Database Info

Off Road GPS Software

I know TomTom is good at on road navigation. Is there any Decent GPS software that uses OS maps, maybe 1:50000 or 1:25000 off road for hill walking etc.

I've tried most of them, and I reckon the best for O.S. maps is
http://www.memory-map.co.uk
They have a CD with all of them on it.
If you don't mid georeferencing them yourself, you might also try http://www.gpsdash.com or www.oziexplorer.com.
GPSDash is the only one that lets you georeference on your PocketPC. The others make you reference the maps on the PC and export them.
Ozi Explorer is faster, and re-projects maps from other formats into WGS84 (so you can use lat/long on OS maps instad of easings/northings). if you are using a bluetooth GPS, there is an issue with using Ozi on the XDA2 (see http://216.218.220.254/ozice/faq_ppc2003.html) which you can solve using Bluetooth Tools (see the article).
A free (but basic) alternative is www.locbrowser.com
One other thing to bear in mind is that TomTom 2.7 upwards will have messed up your bluetooth stack (unless you're running WM2003SE), so you need to soft-reset your Pocket PC after using TomTom before any other GPS program will work. It happens because Tomtom doesn't release the com port even after it has shut down.
Hope that's useful!

Thanks for the suggestions, I will have a look at them. What Would be perfect is a moving 1:25000 map with a cursor where I am. With waypoints and route planning in advance, like real GPS units do.
I have not had any issues with TomTom3 however i dont have any other GPS software to test it with. Yet.
Thanks. M8.

I use Memory-Map and it has all that you mention. 1:25000 is limited at present to National Parks etc but more areas are coming. We've full reviews on our site. You also get both PC and PPC clients so can plan on the PC, upload to the PPC and then copy the actual route you took back to the PC afterwards.
MM2004 has many additional features such as 3D bump mapping on the PC to give a virtual 3D respresentation of an area. Both PC and PPC Clients can be used with a GPS.

yes i like the look of this, will download over the weekend and trial it out in the parks 20 mile away.

Possibly a little late but the trial has no GPS functionality. Just in case you were planning to test this!

Doh, thanks for letting me know, i hadnt downloaded it yet.
Whats the point of a trial that doesnt trial the full software. Its just forces people to look elwhere.

To be fair few offer any trial at all so Memory-Map are to be applauded for offering something.
And as you can only 'trial' it with the small sample map they offer which is unlikley to be of your area then its only purpose is to show you the interface etc.
It is however the best in its field for good reason and I can highly reccomend it.

OK, will take a look at their software, and the maps, for the price it does look good value.

GPS Users : Doing anything interesting other than TomTom ?

I'm looking to get more out of my GPS usage....
Is anyone doing anything interesting other than road navigation ? I'd like to load in things like way points for walks and cycle rides - either ones from the net or just ones I plot in advance.
But I'm even worse at GPS than I am a cycling - so wondered if anyone has tips ?
Thanks,
JJ

You can use ather off-road programs, like OZI CE and COMPE Pocket Land.
They're ideal for biking

Go flying!!
I took mine up in the plane yesterday while flying around my local airport. Dumped the GPS data and made a 3d track file for Google Earth that is color coded with speed too. The result is pretty cool! Download the free version and import the file attached to see the kind of things you could do with any other activity - not just flying!!

Hi, how do you manage with this file ?
What do we do with it after dl ?

jef1968 said:
Hi, how do you manage with this file ?
What do we do with it after dl ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
download the free version of Google Earth http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html (if you have not used this it is *very* cool!)
You can then open the KML file above and you will see the 3d track of the flight. You may not be exactly interested in flying but there are many applications for the same idea.

bodypilot said:
I took mine up in the plane yesterday while flying around my local airport. Dumped the GPS data and made a 3d track file for Google Earth that is color coded with speed too. The result is pretty cool! Download the free version and import the file attached to see the kind of things you could do with any other activity - not just flying!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really cool!! could you tell me, how to prepare klm file by myself? what kind of software do i need on my Wizard? (of course i have gps receiver) - this is really nice, i'd like to be able to generate this kind of tracks of my trips...
Ok, i took a good look at google earth application and i've found a link to gpv visualizer (http://www.gpsvisualizer.com)
i believe that's what You used ;]. whats the greatest thing about it is the fact it supports gps track file of Automapa - polish road navigation software - very popular and quite good - now i'm able to visualize my own roadtrips... thanks for the idea.

