Electronic maps

[henchy3rd]

Guys, not sure if this had been mentioned on here before..
I’ve downloaded a map app called view ranger.. you can use it world over.
The details are brilliant, so much more than a OS..water courses, paths etc etc,It has satellite too.
I’m not one to use these gadgets in the wilds as I’m old school.
But to study at home is a valuable source of information.


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[Broch]

Guys, not sure if this had been mentioned on here before..
I’ve downloaded a map app called view finder.. you can use it world over.
The details are brilliant, so much more than a OS..water courses, paths etc etc,It has satellite too.
I’m not one to use these gadgets in the wilds as I’m old school.
But to study at home is a valuable source of information.


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view finder or ViewRanger?

 

[henchy3rd]

view finder or ViewRanger?

Sorry, my bad.. it’s view ranger.
I’ve changed it


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[mikehill]

Been using it outdoors for years, great little app and you just buy “tiles” for whichever area you are interested in.

 

[Broch]

OK, be careful, the maps for around here are not very accurate - all the ones I have available show very little detail for navigation - no trigpoints, a fraction of the paths and no fence lines compared with OS 1:25K. The paths and tracks that are shown give no indication of rights of way either.

When I first got it, about 18 months ago, I could use it with OS maps but that function appears to have been removed - at least from my licence.

 

[Broch]

Ah, just checked, I can download 1:25K OS maps into the app so ignore what I just said

 

[C_Claycomb]

Yup. I have been using it for at least five years. Used it for navigation when in New Zealand, along with CityMaps2Go for road nav. (the latter doesn't to sat-nav instructions, but does have downloadable maps of whole regions that work without phone signal.)

New Zealand maps work on the tile system too, like the UK OS maps. For my US trip I had to fork out about $15 (could have been £) to get a licence for topo maps for the whole US. I could then download what I wanted.

Having off-line maps to work with the GPS is very useful. Battery draw isn't too bad for route tracking. It works even when in Airplane mode. I even got View Ranger to track my flight path from Brunei to Hong Kong!

The free maps with ViewRanger for the UK are pretty good where I am, they show all the foot paths between cul-de-sacs in my town, which even Google isn't 100% for and OS not at all.

I would recommend getting OS tiles for your UK routes, to get the most from the App. I didn't use it as primary navigation when last in the Lake District, I had maps and compass, but it was good for establishing positive position fixes every so often. Having the OS tiles meant the picture on the screen looked like the picture on the map. No guessing or interpretation needed, unlike using the free maps.

 

[cipherdias]

I use ViewRanger on a weekly basis and it appears very accurate. I have purchased a lot of tiles for it to get as accurate mapping as possible and it has never let me down to be honest with you.


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[Broch]

Are the OS maps in-app purchases normally? I was given a free licence some time ago and I can download all the 1:25K OS maps for free - is that normal?

I confess that I only ever look at mapping from a rural perspective; I've never looked at how accurate the ViewRanger maps are in urban situations; they have none of our local rights of way on them.

 

[cipherdias]

Are the OS maps in-app purchases normally? I was given a free licence some time ago and I can download all the 1:25K OS maps for free - is that normal?

I confess that I only ever look at mapping from a rural perspective; I've never looked at how accurate the ViewRanger maps are in urban situations; they have none of our local rights of way on them.

Yes they are usually in app purchases. The idea is you just purchase “tile credits” and then download the tiles that you want rather than having to download entire counties that you might never set foot in.


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[stevec]

I'm afraid that I'm to much of a cheapskate! I use mapswithme. It uses open street maps data. You can download what ever to your phone. Not os and lack of grid refs but very useful all the same.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

I'm afraid that I'm to much of a cheapskate! I use mapswithme. It uses open street maps data. You can download what ever to your phone. Not os and lack of grid refs but very useful all the same.

There are a few apps that allow you to download OS (inc 1:25k) mapping tiles for free. The ones that i have used extensively are Maverick and Backcountry Navigator. I've never used View Ranger, so i don't know how those apps compare, but they have done me well over the years (and they are gloriously free!)

 

[Laurentius]

I have been using viewranger for some years, and pay an annual subscription for the 1:50000 and 1:25000 OS map coverage.

 

[lostplanet]

I got a couple to enhance OS paper maps I buy and download/save to phone.
Viewranger is one of them.
OS maps app.
OS Locate gives you a Virtual Silva compass in Mils or degrees
Grid reference.
UK grid Free.
Compass: If you had an Iphone and liked the compass/Level app but switched to an android you can get it here:

Compass: Accurate Compass - Apps on Google Play

Navigate confidently with our precise Digital Compass app & Direction Compass!

play.google.com

An online site I like is
gridreferencefinder.com

And Off topic but I like:
Planefinder.net
and
Vesselfinder.com

As I live near the river and flight paths and am nosey.

 

[MrEd]

I use the OS maps, I pay for the yearly subscription and share the login with my brother and a friend, works well for us. I use it to plan out new routes at home, track my routes when walking and to find legally driveable ‘green lanes’

I always take a paper map with me as a backup, although I know my local area really well, I still do. I like the laminated OS maps, slightly heavier and bulkier bit doesn’t matter if they get wet and muddy