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Can I geocache abroad with iphone?


ThomasAllen1999

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Hi all

Am going to Greece on hols, want to geocache when there but don't want to buy dedicated GPS geocaching device. Is there a way I can use my iphone 5 to access GPS and maps so I can geocache WITHOUT using cellular data ...... Cos def can't afford that!! Thanks in advance

It's called Pocket Queries and off-line list. http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=430

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You can, but you have to do a little pre-work.....follow Gitchee's advice above and learn about Pocket Queries. When you've learned to create a pocket query, if you then save said query to your iPhone app, you can cache without using data....the phone does have a GPS chip on board so it will still do basic navigation without a cellular signal.

 

Try it at home first....load a few local caches to the app, then turn off data and see how it works. It should even work in Airplane mode.

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Hi all

Is there a way I can use my iphone 5 to access GPS and maps so I can geocache WITHOUT using cellular data ...... Cos def can't afford that!! Thanks in advance

 

Does your phone have a removable SIM card ?

 

If so you may want to get a SIM when you get there. I got mine right after I got through international arrivals. You will have to show your Passport to get the card.

 

I got mine from Cosmote. They had good dependable cell service though out all of Greece. I forget the exact prices but it was about $30US for the card and data plan that lasted me 2 weeks.

 

Some of the other advantages of getting a local SIM card are. You can make inexpensive phone calls. In case you need to call your B&B saying you can't find them or will be late.

Or you play the can't be named QR code game. You can IM or text message people at home. Instantly post pictures to face book. ETC ETC.

 

I don't usually get a SIM card unless I plan on being in a country at least a week YMMV.

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I don't have the Iphone but have cached in a area without service before. If you can connect to a wifi signal at your motel or where ever you can look up the caches around and then save them for off line use. That is what we did but not sure if it is the same for the Iphone or if you will have wifi at your location.

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Hi all

Am going to Greece on hols, want to geocache when there but don't want to buy dedicated GPS geocaching device. Is there a way I can use my iphone 5 to access GPS and maps so I can geocache WITHOUT using cellular data ...... Cos def can't afford that!! Thanks in advance

I know nothing about pocket queries, but there's probably a better solution anyway.

 

At home (or at a wifi spot when you're in Greece) created saved lists of caches that interest you - there's a saved icon at the bottom of the app. The information (but quite possibly not the maps) will be there when you turn data roaming off. You'll still be able to locate where you're at and get the compass, hints and so on.

 

I've used this several times abroad and it's not caused any data charges at all. My feeling from a couple of other threads is that pocket queries don't necessarily provide this functionality - I don't know, because I don't use them but I've heard the odd thing mumbled about it.

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I don't use the Groundspeak app, but before we last went overseas I identified particular caches I wanted to do and used pocket queries to search for broader types of caches that interest me (virtuals, earthcaches, letterboxes, etc.). The app I use saves both for offline use and allowed me to filter and merge the various results or create specific groups for each area I visited.

 

I used various offline maps (Navigon for voice routing/driving; pocket earth for basic routing and location info; Gaia gps with a number of offline options). These maps can all be downloaded and saved offline quickly and easily - the app I use (Geosphere) transferred the cache coordinates to the maps so I could always get to where I wanted to go. Some other caching apps - although not Groundspeak's - let you do this as well to various extents.

 

The iphone will also cache data for online maps, like google, so if you are staying someplace with wifi, you can go into the mapping app (or the caching app that you use) and make sure that the data is saved for your day's journey.

 

If there is a cache description for something you might particularly want to do, but it is in a language you do not read, you can also do an online translation before you leave. I have used Geosphere to edit the cache description to include a rough translation, but you could also use GSAK or other similar tools.

Edited by geodarts
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Hi all

Is there a way I can use my iphone 5 to access GPS and maps so I can geocache WITHOUT using cellular data ...... Cos def can't afford that!! Thanks in advance

 

Does your phone have a removable SIM card ?

 

If so you may want to get a SIM when you get there. I got mine right after I got through international arrivals. You will have to show your Passport to get the card.

 

I got mine from Cosmote. They had good dependable cell service though out all of Greece. I forget the exact prices but it was about $30US for the card and data plan that lasted me 2 weeks.

 

Some of the other advantages of getting a local SIM card are. You can make inexpensive phone calls. In case you need to call your B&B saying you can't find them or will be late.

Or you play the can't be named QR code game. You can IM or text message people at home. Instantly post pictures to face book. ETC ETC.

 

I don't usually get a SIM card unless I plan on being in a country at least a week YMMV.