Yes you got it right. The GPSVisualizer web site lets you convert lots of different GPS data formats to get a KML file. My GPS software on the TyTn is called GPS Tuner. It saves a TRK file with position, altitude, time etc in a text file. I opened it in M$ Excel and saved out a CSV file which the web site would read and convert to KML - there may be a much easier way but I got this to work so never looked deeper!!
It's fun to try this kind of thing!!

As i mentioned - i was lucky and i can put my Automapa's *.gps file directly to GPSVisualiser. I'm gonna play around with POI files as well, i think it will also work. anyway, its a good news for my fellow polish friends on this forum ;]
But i am still hungry for any other funny/impresive use of gps software, anyone has something even better in mind? sorry bodypilot, but since i don't own the plane myself, the coolest thing i can do is to record a track while ice-skating - which is kinda funny, but still ... ;]

have a look at this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=294682
Im trying to find out a way of geotaging the standard camera pictures of the pda

i think i have an idea that is a bit round about, but might work. i'll give it a thought tonight. anyway, useles for me, since wizard camera sucks, so i don't plan posting any picture taken with it ;]

Hi, though I don't have gps, I have been looking up what I could do with it, to see if it really is worth it...
I found the following link, that really seems to have a great potentiall!
http://www.gpstuner.com/googleearth.htm
regards,

(Q) GPS Track Performance Software

Hello,
I'm looking for a program that uses the built in GPS of the Touch Pro to record a track & then be able to show the time taken to do the track, the time, speed & altitude at various parts of the track, & be able to be overlayed over a satellite image from google maps or other map file.
I can't find anything that does all this. Does anyone know of a software like this?
Thanx

look for trackme. That will do everything your require.

Thanx that looks fairly close to what I wanted, I'm just not sure how well it will work since I want to use it for motor sport but i'll give it a try.
Any other programs out there?

FUN APP: HD2 Pilot Flight Display using GPS

!! FUN APPLICATION, NOT INTENDED TO BE USED IN REAL WORLD AVIATION !!
For all those flight-sim enthusiasts out there: I have created this PFD (primary flight display) which shows the speed, the altitude the coards and the attitude similar to a real PFD display in an airplane cockpit.
Although the application has been created and tested on an HTC HD2, it might work on other devices as well. Internel or external GPS and the HTC G-Sensor are required. It is planned to add a serial communication channel to a PC server component which allows to use this little proggy with MS Flight Simulator displaying the flight parameters so you can get rid of the cockpit panel on your primary display.
Just keep in mind that this is the first version of the program, so there might be *some* improvement potential.
A screenshot of the program is also attached.
Pls let me know what you think about it.
Thanks.

As a pilot I cannot find any sense in this, sorry m8.
Useless for aviation.
Useful might be an HSI-App, an RAIM-availability-check-App, a NOTAM-APP and so on. An artificial horizon on a handheld device... No, not good...

Title correction...
It is just for fun, not intended for real world aviation.
I will change the title so that it becomes more clear.

As an airbus pilot I like it! Lots of scope for further development, keep up the good work !

when I read your discrip, I had something totaly dif pictured in my mind. guess Im falling back on my sail plane lesson days.
I had round face dial and a yaw bubble pictured.
While this is cool, I would prefer to see the old analog style with an altimeter that you can set your start altitude and a yaw bubble, rather than the HUD style. just IMO.
And yes this is just for fun.
Keep it up, I will follow your project with intrest.
cheers

Good Work mate
While some are critical in their opinion I'm pleased with your app.
Keep up the good work mate and for all others who are not so encouraging ...... what do you want for an app a full blown flight simulator, the guys making an effort to develop something and sharing it for a free with us so to help him out at least .... I mean at least encourage him and make some constructive criticisms.
It doesn't cost to be nice and help to motivate others...........

