Hand held GPS vs. cellphone to find caches

[climbyoke]

I use my cellphone (Galaxy S3) and a free android ap c:geo to find geocaches.

 

I have found that sometimes I only get in the area (maybe 30 foot diameter) of the cache.

 

I am interested in hearing from others who use their phones, or people who have used both ways.

 

Are hand held GPS that much more accurate?

 

Thanks.

[+T.D.M.22]

Two things come to mind. Cgeo does not have permission from Groundspeak so what it does is it steals the info.

 

Anyway when you get about 10 meters (30 feet) from the cache you should put the device-regardless of which app or GPS you are using-and look for the cache. That accuracy is normal-and even if you could expect an inch-it will only take you to the co-ordinates. That won't help if your GPS, or the hiders GPS was off, or if someone didn't put the cache back where it belongs.

[+Manville Possum]

Yes. When I average coordinates I can get within 7-9 feet with my Garmin, and the same can be said when I am searching for a geocache. I prefer not to use a hint, the coordinates should be good enough to put me at GZ. My experience with a iphone and a ipod only get me within 30-42 feet of GZ. I can normally tell when the CO used a smartphone to take coordinates, they are inaccurate. This may only be regional away from cell towers, IMO.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Yes. When I average coordinates I can get within 7-9 feet with my Garmin, and the same can be said when I am searching for a geocache. I prefer not to use a hint, the coordinates should be good enough to put me at GZ. My experience with a iphone and a ipod only get me within 30-42 feet of GZ. I can normally tell when the CO used a smartphone to take coordinates, they are inaccurate. This may only be regional away from cell towers, IMO.

 

+1.

[+Roman!]

I have both and my iPhone is awesome when I want to pick up a cache or two when I'm out and about or if I want to race out the door for and FTF but when I plan a day out of caching be it hiking, biking or driving I always use my GPS. Its just more convenient keeping tack of my finds and logging them when I get home via GSAK as opposed to either logging in the field with my phone or remembering what caches I found when theres 20, 30, 40+. Then there's battery life, I know you can get battery packs for the cell but replacing AAs is just so much easier and if you lose/forget yours you can buy them anywhere or borrow from someone you're caching with.

 

Both the GPS and the phone are tools and although they do similar jobs each has its own benefits and drawbacks, the best is having both at your disposal.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 exclusively for finding and hiding. I haven't had any accuracy problems. From what I understand, most newer cellphones will be just as accurate while the older phones won't be.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I always use my GPS. Its just more convenient keeping tack of my finds and logging them when I get home via GSAK as opposed to either logging in the field with my phone or remembering what caches I found when theres 20, 30, 40+.

 

I use Locus Map Pro for my Android. It which allows me to mark caches as Found, then I can upload my field notes later.

[+kristianmatthews]

I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 exclusively for finding and hiding. I haven't had any accuracy problems. From what I understand, most newer cellphones will be just as accurate while the older phones won't be.

 

I use Locus Map Pro for my Android. It which allows me to mark caches as Found, then I can upload my field notes later.

 

Same as The Incredibles

 

I use a Galaxy Note 3 (and before that an HTC EVO) and use the Locus Map Pro and Geocaching4Locus apps. It is extremely accurate, much more so than mine and friends dedicated GPS devices. I can store everything (maps and caches included) on the phone so as everything works without cell signal. If I need more info I can always use the data connection to look up other stuff. I store field notes that I upload later and edit on the computer before submitting the logs. The only downside is battery life. For my EVO I had spare double sized batteries for it. For my Note 3 I have yet to do anything about the battery life, but do carry a USB battery storage bank which can run/recharge the phone.

 

At this point I would not trade my modern droid phone with Locus for any dedicated GPS unit. If I am going to be in a wet/extreme environment I have a special $20 case that is water and shock proof to put it in. My accuracy is usually within 6-9 feet (The phone can use GPS AND Cell Tower to triangulate)

 

[+hydnsek]

Yes. When I average coordinates I can get within 7-9 feet with my Garmin, and the same can be said when I am searching for a geocache. I prefer not to use a hint, the coordinates should be good enough to put me at GZ. My experience with a iphone and a ipod only get me within 30-42 feet of GZ. I can normally tell when the CO used a smartphone to take coordinates, they are inaccurate. This may only be regional away from cell towers, IMO.

 

+1.

+2. I have both a GPS and an iPhone. I only use the phone for casual, opportunistic caching when it's spur-of-the-moment and I don't have my GPS. (Ok, I use it to read cache pages, too.) GPS for dedicated cache outings, and always for cache placement. Yes, it is more accurate, as it has a better receiver than most phones. GPSrs are dedicated units, while phones do multiple things, so the vendors don't necessarily install the most-sensitive receivers.

