Transmitting Live GPS data (on the cheap.....)

FlotsamFlotsam UKNew Member
in General Discussion

Hasn't been discussed in a while, hence the new thread.

I'll start by accepting that track.rs looks like the daddy for live tracking, and when I do 'more serious' swims I'm sure I'll use it, but for a 6hr swim it doesn't seem worth paying the fees for that and then having to either pay for Traccar on my phone or re-activate my InReach subscription. It's Lake Windermere, so there will be decent phone reception.

So...... what do other people use? I was hoping to use something which generates a link for friends / family to track. One option is Garmin LiveTrack using my phone and Forerunner 265, which has the advantage of streaming heart rate data etc but my phone would need to be in bluetooth range of the watch (ie in a tow float). The other option might be Strava Beacon with the phone on the boat.

Would be good to hear what others are using. Thanks!

Tagged:
evmo

Comments

  • ruthruth New Jersey, USAMember

    I have done Garmin LiveTrack, set up to auto-tweet a link to the track upon the beginning of the activity. I had that watch plugged into an external power brick, near my phone, safely stashed on my rowboat. Separately, I wore a different watch.

    Flotsam
  • BogdanZBogdanZ Bucharest, RomaniaSenior Member
    edited August 10

    Open for testing suggestions/ curiosities.

    To confirm I got my hands on two borrowed Garmin GPS devices: Etrex SE and GPS Map 67 to track my next swim. I usually have my Spot Gen4 to track my owswims, but was looking for a second device, for contingency.

    I also have a task to test and give feedback.

    (At least my) Spot Gen4 has an issue keeping the satellite connection if "he" does not sense a lot of movement OR if there is no clear exposure to sky. This ofc doesn't make me happy, because its hard to like exposing the device for 10-15 hours to sun..
    And I already had the experience of needing to produce a secondary gpx file/ source for a swim, which I did.

    So far, I noticed these 2 devices do not require the satellite and registration services of SPOT.
    So using them might be cheaper. And the GPS Map67 does do a great job, with its big antenna, in having strong satellite signal, sheltered by a 2 floor building.

    Etrex is cheaper than a modest Garmin watch.

    On the live tracking side, probably Garmin's if they're not inreach models, work with Garmin's live tracking service (don't know if this is conditioned by phone connectivity and signal)
    and not similar to InReach/Spot Gen4 not having the capabilities to be plugged with (similar to) track.rs appreciated functionalities.

    Best

    Flotsam
  • FlotsamFlotsam UKNew Member

    Thanks both!

    @ruth said:
    I have done Garmin LiveTrack, set up to auto-tweet a link to the track upon the beginning of the activity. I had that watch plugged into an external power brick, near my phone, safely stashed on my rowboat. Separately, I wore a different watch.

    Probably a good solution, but I wanted to wear my Garmin for post-swim data.

    Eventually I used https://www.mapapal.com as an iPhone app. Apparently it had a couple of blips with no progress (presumably due to mobile reception) but was otherwise OK. I didn't know until the day that the escort boat had SPOT, which is clearly better!

Sign In or Register to comment.