Caching in Japan with iPhone

[+actualsize]

In a couple weeks I'm visiting Japan on a business trip. I'll have a free day in Tokyo and I want to pick up a couple caches if time permits.

 

I know my AT&T iPhone will not work as a phone over there, but is there any reason I won't be able to cache with pre-saved pocket queries on-board? I'm good, right? It'll be just like rural areas without service around home, I imagine.

 

Dan

[+stijnhommes]

Apparently Japan uses the same voltage as the USA, but I'm not sure about the plugs. You might want to take along an adaptor so you can charge your phone.

Other than that, it should work, but the skyscrapers will probably interfere with the signals.

[+Andromeda321]

Your phone has a built-in GPS so yes, you can use it when caching in a foreign country (I've done it a few times myself). Some advice though, do some homework in advance for one or two easy caches that you should be able to find without a phone- a virtual for example- and write down the info on paper because you never know what might happen!

[+juc_cacher]

Your phone has a built-in GPS so yes, you can use it when caching in a foreign country (I've done it a few times myself). Some advice though, do some homework in advance for one or two easy caches that you should be able to find without a phone- a virtual for example- and write down the info on paper because you never know what might happen!

 

and make sure you turn off roaming data. Costs can be very high and you don't want the phone making connections if you don't know about it, or your holiday souvenirs may include a rather large bill !

 

Wait till you're back in the hotel and use the WiFi there to upload logs.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

In a couple weeks I'm visiting Japan on a business trip. I'll have a free day in Tokyo and I want to pick up a couple caches if time permits.

 

I know my AT&T iPhone will not work as a phone over there, but is there any reason I won't be able to cache with pre-saved pocket queries on-board? I'm good, right? It'll be just like rural areas without service around home, I imagine.

 

Dan

 

I found 2 caches in Tokyo yesterday with the aid of my iPhone, so, yes it can be done.

 

I've used my AT&T iPhone in many countries and can't see any reason why it wouldn't work in Japan.

 

I also used my iPhone, in combination with my handheld GPS, to find a couple of caches in Tokyo yesterday. I flew from Singapore into Narita where I had a 7 hour layover before a flight to Newark, NJ. I had picked out a couple of possible locations where I could go to find a few caches and then talked with someone at the tourist information desk at the airport. She provided train maps and a local map of Narita (the town, not the airport). The train station in Narita is only about 10 minutes from terminal 1. From there I walked to the Narita temple and around a beautiful park where I found a cache, then found another on the way back to the station.

 

Create a set of pocket queries for the areas where you're going to be staying, then "Save" them on your phone prior to leaving on your trip. Once you're there, select the PQ from the "Saved" list. As soon as it loads, it will show a list of caches with the one closest to you at the top. Select a cache and then "navigate to cache". Even if you don't have base maps loaded, you can still use the compass screen to get to the location.

[+kiwimonster]

When I was in Japan, I used a "real" GPS for geocaching, but I also had my iphone for cached map purposes. One issue I had is that the iphone never figured out that we had moved a long ways and never got a lock until I used it to connect to a wireless network to give it a clue where it was. Just stand outside the Apple store in Tokyo for free wireless, it's right by the Ginza subway stop. This was several years ago, maybe the software has gotten better. Most of our hotels in Japan did not have wireless then.

 

The power/usb adapter that comes with the iphone works in every country I've tried it in, and I've tried many - it handles something like 100-220V 50-60hz. Get out a magnifying glass, it says so right on it. Japan power is 100V at 50/60hz depending on where you are. The plug style in Japan is the same as the US so no adapter is needed.

 

The phone would probably work as a phone just fine, 3G is available, but I left mine in airplane mode with wireless on. Save your pocket queries at home or if your hotel has wireless, and the geocaching app should work fine. ATT would likely be happy to sell you an international phone/text/data plan and maybe your company would even pay you for it...

[+NYPaddleCacher]

When I was in Japan, I used a "real" GPS for geocaching, but I also had my iphone for cached map purposes. One issue I had is that the iphone never figured out that we had moved a long ways and never got a lock until I used it to connect to a wireless network to give it a clue where it was.

 

I don't mean to hijack this thread but you've brought up an interest issue. I believe that the newer iPhones (and many modern smart phones with a GPS chip) use aGPS. Essentially, aGPS uses cell phone triangulation and/or wifi to assist in determining an estimated current location for an initial satellite lock. Contrary to the somewhat popular belief aGPS will not improve accuracy once the device has a satellite lock. I may be speculating but I would think that a wireless signal for aGPS would not be necessary if it was able to triangulate using cell phone tower signals and I'm pretty sure that it doesn't require data roaming to be turned on to do that.

 

The power/usb adapter that comes with the iphone works in every country I've tried it in, and I've tried many - it handles something like 100-220V 50-60hz. Get out a magnifying glass, it says so right on it. Japan power is 100V at 50/60hz depending on where you are. The plug style in Japan is the same as the US so no adapter is needed.

 

I don't think I've ever seen a voltage adapter that *doesn't* work using a 100-220V range. On the other hand, I saw a printer purchased in the U.S. get fried after plugging it directly (using a plug adapter) directly into 220V in Zambia.

 

The phone would probably work as a phone just fine, 3G is available, but I left mine in airplane mode with wireless on. Save your pocket queries at home or if your hotel has wireless, and the geocaching app should work fine. ATT would likely be happy to sell you an international phone/text/data plan and maybe your company would even pay you for it...

 

I often will switch off airplane mode but only after I've confirmed that I have data roaming turned off. In fact, I always leave data roaming turned off. For actually using the smart phone as a phone many places sell SIM cards that will give you a local number. I rarely find it necessary to make local calls while traveling so I haven't bought one but a couple of people I know got a really good deal on a local SIM card while I was in Malaysia last week so it's an option worth checking out. I've typically found that the international phone/data plans that AT&T sells either are not available for the country in which I'm traveling or don't offer enough of a savings to make it worth buying.