Guthook's Guides apps news and updates

[Starchild]

That makes sense about the 2016 vs 2017 data. But I still am concerned I'm not seeing any user "Comments" more recent than 2016. Unless it is really the case that no one has posted a comment in 9 months, but that seems unlikely to me.

I have notices this too. What good is it to see that a water source is not flowing a year ago.

[guthook]

So I'm checking out the Comments in the AT app for locations in CT and they all date back to 2016. Is there anything I need to do to get 2017 data? It looks like my Waypoints were last updating in Sept 2016. How do I get that to refresh?

Attachment 39622

That makes sense about the 2016 vs 2017 data. But I still am concerned I'm not seeing any user "Comments" more recent than 2016. Unless it is really the case that no one has posted a comment in 9 months, but that seems unlikely to me.

Tom, the app refreshes trail data automatically, and I was about to say that I haven't gotten enough updates for that section to send anything new recently, but I just realized that's not true. The Android app has had some issues recently with updating waypoints and tracks, but it will refresh if you go into the Trail Selector screen and hit the refresh button. If you have trouble with that, email us: [email protected]

This past weekend I have had trouble with the app (iOS). It happened in the profile view with GPS enabled. Moving and resizing become sluggish to impossible (wouldn't move), so I could not select anything outside my viewing area (to get distances to it), and also it was sometimes unresponsive to even stuff within my view.

Please send error logs from the app's Settings menu, and I'll see what I can figure out about this. I'm a little behind on tech support right now, but I'll be spending all day answering emails tomorrow :-)

[HooKooDooKu]

I loved the Guthook app when I hiked the JMT last year. However, the one thing I was very surprised at was that I couldn't add my own way points to the app.

[Just Tom]

Tom, the app refreshes trail data automatically, and I was about to say that I haven't gotten enough updates for that section to send anything new recently, but I just realized that's not true. The Android app has had some issues recently with updating waypoints and tracks, but it will refresh if you go into the Trail Selector screen and hit the refresh button. If you have trouble with that, email us: [email protected]

Tried this last night, I'll email your support.

Can anyone out there using the app double check what I am observing, that the CT AT locations have comments only from 2016? It would be nice to know for sure if it is an issue with my install.

[DownEaster]

I haven't seen anything about how useful this program is when you don't have cellular data access. My Android phone comes with an economy plan and uses WiFi data almost exclusively, with cellular data really only for emergencies (first byte costs $20, and once you get started you have to agree to automatic credit card charges in $20 increments). So I'll be able to get data along the AT in towns with available WiFi, but nothing beyond GPS position while on the trail itself. How does the program work when the last update was a few days prior?

[HooKooDooKu]

I haven't seen anything about how useful this program is when you don't have cellular data access...

Assuming all Guthook Apps are the same... (I've only used the JMT version)

You download the maps and info and then use the GPS embedded with your phone for navigation, no cellular or wifi data needed.

However, I learned while on the JMT that when you power up your phone, it can take as much as 15 minutes for the phone's GPS to get a fix on your position when it doesn't have access to cell towers or a wifi.
(The GPS system can pinpoint your location quicker when it knows your general location base on the known location of the cell tower or wifi).

[guthook]

I haven't seen anything about how useful this program is when you don't have cellular data access.

The apps are designed specifically for use without an internet connection. As long as you have wifi at the start to download the initial data set, and occasionally thereafter for updates, you're good to go. All data is stored on the phone for offline use.

I loved the Guthook app when I hiked the JMT last year. However, the one thing I was very surprised at was that I couldn't add my own way points to the app.

That's a feature we're working on for next year. Basically, we didn't originally want to get into competing with Garmin or Trimble or things like that, so we're mainly focused on "trail guide that uses GPS location" rather than "GPS device for mapping". We're moving slowly in the direction of having more mapping uses in the apps, but having functional trail guides is still our top priority.

Assuming all Guthook Apps are the same...

Sssshh! Don't let the cat out of the bag! ;-)

I learned while on the JMT that when you power up your phone, it can take as much as 15 minutes for the phone's GPS to get a fix on your position when it doesn't have access to cell towers or a wifi.
(The GPS system can pinpoint your location quicker when it knows your general location base on the known location of the cell tower or wifi).

