Cell Phone GPS

[AEM]

Cell Phone GPS

 

I have been interested in getting a GPS reciever for a while now, but after my cell phone made a recent tour of the washing machine, I found that the replacement phone has a built in GPS receiver. It’s a nifty little device, gives driving directions, etc. I am curious about its functionality in the backcountry though.

 

The phone is a Sony Ericsson w760a.

 

All indications are that this device gets signals from satellites, rather than triangulating cell towers, there is a screen that displays which satellites it is using. It displays GPS coordinates and gives you rate of travel and bearing. I did some testing and it seems like the GPS needs the phone functionality enabled to find coordinates, I was hoping to be able to receive GPS signal with the phone antenna turned off in order to save battery life.

 

Aside from all of the usual GPS cautions, the battery life concerns, etc. is there anything else that I should consider before taking this out on a trip? I figure that if it can give me coordinates and I can use my map and compass like I always have, it’s a win/win situation. Its nice to have the cell phone and the GPS in one package, helps minimize the amount of gadgets that I am lugging around.

 

Does any one use a phone based GPS with success, or is it simply better to abandon half measures and go with a full blown GPS unit?

 

Thanks!

[AEM]

For what its worth, I did a little more button pushing and walking around and it seems like the phone does use cell towers to triangulate a rough position, then obtain satellites. You can turn this feature off, but then it takes forever to locate the satellites and forget it if your moving under trees.

 

I don't think I will subscribe to the GPS service after the trial is up.

[nhluhr]

cellphone-based GPS receivers generally have no mapping unless combined with Google Maps which requires an active data connection (cell signal) to update maps as you go.