GPS Tracker?

[dfunghi]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered many times before. I did search but found no direct answers.

I see reference to GPS trackers and using GPS coordinates on CP. Is this something I can do with an app on my iPhone? Maps.me seems really popular and I see why (offline maps) but does it offer the GPS coordinate tracker feature? I plan to use a combination of guides which seem to have street by street directions so I doubt I will get lost much. My tMobil USA account offers Portugal and Spain as included in my plan so no roaming fees or other nasty costs. Can I just get by with trusty old Google maps? I will say I am not a fan of Apple Maps on my phone and almost never use it.

I do own a Garmin (nuvi, it is small) that is loaded with Western Europe maps but really do not want to take extra stuff with me. Great device for driving and has saved our butts many times.

TIA,
D

 

[evanlow]

When you say "GPS coordinate tracker feature", do you mean the actual GPS coordinate numbers? Maps.me is popular not just for offline maps but also it's ability to load kml overlay. They are many sources around the internet and once you email yourself the kml overlay attachment the Maps.me app will load it automatically. It's nice to see the route line and know straight away if you are off the route. As for the coordinates I don't see any need to really use it as long as you know where you are on the Map in respect to the route (added feature of the kml overlay).

As for GPS, the good thing about mobile phones is that most of the time they find your location via triangulating from the cell signal, not the GPS satellites. You not only get your location even while indoors, but almost immediately, GPS only will usually need 20 seconds or more.

For me, only one device (phone) to carry for all my caminos with Maps.me and route overlay. An overkill for well marked popular routes like Camino Frances or Camino Portuguese but for less trodden routes like certain parts of Camino Mozarabe etc. it saves me from getting lost and helps me figure out other alternative path numerous times. Sometimes you see a road that is much shorter than the path and you realized why you are on the path (safety). So after a while walking on the path I decided to cut into the road only at the last km to save 2 extra km of walking on the path. A bit of juggling between risk and distance, something you have in your hands with these tools but could be something that is too much of a distraction and for some pilgrims. To each their own....

 

[Anamya]

Hi dfunghi!
You will be fine with Google maps. I actually walked the Portuguese last year, and the trail is very, VERY well marked. Sometimes it is even written on the asphalt, in portuguese, spanish and english, things like 'Pilgrims, turn left".
Even if you have no support at all, no gps, no guidebook, you can pretty much arrive from Porto to Santiago without getting lost.

 

[C clearly]

Have you seen this thread? It might be helpful.

 

[dfunghi]

OK I see now I needed to learn about KML files........

Google Maps on iPhone will work I am happy to know

No I had not found that particular thread in my search.

I guess I can add web-savvy to my training for the Camino. I will DL some stuff and see how it works locally.

 

[Glamgrrl]

When you say "GPS coordinate tracker feature", do you mean the actual GPS coordinate numbers? Maps.me is popular not just for offline maps but also it's ability to load kml overlay. They are many sources around the internet and once you email yourself the kml overlay attachment the Maps.me app will load it automatically. It's nice to see the route line and know straight away if you are off the route. As for the coordinates I don't see any need to really use it as long as you know where you are on the Map in respect to the route (added feature of the kml overlay).

As for GPS, the good thing about mobile phones is that most of the time they find your location via triangulating from the cell signal, not the GPS satellites. You not only get your location even while indoors, but almost immediately, GPS only will usually need 20 seconds or more.

For me, only one device (phone) to carry for all my caminos with Maps.me and route overlay. An overkill for well marked popular routes like Camino Frances or Camino Portuguese but for less trodden routes like certain parts of Camino Mozarabe etc. it saves me from getting lost and helps me figure out other alternative path numerous times. Sometimes you see a road that is much shorter than the path and you realized why you are on the path (safety). So after a while walking on the path I decided to cut into the road only at the last km to save 2 extra km of walking on the path. A bit of juggling between risk and distance, something you have in your hands with these tools but could be something that is too much of a distraction and for some pilgrims. To each their own....

 

[Glamgrrl]

I didn’t figure out how to do the routes overlay. I’m going to work on that!

 

[AlwynWellington]

My prefernce (partly because it arrived before Mapa.me) is OSNand+.
As you might guess this is for Android devices (but may have an iPad version.

With this, once walking routes is turned on, all regional and national walking routes, such as the various camino in Spain and elsewhere, show as a blue line. And the GPS locator shows how close you have stayed to you current route.

So no need to worry about KML or GPX files - already done for you.