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Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby MRG1 » Wed Jan 19, 2022 9:15 pm

37201xoIM wrote:Ah, thanks a lot, MRG1. Yes, I've now downloaded the Pro version and think I'm beginning to get to grips with it.

That's a very good tip about the Magnifying function - one issue I have noticed is that the 1:50k maps do, on my phone's small-ish screen, come up with very small type etc. which is pretty hard to read, and of course if you zoom in it switches to 1:25k rather than magnifying the 1:50k. Not fatal as you can of course then magnify the 1:25k, but it would be good to be able to magnify generally. I need to work out how to find said function, to be honest...*

Now to plan a good hike around the Black Country - Tipton here I come! ;-)

* PS Ah yes, that'll be the big button right on the main screen, cunningly disguised by looking, err, like a big magnifying glass... Facepalm! (Well spotted, Batman!)



It is indeed a ruddy great big magnifying glass :lol:

I also download the "opentopomap.org" map for where I'm walking, it has many of the paths not shown on the OS maps (at least here in Scotland anyway).
(I zoom out with the "-" button then use the magnifying glass to zoom back in to make the paths on the opentopomap easier to see.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby MRG1 » Wed Jan 19, 2022 9:21 pm

AyrshireAlps wrote:
For some reason the tracks I recorded with it gave me perfectly ok data other than things such as average speed and total time stationary.


I always assume that's down to the measuring device - Phone/sports watch/GPS unit, rather than the like of BCN. When on particularly steep ground, or moving very slowly, the unit assumes you are stationary and factors into average speed etc.

I've noticed it a few times on really steep stuff, know that I never stopped, but data telling me that I did.


I did wonder at that but I've never had that problem with Viewranger, Alpinequest or my watch, at least not as severe as I saw in BCN.

I did an experiment a few weeks ago when I was testing everything and I exported my watch track and Alpinequest track from the same walk into BCN and all the info that was fine in Alpinequest and my watch app went doolally in BCN.
I also exported the BCN recorded track to Alpinequest and all the info was fine.
So BCN seems to record the data fine, it just displays it strangely.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby 37201xoIM » Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:02 pm

MRG1 wrote:I also download the "opentopomap.org" map for where I'm walking, it has many of the paths not shown on the OS maps (at least here in Scotland anyway).
(I zoom out with the "-" button then use the magnifying glass to zoom back in to make the paths on the opentopomap easier to see.

Ah, good call!
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby Fife Flyer » Mon Jan 31, 2022 1:19 pm

Interesting and useful topic.
I started off using Maverick, then changed to Viewranger and I was out yesterday and decided to do a bit of a trial.

I uploaded a route onto Viewranger, Outdooractive (the new Viewranger) and Locus.

Viewranger was pretty hopeless, I don't know if it being wound down but all I was able to display on my phone was the route, no map & it wouldn't zoom in beyond 1km.

Outdooractive - annoying as every time you open it you get the pop up message asking you to subscribe (£29.99), so gave that up as a bad job.

Locus, I haven't paid anything and that worked a treat, route was displayed and the map facility was excellent, was able to zoom right in, all hills were named and the contour lines were also showed.

Bottom line - I will be changing to Locus until that changes.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby MRG1 » Mon Jan 31, 2022 3:33 pm

Fife Flyer wrote:Interesting and useful topic.
I started off using Maverick, then changed to Viewranger and I was out yesterday and decided to do a bit of a trial.

I uploaded a route onto Viewranger, Outdooractive (the new Viewranger) and Locus.

Viewranger was pretty hopeless, I don't know if it being wound down but all I was able to display on my phone was the route, no map & it wouldn't zoom in beyond 1km.

Outdooractive - annoying as every time you open it you get the pop up message asking you to subscribe (£29.99), so gave that up as a bad job.

Locus, I haven't paid anything and that worked a treat, route was displayed and the map facility was excellent, was able to zoom right in, all hills were named and the contour lines were also showed.

Bottom line - I will be changing to Locus until that changes.


I haven't used Viewranger on a walk for over a month now but I have noticed that it's suddenly very slow, it does seem like it's on its last legs.