 

Forgot 1 thing, Your phone needs to be unlocked in order to use SIMs from other networks

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Keep in mind that although you will want to avoid any roaming charges by keeping your cellular data off (unless you can find a local SIM card for your phone and want to use that), the gps chip on the iphone will not work in airplane mode.
Interesting. On my Android phones, I've been able to use Airplane Mode to turn off the cell and data antennas, and then use the GPS antenna with my geocaching apps. It's very useful in areas with poor cell reception, because otherwise the phone would use the antennas at full power, trying to get a connection to a distant tower that is just at the edge of its reception.

 

Does that not work with iPhones?

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Hi all

Am going to Greece on hols, want to geocache when there but don't want to buy dedicated GPS geocaching device. Is there a way I can use my iphone 5 to access GPS and maps so I can geocache WITHOUT using cellular data ...... Cos def can't afford that!! Thanks in advance

I know nothing about pocket queries, but there's probably a better solution anyway.

 

At home (or at a wifi spot when you're in Greece) created saved lists of caches that interest you - there's a saved icon at the bottom of the app. The information (but quite possibly not the maps) will be there when you turn data roaming off. You'll still be able to locate where you're at and get the compass, hints and so on.

 

I've used this several times abroad and it's not caused any data charges at all. My feeling from a couple of other threads is that pocket queries don't necessarily provide this functionality - I don't know, because I don't use them but I've heard the odd thing mumbled about it.

Pocket queries is definitely the better solution.

 

Saving offline lists is easy enough, but PQs are better.

 

 

Keep in mind that although you will want to avoid any roaming charges by keeping your cellular data off (unless you can find a local SIM card for your phone and want to use that), the gps chip on the iphone will not work in airplane mode.
Interesting. On my Android phones, I've been able to use Airplane Mode to turn off the cell and data antennas, and then use the GPS antenna with my geocaching apps. It's very useful in areas with poor cell reception, because otherwise the phone would use the antennas at full power, trying to get a connection to a distant tower that is just at the edge of its reception.

 

Does that not work with iPhones?

 

Nope. Airplane mode turns off my little blue dot

 

Turn off cellular. That'll do it..... Turns your phone off, and the app works like a charm

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On my Android phones, I've been able to use Airplane Mode to turn off the cell and data antennas, and then use the GPS antenna with my geocaching apps. It's very useful in areas with poor cell reception, because otherwise the phone would use the antennas at full power, trying to get a connection to a distant tower that is just at the edge of its reception.

 

Does that not work with iPhones?

Nope. Airplane mode turns off my little blue dot

 

Turn off cellular. That'll do it..... Turns your phone off, and the app works like a charm

Ah, so iPhone users can turn off cellular without turning off GPS. They just do it a little differently than Android users do.
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Before you go.....

 

I would highly recommend trying things first. Turn OFF your cell signal on your phone (in settings). And now, experiment with what you need to do to use the phone to geocache without cell signal.

 

I haven't tried it lately, but....when I did try it, the phone was sooooooooooooooo SLOW and locked up frequently.

 

You're better off experimenting before you go. If the phone doesn't respond now, then it certainly won't respond there. You might be better off borrowing a handheld GPS or buy one before you go.

Edited by Lieblweb
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Ah, so iPhone users can turn off cellular without turning off GPS. They just do it a little differently than Android users do.

 

Yup. And it actually makes the app work better.

 

I did about 13 caches in a preserve the other day, light elevation, only 440ft gain, heavy tree cover, about 4 miles in distance.

At the halfway point, my battery was at 39%! Eegads. Yeah. I got on FB a time or two. And yeah, I read through all the logs on a DNF.

But still

 

Turned the cellular off (and my backlight down lower). Cached the way back. 7 caches, same distance/elevation/etc. it was a loop trail.

 

Batts dropped only 15% more. 60% loss vs 15% loss

 

App worked like a champ. Crystal clear reception. Pages loaded lightening quick. With the cellular turned on, they take FOREVER to load. Just forever.

 

For 4 years, with 4 different iPhones, in almost every terrain....the app has ALWAYS worked better with the cellular turned off...

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Beside downloading cache data for offline use, be sure to use offline maps, too. AFAIK the Groundspeak App doesn't support this.

 

"Looking4Cache Pro" for iPhone and iPad, licensed to use the Groundspeak API, does. It is designed to be used offline (cache descriptions, pocket query ability AND maps) plus beeing very battery friendly. There is a free lite version of L4C, that doesn't support offline maps (the only difference to the Pro version, so you may test it at home if you're generally can work with it).

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At home, save the caches you wanna go visit on a list in the iphone app and when offline, you can use the app to find them. This doesn't require internet connection, only the use of gps the iphone has anyway. I do this for geocaching abroad and it works fine, however, the position tends to be a little less exact. But so far, I managed.

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