iHike GPS iPhone App: A Review
- Thread starter Uglyduck
- Start date
Uglyduck
Adventurer
Yes, the iPhone 6 has an internal GPS receiver.
I should add another small update. I got to use this app with an iPad starting last May and its been great in a vehicle. I'll put my iphone in a RAM mount on the dash and my wife can use the iPad. I'm sure a RAM mount for the iPad would be great as well.
Additionally, I used it on a wildland fire to plot fireline, then transmit it via email once I had signal to the planning section for use on the next Incident Action Plan. I used a Garmin Etrex as a backup but it proved unnecessary as this app worked beautifully. It can now use AirDrop to transfer tracks and waypoints too. My only gripe remains that you can't pan out very far to scan a route over long distances. I've emailed the developer with no response. Non the less, it remains my go to navigation app.
I should add another small update. I got to use this app with an iPad starting last May and its been great in a vehicle. I'll put my iphone in a RAM mount on the dash and my wife can use the iPad. I'm sure a RAM mount for the iPad would be great as well.
Additionally, I used it on a wildland fire to plot fireline, then transmit it via email once I had signal to the planning section for use on the next Incident Action Plan. I used a Garmin Etrex as a backup but it proved unnecessary as this app worked beautifully. It can now use AirDrop to transfer tracks and waypoints too. My only gripe remains that you can't pan out very far to scan a route over long distances. I've emailed the developer with no response. Non the less, it remains my go to navigation app.
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
I'm not convinced an external GPS will give any better accuracy.
iluv83vettes
Adventurer
Do you have to purchase this app separately fro the iPad or is it the same as the iPhone?
iluv83vettes
Adventurer
I actually bought it on my phone yesterday. Then when I got home and had my iPad it was listed under purchased apps and I just had to download it from the cloud.
iluv83vettes
Adventurer
I was trying to download all the maps for Texas and found out that you can only download 500 map sheets.
BillyBob66
New member
tracks from iPhone to MAC laptop?
Could y'all answer a few questions from a complete newbie to the entire concept of iPhone as GPS/mapping software?
I have been using a Delorme PN20 GPS/Topo 7 mapping software for years with great success, though the PN 20 did recently die. Before it even bit the dust, I had upgraded to a PN 60 , Which is a huge improvement over the PN 20 As far as the GPS goes anyway. But getting it to work with the Topo 9 software it requires has proven to be quite difficult and a real pain. To make matters worse, I've recently started using a Mac laptop and that software won't work with this computer. So I'm considering trying the iPhone approach.
Seems to me that the iPhone GPS would do everything that I need. But what about getting the way points and tracks From the iPhone back to and viewed on the Mac laptop? Can that be done? Will that require additional software, and if so from where? Same thing for working on the laptop, and transferring way points and routes from the laptop back to the iPhone. Will I need to purchase separate software for that, or can that all be done using just this app? I see there is a tutorial in this thread, and I will work my way through that after I purchase this app. But before I purchase it I'm wondering if anyone thinks I can do what I want to do as mentioned above?
Lastly, what about battery life on the iPhones? If I turn off telephone reception on the iPhone, will that make the battery last long enough for most day hikes?
Thanks in advance for any help you can supply!
Bill
Could y'all answer a few questions from a complete newbie to the entire concept of iPhone as GPS/mapping software?
I have been using a Delorme PN20 GPS/Topo 7 mapping software for years with great success, though the PN 20 did recently die. Before it even bit the dust, I had upgraded to a PN 60 , Which is a huge improvement over the PN 20 As far as the GPS goes anyway. But getting it to work with the Topo 9 software it requires has proven to be quite difficult and a real pain. To make matters worse, I've recently started using a Mac laptop and that software won't work with this computer. So I'm considering trying the iPhone approach.
Seems to me that the iPhone GPS would do everything that I need. But what about getting the way points and tracks From the iPhone back to and viewed on the Mac laptop? Can that be done? Will that require additional software, and if so from where? Same thing for working on the laptop, and transferring way points and routes from the laptop back to the iPhone. Will I need to purchase separate software for that, or can that all be done using just this app? I see there is a tutorial in this thread, and I will work my way through that after I purchase this app. But before I purchase it I'm wondering if anyone thinks I can do what I want to do as mentioned above?
Lastly, what about battery life on the iPhones? If I turn off telephone reception on the iPhone, will that make the battery last long enough for most day hikes?
Thanks in advance for any help you can supply!
Bill
Uglyduck
Adventurer
But what about getting the way points and tracks From the iPhone back to and viewed on the Mac laptop?
You can upload tracks and waypoints to Google Earth, which is free
Will that require additional software, and if so from where?
It could if Google Earth doesn't do what you want. Here's a link to a Mac mapping program made by the same folks as iHike http://www.macgpspro.com/?id=143 . I haven't tried it but I haven't really needed it because I use the method mentioned in my tutorial above. The program probably streamlines the process.
Same thing for working on the laptop, and transferring way points and routes from the laptop back to the iPhone. Will I need to purchase separate software for that, or can that all be done using just this app? Using iHike You can email, airdrop, or upload through iTunes any waypoints and tracks to and from your iPhone and Mac. The format is in GPX. which is pretty universal so most any mapping program will recognize it.
I see there is a tutorial in this thread, and I will work my way through that after I purchase this app. But before I purchase it I'm wondering if anyone thinks I can do what I want to do as mentioned above? I'd tinker with Google Earth before deciding to buy any software.
Lastly, what about battery life on the iPhones? If I turn off telephone reception on the iPhone, will that make the battery last long enough for most day hikes? Most definitely. I regularly use my iPhone with this app for day hikes without putting the phone in "Airplane" mode and will have more than 50% battery life depending what else the phone is running. I've also heard rumor that removing the SIM chip will greatly extend battery life (1-3% reduction per day, which greatly outperforms any handheld unit on the market today). I haven't tried it myself but here's my source for more info on it http://adventurealan.com/iphone4gps.htm
Bill
You can upload tracks and waypoints to Google Earth, which is free
Will that require additional software, and if so from where?
It could if Google Earth doesn't do what you want. Here's a link to a Mac mapping program made by the same folks as iHike http://www.macgpspro.com/?id=143 . I haven't tried it but I haven't really needed it because I use the method mentioned in my tutorial above. The program probably streamlines the process.
Same thing for working on the laptop, and transferring way points and routes from the laptop back to the iPhone. Will I need to purchase separate software for that, or can that all be done using just this app? Using iHike You can email, airdrop, or upload through iTunes any waypoints and tracks to and from your iPhone and Mac. The format is in GPX. which is pretty universal so most any mapping program will recognize it.
I see there is a tutorial in this thread, and I will work my way through that after I purchase this app. But before I purchase it I'm wondering if anyone thinks I can do what I want to do as mentioned above? I'd tinker with Google Earth before deciding to buy any software.
Lastly, what about battery life on the iPhones? If I turn off telephone reception on the iPhone, will that make the battery last long enough for most day hikes? Most definitely. I regularly use my iPhone with this app for day hikes without putting the phone in "Airplane" mode and will have more than 50% battery life depending what else the phone is running. I've also heard rumor that removing the SIM chip will greatly extend battery life (1-3% reduction per day, which greatly outperforms any handheld unit on the market today). I haven't tried it myself but here's my source for more info on it http://adventurealan.com/iphone4gps.htm
Bill
BillyBob66
New member
Thank you for all the info, Uglyduck!
Bill
Bill
Hightechcoonass
Observer
my favorite app. the only reason I still have an Iphone!