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Post by autumnmist on Jul 23, 2020 16:40:58 GMT -8
This thread and the responses have helped me realize why I dislike cell phones, apps, etc. so much. It's the limitation of viewing area. I was remembering when I first used DOS (that should bring back some memories) at work. The darkness as well as height and width limitation of the screens could be disorienting. Even though I never realized it, it also was a factor making document management and comparison more challenging. Instead of spreading out the documents and marking interacting sections, I had to pull up different documents and compare by going back and forth on the screen. It affected concentration and perspective. I think that's the same issue with maps on small devices; the entire screen is so much smaller it's hard to get perspective of a larger area, and that perspective is something I always cherished. cweston, thanks for raising an issue and clarifying something I realized decades ago but never really put in perspective.
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biffnix
Trail Wise!
I'm just some guy, you know?
Posts: 49
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Post by biffnix on Jul 25, 2020 6:33:43 GMT -8
I would now like an InReach Mini but the purchase price and the subscription are a hurdle. Being able to send plan changes during a hike would be a big plus. And if money is no object you can get a plan with unlimited breadcrumbs. Then your wife can log to the website and see the you're still moving so probably OK and then not worry. Also I guess you can't run breadcrumb mode on longer trips for battery reasons. I purchased an InReach Mini just this Summer, and have found it pretty useful. It synchs with my iPhone Garmin Earthmate app, and does decent navigation. I purchased the cheapest subscription ($14.99/mo) and that allows for unlimited "preset" messages, of which you get three. When you send a preset message, you can also tick a check box that includes your location coordinates, so whoever you send the message to can follow you via an online portal. It works great to provide free unlimited "breadcrumbs" to the person you want to update. It's cheaper than turning on the auto-update "breadcrumb" feature, which requires a more expensive plan. The battery lasts easily for the advertised "on" time (50hrs), so if you turn it on and off only when you want to send your preset messages, it works for quite a long time between charges. I used it on a four-day outing without having to charge it at all, and it worked perfectly. The only feature I wish it had was to allow sending preset messages from my phone. It synchs with the phone, but you cannot initiate sending preset messages from the phone app - only from the device itself. It's easy, with just three button presses on the device, but if you clip it to your pack strap, it can be awkward to get to. Other than that, I've been impressed with how well it worked for keeping in touch with my wife during days in the backcountry. If you do want to send a custom SMS message, you CAN send from your phone, and it costs $.50 / message. A bit pricey, but worth it for near-real-time communication. I really like it, and the Earthmate app was a real help. I still carry a map and compass, but this old guy has to admit that technology has come a long way, and made it super easy to orient myself with a quick glance at my phone, with pinpoint accuracy, when the trail was non-obvious. If I ever get caught in heavy cloud cover, or in a storm where GPS won't work, then sure, a map will work, and I still know how to plot my position on a map. But the number of times that's actually happened to me on the trail over the past 40 years? Not many, I suppose. I almost hate to admit it, but a paper map, compass, and pencil are now relegated to backup, with GPS and phone is my first choice navigation tool (beyond my eyes and brain, of course!). Cheers.
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Post by johntpenca on Jul 25, 2020 8:20:28 GMT -8
Looking at maps of any kind is a mental vacation. edit: cheers Marie!
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panatomicx
Trail Wise!
Less noise and more green
Posts: 496
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Post by panatomicx on Jul 25, 2020 10:39:32 GMT -8
I'm also a Map person. Off season, on the trail, even the "map pockets"in my car-surely an archaic term now-were full of road maps. We've always brought MyTopo maps on all the hikes. That being said, our new hiking buddy, Tim, who's a techie, uses Gaia on his phone, and that and a power pack is a perfectly viable option now too.
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