I have not coverage (out of range) in my cell phone (android) and geocaching doesn't work

[willxslime]

I'm new in geocaching (only 2 geocaches found) but while I'm looking for my first, I was searching it but my cell phone miss the signal (no coverage, out of range) and the app geocaching didn't work normally and the searching was very difficult for me.

Is there any possible way to do the searching without coverage?

 

Thanks!

[+Shaved Ewok]

I'm new in geocaching (only 2 geocaches found) but while I'm looking for my first, I was searching it but my cell phone miss the signal (no coverage, out of range) and the app geocaching didn't work normally and the searching was very difficult for me.

Is there any possible way to do the searching without coverage?

 

Thanks!

 

Buy a real GPS is really the only way.

[+splashy]

Many Android apps work offline, you need to load maps first, but basically you do not even need a map to geocache.

[+vipster76]

Save your geocache route to an offline list then use the compass to show you the way then save your logs offline and upload them when you get home over wifi

 

pretty much like a dedicated gps really but without the need of a cable

 

the newer phones even use the Russian satellites so accuracy is pretty good too.

[tr_s]

the newer phones even use the Russian satellites so accuracy is pretty good too.

 

Sure the new phones give a more than acceptable position. However a puny antenna limits accuracy in substandard reception conditions.

Also, on certain Samsung machines (galaxy Gio is an example) there seems to be a bug which leads to that the receiver can never lock unless an AGPS signal is had.

What this means in practice is that a 3G tower signal is needed to get a position. (This is a rare problem, just mentioning it in case it might be what's troubling the OP. If the GPS signal indicator shows a steady crosshair instead of "pumping" when trying to cache - this most likely is NOT the poster's problem).

Edited August 27, 2013 by tr_s

[+JohnnyVegas]

I'm new in geocaching (only 2 geocaches found) but while I'm looking for my first, I was searching it but my cell phone miss the signal (no coverage, out of range) and the app geocaching didn't work normally and the searching was very difficult for me.

Is there any possible way to do the searching without coverage?

 

Thanks!

just buy a real GPS liked an entry level Garmin or Magellan, they will cost you about $100.00 and will works anyplace you go, unlike a cell phone

[+Red90]

Don't listen to the haters... The phone should work fine without a signal. With the Groundspeak app, you need to save to an offline list first. This is no different to a dedicated GPS, where you need to save at home first.

[+thebruce0]

To answer the original question, yes the apps will work offline - if you know you're going somewhere with no signal, then before you get there try going to your map and moving and zooming around the places you think you'll want to look. That should cache the maps themselves automatically (to a certain amount of data). Experiment around with it and see how much you can cache beforehand. You can turn off your data (or turn on airplane mode) to see how much was cached and how much you'd be able to do when out of range.

 

For other data, just make sure you've downloaded everything to the app that you think you'd want or need. AFAIK, every geocaching app can work offline, to various degrees. I think the starting concept with the Groundspeak app is to go caching while online with the option to store data for offline use, whereas Geosphere's starting concept is for offline caching, with downloading data and incorporating the Live API to retrieve data for offline caching.

 

You don't need a handheld GPS to go caching offline. But you're of course free to get one if you want

Edited August 27, 2013 by thebruce0

[+Chuy!]

I'm new in geocaching (only 2 geocaches found) but while I'm looking for my first, I was searching it but my cell phone miss the signal (no coverage, out of range) and the app geocaching didn't work normally and the searching was very difficult for me.

Is there any possible way to do the searching without coverage?

 

Thanks!

 

What phone do u have? Solution may be as simple as checking your navigation settings to see that the phone's internal gps is enabled.

[tr_s]

Again it is worth mentioning that "phone caching" is all good - very arguably more user friendly than using the Garmin devices in many cases. However, a prerequisite is that the GPS implementation in the phone actually properly works. I've seen more than one phone model where it doesn't.

 

Set the phone to airplane mode, reboot, and see if you can still get a proper lock and position with a GPS testing app or standalone GPS application. If you can, that's a good indication.

[+thebruce0]

Set the phone to airplane mode, reboot, and see if you can still get a proper lock and position with a GPS testing app or standalone GPS application. If you can, that's a good indication.

Not with iPhone. Airplane mode on iOS turns off satellite GPS as well. To test for satellite GPS ability (if the hardware specs aren't enough for you), then you need to turn off all cell/data functions manually in Settings. GPS should still work (from 3GS and up). As for Android/BB/Win, that I can't help with. =P

[tr_s]

Set the phone to airplane mode, reboot, and see if you can still get a proper lock and position with a GPS testing app or standalone GPS application. If you can, that's a good indication.

Not with iPhone. Airplane mode on iOS turns off satellite GPS as well. To test for satellite GPS ability (if the hardware specs aren't enough for you), then you need to turn off all cell/data functions manually in Settings. GPS should still work (from 3GS and up). As for Android/BB/Win, that I can't help with. =P

 

Thanks for pointing that out. One could imagine that the iPhone world is less prone to those faults and therefore there is less reason to actually confirm it. In the Android world it seems every manufacturer has 30 different models and 4 variants of those models, so perhaps no surprise serious faults sometimes surface.

[+Team CowboyPapa]

I learned the other day that GAIAGPS appears to provide a way to geocache out of cellular coverage if your phone has internal GPS capability:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=314827&view=findpost&p=5292184

 

In addition to loading maps before you leave for geocaching, PQ resultant files (GPX) must be loaded.

 

I intend to try this app on my next back country trip:

http://www.gaiagps.com/