Android apps by CritterMap Software LLC

BackCountry Navigator PRO GPS

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:46:55 +0000

Use your phone or tablet as an offroad topo mapping GPS with the bestselling outdoor navigation app for Android! Explore beyond cell coverage for hiking, and trekking.

Download topo maps for the US and some other countries in advance, so you won't need cell coverage when navigating.

This uses many publicly available map sources as free downloads. It also has some additional content available as an in app purchase:
-Accuterra Topo Map Source on sale for a $25 upgrade. This can be purchased and used with or in instead of the free sources.
- Boundary maps for 12 western states from the Bureau of Land Management(BLM) for $7.99. Overlay for topo maps hunters.
-Content from US TrailMaps for $15.99, including:
-Snowmobile Trail Maps for Snowmobiling enthusiasts,
-ATV Trail Maps
-Whitewater Trail Maps,
-Equestrian Trail maps.
See these in the menu under More-> "Purchasing AddOns". They can be shown on top of topo maps.

You may try the DEMO version to make sure you like the maps in your country.

Use offline topo maps and GPS on hiking trails without cell service! The GPS in your Android phone can get its position from GPS satellites, and you don’t have to rely on your data plan to get maps. Have more fun and safe GPS adventures in the backcountry.

Add custom GPS waypoints in longitude and latitude, UTM or MGRS grid reference. Import GPS waypoints from GPX files. Choose mapsource-like icons for GPS waypoints. (This app uses the WGS84 datum, NAD27 is available in settings).

Use GPS for hunting a waypoint or geocache, for recording tracks and GPS waypoints on your trip, all the while tracking your GPS quest on topographic maps.

About topo (topographic) maps: Topo maps show terrain through color and contours, and are useful for navigation offroad. Topo maps and GPS can be used for hiking, hunting, kayaking, snowshoeing, & backpacker trails.
You can create your own maps with Mobile Atlas Creator. Built in sources include:
OpenStreetMaps and NASA landsat data worldwide
OpenCycleMaps showing terrain worldwide
USA Topo Maps
USTopo: Aerial Photography with markup.
NR Canada Topo Maps from Toporama
NOAA RNC Nautical Charts (coastal)
USGS Color Aerial photography
Topographic Maps of Spain and Italy
Topo maps of New Zealand
Above sources are generally free to use.
Japan GSI maps.

Here are some of the outdoor GPS activities BackCountry Navigator has been used for:
As a hiking GPS both on hiking trails and off trail.
Camping trips to find that perfect camping site or find your way back to camp with GPS.
Hunting trips for hunting wild game in rugged areas.
Doing recon for a hunt or a live hunting trip.
Fishing: mark your favorite fishing spots and navigate with GPS.
Search and Rescue (SAR).
Trekking the Pacific Crest trail or other long term hiking.
Kayak and canoe trips on inland lakes and streams or marine, coastal waters.
Backpacker trips: using topo maps of wilderness areas and national forests to navigate on trails with the GPS. Have this in your rucksack or backpack.
Snow adventures including snowmobiling, skiing (alpine or cross country) and snowshoeing. Try this with snowmobile trails addon.

Find your own ways to have fun in the outdoors. Be a maverick by venturing into new territory beyond cell service boundaries with your GPS. Become a pro at navigation with GPS for allsports for the outdoors.

BackCountry Navigator has been previously available on WM devices and preloaded on the Trimble Nomad outdoor rugged device. This Android version is more flexible, featured, and fun.

For a one time fee, this a great addition to the outdoor gear you bought at Cabelas, REI, or another outdoor store. Many have found the Android GPS in a phone or tablet to substitute for a Garmin GPS, such as the Garmin Montana GPS, Garmin Etrex GPS, or the Garmin Oregon GPS. This is also a cheaper alternative to the Magellan Explorist series handheld GPS.

Recent changes:
Changes to Trip Data Dialog
Undo and map option on Download
Better non metric units for area measurement
Other fixes
Estimate size needed for download

Note: The AccuTerra three layer map source is deprecated. Use the single layer map for new downloads.

Addons include Accuterra map source, GMUs of various states. SnowMobile trail maps, ATV, Equestrian, Birding, and Whitewater trail maps, and BLM Land Boundary Maps of 12 western states.

BackCountry Nav DEMO: Topo GPS

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:33:12 +0000

Use your Android as an offroad topo mapping GPS with the bestselling outdoor navigation app for Android! Try this DEMO for 16 days to see if it is right for you.

Use offline topo maps and GPS on hike trails without cell service! The GPS in your Android phone can get its position from satellites, and you don’t have to rely on your data plan to get maps. Have more fun and safe GPS adventures in the backcountry.

Preload FREE offline topo maps, aerial photos, and road maps on your storage card, so they are ready when you need them.