[+Walts Hunting]

Interesting that he hasn't been back since the original post. It would be interesting to know if the app is still working since the recent major upgrade to the website. That app does seem to break when those occur.

[+Wreckerdriver]

I use both, gps & Iphone. I use the Iphone for the Description & to log the find. I would say the gps is more accurate.

[+Card Shark78]

I use both a c:geo app and a Magellan eXplorist. I have had success with both. I recently was at a cache where I was using the Magellan and it was bouncy, so I decided to try the app and the app was helpful in it not being jumpy and I could read all the previous logs. I also use the app for a quick FTF or smaller adventures that it would waste the battery on the Magellan to turn on. Good Luck

[+Roman!]

I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 exclusively for finding and hiding. I haven't had any accuracy problems. From what I understand, most newer cellphones will be just as accurate while the older phones won't be.

 

At this point I would not trade my modern droid phone with Locus for any dedicated GPS unit. If I am going to be in a wet/extreme environment I have a special $20 case that is water and shock proof to put it in. My accuracy is usually within 6-9 feet (The phone can use GPS AND Cell Tower to triangulate)

 

How well would your cell work in the States, probably quite well but might cost you a pretty penny. How about 20km up and over some mountains where there is no cell reception. But you could not get there without having your cell batteries die unless you had spare battery packs but you'd have to remove your protective case to plug them in and heaven forbid you drop your phone, now you're lost and helpless but if youre lucky I'll come by with my gps and spare batteries and a fully charged phone because I never used it just in case you need S&R.

 

I could not cache without both.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Roman!

[+The_Incredibles_]

How about 20km up and over some mountains where there is no cell reception.

 

I take my phone to places with no cell reception and the GPS works just fine. I have all my caches and maps saved offline.

 

But you could not get there without having your cell batteries die unless you had spare battery packs

 

Dedicated GPSrs use batteries too. If I'm 20km up a trail, I'm going to bring battery backups, no matter what type of device I'm using.

 

heaven forbid you drop your phone, now you're lost and helpless

 

Dedicated GPSrs can get lost too. As for dropping, I've got an Otterbox which protects my phone.

 

We almost need a sticky in the forum listing phone caching myths + facts, they seem to crop up so often.

[+Roman!]

How about 20km up and over some mountains where there is no cell reception.

 

I take my phone to places with no cell reception and the GPS works just fine. I have all my caches and maps saved offline.

 

But you could not get there without having your cell batteries die unless you had spare battery packs

 

Dedicated GPSrs use batteries too. If I'm 20km up a trail, I'm going to bring battery backups, no matter what type of device I'm using.

 

heaven forbid you drop your phone, now you're lost and helpless

 

Dedicated GPSrs can get lost too. As for dropping, I've got an Otterbox which protects my phone.

 

We almost need a sticky in the forum listing phone caching myths + facts, they seem to crop up so often.

 

Does your battery pack fit on your phone when the otter box is on it?

 

I'm just wondering how having both a cell and a gps can not be better than just having a cell?

[+Lieblweb]

This is such a debated topic - and for good reason - it all depends on the USER. Everyone has their own reasons for what they use and why and those reasons don't necessarily fit everyone.

 

So.... my husband and I started with our iphones. The phones are a great way to get folks started in the hobby. Plain and simple - they work. For some folks, the phone is all they ever use and are happy with them. That's great!! Keeps you happy & cachin'!

 

My husband and I fell in love with the hobby and were doing it every chance we got and it soon became obvious, the phones batteries couldn't last a full day of cachin. It got annoying plugging them in the car while we drove to our next cache location. Not only that - but the phones aren't resistant to 'water' and/or being dropped. Not good while hiking, biking, what-not.

 

So, we invested in a handheld GPS ...and haven't looked back and we actually have two handhelds now. The phones are great for quick finds when you don't have the handheld with you (or loaded up). The phones are great for FTF's. We use the phones to log our caches after finding them with the handheld. Accuracy is much better with the handheld and you don't need cell signal.

 

If you're having any thoughts of getting a handheld GPS....chances are, you are READY for one!! And in most cases....after you get familiar with it and use it, you'll absolutely LOVE IT.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Lieblweb

[climbyoke]

Wow. Thanks for all the great ideas. I feel better about using my phone. It seems ideal to use both. Now I want to find a lower priced GPS to take too.

[+briansnat]

You won't gain that much in accuracy with a hand held GPS, at least not enough to make a real difference. You will gain much as far as durability, water resistance, battery life (and field replaceable batteries) and being able to read the screen in sunlight. The latter is the worst part of using my cell phone for caching.