I tried Locus and it was pretty good, however I settled on alternatives that suited my needs a little better.
If you're sticking with Locus be sure to download the free Locus map offered, it can be used offline.
Also might I suggest trying https://www.openandromaps.org/en
for a good downloadable map for Locus.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby 37201xoIM » Mon Jan 31, 2022 6:56 pm

Yes, I've had Locus for a good few years now, and it definitely has its uses (it's the best one for finding out how fast your train is going...... :wink: ) - but it isn't AFAIK compatible with OS maps, and it's quite complex with a steep learning curve to get to grips with it IMO.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby Chris from Bingley » Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:31 am

Great discussion - but I’ve just jumped to iPhone - any advice for best map app for apple users?
Paid or free - would be happy to pay for OS but the OSapp reviews look grim.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby Giant Stoneater » Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:24 am

Chris from Bingley wrote:Great discussion - but I’ve just jumped to iPhone - any advice for best map app for apple users?
Paid or free - would be happy to pay for OS but the OSapp reviews look grim.


I never bother with reviews for anything online as it ranges from the experienced to the inexperienced so you end up with a very mixed bag of reviews.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby WalkWithWallace » Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:34 am

Locus Pro with OS Maps 1:50K (see screenshot). Zoom in and I get 1:25K. I'm liking it so far. 8)
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby Chris from Bingley » Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:53 am

Brilliant super quick reply - I’ll give it a go
Thanks
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby Chris from Bingley » Tue Feb 01, 2022 11:03 am

Hmm - I hope it’s just me being an iPhone inadequate - Locus looks great but does it actually exist in apple world??
If not what else would anyone recommend??
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby MRG1 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 11:43 am

Chris from Bingley wrote:Hmm - I hope it’s just me being an iPhone inadequate - Locus looks great but does it actually exist in apple world??
If not what else would anyone recommend??
Chris


Sorry Chris but it appears that Locus map currently isn't available for iOS.
Some of the big players in the digital mapping scene do have iOS apps, I think "All trails" and "Gaia" (among others) offer apple apps. I tried the android version of Gaia and it seemed ok, no OS maps though (at least I couldn't find them).

If OS maps are a deal breaker then possibly Background Navigator XE might be worth looking at.
I played with the android version on a free 7 day trial but I ended going for it's predecessor "backcountry navigator Pro."
XE looked pretty good though.
OS maps were available for offline use as were other maps.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby MRG1 » Tue Feb 01, 2022 11:50 am

Chris from Bingley wrote:Hmm - I hope it’s just me being an iPhone inadequate - Locus looks great but does it actually exist in apple world??
If not what else would anyone recommend??
Chris



Just a quick note ...
I had previously emailed Backcountry to ask what level of subscription a user needs for OS maps.
They told me that the Bronze level should have the OS maps on.
Bear in mind that this is for the android version though.
They sent this link to me ...
https://bcnavxe.com/#/pricing-plans

*** "Note though that it says that the iOS version of XE is "early beta testing." ***
I don't know when that was last updated.
I thought I'd best mention the beta thing.
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby Mar Coltrane » Thu Feb 03, 2022 9:42 pm

MRG1 wrote:
jolly47roger wrote:TOPOGPS are quite clear : the app is free but they make their money from maps.

It depends on the phone, but in airplane mode I used to use around 50% of battery in a 6-hour day with Locus. Battery packs are not expensive nowadays.

If you want 'free' there will be annoying ads.


I used Locus today alongside Gaia to record my track and they weren't too bad on battery, about 15% each for four hours. About the same I was getting with Viewranger.
Although I realised two hours in that they were recording poor tracks, basically just straight lines. I fixed it by switching off my battery optimiser, hopefully this doesn't have a drastic effect on my battery.
So I've narrowed it down to either Locus or Gaia, probably Locus because OS maps can be bought and downloaded.
Thanks for the Locus mention, it seems to be a bit of a hidden gem.


Yes, I had considered Gaia too! But dumped it
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Re: Ideas for Viewranger replacement.

Postby Mar Coltrane » Thu Feb 03, 2022 11:10 pm

motorlaunch wrote:I save the maps to my phone. There is presently 20 gb in the bcn file. This has OS maps for Scotland, England and Wales. In addition I have areas of Switzerland, Italy, France and Austria. Each country in a different folder. You can specify the where you want the files saved. So yes you could put them on an sd card. Whether you can use that card in another device I don't know. I just download the maps to each phone or tablet I want them on.


Hello, so you can synchronise your account in 4 devices? Does it have a web as well where everything is saved? Thanks
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