Using a Google Android Phone to Map Trails - My Tracks, My Maps Editor, and Google Maps

In mid-November, I purchased a Samsung Moment with the Google Android mobile operating system running on Sprint's network. Similar to an iPhone, a Google Android phone allows you to download a wide variety of applications. I chose a Google phone over an iPhone primarily for the My Tracks application.

Recording GPS Coordinates of Trails

My Tracks records GPS coordinates onto my phone while I am hiking and mountain biking. After I have completed an adventure, I upload the corresponding coordinates from my phone to Google Maps; at which time they become viewable on the maps displayed on this blog. The following map shows the Huckleberry Trail; a paved trail that runs from Blacksburg, VA to Christiansburg, VA. It includes a green marker point for my starting point and a red marker for my ending point.

As I am riding or hiking, My Tracks records GPS coordinates, speed, distance, and elevation changes. The following is the elevation chart generated by My Tracks during my ride on the Huckleberry Trail. As you can see it is mostly a downhill ride going from Blacksburg to Christiansburg and an uphill ride on the way back.

My Tracks has worked well recording GPS coordinates for the Poverty Creek Trail System; which is close to Blacksburg, VA and an area were I get strong service from Sprint. My phone has been unable to obtain a GPS signal in areas where I do not have a cell phone signal (e.g., our hike in Mountain Lake, VA). However, my phone will maintain a GPS signal when transitioning from an area with cell phone service into an area without cell service. Thus, for remote trails, I recommend turning on My Tracks before entering an area without cell phone service so that you can increase the chance of being able to record GPS coordinates. 

My mom has a Motorola Droid on the Verizon network and her phone records very accurate GPS coordinates on hiking trails in dense woods in New York. Whereas my phone has always struggled to record accurate coordinates in the woods of Virginia. My guess is that either her phone is better at using cell phone towers to triangulate her location or that the Verizon network is more comprehensive in New York than the Sprint network is in Virginia.


Tagging Pictures with GPS Coordinates -> Not Working!

In my phone's camera settings, I have "Store Location" set to "On" which tells my phone to automatically tag all pictures with GPS coordinates. After starting the camera application, give your phone a minute or two to determine your GPS location before taking your picture.

The Google My Maps Editor application allows me to upload pictures from my phone to the same Google Map that includes the GPS tracks described above. There is a caveat in that you have to use the My Maps Editor application to take the picture. I have not figured out how to upload a picture to my Google Maps that was taken independent of the My Maps Editor application. Click on the picture at the Christiansburg end of the Huckleberry trail in the map above to see a picture of what the trail looks like from that location.

Currently, the Google My Maps Editor application is unable to load my Google Map on my phone; even with an Android 2.1 upgrade. I am unable to add new pictures to my Google Map because the map won't load. Specifically, Google My Maps Editor works for maps with a small number of data points but is not working for my map that has hundreds of data points. It appears it can only load a small amount of data but ideally it wouldn't need to load any data to the phone. Instead, it should only capture a picture and upload it to my Google Maps account tagged with GPS coordinates. Or, Google would create an application specifically for tagging pictures with GPS coordinates.

Carrying My Phone

I squeeze my Google phone into an iPod athletic armband so that my phone has a clear path to GPS satellites while I am hiking or biking. This armband hack works well because the phone is stable and protected from dust. It does not protect my phone from rain or a fall into a puddle. I rotate the armband towards my chest so that a fall off my mountain bike and onto my shoulder won't result in a smashed phone.

Accuracy of GPS Data

The accuracy and effectiveness of using a phone to record and document trails is somewhat limited so recorded tracks, elevation charts, and picture locations are more like estimates rather than products of an exact science. Specifically, the accuracy of GPS points can be as good as +-20 feet or much worse if trees, buildings, or other obstructions are blocking GPS satellites. The elevation readings are less accurate than the GPS coordinates and can be off by hundreds of feet. However, a set of elevation readings should generate a chart with an accurate representation of incline and decline.

There are handful of adventures yet to be documented on this blog that took place before mid-November 2009 and, thus, those blog posts will not include these nifty new features.