Viewranger App

[teaandpies]

I've downloaded the Viewranger App for Android but I'm not exactly sure I get much from it so I was thinking about just removing it from my phone.

Does anybody get and decent use from it?

[jupe1407]

I've downloaded the Viewranger App for Android but I'm not exactly sure I get much from it so I was thinking about just removing it from my phone.

Does anybody get and decent use from it?

Yeah I use it a fair bit. It's fine once you get used to the minor faff of uploading routes etc.

[BobMcBob]

I use it to get a grid reference if I'm ever completely lost - and on those occasions I am very glad I have it, but there are simpler apps that do the same thing. I have also used it to figure out the names of the things I can se in the distance I used to use it to record my route for uploading here in my walk reports, but I've found that as my walks get longer the battery just doesn't last so I don't use it very much at all any more.

[teaandpies]

I find it quite hard to use. I'm not so great with these types of things I must say.

I'll reinstall it and give it another shot.

[Roland Tattiescone]

I used the Skyline feature up Beinn Chabhair on Saturday to identify all the distant peaks, I don't think I'd get much use out of it other than that.

[Cairngorm creeper]

We use view ranger on iPhone and iPad. We use it on the iPad to plan routes and when we get back to put in the actual route we did to get the statistics. When out we use it on the phone to get a grid ref. It seems quicker and more accurate than OS locate and because we have the maps downloaded you can quickly check where you are without getting out the map. We don't tend to track or upload routes but still find it useful

[Robinho08]

Viewranger is excellent, use it all the time as a map or for GPS. Once you get passed the initial set up of Great Britain Overview Map on, you can purchase the 25 or 50K tiles.

Stick with it, you'll never look back once you've set it up!

[bb70225]

Hi,

For all those who use Viewranger, how do you find it in terms of accuracy? I have viewranger on my iPhone and it always shows some 10% less distance compared with my Suunto Traverse watch. Not sure which is more accurate. Anybody got any thoughts?

Thanks,

[Cairngorm creeper]

When planning routes it invariably gives the maximum altitude between 20-50 m lower than the actual summit height no matter how careful your are with way points . Still like the app. But it is annoying.

[BobMcBob]

Hi,

For all those who use Viewranger, how do you find it in terms of accuracy? I have viewranger on my iPhone and it always shows some 10% less distance compared with my Suunto Traverse watch. Not sure which is more accurate. Anybody got any thoughts?

Thanks,

On the iPhone it's awful. Because the iPhone GPS uses so much battery power, ViewRanger uses a 'Low Power Mode' where it switches the GPS on and off. This reduces the accuracy, especially if you're zig-zagging a lot, because it takes position readings at quite far intervals and its accuracy is reduced by the constant on-and-off. I've used it on a bike ride with the power saving settings on maximum and it recorded a 15-mile ride down wiggly lanes as a 2-mile point-to-point!

Far better option is to get on eBay, get a cheapo second-hand Android phone, and put ViewRanger on that. The battery will last 10 times longer and the accuracy will be far better. I've got an old Samsung Galaxy XCover, which came free with my contract. It's useless as a phone but it's waterproof and actually makes a pretty good GPS.

[matt_outandabout]

I use viewranger for bike rides, hills and foreign trips.

On Android, no problems with accuracy or use.

It can drain battery (As all GPS use can).

I pre-download the free OpenStreetMaps before I go, including in France, by area.

Simple to create routes online and 'send' to phone and vice versa.

I am still a map luddite, and love a good OS (or even better) a lovely Harvey map...the Viewranger is for new areas, backup and tracking rides or walks.

I also have a second hand eBay bargain £5 eTrex at the bottom of my emergency gear, with spare batteries, for the day I need a really accurate fix/lost map/etc.

[Spade]

Great app, but swally yer battery life in 2 hours !!! so I only put it on momentarily to cross check location etc, The point and sight facility is fab

[matt_outandabout]

Great app, but swally yer battery life in 2 hours !!! so I only put it on momentarily to cross check location etc, The point and sight facility is fab

Are you on power save mode or continuous?

Until I learned how to switch gps to only check every 5 mins or on demand. It did eat battery.

[celt54321]

if u put your phone in flight mode viewranger will work all day and use next to no battery.

[Robinho08]

if u put your phone in flight mode viewranger will work all day and use next to no battery.

Exactly. Close any unnecessary apps too.

For a 8-9 hour hike I use around 15-20% battery to fully record a route. That includes the odd photo. But constantly on Flight Mode.