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Walking tracker that works without GPS

Walking tracker that works without GPS


Postby Keneklan » Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:03 am

Hi I'm looking for a walking tracker app that can calculate how many miles I've walked without using GPS. I have an old iPhone 4 that doesn't work as a phone anymore as it has no sim card hence why I can't use GPS.

At the moment I can't find any but does anyone have any recommendations?
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby Ben Nachie » Tue Jul 09, 2019 1:08 pm

Firstly, no such thing.

Secondly, a lack of a SIM card should not stop the GPS from working, unless Apple are just being annoying.

Thirdly, please don't rely on an old iPhone with no SIM for navigation.
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby rockhopper » Tue Jul 09, 2019 1:30 pm

The basic samsung fitness app on my old smart phone counts steps then calculates stride length based on profile information and cadence then gives me a total distance. Doesn't sound all that accurate but oddly enough it does come out with results which aren't that far out when I look at a map even when the phone is in my rucksack. I don't use the phone for navigation on the hills though.
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby Marty_JG » Tue Jul 09, 2019 1:54 pm

As said, GPS is the way it works. Apple should and Android definitely does work for GPS in Flight Mode (important as that's a big battery saver).

I know nothing about Apple apps, but GPS Tracker by FollowMee is free and should at least tell if you if your phone is working as a GPS receiver/tracker, so perhaps give that a shot.

I didn't need to use a Sim to get my donated Android (and subsequently drowned on Ben Lomond) phone to use and track via GPS, but I did need a Sim to activate the phone after a factory reset. RiffRaff, sorry, GiffGaff are cheap and non-contract, it cost a tenner and it meant I had a tenner's worth of phone-calls/data/texts on it (not time-limited either).

Speaking of which, if it's not fully waterproof get a waterproof case or ziplock bag for it. :)

As already said, if you're going anywhere fruity / unknown you should navigate with a map & compass.

Even if you don't have credit Apple have an Emergency SOS feature, something about pressing the power button five times in a row. You might need to adjust settings, read-up for yourself.

If your phone is not up to it, you can get a weak 2nd hand "rugged" (waterproof & shock resistant) Android phone for under £50 on EBay (e.g. Samsung Xcover 3); though before I got a donation of a dedicated GPS unit I was looking at importing a new Ulefone Armor 6e from HK for about £150.
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby jolly47roger » Tue Jul 09, 2019 3:06 pm

EasyTrails LITE is free and should do what you want.
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby WalkWithWallace » Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:29 am

An alternative might be a pedometer that counts steps, but I'm not sure how accurate they are.

Lomo do a nice watch with a heart rate monitor and pedometer for £20:

https://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/waterproof-sports-watch-sw1.html#SID=101
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby Tringa » Wed Jul 10, 2019 2:48 pm

Keneklan wrote:Hi I'm looking for a walking tracker app that can calculate how many miles I've walked without using GPS. I have an old iPhone 4 that doesn't work as a phone anymore as it has no sim card hence why I can't use GPS.

At the moment I can't find any but does anyone have any recommendations?


As your iPhone4 doesn't work as a phone anymore I assume(perhaps wrongly) you have another smartphone. If so, why not use the GPS on that one?

However, no matter how good smartphones are at tracking routes and giving you location info, and they are brilliant, I'd always have a map and compass in unfamiliar surroundings.

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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby davekeiller » Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:59 pm

Pretty much all the fitness apps seem to include a step counter. Tell it how tall you are and it will estimate your stride length and therefore how far you have walked. It probably won't be as accurate as using GPS, but probably won't be too far off.
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby tweedledog » Sat Jul 13, 2019 9:09 am

davekeiller wrote:Pretty much all the fitness apps seem to include a step counter. Tell it how tall you are and it will estimate your stride length and therefore how far you have walked. It probably won't be as accurate as using GPS, but probably won't be too far off.


Not so sure about it being not too far off, especially across ground with ups and downs since step length varies ascending and descending. About three years ago out of curiosity I did a series of tests checking the iPhone Health app measurements against a GPS app on the phone and two other independent Garmin GPS units (plus measurements from a map). Yes, I know, I'm a sad person! The Health app was wildly inaccurate, and not even consistent in its scale of inaccuracy. For instance, across 3 miles of track it gave measurements going out and then back which differed by 0.7 of a mile. Initially I thought that was a function of the undulations changing step length, but subsequent measures along the same track produced significantly different figures every time. Such erratic errors were repeated in all the tests I did. And don't even get me started on these apps' use of "stairs" as measures of ascent...
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby crfishwick » Sat Jul 13, 2019 10:25 pm

Keneklan wrote:Hi I'm looking for a walking tracker app that can calculate how many miles I've walked without using GPS. I have an old iPhone 4 that doesn't work as a phone anymore as it has no sim card hence why I can't use GPS.

At the moment I can't find any but does anyone have any recommendations?

Don't bother! LOL
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby StevieC » Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:19 pm

Ben Nachie wrote:Thirdly, please don't rely on an old iPhone with no SIM for navigation.


rockhopper wrote: I don't use the phone for navigation on the hills though.


Marty_JG wrote:As already said, if you're going anywhere fruity / unknown you should navigate with a map & compass.


Tringa wrote:However, no matter how good smartphones are at tracking routes and giving you location info, and they are brilliant, I'd always have a map and compass in unfamiliar surroundings.


I don't see any mention in the OP about using the phone for navigation! All (s)he wants is something like a step counter app that will convert number of steps into a distance...which any smart phone should be able to do as some have mentioned and recommended. I didn't know that you could download apps without a sim though...

By the way, I use my smart phone to navigate all the time and it's great! :clap:
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby mrssanta » Wed Jul 17, 2019 6:33 pm

By the way, I use my smart phone to navigate all the time and it's great! :clap:[/quote]
True, until the phone gets damp and stops working, or the battery is flat and your backup is cold and useless. The phone is so good that you can lose your location skills and end up stuck if it fails.
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby StevieC » Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:13 pm

By the way, I use my smart phone to navigate all the time and it's great! :clap:[/quote]
mrssanta wrote:True, until the phone gets damp and stops working, or the battery is flat and your backup is cold and useless. The phone is so good that you can lose your location skills and end up stuck if it fails.


In which case I just switch to my trusty Garmin :wink:

Of course if all technology fails, or I'm feeling in a retro mood, or I just want to take in the bigger picture I'll fish out my OE Explorer which is always with me too...but what if that gets blown away in a gale!
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby crfishwick » Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:38 am

StevieC wrote:I'll fish out my OE Explorer which is always with me too...but what if that gets blown away in a gale!

Use a map case and lanyard then you may get strangled or even blown away.😏😏
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Re: Walking tracker that works without GPS

Postby Glengavel » Tue Aug 06, 2019 1:18 pm

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