Is there a smartphone GPS app that will transmit data via satellite?

[iSaint]

Thanks, all, I've purchased the Delorme inReach and am activating it now. It seems to be the best option.

[kelbylinn]

One other neat feature is on the Iphone and Ipad, there is an app called Earthmate. Get it, and it will pair your phone or Ipad with the In Reach and makes texting, and setting changes easier to work with.
I'm pretty sure you will enjoy it.

[iSaint]

Originally Posted by kelbylinn

One other neat feature is on the Iphone and Ipad, there is an app called Earthmate. Get it, and it will pair your phone or Ipad with the In Reach and makes texting, and setting changes easier to work with.
I'm pretty sure you will enjoy it.

Finally got everything activated and am working on Earthmate now! Thanks!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by TurninTurtle

The common Android and iPhone apps use the cell towers triangulation system to tell where the phone is located when using their mapping features.
No towers = no mapping.

I keep seeing this misleading statement here.

I develop Android apps and work with a lot of different phone and tablet makes and models.

Almost every Android phone and tablet today has a GPS receiver.

Apps do not pick location devices/methods. They just query the OS's location service. The OS's location service MAY use cell triangulation for rapid initial location, but it is not necessary.

I regularly use a variety of Android tablets and smartphones to run Navionics, Maps and a few other location based apps when I am out of cell range.

I actually keep my phone in "Flight mode" with "GPS only" location service enabled at sea to reduce battery drain. navigation still works fine hundreds of miles from the nearest cell.

[iSaint]

Originally Posted by StuM

I keep seeing this misleading statement here.

I develop Android apps and work with a lot of different phone and tablet makes and models.

Almost every Android phone and tablet today has a GPS receiver.

Apps do not pick location devices/methods. They just query the OS's location service. The OS's location service MAY use cell triangulation for rapid initial location, but it is not necessary.

I regularly use a variety of Android tablets and smartphones to run Navionics, Maps and a few other location based apps when I am out of cell range.

I actually keep my phone in "Flight mode" with "GPS only" location service enabled at sea to reduce battery drain. navigation still works fine hundreds of miles from the nearest cell.

I stated earlier that I used Navionics on my iPhone for a Gulf or Mexico crossing last summer and it tracked the entire trip. It's obviously using a GPS signal.

I do have another question: I bought the Delorme inReach and have paired it with my iPhone 6s and their Earthmate software via Bluetooth. Does Bluetooth still work in Airplane Mode?

I didn't use Airplane Mode last year while offshore and now realize I could have.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by iSaint

I stated earlier that I used Navionics on my iPhone for a Gulf or Mexico crossing last summer and it tracked the entire trip. It's obviously using a GPS signal.

I do have another question: I bought the Delorme inReach and have paired it with my iPhone 6s and their Earthmate software via Bluetooth. Does Bluetooth still work in Airplane Mode?

I didn't use Airplane Mode last year while offshore and now realize I could have.

Yes, but..

When you turn on Flight mode, it generally turns off WiFi and BlueTooth. If you want to use them, you have to turn them back on again individually.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by TurninTurtle

Next issue is... reporting to the iPhone or common Android what your GPS location is from that satellite uplink.

The common Android and iPhone apps use the cell towers triangulation system to tell where the phone is located when using their mapping features.
No towers = no mapping.

Satellite phones will use the GPS satellites for location. I'm not sure if any of those can use the Android or iPhone apps.

That's incorrect. All of these smartphones now have GPS receivers in them, many of them using US and Russian satellites. They get an amazingly fast fix (as quickly as 2 or 3 seconds) even indoors.

As a matter of fact, that's been a major privacy issue with a lot of the apps, since they're accessing your GPS location and transmitting it back to track your movements to correlate it with spending habits, etc. Essentially every "free" app is either drowning you with ads, or is selling your movements, websurfing, purchasing data, etc. to pay for the developer's time and trouble.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by StuM

I keep seeing this misleading statement here.

I develop Android apps and work with a lot of different phone and tablet makes and models.

Almost every Android phone and tablet today has a GPS receiver.

Apps do not pick location devices/methods. They just query the OS's location service. The OS's location service MAY use cell triangulation for rapid initial location, but it is not necessary.

I regularly use a variety of Android tablets and smartphones to run Navionics, Maps and a few other location based apps when I am out of cell range.

I actually keep my phone in "Flight mode" with "GPS only" location service enabled at sea to reduce battery drain. navigation still works fine hundreds of miles from the nearest cell.

Don't you mean "airplane mode"?

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

Don't you mean "airplane mode"?

My Samsung Galaxy S5 says "Flight Mode "

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by jackdale

My Samsung Galaxy S5 says "Flight Mode "

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

That's odd.

My Samsung S2, S3, S4 and Note I, II and 4 have all said "Airplane mode."

The more I look into it, it appears that "flight mode" is used outside of the US, but this thread is the first time I've seen anyone mention "flight mode."

[StuM]

My old Xoom calls it "Airplane mode", all of my more recent Samsung devices call it "Flight mode".

Edit - just fired up an old Samsung S2. Even that calls it Flight Mode.

[knockabout]

we have been using spot connect / it is a tiny satellite communicator with Bluetooth connectivity / we use a Samsung android phone to send messages / the spot holds 20 or so stored messages and can be sent by picking from the list of messages then clicking send / they are one way transmit only with built in gps and sos button
we have a hook up to coast guard for the sos button with pre stored contact numbers / the standard messages are free /you can send non sored messages they cost 50cents (au) each / when the phone system went down here in the last floods (fibre optic cable washed out along with the main rail line) we tested transmit from central queensland and no problems with reception dbcyc Darwin / family member bellerive Hobart and the first mates phone in mackay


thankfully we have not had any problems the standard pre stored message
is(check in all o.k safely anchored) make up your own messages and send as many as you like / each message has a link for your friends to track you on google earth / we bought the spot from east coast usa / we found out later they are available from outdoor camping suppliers and 4wd outfitting places
runs on 2 aa batteries is waterproof but doesn't float/ being so compact we fitted a key ring float to it just in case / will hook up to pc by Bluetooth download free spot connect app and it gives pricing and purchase info / cost less than 200 au + around 100 dollars au for the satellite connection + 15 dollars or there abouts for coast guard coverage and full time stand by hook up to geostationary sats


hope you don't need this type of communication for an emergency / it is a little bit of piece of mind and combines well with gps epirb