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"Smart" Phone GPS App

MaxOHMSMaxOHMS Member Posts: 14,715
edited April 2012 in General Discussion
We had a Father/Son/Men/Young Men campout this weekend.

One of the activities was a search and rescue team competition.

We were on a 1k acre ranch.

Each team of 5,6 had a phone with a GPS app.

Each team was given the co-ordinates of their "injured" person.

We were having a tough time with inconsistancies in readings.

It was quite warm out.

We walked alot.

The "injured" would have been in rough shape if they would have been truely bleeding.

Out team crossed paths with 2 other teams also having the same troubles.

When two guys stood side-by-side and checked their co-ordinates, the two devices did not agree.

When we all gathered later, others had had similar experiences.

Wassup with that??????????

Should we give up on our electronic devices and all get a Bloodhound?

Comments

  • dcon12dcon12 Member Posts: 31,934 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    GPS depends on a number of satellites giving a corresponding signal to pinpoint a location. Cheaper GPS units utilize fewer satellites so the accuracy is less. Don
  • acdoddacdodd Member Posts: 1,314 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Some smart phones aren't so smart.
    Some apps are better than others.
    Compare your smart phone app to a real GPS unit and see how well they agree.
  • MaxOHMSMaxOHMS Member Posts: 14,715
    edited November -1
    Thanks fellers.

    I just have a not so smart phone.

    Sounds like that might have been a wake up call.

    If someone were to be "found" by a phone call, then pass out, a "smart' phone might not get you to them.
  • dcon12dcon12 Member Posts: 31,934 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had my computer with GPS marking irrigation lines the other day and I had 9 satellite signals. It was down to a gnats behind. The smart phones are a little less. Don
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    not all phone gps are satellite gps's, they use 3 cell towers to triangulate your location, so its a give or take situation
  • MaxOHMSMaxOHMS Member Posts: 14,715
    edited November -1
    The difference of 3 cell towers running near parallel to the ground and 9 sat's are night and day differn't.
  • kidthatsirishkidthatsirish Member Posts: 6,985 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yeah, the smart phone may not be that accurate. A true dedicated GPS unit though would amaze you at just how accurate they can be. We even shoot instrument gps approaches that not only give lateral guidance, but vertical guidance as well, they can get really accurate.
  • CubsloverCubslover Member Posts: 18,601 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Certain GPS apps on phones will also give you a "within x distance" number.

    There are times in town, where my phone is accurate to 5 meters. It shows the direction I'm pointing the phone and me in the correct room of the building/house.

    Other times, "Accurate to 3000 meters"
    Half of the lives they tell about me aren't true.
  • HappyNanoqHappyNanoq Member Posts: 12,023
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dcon12
    I had my computer with GPS marking irrigation lines the other day and I had 9 satellite signals. It was down to a gnats behind. The smart phones are a little less. Don


    You'd now that, eh ?
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