How to Use your Phone as a GPS Device for Backpacking
Reading Time: 8 minutes With the development of technology, especially smartphone technology, these phones have become versatile. They are not only used for communication, but Navigator is also one of these essential functions that you can benefit from during your trips, incredibly long walking trips. With this function, you will not need to buy expensive equipment.
Many of us are wondering how our smartphone can be used as a GPS for camping trips and hiking trips, don’t worry most smartphones today have GPS sensors built-in, this makes it easy to use your phone as a car navigator and find the way.
All you have to do is install the navigation apps on your smartphone within seconds and enjoy the features offered by each of these apps and the maps of the area you are in.
Do I need a GPS device?
Yes, you need a GPS device in addition to the map and compass of the area you are going to know the places you want to go around, but with smartphones, you can do without some of this equipment because many applications can help you during your travels.
The primary purpose of the navigation applications that are widely available in the mobile application market is to help in navigating rough terrain and places, but there are many differences between these applications, especially the functionality and ease of use.
But the error with these apps is that they are unstable when there is no internet or poor network connection, and to overcome this problem, use offline maps.
Why Use Your Phone
If you do not have your compass and maps, you will run into many problems and will find yourself lost in the woods during your hiking trips.
The solution lies in the maps on smartphone applications and as we mentioned previously, to overcome the problems of internet connection turn on the offline map mode with the Internet when navigating, these applications are your sure solution in case you forget the map of the area you want to walk in.
Free applications generally work on the Internet and programs adapt to changing realities in geographical areas very quickly in the case of Internet connections, and you can update maps quickly and easily, using your phone allows you to use your phone many of the wide features of different services such as using voice search or doing Broadcasting video over the Internet.
How Your Phone’s GPS Works
When hiking or camping trips in the wilderness, no one will help you find the landmarks, but GPS navigation devices or even navigation applications on our cellular devices can help us greatly. The smartphone in our hands has many specifications, sensors and many technologies The wonderful thing, on top of which is the presence of the GPS unit built into these phones, through which you can easily convert your phone into a great navigation tool.
The GPS unit in smartphones is a receiver connected to the Internet that helps it to access special signals via satellite in order to locate places and determine directions that you may need, but the GPS unit is a receiver only unit and does not send any signals.
Many companies have developed many GPS auxiliary applications in order to make them better and more accessible to users. For example, Google has developed a special application for locating geographical locations by using satellites, mapping routes and determining alternatives. In this article, we will mention the best applications that you can download on Your smartphone that you can use as a GPS.
Read More: The Perfect Guide To Camping For Beginners
Which Apps Work Best for Backpacking?
You can install the application that is suitable for the external interface of your smartphone, whether this phone is running iOS or Android, in order to move around in the surrounding areas, and there are many high-quality programs as some applications are directed to move to the city Others are for commuting between communications and cities.
You can divide navigation applications into two categories:
- Programs that do not need to connect to the Internet, as they store all the maps on the internal memory of the smartphone, as they need the Internet only in order to use the services that are online, meaning that they will draw navigation applications through unfamiliar terrain and they do not need an Internet connection.
- There are navigation programs that work only via the Internet when you connect to the Internet, where there are many maps and databases, and they are located on the developer’s servers, and the interface program is installed on the smartphone only in order to work with them. In this program, the maps are downloaded continuously on the smartphone, as This only needs a stable internet connection.
Among the best applications that work distinctively in backpacks are:
Gaia GPS
This application is very wonderful as it provides more than 50 base maps that you can download and print for easy review. The main maps that are present in this application are:
- National Geographic Illustrated Maps.
- NeoTracks US Topo.
- ESRI World Imagery.
Through this application, you can create your map, which helps travellers and campers in adding some places that are important in the construction of roads and waypoints, and this will help you in managing the maps properly and well. There is also some information that determines active fires. Also, information about public and private lands and dealing with the application interface are easy. The application is very convenient while you are on the move, and it is easy to teach.
The basic Gaia app functions are relatively easy to use although, most of the GPS that is portable with hiking tools need to learn.
Topo Maps+
This application is distinguished by the fact that the program is created by tourists themselves for similar travellers, as the application database contains many high-quality maps that are very easy to use.
This application helps you to download the maps that you prefer, and you can print them. The maps in this application are designed with high quality and large, where you can see the maps in high resolution while you view the printed maps without problems.
The Topo Maps+ application helps in creating many favourite routes, as you can add some important points, and distances, and calculate routes. This application needs some time to learn how to use, but if you understand the basics of this application, you will travel and navigate easily.
Maps. me
One of the main problems facing travellers is determining the direction on the road, but with this application, you will solve this problem, because it will provide you with many traditional paper maps or atlases for any city or region, and there is a large group of diverse mobile applications, and this application is considered one of these applications as its popularity is very high.
The normal map is very inconvenient, and in order to use electronic cards, you must be permanently connected to the Internet, and this is not always available on the road, because roaming requires a lot of money and in the logic, there is no Wi-Fi service permanently, and therefore, you will need to use electronic cards while you are offline, and this application is characterized as an absolute pioneer. You need to move to a specific area without being connected to the Internet.
In order to use your phone as a GPS device and to find the thing you need in this area, I advise you to use the Maps. me application because of its features:
- This application is free as it is characterized by its speed and it is considered easy to do the planning of the specific route.
- The main advantage of this application is that it works without the need to connect to the Internet or via the Internet.
- This application is easy to use as you have to download the maps of the area you want to go to before you travel.
Most of the time, you cannot connect to the Internet while you are on the move, and therefore, I advise you to use this application as it will help you greatly.
People who like to do outdoor activities can use the huge road areas that they collect from both tourists and travel magazines. This application is very suitable for people who like to do hiking or people who like to travel by any means of transportation, especially bicycles and bicycles motorcycles.
How to Use GPS Navigation Apps for Backpacking
In the phone operating system, there is an application that is built-in for navigation, but it is often Google Maps that is used because it is easy to use, but you need to do a permanent connection to the Internet from the user, so you may need a GPS navigator from Garmin for Android where it is provided and used without The need to connect to the Internet.
The Android operating system is excellent because you can easily install any program you need. It is at the discretion of the user, and you will need to operate the GPS unit. If you can connect to the Internet, you will connect to satellites quickly. Thus, you can determine the approximate location.
If you navigate while running in the system settings, especially in the location section or in the geolocation section, you will be able to obtain geographical data to be able to navigate through the system for the global positioning of GPS, as you must be by placing the key while you are in the active mode and after. It enables you to know the applications that have validity in the navigation service.
Conclusion
One of the most important things that you must know during hiking trips using the bag or camping trips, in general, is the locations and places you will go to purchase a GPS.
But if you are one of those who do not go on these trips often. These devices can be dispensed using your smartphone device. There are many applications like the applications that we mentioned in this article. You must make sure that you are connected to the Internet well, or you can download maps through Use offline maps to have a happy and wonderful hiking trip.
Read More:
