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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iOS Apps > Altitude and GPS accuracy app

Altitude and GPS accuracy app
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Simon
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Oct 18, 2009, 11:21 AM
 
I'm looking for some extra GPS information for my iPhone 3G. Basically I want to know at what altitude or elevation I'm at and I'd like to get some meta-information on GPS reception (how many satellites I'm using, where they are, signal quality, positioning accuracy, etc.).

The altitude/elevation accuracy is not critical, but it would be nice if I could also see trends (climb/decent speed). For the GPS meta-information I'm thinking about something like the overview screen I used to see on an old Garmin receiver. It would show you where all the satellites were, which you were using, what the signal quality was, etc.

Is there a (free) app that does any of that?
     
chabig
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Oct 18, 2009, 01:54 PM
 
Have you checked the app store?
     
Simon  (op)
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Oct 18, 2009, 07:47 PM
 
Sure. But didn't come up with any good matches. Which is why I started this thread.
     
chabig
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Oct 18, 2009, 07:48 PM
 
Well I typed "GPS" into the search box and this was one of the top hits:

iTunes Store
     
ghporter
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Oct 18, 2009, 08:40 PM
 
Simon, maybe you put too much in the search box. The app chabig linked to looks kinda like it'll fit the bill.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
ghporter
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Oct 19, 2009, 09:31 PM
 
Just a note; since this is about an app, I'm going to move it to the iPhone Apps forum. Should have done that as soon as I saw it...

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Simon  (op)
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Oct 20, 2009, 10:26 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
Simon, maybe you put too much in the search box. The app chabig linked to looks kinda like it'll fit the bill.
Yeah, I probably did.

Chabig's app gives the altitude (and a whole lot of other stuff), but it doesn't give any of the GPS meta-information I was curious about.

For altitude information alone I have found a free app called GeoCorder. It gives altitude and accuracy and even plots a trend. Suits me fine. I'd still like to get the other information about the satellites, signal strength, etc. so I'd appreciate any other suggestions.
     
Simon  (op)
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Oct 20, 2009, 10:27 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
Just a note; since this is about an app, I'm going to move it to the iPhone Apps forum. Should have done that as soon as I saw it...
You're right, my bad. I forgot we now have this forum.
     
QSilver
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Oct 20, 2009, 03:42 PM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
I forgot we now have this forum.
...and the forum links at the bottom of every thread need to be updated to include this forum.
     
Demonhood
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Oct 20, 2009, 05:14 PM
 
oops. knew i forgot something. fixed.
     
ghporter
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Oct 20, 2009, 09:15 PM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
Yeah, I probably did.

Chabig's app gives the altitude (and a whole lot of other stuff), but it doesn't give any of the GPS meta-information I was curious about.

For altitude information alone I have found a free app called GeoCorder. It gives altitude and accuracy and even plots a trend. Suits me fine. I'd still like to get the other information about the satellites, signal strength, etc. so I'd appreciate any other suggestions.
Vertical acceleration is a tricky thing; you need multiple satellites beyond the 4 needed for Lat/Long/Alt fixes, and to get decent accuracy in this data you need to have both a solid signal from all the satellites in use, but they need to be in or near "optimal positions," which means near the horizon. That's hard to do in the country, and in a city it can be impossible. I'll have to check out GeoCorder and see how that behaves. I'm enjoying using GPS Sports Lite, though I haven't had any really active vertical activities to exercise it with.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
QSilver
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Oct 21, 2009, 10:53 AM
 
Originally Posted by Demonhood View Post
oops. knew i forgot something. fixed.
Still not showing up.

And, just for clarity, I was referring to the list in the Forum Links section, not the pop up list.
     
Simon  (op)
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Oct 21, 2009, 12:31 PM
 
It is showing up here. At the end of the software section. What's a bit strange is that the ordering is not the same as in the pop-up list.
     
ghporter
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Oct 21, 2009, 01:31 PM
 
Ordering of the two entities, the Forum Links links and the drop down forums menu, is completely independent. Unfortunately... Please keep in mind that our forums are really pretty much just "based on" vBulletin, with a lot of enhancements, additions, and other stuff that we like but isn't stock vBull.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
alex_kac
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Oct 22, 2009, 01:35 PM
 
GPS info like you're asking is not possible with App Store apps, unless they use their own hardware GPS via BT or USB. CoreLocation does not provide this info.
     
Simon  (op)
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Oct 22, 2009, 03:33 PM
 
OK, good to know. Thanks for the explanation.
     
   
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