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re: using my cell phone as a gps receiver


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My cell phone is an Alcatel Flerce 4 model 5056N. The app's that I have are "the free version of Geocaching App & Widget"  and  "Geocaching®". I had to do some Owner maintenance  on my Geocach  "The Star Ship USS Jack Fletcher". The Dollar Tree plastic storage containers don't last very long outside. It had been a long time since I had been to the catch, I new the gen area that it was in. I tried both app's and I had a lot of problems seeing the  display on my phone in the sun. I had to use a trick from my days as a search and rescue observer (the person that does the looking while the pilot does the flying)  using a  circle search. The only reading that I could see clearly on the display was the distance to target numbers. So I went around in a circle, trying different directions and watching how the distance to target numbers went up and down. I finally found the catch. I want to get back into finding more local caches while it isn't to cold or to hot. I ether need to fix the display on my phone so I can see it in the sun light or get a GPS receiver. Is there an app to turn up the contrast on the phones display so I can see it in the sun light. What controls that are in the phone for that are at max already.

 

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On 4/1/2019 at 7:31 AM, DollyJelly said:

The Alcatel Flerce 4 model 5056N has Android and a Hardware compass (see https://www.gsmarena.com/alcatel_fierce_4-8298.php)

 

So you can use the usual android method of turning up the brightness by pulling down the notifications from the top (swipe down - you may have to do this twice to see the slider).

The link    https://www.gsmarena.com/alcatel_fierce_4-8298.php)      just gives me the general specifications of the phone. I know all that already. There is so many app's that come up in Google Play when I use a search of ( turn up contrast on display) that I don't know what app will work

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14 hours ago, steve kc7byp said:

The link    https://www.gsmarena.com/alcatel_fierce_4-8298.php)      just gives me the general specifications of the phone. I know all that already. There is so many app's that come up in Google Play when I use a search of ( turn up contrast on display) that I don't know what app will work

You dont need an app, it is a setting - already part of Android and part of your phone, are  you saying that on maximum the setting is too low? Did you follow my instructions on changing it from the notification bar?

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On 4/3/2019 at 5:37 AM, DollyJelly said:

You dont need an app, it is a setting - already part of Android and part of your phone, are  you saying that on maximum the setting is too low? Did you follow my instructions on changing it from the notification bar?

 

Yes I pulled the top bar down 2 times and I found the brightness control and it is set (on manual control) for max  brightness. And the phone is still hard to see in direct sun light. All app's in the phone are hard to see in direct sun light. I have to turn my back to the sun and make a shady spot to see the display. The transition lens in my glasses makes the problem worse. I need to turn the contrast up on the phone when I am outdoors on a sunny day. Yes I am from the old school of tv repair. Before the days of throw away HD flat screen tv's. Back in my day you don't throw the tv away when it goes bad. You get it fixed. 

Edited by steve kc7byp
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I understand. I would not use any app to improve the brightness as you risk damaging the phone. Unfortunately your model phone clearly does not have a screen which works well in bright light and this is true for quite a few phones out there - a fact often mentioned in too few reviews..

 

I have had the same issue with some GPS tracker units too. I also used to wear transition lenses, and when using binoculars they were a nightmare - I had to change from 8*42's to 10*50's just to see properly, so I have taken the plunge and saved money and switched back to non-transition lenses.

 

One last thing you can try (depending on your version of Android) is another setting - use only temporarily whilst navigating in sun - is

Settings - Accessibility - Colour Inversion

 

Setting the above to on reverses every colour - Black to White etc, but it can make text easier to see in the sun for some people. You may not have this setting as it is not present in some versions of Android

 

Good Luck, as it seems you will may need new kit (phone or GPS tracker)  to improve your particular situation.

Edited by DollyJelly
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On ‎4‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 5:56 PM, steve kc7byp said:

There is so many app's that come up in Google Play when I use a search of ( turn up contrast on display) that I don't know what app will work

 

Many of the GPS Apps have demos or free versions.  You can test them to see what will work.  The Apps you get will depend on what Android version your phone can run.

 

Take a look at "Spyglass".  You can select colors as you like (although I think you only get white on black for free).  You may have coordinates saved for maintenance runs, for solved puzzle waypoints, and even for cache locations.  It doesn't seem like you're hunting 1000 caches per weekend, where typing individual coordinates would be challenging.

 

Edited by kunarion
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On 4/7/2019 at 9:46 AM, DollyJelly said:

I understand. I would not use any app to improve the brightness as you risk damaging the phone. Unfortunately your model phone clearly does not have a screen which works well in bright light and this is true for quite a few phones out there - a fact often mentioned in too few reviews..

 

I have had the same issue with some GPS tracker units too. I also used to wear transition lenses, and when using binoculars they were a nightmare - I had to change from 8*42's to 10*50's just to see properly, so I have taken the plunge and saved money and switched back to non-transition lenses.

 

One last thing you can try (depending on your version of Android) is another setting - use only temporarily whilst navigating in sun - is

Settings - Accessibility - Colour Inversion

 

Setting the above to on reverses every colour - Black to White etc, but it can make text easier to see in the sun for some people. You may not have this setting as it is not present in some versions of Android

 

Good Luck, as it seems you will may need new kit (phone or GPS tracker)  to improve your particular situation.

 

The brightness control is on manual control and set to max.  I have found the Color Inversion control. But I haven't tested it outside in the sun light yet. My plate fill it over with irons in the fire. And a few of those irons have to take priority over a hobby. I haven't had the funds to buy an ammo can (the cheap Dollartree plastic containers don't last outside very long) to fix 1 of my 2 remaining Geocaches and I need to make time to check my micro, pill bottle cache. That one seems to have disappeared. I also have to make the time to survey the general area to hide my 2nd regular cache again. The area of the 2nd regular cache got bit by an open grass land fire.  If anyone in the Tri-Cities, Wa area can spare 2 ammo can's, It  would be much appreciated. I live on SSDI disability. I would love to go out and do more Geocach hunting but my disabilities are catching up with me. 

 

 

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