That's pretty impressive! It does definitely take longer to pinpoint your location when you're in deep mountain valleys, or it's been longer since you last had the GPS on, but 15 minutes sounds pretty excessive. Even at the bottom of the Grand Canyon a few years ago I got a decent GPS fix in just a few minutes. Environmental variables are always a factor, though. Pretty crazy!

[HooKooDooKu]

That's pretty impressive! It does definitely take longer to pinpoint your location when you're in deep mountain valleys, or it's been longer since you last had the GPS on, but 15 minutes sounds pretty excessive.

The typical delay was 5 minutes, with occasional delays of about 10 minutes.
There were only a few times when it took a full 15 minutes.

Using the Guthook app on the JMT was the first time I think I had ever tried using the phone as a GPS unit outside of cell range. So I was initially surprised when it would take the app longer than a minute to tell me where I was.

But then I realized why my smart phone would usually locate itself faster after a power up than my Garmin GPS unit... Goggle is using what it knows about the location of wifi signals and cell towers the phone can "see" to instantly determine an approximate location of the phone. It then uses that information to rapidly get the GPS unit to pinpoint it's location.

But when the phone can't see any wifi signals or cell towers, it has to "start from scratch" at trying to determine where it's located... and that takes longer.

There were a few times I blamed the app for the delay. Could never figure out a discernible pattern, but there were times where it seemed like there were a few minutes of delay between the time I would fire up the app and the OS would display the 'location' tray icon indicating the phone was trying to determine it's location.

[Starchild]

However, I learned while on the JMT that when you power up your phone, it can take as much as 15 minutes for the phone's GPS to get a fix on your position when it doesn't have access to cell towers or a wifi.

Unless you were in a weird area or the satellites were in a very poor position or you have a ***** phone this should not be the case. Although if you haven't used the phone in a while it will need to download the sat data which takes time, more if it misses a cycle or two.

[Cory Hess]

I've been using the Mammoth Tracks app for the Ice Age Trail and I have to say it's fantastic. The only suggestion I could make is to include information on the blue trails that come off of the IAT. We hiked the Chippewa Lobe this weekend, and the IAT Guidebook has all the information about it, but Mammoth Tracks only shows the campsites with no trail going to or coming from them. I'm assuming that the information is coming from the IATA, who publishes the guidebook, so I would think it would be relatively easy to add this information.

In the grand scheme, my gripe is pretty small. The app is fantastic and makes hiking the IAT much more enjoyable and simplifies a lot of my planning. It's easily the best money I've spent on this hobby. Keep up the great work.

[guthook]

I've been using the Mammoth Tracks app for the Ice Age Trail and I have to say it's fantastic. The only suggestion I could make is to include information on the blue trails that come off of the IAT. We hiked the Chippewa Lobe this weekend, and the IAT Guidebook has all the information about it, but Mammoth Tracks only shows the campsites with no trail going to or coming from them. I'm assuming that the information is coming from the IATA, who publishes the guidebook, so I would think it would be relatively easy to add this information.

In the grand scheme, my gripe is pretty small. The app is fantastic and makes hiking the IAT much more enjoyable and simplifies a lot of my planning. It's easily the best money I've spent on this hobby. Keep up the great work.

Hey Cory. I'm glad you like it. We partner with the IATA on this one, so all of the data comes from them. They do plan on adding more side trails and waypoints over time, but it can be a little bit of a slow process. For the IATA staff, it's been kind of a side project on top of their previous duties. We're pretty happy that they're dedicated to the ongoing process of keeping the app updated, though. Keep an eye out for continued improvements :-)

[Just Tom]

I'm super impressed by your responsiveness on this board! Thanks for the great customer support!

While I'm here, let me throw out a request to get the rest of New England into the New England Hiker app Despite rumors to the contrary, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island are in New England too :P

All teasing aside, I'd love to see the New England Trail, the Midstate Trail, and the North South Trail included just to get a couple of trails from the other states on the list. There are of course many, many more.

