Dedicated phone for mapping?
Dedicated phone for mapping?
Does anyone here have a phone/device just for mapping? A lot of the mapping I’m doing now is updating details of already mapped items.
I was thinking of getting a cheap secondhand android phone to use just for mapping. I’d also love to use StreetComplete again!
What is the advantage of having a dedicated phone vs using your everyday phone?
I've seen a few people online talking about having a dedicated GPS device for mapping, since I don't need a dedicated GPS device for the type of mapping I'm doing, I thought of possibly getting another phone. That's why I came here, I wanted to get another opinion on it and see if it would actually be beneficial.
I do not, but I've seen people do this. Why can't you use Street complete?
There isn’t a version for iPhone unfortunately
There's https://mapcomplete.org/ that is all web-based if that helps.
Also, there's work going on to get StreetComplete working on iOS: https://github.com/streetcomplete/StreetComplete/issues/5421
I have got a second one mainly for mapping, because i want to use a stylus during cold winter (with gloves) and hot summer with sweaty fingers. I hate touch inputs and with the stylus it works easier. This phone also has an SD card slot for all the different map apps, their map data and the OsmTracker photos.
I didn’t think about that but that would actually help a whole lot during winter
Definitely nothing wrong with that. People have spent way more outrageous amounts of money on other hobbies so just go for it.
If the expense is worth it to you, there is no reason not to. And you'll likely find other uses for the secondary phone too.
If you ever want to do more serious surveying, look into what people are doing with RTK antennas and their smartphones. There are definitely some interesting options for very serious centimeter-accurate surveying that can be done with just a smartphone and an external RTK antenna.
The antenna sounds interesting, I’ll have a look into that!
I usually map from a tablet (which I also use for other purposes), not phone. I find Vespucci pretty much unusable on a phone screen.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE which has a lange screen and battery (it works fine for me, only charging to 85%). I have a bulkier spigen case on it, and have dropped it several times yet, no damage.
I have been thinking about buying an S23 Ultra or a Galaxy fold, but I would just risk to destroy more money.
If I would buy an additional device it would be a used 10" tablet for mapping.
Also an interesting approach would be a #NexDock which I never tried, but might even work like a tablet but as screen and input device for my existing phone, which would make switching during mapping more easy.
At the moment I only do #StreetComplete on the go, and maybe #mapcomplete while sitting in a restaurant for example.
at target they have tracfone ones for ~$60 or so, but idk if that's the same outside of Amerikkka