[+tommytrauma]

I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 exclusively for finding and hiding. I haven't had any accuracy problems. From what I understand, most newer cellphones will be just as accurate while the older phones won't be.

 

At this point I would not trade my modern droid phone with Locus for any dedicated GPS unit. If I am going to be in a wet/extreme environment I have a special $20 case that is water and shock proof to put it in. My accuracy is usually within 6-9 feet (The phone can use GPS AND Cell Tower to triangulate)

 

How well would your cell work in the States, probably quite well but might cost you a pretty penny. How about 20km up and over some mountains where there is no cell reception. But you could not get there without having your cell batteries die unless you had spare battery packs but you'd have to remove your protective case to plug them in and heaven forbid you drop your phone, now you're lost and helpless but if youre lucky I'll come by with my gps and spare batteries and a fully charged phone because I never used it just in case you need S&R.

 

I could not cache without both.

I suspect a may be a bit older than you, but I've actually gone into the back country without either a cell phone *or* a GPS. I was neither lost nor helpless while doing so. Hell of a concept, I know...

 

If you're that technology-dependent, yours is a skill issue, not an equipment issue.

[MoonPie Mafia]

I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 exclusively for finding and hiding. I haven't had any accuracy problems. From what I understand, most newer cellphones will be just as accurate while the older phones won't be.

 

At this point I would not trade my modern droid phone with Locus for any dedicated GPS unit. If I am going to be in a wet/extreme environment I have a special $20 case that is water and shock proof to put it in. My accuracy is usually within 6-9 feet (The phone can use GPS AND Cell Tower to triangulate)

 

How well would your cell work in the States, probably quite well but might cost you a pretty penny. How about 20km up and over some mountains where there is no cell reception. But you could not get there without having your cell batteries die unless you had spare battery packs but you'd have to remove your protective case to plug them in and heaven forbid you drop your phone, now you're lost and helpless but if youre lucky I'll come by with my gps and spare batteries and a fully charged phone because I never used it just in case you need S&R.

 

I could not cache without both.

I suspect a may be a bit older than you, but I've actually gone into the back country without either a cell phone *or* a GPS. I was neither lost nor helpless while doing so. Hell of a concept, I know...

 

If you're that technology-dependent, yours is a skill issue, not an equipment issue.

But did you find any geocaches?

[+kristianmatthews]

I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 exclusively for finding and hiding. I haven't had any accuracy problems. From what I understand, most newer cellphones will be just as accurate while the older phones won't be.

 

At this point I would not trade my modern droid phone with Locus for any dedicated GPS unit. If I am going to be in a wet/extreme environment I have a special $20 case that is water and shock proof to put it in. My accuracy is usually within 6-9 feet (The phone can use GPS AND Cell Tower to triangulate)

 

How well would your cell work in the States, probably quite well but might cost you a pretty penny. How about 20km up and over some mountains where there is no cell reception. But you could not get there without having your cell batteries die unless you had spare battery packs but you'd have to remove your protective case to plug them in and heaven forbid you drop your phone, now you're lost and helpless but if youre lucky I'll come by with my gps and spare batteries and a fully charged phone because I never used it just in case you need S&R.

 

I could not cache without both.

 

My phone has worked just fine on trips way out into nowhere with no cell reception. Including up and over mountains. As The Incredibles and I already pointed out, it doesn't NEED the cell towers or data to work. You preload the caches and maps into it just like with a GPSr. Not to mention I don't have to pay for any of the maps and can get whatever type I want. I have also cached in Canada just fine. Didn't cost me a dime more to use my phone. I just put the phone in airplane mode. It lasts for DAYS like that. Does the same thing a GPSr does only with a lot more features. You are going to need batteries no matter what you use. Carry what you need. I do own a dedicated Garmin GPS unit. I don't use it, don't need it. When I first started out caching it is all I used. Technology has changed and I just don't find it necessary anymore.

 

I am currently waiting on my new device to enter production and I have high hopes for it Meet Earl It is going to be an android powered tablet with an e-ink display that is built specifically for rugged environments.

 

So, although I can and have used both types of devices, the garmin stays at home 95% of the time and the phone wins out with Locus. And yes, I go way out in the middle of nowhere and do long hikes using it.

