Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
simple instructions I found on the web.

But if she's unable to explain to the police where I am, how do the
police figure it out? Can they see everyone's location just by
knowing their phone number? This would be bad if it were for suspected
criminals and they didn't have a warrant, but if it's to save me, I'd
sort of like for them to know where I am. And I don't want there to be
a lot of time required to enable it each time for each new lost person.

Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
can see on her phone to their phone? How?

BTW, I started doing this last fall, without realizing the plan was
incomplete. Since then the AllTrails app has added the same feature to
its maps. It probably piggybacks on Google maps. I'll know when I try
the two tomorrow. The AllTrails app is fantastic in that you can use
it for free if you have cellular signal where you are walking, and if
you pay for a year, you can download all the maps you'll want to use
(which I think continue to work even after your subscription has
expired) and you can use them without a cell signal. AND, they show
where on the trail you are. The maps zoom in more than google maps do.
I think they'll even tell you when it's time to turn, but that's not
something I'd likely want to use.

I've come across a couple other non-Google maps that include GPS. I
think the Yorktown battlefield in Virginia was one of them. You really
have to give a lot of credit to the USA government for putting those
satellites up there. Who would even have thunk it that this could work?
OTOH, i've read that the whole thing is a scam, and GPS doesn't really
show where you are. It just sends random locations, and people believe
they are accurate. People are so suggestible. Many have drunk the
kool-aid and they believe in GPS and vaccines. It's sad.

On 05/19/2024 9:46 PM, micky wrote:
> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
> ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
> break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
> stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
> texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
> simple instructions I found on the web.
>
> But if she's unable to explain to the police where I am, how do the
> police figure it out? Can they see everyone's location just by
> knowing their phone number? This would be bad if it were for suspected
> criminals and they didn't have a warrant, but if it's to save me, I'd
> sort of like for them to know where I am. And I don't want there to be
> a lot of time required to enable it each time for each new lost person.
>
> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
> can see on her phone to their phone? How?
>
>
> BTW, I started doing this last fall, without realizing the plan was
> incomplete. Since then the AllTrails app has added the same feature to
> its maps. It probably piggybacks on Google maps. I'll know when I try
> the two tomorrow. The AllTrails app is fantastic in that you can use
> it for free if you have cellular signal where you are walking, and if
> you pay for a year, you can download all the maps you'll want to use
> (which I think continue to work even after your subscription has
> expired) and you can use them without a cell signal. AND, they show
> where on the trail you are. The maps zoom in more than google maps do.
> I think they'll even tell you when it's time to turn, but that's not
> something I'd likely want to use.
>
> I've come across a couple other non-Google maps that include GPS. I
> think the Yorktown battlefield in Virginia was one of them. You really
> have to give a lot of credit to the USA government for putting those
> satellites up there. Who would even have thunk it that this could work?
> OTOH, i've read that the whole thing is a scam, and GPS doesn't really
> show where you are. It just sends random locations, and people believe
> they are accurate. People are so suggestible. Many have drunk the
> kool-aid and they believe in GPS and vaccines. It's sad.
If you had Been in the Boy Scouts you would learn to live in the woods
without a electronic device of any type. You would learn about mark or
finding marks so you could retrace your path. You would learn about
finding your direction so you do not get lost.

Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
on your cellphone. Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
batteries expire.

On 20.05.2024 03:46, micky wrote:
> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
> ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
> break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
> stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
> texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
> simple instructions I found on the web.

*OT*

--
"Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!"

On 20.05.2024 03:58, knuttle wrote:
> On 05/19/2024 9:46 PM, micky wrote:
>> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
>> ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
>> break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
>> stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
>> texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
>> simple instructions I found on the web.
>>
>> But if she's unable to explain to the police where I am, how do the
>> police figure it out? Can they see everyone's location just by
>> knowing their phone number? This would be bad if it were for suspected
>> criminals and they didn't have a warrant, but if it's to save me, I'd
>> sort of like for them to know where I am. And I don't want there to be
>> a lot of time required to enable it each time for each new lost person.
>>
>> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
>> can see on her phone to their phone? How?
>>
>>
>> BTW, I started doing this last fall, without realizing the plan was
>> incomplete. Since then the AllTrails app has added the same feature to
>> its maps. It probably piggybacks on Google maps. I'll know when I try
>> the two tomorrow. The AllTrails app is fantastic in that you can use
>> it for free if you have cellular signal where you are walking, and if
>> you pay for a year, you can download all the maps you'll want to use
>> (which I think continue to work even after your subscription has
>> expired) and you can use them without a cell signal. AND, they show
>> where on the trail you are. The maps zoom in more than google maps do.
>> I think they'll even tell you when it's time to turn, but that's not
>> something I'd likely want to use.
>>
>> I've come across a couple other non-Google maps that include GPS. I
>> think the Yorktown battlefield in Virginia was one of them. You really
>> have to give a lot of credit to the USA government for putting those
>> satellites up there. Who would even have thunk it that this could work?
>> OTOH, i've read that the whole thing is a scam, and GPS doesn't really
>> show where you are. It just sends random locations, and people believe
>> they are accurate. People are so suggestible. Many have drunk the
>> kool-aid and they believe in GPS and vaccines. It's sad.

