Cell phone GPS vs. hand held

[Geekette70]

I'm hoping to use GPS as a backup for finding my way back to camp and was wondering what people's experiences have been with phone GPS reception and/or dedicated GPS units like a Garmin? While we don't plan on using GPS often, preferring the 'get lost and explore' method, 4 or 5am when we're nearly out of water, energy and/or give-a-shits is when we would be most likely to want to use this.

Any one with experience on this?

[GreyCoyote]

Cell phone maps usually require a live cellular connection to work as a mapping gps. But there are some apps that will give you a distance and a vector (ie, "765 feet at 130 degrees") to a waypoint sans cell service. These apps would work great. Just snapshot your camp and let it take you back to this waypoint. With some of them you just center the dot and walk. It will alert you when you arrive. (Of course, you will be walking through other folks camps if you do it blindly, so reserve this blind navigation style for when you are in a whiteout or just flat pissing drunk).

[Just_Joe]

I usually carry my Garmin handheld and mark points for future reference but don't really need it to get around.
It will burn through a set of batteries a day if I keep it on.

Here's an app that was written by a Burner. I've installed it and will play with it on a trip to the playa next week.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ayacompass

[Geekette70]

Perfect, that is exactly what I was looking for. I was worried about if my phone's GPS would would without my cell phone signal. I've defiantly been in the 'too tired/drunk/grumpy/whatever to navigate back to camp' mode in the wee hours before and it's no fun. The places where I've camped have been a fraction of the size of BM, so I was a little concerned.

Thanks!

[Captain Goddammit]

You really won't need GPS to find your way. The streets are laid out in such a way that it's easy. If you know the first half of the alphabet and can tell time, you'll be fine.

[Eric]

You really won't need GPS to find your way. The streets are laid out in such a way that it's easy. If you know the first half of the alphabet and can tell time, you'll be fine.

This, and by the end of the first night you'll be able to pick out some landmarks to find the radial street that will take you to camp (a tall structure, a dance camp, a huge sculpture that in the open playa near the street). I usually have levels of landmarks - one to get me in the right direction, one I can zoom in on once I get closer to camps, etc. The Man is the easiest one - he faces towards Center Camp, so you can always figure out where 6:00 is and angle from there.

One warning - after the Man burns you will start to loose your way - and by Sunday afternoon lots of those landmarks you relied on all week are gone. Makes the weekend extra fun!

[BBadger]

Just make sure your "landmark" isn't a mutant vehicle, or you'll be chasing that land-yacht the whole night.

[theCryptofishist]

You really won't need GPS to find your way. The streets are laid out in such a way that it's easy. If you know the first half of the alphabet and can tell time, you'll be fine.

This, and by the end of the first night you'll be able to pick out some landmarks to find the radial street that will take you to camp (a tall structure, a dance camp, a huge sculpture that in the open playa near the street). I usually have levels of landmarks - one to get me in the right direction, one I can zoom in on once I get closer to camps, etc. The Man is the easiest one - he faces towards Center Camp, so you can always figure out where 6:00 is and angle from there.

One warning - after the Man burns you will start to loose your way - and by Sunday afternoon lots of those landmarks you relied on all week are gone. Makes the weekend extra fun!

Are we showing our age? Remember, some burners may be quite uncomfortable with time-on-a-dial. Time is something on a phone or digital watch for them. Yeah, they may have been forced to learn something else, but it may not be comfortable for them.

And if you're Russian, or Japanese, where does the alphabet come in?

And the man doesn't always face towards center camp. I believe there's been at least two years when he rotated.

[Aurelia]

I used a compass for early ranger years but now I just worry

yes it is because I am way past original confidence
Years ago many events were on deep playa
now the population is there

xo.

[BBadger]

It does suck when the man burns and you can't find your way around.

[otakup0pe]

The rotating last year did not throw me off as much as I thought it would.

[AntiM]

If you bring any sort of handheld unit, slap a sticker on it with your name and camp addy, or at least an address label for the default world. Such things fall out of drunken pockets or get mislaid. Help bring it home if it wanders.

[geospyder]

Check out this site http://www.wkeller.net/BRC-GPS/ Each year Will creates a detailed map of BRC for hand held GPS (at least Garmins). His first pass is out there. As time gets closer he usually adds as much art as possible as he gets the coordinates.

The big thing is to remember that you have the GPS. I keep mine in my bag but tend to forget it is there when it is needed - dust storm out in the deep Playa As far as batteries I way-point my camp and then turn the GPS off until needed.

[TheFastCat]

Thank you for the link geospyder you motivated me to purchase a cheap, used garmin off of ebay to take to the playa this year. I have a windows phone and frankly learning to orient with this Garmin Playa map sounds more fun

Perhaps it will be a good precursor to undertaking a new geocaching hobby!