Route tracking app (iPhone iOS)

[mariuszm]

Hi,
I did Camino in 2012 so last year when one of my colleagues was walking it, it was great to see his progress on the big TV at work. He did it by sending his location via Yo app to his friend who manually added his position everyday to Google maps. I tried to find a solution to do it more automatically, but failed, because tracking apps are draining my iPhone battery in 3 hours.

Then I found TrackMyTour app and tested it during weekend hikes. You need to decide to add your location (as often as you want to), so it doesn't drain battery. You can add your location when when you are offline (GPS still works) and then publish later when on WiFi. On top of that you can later on export all of your locations and import it to Google Maps or other software. You can send a link to your friend where they can see the map with you progress.

The app is quite expensive (comparing to the typical app price), it is 10euro, but free version allows you to track two routes, which is enough for a Camino. As fas as I know it is only available on iOS (iPhone).

PS. 11 days left till Via de La Plata (and I will be tracking it here: www.mickiewicz.eu/camino/)
Meanwhile I see other people are using it too: https://trackmytour.com/discover/?q=camino

 

[Charlotte Helbig]

Hi,
I did Camino in 2012 so last year when one of my colleagues was walking it, it was great to see his progress on the big TV at work. He did it by sending his location via Yo app to his friend who manually added his position everyday to Google maps. I tried to find a solution to do it more automatically, but failed, because tracking apps are draining my iPhone battery in 3 hours.

Then I found TrackMyTour app and tested it during weekend hikes. You need to decide to add your location (as often as you want to), so it doesn't drain battery. You can add your location when when you are offline (GPS still works) and then publish later when on WiFi. On top of that you can later on export all of your locations and import it to Google Maps or other software. You can send a link to your friend where they can see the map with you progress.

The app is quite expensive (comparing to the typical app price), it is 10euro, but free version allows you to track two routes, which is enough for a Camino. As fas as I know it is only available on iOS (iPhone).

PS. 11 days left till Via de La Plata (and I will be tracking it here: www.mickiewicz.eu/camino/)
Meanwhile I see other people are using it too: https://trackmytour.com/discover/?q=camino

Thank you so much! I was going to post to FB but this seems just as easy, AND I love the map!

 

[trecile]

I used a free app called Find Penguins, that lets you easily create a travel blog, and has a mapping function too. Very easy to use and available on iPhone and Android.

 

[poogeyejr]

I use FollowMee. I love this app!! It tracks you without your thinking of it. Costs a few dollars a year for 45 days backing up your data.

I did take a back up battery because with photos and maps and music and FollowMee the phone needed some help.

 

[mariuszm]

Thanks guys for new information
I see FollowMee can have a tracking interval set up, this is interesting!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Below is a copy of something I recently wrote on a safety thread:

This post doesn't really discuss a safety application but the app may be useful to ease your mind or your loved ones' minds while you are on your travels. There are other apps that do more, like allowing you to have others track you in real time but this one is simple and cheap.

The free app is called My GPS Coordinates. I have it on my android smartphone but it is also available for iPhones.

Turn on your device's GPS (and optionally take a few pictures.) Start the My GPS Coordinates app and the screen will tell you your latitude and longitude coordinates. Click one button to send the coordinates via email (and optionally you can attach those pictures and know in the future where you took them.) Another button allows you to share the coordinates through other methods (including a copy of the coordinates that you can then paste into your journal, etc.)

If you leave your GPS receiver on you get faster access to the coordinates but using GPS severely depletes your battery so remember to turn GPS off when you aren't really using it. If you are out in the middle of nowhere you may not have wifi or cellular service to immediately send your email but it should be sent once service is found again. For that reason I would add the time of day to the text of your message before sending it or attempting to send it. If hiking with someone maybe have a selfie taken with your partner as one of those optional pictures that you will attach to the email. Then, if things go bad, your email recipients can send authorities a current picture of you, what you were wearing, who you were with, at what time and what place.

While on a hike I tried the app out by emailing my location to myself by three of the ways that the app provides. See the results below, each message within dashed lines. Note that two of the text messages provide a link to Google Maps so your recipient can see where you were (and maybe be able to use Streetview for the location.)

---------

Latitude : 42.53107 (42° 31′ 51.85″ N)
Longitude : -71.31921 (71° 19′ 9.17″ W)
accuracy of signal : 3 m
show on google maps

https://maps.google.com?q=42.53107,-71.319215

This message was sent with My GPS Coordinates , a free Android application

---------

http://maps.google.com/?q=42.5311,-71.31923

---------

42.532475,-71.315295

---------

Links are:
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gpscoordinatesandlocation&hl=en
iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-gps-coordinates/id945482414?mt=8

Also available as My GPS Coordinates No Ads ($0.99) and My GPS Coordinates Pro ($4.99)

 

[mariuszm]

I see some people use Geo Tracker, but unfortunately (for some) it is only available on Android.