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Author Topic: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape  (Read 62786 times)

brianrybolt

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Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« on: August 18, 2015, 06:08:08 am »

I am in the market for a GPS logger and am interested in the Holux RCV-3000.  I can not find if they are compatible with mac (OS 10.10.5).  All of their drivers are for PC only.  I can not find who distributes them in the UK and there is very little technical info on the Amazon site.

This is my first foray into GPS so any guidance is appreciated.  Any suggestions as what to buy?  I'm shooting with a Fuji X-Ti but their app eats batteries rapidly.  I want a device that will log my movements so I can match it up with the time stamp of my shots in Lightroom.

Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Brian

Tony Jay

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2015, 06:57:41 am »

How about a Smartphone?

Tony Jay
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brianrybolt

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2015, 07:14:46 am »

Not accurate enough.

mlewis

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2015, 08:10:56 am »

Not accurate enough.
I can't imagine that that devices is much more accurate than a smart phone's GPS system.  Most consumer level kit will be in the same ballpark accuracy especially when you have a good view of the satellites.  Most of the differences will come when the satellite view is obscured.

I use a Garmin handheld GPS unit for geotagging my photos.  The benefits are that it uses easily available AA batteries and has a good battery life, can be used for general navigating as well if I wish, you don't need drivers to get the data of it.  It just plugs into a computer and via USB, you browse to the device in the file manager and copy off the gpx files.  I just clip it to my bag, set it recording, and start taking photos.
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brianrybolt

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2015, 08:13:46 am »

Could you tell me what model you are using'

Thanks,
Brian

chez

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2015, 03:46:36 pm »

How about a Smartphone?

Tony Jay

Battery drain. I keep my phone for emergency use.
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Rhossydd

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2015, 04:43:40 am »

Not accurate enough.
What level of accuracy do you need/expect ?
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spidermike

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2015, 04:56:50 am »

According to this, smartphones can be as accurate as the Holux (down to 3m accuracy).

http://communityhealthmaps.nlm.nih.gov/2014/07/07/how-accurate-is-the-gps-on-my-smart-phone-part-2/

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hjulenissen

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2015, 06:18:15 am »

Battery drain. I keep my phone for emergency use.
Would it not be less expensive to purchase a secondary simple Nokia phone for emergency use?

This link seems to have some relevant info for using the iPhone for GPS tracking while backpacking:
http://adventurealan.com/iphone4gps.htm

"When using an iPhone in shallow grade mountains or flat landscapes, with minor tree cover, the accuracy has consistently been within 15 meters. When using it in deep steep walled canyons, the fix is not as accurate as Garmin, 50 to 100 or more meters off in a deep canyon (Paria Canyon in Utah). Using a Garmin and an iPhone 4 we concurrently recorded tracks on 12 miles of trail in fairly dense conifers on the west slope of California's Sierra Nevada range and could not tell any difference in accuracy. "

"Our daily use of the iPhone includes 5-50 sessions with a mapping app (depending on how ambiguous the route is), 10-20 photos, occasional use of bird guide apps, alarm clock, checking time, reading Wiki Offline, and nightly journal entries. All of our usage is discretionary excepting for the mapping apps and GPS reads. We scale our discretionary use based on how many days remain before the next recharge opportunity. With restrained use, most models of iPhones (especially the iPhone6) will last for a week or even ten days."
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Lightsmith

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2015, 04:27:04 pm »

I have used the Holux 1000C Bluetooth GPS for years and it is very accurate and acquires satellites very quickly and is small and the rechargeable battery lasts for many days without need to recharge. A smartphone will need to be recharged and left on and is not something I want to rely on when traveling. The Holux includes software for downloading up to 1000 data points to a computer. Charging is by the use of a USB cable off a computer port.

Fortunately the Nikon cameras have GPS integration built-in so I add a $30 Aokatec Bluetooth adapter to the camera and the images are automatically tagged with the GPS information including the elevation. Minimal drain on the camera battery and I leave the Holux turned on the entire day with it either in a pocket or in the camera bag and that way I can turn off the camera and when I turn it back on again it does not have to reacquire the location.