Add custom GPS waypoints in longitude and latitude, UTM or MGRS grid reference. Import GPS waypoints from GPX files. Choose icons for waypoints much like in MapSource. (This app uses the WGS84 datum, NAD27 is available in settings).

Use GPS for hunting a waypoint or geocache, for recording tracks and GPS waypoints on your trip, all the while tracking your quest on topographic maps.

About topo (topographic) maps: Topo maps show terrain through color and contours, and are useful for navigation offroad. Topo maps and GPS can be used for hiking, hunting, kayaking, snowshoeing, & backpacker trails.
The app has many built in map sources and allows you to create your own maps with Mobile Atlas Creator. Built in sources include:
OpenStreetMaps and NASA landsat data worldwide.
OpenCyle Maps are topo maps that show terrain worldwide.
USGS Color Aerial photography.
Topographic Maps of Spain and Italy.
Outdoor maps of Germany and Austria
Topo maps of New Zealand

Here are some of the outdoor GPS activities BackCountry Navigator has been used for:
Hiking both on hiking trails and off trail.
Camping, to find the perfect camping site or the way back to camp.
Hunting trips for hunting wild game in rugged areas, including recon for the hunt.
Bait fishing or fly fishing with a buddy.
Search and Rescue (SAR) with GPS.
Kayak and canoe trips on inland lakes and streams or marine, coastal waters.
Backpacker trips: using topo maps of wilderness areas and national forests to navigate on trails with the GPS.
Snow adventures including snowmobiling, skiing (alpine or cross country) and snowshoeing.

This a great addition to the outdoor gear you bought at Cabelas, REI, or another outdoor store. Your android phone could substitute for a Garmin or Magellan outdoor handheld GPS!

Find your own ways to have fun in the outdoors. Be a maverick by venturing into new territory beyond cell service boundaries. Become a pro at navigation with GPS.
BackCountry Navigator has been previously available on WM devices and preloaded on the Trimble Nomad outdoor rugged device. This Android version is more flexible, featured, and fun.

Recent changes:
Buy BackCountry Navigator PRO for only $9.99 one time fee.
Changes to Trip Data Dialog
Undo and map option on Download
Better non metric units for area measurement
Other fixes
Estimate size needed for download

Addons available with the PRO version include AccuTerra map source, SnowMobile trail maps, ATV and whitewater trail maps, Equestrian trails, and BLM Land Boundary Maps of 12 western states.

GPS Airtime

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:18:44 +0000

Use your Android GPS in Airplane Mode on Droid X and other devices where this would otherwise fail. Using Airplane Mode allows you to save battery life from searching for a signal, and still get the benefits of GPS location outside of cell coverage.

Up to 20% of Android phones in the US struggle to get a GPS location fix in Airplane mode, even when most of these phones are capable of getting a GPS location outside of cell coverage range. This was not an intentional design decision, it is the result of a firmware/hardware bug in these phones. If you have never had this problem, you probably don't need this app.

This app was created by Daniel Butler, a National Java programming champion. We are fortunate to have him contributing to the Android community.

This app is an on demand service that works in conjunction with any app that requests GPS location. For offline, backcountry navigation, you are welcome to try BackCountry Navigator.

When Airplane mode is on, and a GPS location is requested, the app passively monitors satellite status. If no satellite signal is received after a certain number of seconds, the app temporarily turns off Airplane mode until the GPS starts properly. This would be tedious to do manually, which is why we are offering this app to do it automatically.

It is still considered experimental because we don't know what devices it will be helpful for.
This app has been tested on:
*Motorola Droid
It is expected to be helpful on
*Motorola Droid X
*Motorola Droid II
*Samsung Intercept
And possibly others.

It is not expected to be needed on:
Motorola Droid 3
Motorola Droid X2
Motorola Droid Bionic
Most HTC devices.

For that reason, the app shows up in the market only for a limited set of devices at this time. We can add to that as people identify other devices with an airplane mode bug.

To discover if your phone is a candidate:
Go outside.
Turn Airplane mode on.
Request location in an app such as BackCountry Navigator that uses GPS location (not network location).
Wait up to five minutes for the GPS location to arrive.
If it does, you probably don't need this app.
If not turn airplane mode off and wait a few minutes.
If you then get a GPS location, you probably need this app.
If you still don't get a location, well, this ap doesn't promise to fix every possible GPS problem - try rebooting.

This app does require some permissions to do its job:
*Write System Settings is required to switch Airplane mode on and off. It is the only setting we alter.
*Internet access is not used during operation, but it is used so you can anonymously send a report of whether it worked on your device.
*Access Fine Location is necessary so that we can check whether you receive GPS Satellite data. We don't actually check the location, only whether you are getting data or not.

Recent changes:
First Version.