[CarlZ993]

I hiked 745M of the PCT this year. Big snow, nasty stream crossing, and my back flaring up (had back surgery on 2/7/17) caused me to abort my thru-hike attempt. I had Guthook's app, Halfmile's app, and Hikerbot app on my phone. My phone must have been a piece of s**t phone. 90% of the time, it wouldn't plot my location on any of those apps. (Straight Talk Samsumg E5 android phone using Verizon network). I used Guthooks for reverence material. If I had a critical navigational problem, I would try to be with another hiker that had Guthooks app that actually worked or plot my UTM coordinates on my paper Halfmile maps. It was quite frustrating. I had several 'nerd-types' tinker with my phone to see if they could fix it. Never happened.

[guthook]

I'm super impressed by your responsiveness on this board! Thanks for the great customer support!

You're very welcome! I took a looooong break from Whiteblaze in the past several years, and I'm still getting used to being "social" again. I try to keep an eye on the boards here in case anyone is trying to reach me :-)

While I'm here, let me throw out a request to get the rest of New England into the New England Hiker app Despite rumors to the contrary, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island are in New England too :P

All teasing aside, I'd love to see the New England Trail, the Midstate Trail, and the North South Trail included just to get a couple of trails from the other states on the list. There are of course many, many more.

Massawhat? Never heard of it ;-)

I have a lot of excuses for that, but I won't bore you too much with them right now. The main thing is that I want to finish the White Mountains first, since they're the big draw for most of the big hiking in New England (not to mention a shorter drive for me!). There's also the issue of how much time we're spending on adding new trails vs upgrading the core of the apps. I'm leaning more toward the programming these days, which leaves less time for mapping trails... I'd love to work with AMC or other regional trail organizations on apps for the trails they already work on, but it has been difficult, to say the least, to get their attention (or to keep it once I have it). Long story short, I'll keep working on it, and hopefully real soon when I have some more time I'll make a big push to add some trails in the other parts of the region. I'm actually pretty interested in the Berkshires as a next project...

[guthook]

My phone must have been a piece of s**t phone. 90% of the time, it wouldn't plot my location on any of those apps. (Straight Talk Samsumg E5 android phone using Verizon network).

Carl, I'm not too familiar with Android phones (I'm the iPhone guy for our apps), but if you send us an email, Alice (the Android guru) can see if she can help you out. Email is: [email protected]

Considering none of the apps on your phone were working with your location, it's gotta be the phone that was the problem (they all use the same GPS), but maybe there's something in the settings that we can figure out.

[QuietStorm]

Not sure if anyone has asked for this before. I love the route planning on the app but would love to be able to edit a saved route rather than have to delete and start over. Thanks


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[guthook]

Not sure if anyone has asked for this before. I love the route planning on the app but would love to be able to edit a saved route rather than have to delete and start over. Thanks

Funny thing-- the only person who has requested that before is me. I made that request to myself, over and over again. I need to actually get on that soon. Thanks for the reminder. I sometimes get distracted by trying to work on too many projects at once :-) I haven't looked at the technical side of editing saved routes in a while, so I'm not sure how long it will take to get it working, but... hopefully soon.

[QuietStorm]

Funny thing-- the only person who has requested that before is me. I made that request to myself, over and over again. I need to actually get on that soon. Thanks for the reminder. I sometimes get distracted by trying to work on too many projects at once :-) I haven't looked at the technical side of editing saved routes in a while, so I'm not sure how long it will take to get it working, but... hopefully soon.

Thank you


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[Crossup]

Hopefully Guthook or someone can set me straight on whats going on: a couple years ago I purchased Guthooks AT Guide 4. It seemed to offer map sections that could be purchased seperately(or at least guides that offered other areas)

At the time I was interested in the SNP area so purchased Nor. Virginia thinking I'd buy other areas as desired. This year I wanted to checkout the MD and PA areas so went to the app to buy another area only to find no in app purchase option then looking in the APP store, no more mention of AT "x"series guides but I did find the "new" AT guide which DOES have the extra sections available. My question am I stuck with two apps or buying the same area guide again for the new APP? Or is there a way to move the data?

[JC13]

I would contact [email protected] and see what they can do for you. They are very responsive and super helpful!