I don't have a smartphone as it would cost be $600 a year for the base cost over my current cell phone plan and I don't get cell reception where I live and most places where I travel for photography in California. I also do not like the idea of having all of my eggs in one electronic basket.
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Tony Jay

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2015, 04:40:16 pm »

...
I don't have a smartphone as it would cost be $600 a year for the base cost over my current cell phone plan and I don't get cell reception where I live and most places where I travel for photography in California. I also do not like the idea of having all of my eggs in one electronic basket.
Correct me if I am wrong but one does NOT need reception (to a microwave tower) for GPS functionality.
Location can be deduced using microwave tower reception but the baseline system uses satellite triangulation (as with dedicated GPS devices) and so does not need microwave tower reception to work.
(Disclaimer: some apps require reception for mapping and some apps do not - in this case the maps are preloaded on the phone.)

Tony Jay
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mlewis

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2015, 02:26:56 am »

Could you tell me what model you are using'

Thanks,
Brian
I have a GPSmap64.  The cheaper eTrex line is perfectly good as well.
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hjulenissen

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2015, 02:36:31 am »

A smartphone will need to be recharged and left on and is not something I want to rely on when traveling.
Every battery-powered device (be it smartphone or GPS) will have to be charged and left on for it to do something useful? The link I found claimed quite respectable battery life for the iphone when used as a GPS logger?
Quote
Fortunately the Nikon cameras have GPS integration built-in
Yes, it is strange that consumer electronics and cameras lead on, while "enthusiast" camera makers are dragging their feet in this respect. One would think that large DSLRs with large batteries and high prices would get integrated GPS long before consumer cameras.
Quote
I don't have a smartphone as it would cost be $600 a year for the base cost over my current cell phone plan and I don't get cell reception where I live and most places where I travel for photography in California. I also do not like the idea of having all of my eggs in one electronic basket.
It seems that an iPhone 5s can be had contract-free for $550 from Apple. There is not running cost unless you choose to have one? You might use it as a GPS logger only. Or you might use your current phone plan/SIM for plain calling in addition (at least with the terms used where I live).

-h
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hjulenissen

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2015, 02:40:42 am »

Correct me if I am wrong but one does NOT need reception (to a microwave tower) for GPS functionality.
Correct. You only need reception of a number of GPS sats.
Quote
Location can be deduced using microwave tower reception but the baseline system uses satellite triangulation (as with dedicated GPS devices) and so does not need microwave tower reception to work.
Yeah, they seem to use whatever info they can get, and microwave tower reception can be used for (usually coarse) location at (probably) reduced power consumption.
Quote
(Disclaimer: some apps require reception for mapping and some apps do not - in this case the maps are preloaded on the phone.)
Google/Android seems to be very fond of the idea that the user should always be connected (and ship every detail of their life to Google, I would assume). Thus, my experience with Android phones has been that (at least) the included apps might not work as well as one would reasonably expect when there is not network.

That is the reason that I will be switching to Apple the next time: they seem to be less into spying on me. I might be wrong though.

-h
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pluton

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2015, 02:36:26 pm »

With restrained use, most models of iPhones (especially the iPhone6) will last for a week or even ten days."
This I find difficult to believe.
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pluton

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2015, 02:40:20 pm »

Would it not be less expensive to purchase a secondary simple Nokia phone for emergency use?
You are going to activate it with the phone service provider during an emergency?
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hjulenissen

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #16 on: August 20, 2015, 03:53:52 pm »

You are going to activate it with the phone service provider during an emergency?
Way are you saying?

I was suggesting buying a cheap $50 phone, equipping it with a fixed sum (eg $20) sim card, enjoying its week long battery life and pressing "911" or whatever your local emergency number is?

H
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hjulenissen

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #17 on: August 20, 2015, 04:02:43 pm »

This I find difficult to believe.

That was not my claim but that of a link that I found. Obviously it depends on what they mean by "restricted" use.

Apple claims 16 days of standby for thebiggest iPhone. Using the GPS should consume more power than standby, but switching off the phone at night and when not shooting images might increase life.

Are talking about logging GPS position once a second day and night, or logging position 3 times a day when you find a nice sunset?

H
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bassman51

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2015, 08:21:25 pm »

I'm not sure I would claim that much life on an iPhone, but my experience using a tracking program such as Strava while the phone is in my pocket and the screen is off is that the battery draw is marginally higher than not having Strava running.  It seems the gps logging is a very low-power activity. 
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jrp

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Re: Wireless GPS logger - while traveling in various landscape
« Reply #19 on: August 22, 2015, 09:24:33 pm »

What is the GPS logging app du jour for tagging your photos in Lightroom?
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