I've just taken the plunge with this piece of software and the demo looks impressive.

Invested in a bluetooth GPS, looking like the Nokia offering ATM, as it's the only one with replacable battery.

And RE: battery life, i've got 4 batteries for my Nokia, so i should be OK.

Dave, which Disc did you get? Have you tried the "Make your own personal maps" yet - seems a great idea.

I've gone for the Nat Parks one, as it's great value.

I might extend my coverage later using that feature.

I also looked at 1:25k, but it's prohibitively expensive. Have to say, i took one look at that 1:50k map on my mobile screen and my credit card and i were helpless :-)))

lmao.......glad I don't have to pay for it ;-) While the 1:25k are expensive they work out pretty cheap using the DIY selection as you don't have to buy a complete area, just pick and choose the specific areas by grid square - no matter how far apart they are geographically, then pay by the square mile coverage. For example why have the whole of a National park if you just want a little part of it, then add a little part of another one, the area around your house, other favourite location etc and have them all on one CD and pay by the area covered.

Hmmm, i'm having one problem now that's vaguely related to this.

If i try and click onto a gpx file online, my Nokia downloads it as a sort of text file that i cannot then save. Idea was to download routes onto the phone as i needed them when out and about.

Is there a way to force the phone to download this gpx file, either from the phone end by opening gpx files in viewranger, or from the web side by doing some clever stuff in xml???

Must say that the stuff all arrived today, the mountain gods must be smiling on me!

Excellent service form Viewranger, i think i'm going to extend my coverage as it doesn't have my hometown on there.

How do others use it? I'm thinking of planning my routes in tracklogs and then uploading them to my mobile for viewranger to import? I'm assuming gpx is the best bet for the software? Anyway, got to get back to playing with my new toy!

I've modified my final spare battery to fit my mobile, so i've plenty of juice. Amazing what a bit of packing foam and gaffer tape can acheive.

Hmm, some teething troubles with the phone going into screen saver mode, but overall, the software is quite impressive.

I didn't think the software is as functional as my 'proper' gps, the logging and information panes are just not as good as my Garmin GPS MAP 76c.

Can't be beaten for location finding as you are shown where you are on the map.

Overall, it's a nice addition to my collection, but it's not yet good enough to replace my GPS. It needs a few more pure GPS features. Other probems were on the phone itself, which reverts to type when someone calls you! Annoying when you're trying to use the software. Battery life was reasonable too, my phone was still well charged at the end of a 10 hour walk saturday. I can see a great future for this sort of software.

p.s. Is there any code heads out there who can help me 'force a download' from a web page? I want to be able to access my gpx files over the web, but the mobile phone insisits on opening them as a text file with no way of saving. Getting a tad annoyed with it now! Tried Force Download for Dreamweaver from Tom Muck but it just forces the download of the .asp file (whatever that is).

Dave, try emailing craig@viewranger.com and explain what you want :)

I might well consider doing that, i did that with tracklogs in the past.

Of course, i want to check out the software first, just in case the feature is already there and i've not found it!

If i could asociate it with .gpx files then i could stop my mobile from opening them as an attachemnt it then saves to god knows where!

Anyone knows where the Nokia ?N70 saves attachments? Or if i can change file associations>?


Update. I've sorted a php file download, but the mobile doesn't want to know! Not impressed, no wonder mobile internet is such pants.

So i am now looking for an alternative browser to Opera or the naff Nokia one.

zip it you should then be able to expand it on your phone.

I've seen that trick mentioned a few times in my search for an automatic file opener. It's the simplest method really and i just thought, nah, that wont work.

I'll give it a try and see if it works! Thanks.

Edit.

Didn't work, but if i install a free zip utility (found one called s60 zip) then it solves the problem.

Great sorted.

Have you used it much I done loaded the demo last week to play with but not sure yet.

I am used to using Tracklogs and Geko 301. I like the idea of been able to see the map on the GPS but how does the route planing side work.

Have you used anything else?

I use Tracklogs for planning my route and export to GPX to the phone. I thought that my Mobile and this software would save some weight and bulk on overnight trips.

That said, i do prefer my Garmin GPS76c with the SMC contour maps, mainly as it logs the route a lot more reliably and the trip computer can be very useful when you need to be at the end of the walk at a certain time (or to be able to tell someone when you'll be at the end of the walk).

The Viewranger looks good on the phone, but i didn't realise you could plan tracks on it? I'm trying to get used to the system, especially as to when it's logging the route and when it isnt. To be fair, that's more of a shortfall of the symbian operating system used by Nokia on my N70 than any fault of the software.

It does look impressive though, and you can tell where you are at a glance. In that respect, it's much better than any GPS i've used.

I think it will be a nice addition for my phone and when we just decided to stop and have a walk will knoww where we are.

I that's how you're going to use it Kevin, then i think you'll be very pleased with it. It's just not quite a GPS replacement (yet).

Anyone have opinions on the bluetooth GPS unit required to use this software? I've heard that RFMD chipsets are not very good for walking. If so, then what model would suit the criteria:

-Not RFMD?
-Removable battery (so I can carry a spare)
-Works with Nokia 6260...?
-will work in the top of my rucsac

Any help appreciated - thanks.

I've tried it with at least half a dozen Bletooth GPS receivers, and haven't had any problems with any of the common SiRF III chipsets.

Ditto here. Its worked for me with a bog standard receiver. As for the battery life. Mine lasts twenty eight hours, which is enough for a weekend. It has a removable battery too, and i wonder if i can get a spare off ebay? Ill post model no once i get back home.

I have used it with the TomTom reciever with no problems.