 

Oh, and you pointed out that you might need your fully charged phone to call S&R. I thought you had already made the point that we would not have cell reception in one of those remote locations anyway, so that fully charged phone is not going to be much use for that. I know I can do land navigation and get myself back without any electronics working anyway. And I have found many geocaches with neither as well after just looking on the sat map of where the cache was going to be located. But then again, I have done a lot of map and compass navigation in the Army and have been through SERE school. If I am lying injured and dying somewhere, well it is my time to go. I would rather go doing what I love than lying around in the house typing crap on one of these forums LOL

Edited April 13, 2014 by kristianmatthews

[+tommytrauma]

I use a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 exclusively for finding and hiding. I haven't had any accuracy problems. From what I understand, most newer cellphones will be just as accurate while the older phones won't be.

 

At this point I would not trade my modern droid phone with Locus for any dedicated GPS unit. If I am going to be in a wet/extreme environment I have a special $20 case that is water and shock proof to put it in. My accuracy is usually within 6-9 feet (The phone can use GPS AND Cell Tower to triangulate)

 

How well would your cell work in the States, probably quite well but might cost you a pretty penny. How about 20km up and over some mountains where there is no cell reception. But you could not get there without having your cell batteries die unless you had spare battery packs but you'd have to remove your protective case to plug them in and heaven forbid you drop your phone, now you're lost and helpless but if youre lucky I'll come by with my gps and spare batteries and a fully charged phone because I never used it just in case you need S&R.

 

I could not cache without both.

I suspect a may be a bit older than you, but I've actually gone into the back country without either a cell phone *or* a GPS. I was neither lost nor helpless while doing so. Hell of a concept, I know...

 

If you're that technology-dependent, yours is a skill issue, not an equipment issue.

But did you find any geocaches?

On several "outings", yeah - except we just called them 'points' rather than caches, and all they had was an eight digit grid number for the next point.

 

Wife was surprised when I first suggested geocaching, as she'd heard me bitch about the absolute joys involved in running around all night looking for point after point.

[+Roman!]

One thing I like about my GPS is if I select the map while not navigating to any specific cache it will point me to the nearest cache. As I move if another cache becomes closer it'll point me there without having to do anything.

 

This is a great hands free feature I use when I'm driving. I have not figured out a way for my iPhone to do this.

[+ByronForestPreserve]

I misplaced the cord to my DeLorme a while ago, and for some reason I can't move pocket queries directly to the SD card (the brand has their own usb hookup; gotta say I prefer Garmins for being standard). I found older caches today that were on my GPSr, and newer ones with my phone that weren't. Mostly I thought the GPSr was more accurate--like others mentioned, about 30' difference. It's an iPhone 4...maybe I'll check out Locus...does that just give another map option other than the Apple maps, or does it tweak accuracy?

 

Regardless, I like my GPSr driving navigation, rather than just having the map open on the iPhone. The other thing I use on occasion is the option to find only caches nearby that have trackables listed in their inventory (50/50 on if they're really there, I know, but at least I can do it).

[+AutisticMajor]

I use the c:geo app (Samsung Galaxy Gio) and a Magellan eXplorist GC (v2.15) to find caches. The Magellan takes only a few minutes to lock on, while the app on my phone takes at least five minutes (more in wooded locations). I only use the app for logging and sometimes, triangulation.

[+GrateBear]

I primarily use a GPS, but will use my iPhone if one I expect to see isn't in the GPS, or I'm somewhere and wonder if there's a cache nearby. The biggest problem with the phone is that with only 2GB/billing cycle, don't want to get hit with a big bill. Also, I find the phone's compass isn't all that great--does a lot of wandering.

[+geodarts]

I use my iphone as a mini GSAK - to combine searches, keep track of solved puzzles or completed challenges, map, filter, and export the resulting caches to my handheld. I use it as a gpsr to route me to the cache. I photograph what is of note and upload field notes to this site. It is at least as accurate as my handheld and displays the cache descriptions and graphics beautifully. It shines for earthcaches, letterboxes, or other types of caches with long descriptions or where graphic information is important.

 

Still, sometimes it's nice to cache with the Oregon 600. I had it yesterday when biking through marshlands - it was secure on my handlebars but I ended up dropping my phone anyway. I will take the Oregon tomorrow when kayaking. But there have also been times when I started with the handheld and found myself using the phone by the end of the day. I have taken the phone into the back country and relied upon it instead of the gpsr.

 

It all depends . . .

Edited April 20, 2014 by geodarts

[+WRASTRO]

Just found 55 caches last Saturday while using my Moto Droid as our primary GPS. Elroy had our trusty Map 76cs which performed very well in the mountains. Clearly both GPS and current versions of cell phones work very well for caching.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Just had my easter event. 49 locations, all averaged 3 times, with my Android. 50 participants, no complaints. Nuff said.

Edited April 20, 2014 by The_Incredibles_