OS maps on Android phone

d3matt

I know this was discussed a while ago but I can't find the thread now.

I use Google MyTracks for recording my bike rides and very happy with it as you can upload your cycle route to GoogleMaps and share with others.
I've now got a little Sony Experia X10 mini Pro phone with a 2.5" screen (very different from my normal 5" screen Dell Streak!) which I'm going to take with me when riding as my Dell Streak is a bit too large and high risk of damaging. I'm going to mount the Sony X10 on the handle bars and I'd really like an OS map on it. I don't necessarily need recording, as I can still use MyTracks in the background for this. I just want the maps and my location. What app is best for this? I don't mind paying to get the right app.
And because I'm just using a PAYG SIM card, with only 150MB of data, it would be ideal if I could download the map before hand when on WiFi.

bluechair84

I use Viewranger which is a free download. You then purchase the OS maps for the areas you need covering. As you ride in further flung places, you can keep purchasing maps. Viewranger tracks you and records your ride then giving you altitude. distance, max and average speed etc. Download the OS maps over your home network to save on PAYG tariffs. You can also access the viewranger community and downloads for where you are. You can plot routes on the phone too which I have frequently done when the weather has turned nasty but have been loath to miss the ride.
If you want to plot a route without having mapping software on your computer, use a site like bikehike to plot the route on an OS map, save it to a .gpx file and import it into viewranger - this can be plotted on your phone. I think there is an option to have it beep if you stray from the chosen route. It's basically fully functional GPS software without having to buy a Garmin.

d3matt

Thanks for the reply. Just watched the ViewRanger video. How much is an OS map and are they the same areas as the OS Explorer maps?

DickBarton

Oruxmaps on the device - free
Search for a copy of Mobile Atlas Creator - MobAC - think you need version 1.8 or earlier. Install on your computer, select the area of map you want and choose your scale and where to get the map tiles from (version 1.8 or before has Multimap with 1:25k OS tiles) - it downloads to your computer.
Copy the folder that is created to your phone.
Open Oruxmaps and select the map...et voila!

d3matt

Thank you for the recommendations. Tried both but not got very far with them.
I brought the ViewRange app (71p) and then logged in on my PC and all the OS maps seem to be around £50 :shock: Yet also said it should be only 62p per tile. After a while of getting too confused with this I gave up and then tried OruxMaps and MobAC 1.8. After watching a few YouTube vidoes (probably the wrong ones) I've managed to create the OS maps for the area I want around where I ride. I selected zoom level 15 & 16 and it created 306 maps! Anyway, uploaded them into the OruxMaps folder on my phone but then haven't been able to view these maps even though I could select it. After wasting a few hours on this, I'm going to bed.
I wish these apps were as easy to use as the Google apps.

craker

Have you tried mmtracker? http://sites.google.com/site/mmtrackerinfo/

If you've already got memory-map OS mapping then it's free (if basic). You do get your position shown on the maps but not much else (?? Haven't used it properly so I may be doing it a disservice).

Slow Loris

Give Oruxmaps another go. You don't need third party map creator tools, despite what various people say if you did the same google research I did. Just go to 'map online' while on wifi, click the globe icon and choose 'map creator'. You then place two corners on the map to draw a box, choose which zoom levels you want and 'go'. Then the map will be available on the 'map offline' menu.

d3matt

Slow Loris wrote:

Give Oruxmaps another go. You don't need third party map creator tools, despite what various people say if you did the same google research I did. Just go to 'map online' while on wifi, click the globe icon and choose 'map creator'. You then place two corners on the map to draw a box, choose which zoom levels you want and 'go'. Then the map will be available on the 'map offline' menu.

But this this then OS maps? I want OS maps that have footpaths, byways etc, which others maps don't.

Slow Loris

Yes it has access to OS maps by default, in 'online map' mode select globe icon and 'New Map' and choose OS. There are loads of other providers there too which are good if you're visiting other countries or just want a satellite view.

Anonymous

If you want any detail enough to see all the footpaths you need 1:25000 scale maps. Individually they seem cheap, but they're very expensive with ViewRanger compared to just buying a paper map in WHSmiths. More so in their frequent 2 for 1, 3 for 2 kind of deals.

Paper map, shove in a printer/scanner, print out a copy of the bit you want and laminate or plastic pocket, or scan to a GIF and stick it on your phone.

Or, stuff the OS map and use Open Street Maps (free on View Ranger). Good detail in many places with much of what OS maps covers in terms of footpaths and bridleways, but also sometimes includes trails that OS wouldn't mark. e.g. Round Swinley Forest the OS map just shows the fire roads (less so in the cheaper 1:50000 scale). OSM shows a number of the singletrack.

OSM can also be used with many other map apps including some of the GPS tracking apps.