Navigational Apps, maybe Garmin alternatives.

Lanval

IBA Member
#1
I know a lot of serious LD riders use the Garmin line of products, especially the ones that allow connectivity to other devices, but I'm looking for people's experiences using Apps on LD rides/Short Rallies. I have a setup I found here https://advrider.com/f/threads/ultra-rugged-kyocera-phones-gps-smartphones-my-guide.1206076/ that uses a Kyocera Duraforce Pro with a 5.0 inch screen. This is a mil spec phone I bought for $74 on Swappa, so waterproof, dust proof, shock proof.

I have found one android App called Osmand which is great for offline navigation. Another is Locus Map Pro.

What have you used, and supporting software for GPX files and sites for converting files?
 

Lanval

IBA Member
#5
Yes, given you downloaded the maps to your phone beforehand.
As Amnon said. With the free Osmand App you get I think 8 free downloads, so that is 8 states. With the paid version which is about $4 you get unlimited maps I believe.

What I like about OpenStreetMaps is the open source, and community that help build the maps. I did find the map of AR a little lacking for names of back roads, but cities and highways was great.
 

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#6
<...>What I like about OpenStreetMaps is the open source, and community that help build the maps. I did find the map of AR a little lacking for names of back roads, but cities and highways was great.
I've taken OSM map data and compiled it to be usable on the Garmin-based GPS system on my Goldwing.

What have you used, and supporting software for GPX files and sites for converting files?
GPSBabel is a fantastic tool for manipulation of GPX data. I recently became aware of DNRGPS, which is another GPX file utility. In the heat of summer, I've been mucking about creating some GPX files for rides.

Use Google Maps or Google Earth to scout, put the lat/long data into a spreadsheet, then use DNRGPS to generate a GPX.

On-Line? GPS Visualizer. Can do much of the same data manipulation; also has the ability to take a Google Map and convert to GPX. That was the tools I was using to generate a daily route for my 48 State ride last year.
 

mcrigid

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#7
On-Line? GPS Visualizer. Can do much of the same data manipulation; also has the ability to take a Google Map and convert to GPX. That was the tools I was using to generate a daily route for my 48 State ride last year.
Thanks for the tip Ken.
I used to use GPS Babel/Visualizer a while back to convert Streets and Trips files to GPX, I never explored Visualizers other capabilities until now. Pretty cool after I got the API setup figured out
 

Scott Parish

Premier Member
#8
I use Maps.me on my phone for Search and Rescue missions as well as some rides (no cell service required except when downloading new maps). For example - Maps.me was my primary source of truth during a recent Dusty Butt attempt as Garmin had fits with an offroad route containing more than 500 waypoints necessary to build the route; even after I went back and changed the majority of waypoints to shaping points.
 

keithu

Premier Member
IBA Member
IBR Finisher
#9
I've had a Kyocera Duraforce Pro for a bit over two years now. Before this I had the original Kyocera Duraforce for two years. I replaced the first one because it was submerged in a river for three hours and finally died.

Kyocera phones truly are bomb proof. I love being able to use it on my bike all winter without a case. I took underwater photos of sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean recently with my Kyocera. And they're cheap. How can a company make such a strong phone for so little money?

The answer is: software. If the lead software engineer for Kyocera had any sense of honor they would commit ritual sepuku for their crimes against usability. I won't catalogue every frustration, just know that being a Kyocera user is painful.

Also, the internals aren't holding up well. Two years on my Duraforce Pro's battery is noticeably degraded. If I'm using Google maps for routing it discharges even when plugged into my motorcycle or car. It also seems no longer able to simultaneously run maps and other apps; if I'm following a route, Pandora crashes after 2-3 minutes.

I want to say good things about Kyocera, I really do. But after four years of Kyocera ownership I doubt I'll buy another.
 

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#10
Thanks for the tip Ken.
I used to use GPS Babel/Visualizer a while back to convert Streets and Trips files to GPX, I never explored Visualizers other capabilities until now. Pretty cool after I got the API setup figured out
I recognize why the folks at GPS Visualizer had to do that...but Google will inevitably bugger this up at some point in the future.

A similar issue happened to 'Optimap' - web-based optimizer that a LOT of people were using. It was pretty fascinating to put in a dozen or so locations, and let Optimap do a pretty respectable optimization of a route. You could then send it to your cell phone, and you were on the way. Think delivery use - or, our use case - short-term rally planner!


Mapquest can do the optimization (up to 26 points...) of a route, but the issue is it doesn't spit it out into a useful (e.g. KML/GPX) format, just displays it on the screen.