Customize it
Just as a hint for those of you, who would want to use other bitmaps. I have designed the application in a way which allows you to modify or extend it. If you look into the applications program folder, you will find an XML file describing the layout of the display. You may also change or add bitmaps. The bitmaps are all located in the
HTML:
resources
subfolder. If you change the size of the offset of bitmaps, you will have to adjust some values in the XML file as well.
As you can see there all items are drawn in 3d space.
However, I am working on a HSI as suggested before. I will post it later this week.
Known issue:
- After running the application 3 or 4 times, OpenGL is not working properly anymore (not able to create rendering context). This is an issue of OpenGL. You have to restart your device for OpenGL to work again. If anyone has a solution, please let me know.

leihen said:
It is planned to add a serial communication channel to a PC server component which allows to use this little proggy with MS Flight Simulator displaying the flight parameters so you can get rid of the cockpit panel on your primary display.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be awesome!

Cool app
Certainly would be better than no attitude information in the event of a vacuum and/or elec failure.Even if just to make flying the performance instruments a bit easier.
I would defintely like to see a HSI app possibly with an open (editable)waypoint database.Anyone interested!?
Keep up the good work!

I love it. Thanks so much...
I just wonder if settings could be made permanent until being changed again so as to start the application without my having to select REAL and AVERAGE everytime.
And as a proud HTC HD2 owner, the display could me made much
larger indeed...
Congratulations and thanks again.

This is a fine app with a lot of potential esp. for UL-pilots as an emergency backup if UL-airplane-pfd fails.
Would be nice if indicators are bigger and the layout equals to Flymap, Skymap or MGL-layout
There is enough place for a nice big yaw indicator. Maybe You can get some code from GPS-tracker V2.0 (MooNah) in this forum, it already has a full working PFD incorporated.
Good luck with further devs., when next version is online I will try it in my gyroplane.

I think it's fun!!!!!
next step: build a flightsim for wm where we could use this

You will be in real danger....if you do so.
troed said:
This is a fine app with a lot of potential esp. for UL-pilots as an emergency backup if UL-airplane-pfd fails.
Would be nice if indicators are bigger and the layout equals to Flymap, Skymap or MGL-layout
There is enough place for a nice big yaw indicator. Maybe You can get some code from GPS-tracker V2.0 (MooNah) in this forum, it already has a full working PFD incorporated.
Good luck with further devs., when next version is online I will try it in my gyroplane.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As you will easily see, this PFD horizon responds to gravity, that is, to the accelerometers installed in the phone.
It has no gyros, no way to provide PITCH ATTITUDE, WHATSOEVER.
If you keep the phone perfectly vertical and quickly move forward (accelerate) it will SURELY show a pitch up...pretty much the same effects that a stand-by compass shows when changing speed (remember that?...accelerate-north, decelerate-south).
You will have the very same pitch information as the one given by a bottle full
af water suspended from a string, or a can of Coke : and it will KILL YOU as well as your passengers (if any), not to mention people on the ground.
The only usable parts of this FUN APP (as named by the author himself ) in aviation are:
1. True track (not magnetic heading).
2. Altitude (neither QNH, nor QFE related, but of course; unless your flying field happens to be at sea level and actual atmosphere matches the ISA atmosphere parameters exactly). Remember that QNH variations as well as heat will make the GPS readings very different to that of your altimeter, as height of the air column will vary a +/-4% every +/-10 degrees Celsius.
Example. Airplane flying at Flight Level 300. QNH in the area 1023. Terrain at 2000 feet. Atmosphere is ISA+15.
Therefore if we move the 1013.25 setting to 1023 there will be a reading increase from 30.000 feet to 30300 (calibrated altitude, QNH related).
That is 28.300 feet above ground (we start with this as the air column height for the calculation). Since ISA is +15 we add 15/10 times 4% and we have 28300*15/10*4/100= 1698. True altitude is 30300+1698=31988
So we are cruising at FL300, 30.000 feet pressure altitude, 30.300 feet calibrated altitude (QNH related), 31988 above sea level, 29988 feet above ground level.
GPS WILL SHOW 31988 FEET.
3. Ground speed ( neither IAS nor CAS nor EAS nor TAS), as provided by GPS system. Remember that your airplane aerodynamics are related to calibrated speeds....you will stall if too slow ore destroy the airframe if to quick !!!! But you can navigate and make good your track, of course.
Hope I have made myself understood....and that you read this at the earlier !!!

