my app. So I'm now in the market for a gps-device wich is more accurate. Any gustestions?

[+The_Incredibles_]

Depends on how much $$ you're willing to spend and what features you want.

 

A good place for reviews:

 

http://www.gpsinformation.net/

 

I have an Oregon 550, which is basically an Oregon 450 with a camera. So I would recommend the 450, but if you don't want to pay that much, the Garmin Dakota 20 is very similar but smaller and cheaper. Another good one's the Magellan Explorist GC.

 

If you're thinking of upgrading your phone anyway and are just going to geocache where there's cell reception, there are smartphones that are just as accurate as a GPS.

Edited June 24, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

[4wheelin_fool]

I use the Groundspeak app, and the accuracy is terrible if you try to use it like a gps. It's 155 feet most of the time. However, the satellite view makes up for that in most cases, and often makes it easier than a gps arrow.

[+TomToad]

155 feet is a lot. Either you are using an older iPhone without a GPSr or you are not getting a satellite lock. Smartphones will use both the satellites as well as cell tower triangulation to get a fix. If you lose a lock, it will rely only on towers and can be 155 feet or more off. Try installing the free version of the MotionX GPS app. Go to the main menu and select "My Position" from the choices. The app will let you know if you have a true satellite lock, and how good of a lock you have. I use to use an iPod with GPSr attachment and would always be 30' at the most, and I'm sure my GPSr attachment was nowhere near as accurate as an iPhone 4g.

[+Hidde109]

Tx for the replys!

[Blue Square Thing]

I use the Groundspeak app, and the accuracy is terrible if you try to use it like a gps. It's 155 feet most of the time. However, the satellite view makes up for that in most cases, and often makes it easier than a gps arrow.

 

I don't think I've ever had worse than 10 metres after it's settled - usually 5 metres and, if you use either of those levels of resolution carefully, you can, I think, figure it down to more accurate than that as well. I presume the accuracy goes in 5 metre chunks fwiw to the other poster - it's going to be 30m, 10m and then, eventually, 5m.

[judgementday]

I am new to geocaching so I paid for the $10 Iphone App before purchasing a hand held GPS. The app works pretty well when you are in a location that gets good cell service and/or WIFI. The town I live in is a small community and the app either freezes up or the location is off. So I have begun my researching of GPS devices.

[+CalicoMouse]

I"m new too, I'll add my 10 cents for the Geocaching app as I like being able to download the photos and more on the iPhone and now use it in conjunction with my Magellan.

 

I am new to geocaching so I paid for the $10 Iphone App before purchasing a hand held GPS. The app works pretty well when you are in a location that gets good cell service and/or WIFI. The town I live in is a small community and the app either freezes up or the location is off. So I have begun my researching of GPS devices.

[+Hidde109]

Now a few days later I conclude I was a little impatient. By walking around for a short time the app in the end points you more or less in the right direction, so sofar no money wasted. Tx again for the replys!

[+Sol seaker]

If you're not getting accurate readings, then it's the fault of the phone, not the app.

 

Evidently some smart phones just use triangulation of cell towers for the GPS, while others have an actual GPS chip in them. If you've got the former, it's not going to be that accurate.

 

Smart phones are good tools to start out caching with, to see if you're going to get into the game or not. If you continue on with the game, it's nice to have a GPS because they are so much more accurate. Also often people who keep playing want to start hiding caches. You NEED a GPS to hide caches.

 

I had a friend I went out caching with. She cached with an I-phone. We jumped out of the car and she went in one direction and I went in the other. Later I got new coordinates on all of her caches that she had tried to place with the phone. One was over 100 feet off.

 

If you've bought the app and then get a GPS you have NOT wasted your money!!

 

I had the GPS first, and then bought the app later. It comes in really handy when you are out caching on the fly.

 

You've still got to load caches into the GPS, so when I find myself in an area that I haven't loaded the caches from, and have some extra time, I can look up caches in the area with my phone and hand-load the coords into my GPS and find 'em.

 

I find it really useful. I'm glad I bought the app.

[+amberm145]

Does the geocaching app (paid version) require a data connection to work?

 

I have an ipod touch with an external GPS device. I downloaded the free version of Groundspeak's app and it won't load for me unless it has a data connection. Kind of useless for taking out of the house since I only have wifi. Even if I had an iPhone, I sometimes do geocaching in other countries where I wouldn't want to be paying for data roaming.

 

I'm looking for something I can load cache info on before I go out. Any suggestions?

[+Chief301]

Does the geocaching app (paid version) require a data connection to work?

 

I have an ipod touch with an external GPS device. I downloaded the free version of Groundspeak's app and it won't load for me unless it has a data connection. Kind of useless for taking out of the house since I only have wifi. Even if I had an iPhone, I sometimes do geocaching in other countries where I wouldn't want to be paying for data roaming.

 

I'm looking for something I can load cache info on before I go out. Any suggestions?

 

When you are on wi-fi you can check out an area you want to go and save caches in the app, as well as maps. Then you can hunt for those saved caches with the GPS without a data connection. You'll have to work off the saved list, you won't be able to "Find Nearby Geocaches" like you could if you had a connection.

 

If you are a Premium member you can also generate a Pocket Query and save it to the app. This would allow you to save hundreds of caches at once instead of hand picking them one at a time.

 

Of course I'm referring to the paid app here, the free app doesn't do any of that and only operates with a live data connection.

Edited July 22, 2012 by Chief301

[Blue Square Thing]

If you are a Premium member you can also generate a Pocket Query and save it to the app. This would allow you to save hundreds of caches at once instead of hand picking them one at a time.

 

Using the map view in the app you can save all the caches you currently have visible on the map in one go. Takes a while - wifi recommended!