Hi!
It quite very good if the second part under we have the route. I am using the Oziexplore program, it can creates the route, and apear on screen. if this soft applied to that once, could be perfected!
Thanks

great app mate..just for fun...

Nice work thank you. On future can you make like pilot cocpit with all dash boards like in Flith simulator game if this possible. Thank you

leihen said:
!! FUN APPLICATION, NOT INTENDED TO BE USED IN REAL WORLD AVIATION !!
For all those flight-sim enthusiasts out there: I have created this PFD (primary flight display) which shows the speed, the altitude the coards and the attitude similar to a real PFD display in an airplane cockpit.
Although the application has been created and tested on an HTC HD2, it might work on other devices as well. Internel or external GPS and the HTC G-Sensor are required. It is planned to add a serial communication channel to a PC server component which allows to use this little proggy with MS Flight Simulator displaying the flight parameters so you can get rid of the cockpit panel on your primary display.
Just keep in mind that this is the first version of the program, so there might be *some* improvement potential.
A screenshot of the program is also attached.
Pls let me know what you think about it.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed as an Ultralight-Gyroplane-Pilot I like this app and since the Horizon-tab in GPS-Tracker by MooNah doesn´t work right now this could be alternative as a a last resort-backup if glass-cockpit instruments (MGL-Avionics) fail ...... (better to have this than nothing at all and I also have Flymap PPC on my HD2 if main Moving map Nav. fails)
This app has great potential since it reads the infos from G-sensor and GPS.
For the future dev. if I might add my wishlist:
1. Add to screen: slide-indicator and compass, Altitude
2. slightly more refined graphics
As a start: BRAVO, hope You have the patience to go on developing this nice app ( like Dunc001, that made in 100s of hours of work a professional weather app - Duncans Weather Panel - see there - that is more reliable than many professional aviation weather briefings).
I bookmarked this thread and hope for further developments by U
Congratulations

like the Android solution ixGyro:
http://www.ixellence.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=227&Itemid=274&lang=de

JHimmelbauer said:
like the Android solution ixGyro:
http://www.ixellence.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=227&Itemid=274&lang=de
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jepp, EXACTLY THIS would be cool on the HD2 on WinMo (Android not running on mine) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

troed said:
Jepp, EXACTLY THIS would be cool on the HD2 on WinMo (Android not running on mine) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
a other solution for Windows Mobile is "Inclinometer77" -
visit http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=6677074
This App goes in the right direction, but unfortunately not to use without Gyro in a Plane, but a nice game for pilots ;-)
Happy Landings

[Q] Simvalley XT-930 GPS waypoints

Hi,
I am new to this forum. Although I have had a XDA (not sure if this forum relates to that smartphone of a decade ago), I am a consumer and no developer what so ever. I have not much technical knowlegde, so please bear with me if I don't get some things that are crystal clear to you guys. Also, my English is pretty poor.
My question: I have a Simvalley XT-930 dumbphone as a backup phone while travelling. It also has GPS and can get GPS coordinates. What I miss is an app on the phone to store and find back waypoints. I don't need anything fancy with maps or satellite photographs. An arrow pointing in the right direction, and the distance would be the major functionality I need. To find back that bus station, meeting point, parked car in a foreign city, etc.
The good thing is that the phone supports Java based apps. I tried VLKGPS 0.9.4, but it crashes because the Midlet is not supported.
Do you guys know an app with the functionality I am looking for and that would work on my phone?