> If you had Been in the Boy Scouts you would learn to live in the woods
> without a electronic device of any type. You would learn about mark or
> finding marks so you could retrace your path. You would learn about
> finding your direction so you do not get lost.
>
> Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
> on your cellphone. Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
> batteries expire.

Phantastic! THX!

--
"Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!"

In comp.mobile.android, on Sun, 19 May 2024 21:58:37 -0400, knuttle
<keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:

>On 05/19/2024 9:46 PM, micky wrote:
>> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
>> ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
>> break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
>> stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
>> texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
>> simple instructions I found on the web.
>>
>> But if she's unable to explain to the police where I am, how do the
>> police figure it out? Can they see everyone's location just by
>> knowing their phone number? This would be bad if it were for suspected
>> criminals and they didn't have a warrant, but if it's to save me, I'd
>> sort of like for them to know where I am. And I don't want there to be
>> a lot of time required to enable it each time for each new lost person.
>>
>> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
>> can see on her phone to their phone? How?
>>
>>
>> BTW, I started doing this last fall, without realizing the plan was
>> incomplete. Since then the AllTrails app has added the same feature to
>> its maps. It probably piggybacks on Google maps. I'll know when I try
>> the two tomorrow. The AllTrails app is fantastic in that you can use
>> it for free if you have cellular signal where you are walking, and if
>> you pay for a year, you can download all the maps you'll want to use
>> (which I think continue to work even after your subscription has
>> expired) and you can use them without a cell signal. AND, they show
>> where on the trail you are. The maps zoom in more than google maps do.
>> I think they'll even tell you when it's time to turn, but that's not
>> something I'd likely want to use.
>>
>> I've come across a couple other non-Google maps that include GPS. I
>> think the Yorktown battlefield in Virginia was one of them. You really
>> have to give a lot of credit to the USA government for putting those
>> satellites up there. Who would even have thunk it that this could work?
>>
>> OTOH, i've read that the whole thing is a scam, and GPS doesn't really
>> show where you are. It just sends random locations, and people believe
>> they are accurate. People are so suggestible. Many have drunk the
>> kool-aid and they believe in GPS and vaccines. It's sad.

>If you had Been in the Boy Scouts you would learn to live in the woods
>without a electronic device of any type. You would learn about mark or
>finding marks so you could retrace your path. You would learn about
>finding your direction so you do not get lost.
>
>Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
>on your cellphone. Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
>batteries expire.

I presume you're kidding, but just in case, I'll answer as if you
weren't.

I've been hiking in the woods alone since I was 6 years old. I never
get lost, I especially like hikes with only deer trails or no trails at
all. For example I led a hike through the Crownsville Hospital forest
years before it opened to the public. As well as the Rocky Gorge
Reservoir, which still has no trails at all. When I camp, I rarely use
a tent and on one occasion, I camped without a sleeping bag and slept
totally without clothes (and that was in a campground!) I've spent the
night atop Mt. Katahdin, even though it was against the rules. (wanted
to watch the sun rise.)

And I eat my meat raw.

I know all about blazed trails, but I don't limit myself to them. OTOH,
I don't want my half-day hike to last an extra hour because I miss a
turn.

Do you hike alone? On weekdays when you are likely the only person
there? When I was 60, I wasn't concerned about this but at age 77, I
know it's possible I'll break a leg or have a heart attack, and it's
foolish not to take a phone. In case I'm unconscious or my phone is
broken, it's foolish not to take advantage of the tech marvels of the
age, so that if I don't come back when I plan to, a friend can send
someone to look for me, rather than my lying there all night (possibly
in the rain). But I guess you're a real man and dying alone in the
woods won't bother you.

On 20.05.2024 07:11, micky wrote:
> In comp.mobile.android, on Sun, 19 May 2024 21:58:37 -0400, knuttle
> <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> On 05/19/2024 9:46 PM, micky wrote:
>>> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
>>> ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
>>> break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
>>> stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
>>> texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
>>> simple instructions I found on the web.
>>>
>>> But if she's unable to explain to the police where I am, how do the
>>> police figure it out? Can they see everyone's location just by
>>> knowing their phone number? This would be bad if it were for suspected
>>> criminals and they didn't have a warrant, but if it's to save me, I'd
>>> sort of like for them to know where I am. And I don't want there to be
>>> a lot of time required to enable it each time for each new lost person.
>>>
>>> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
>>> can see on her phone to their phone? How?
>>>
>>>
>>> BTW, I started doing this last fall, without realizing the plan was
>>> incomplete. Since then the AllTrails app has added the same feature to
>>> its maps. It probably piggybacks on Google maps. I'll know when I try
>>> the two tomorrow. The AllTrails app is fantastic in that you can use
>>> it for free if you have cellular signal where you are walking, and if
>>> you pay for a year, you can download all the maps you'll want to use
>>> (which I think continue to work even after your subscription has
>>> expired) and you can use them without a cell signal. AND, they show
>>> where on the trail you are. The maps zoom in more than google maps do.
>>> I think they'll even tell you when it's time to turn, but that's not
>>> something I'd likely want to use.
>>>
>>> I've come across a couple other non-Google maps that include GPS. I
>>> think the Yorktown battlefield in Virginia was one of them. You really
>>> have to give a lot of credit to the USA government for putting those
>>> satellites up there. Who would even have thunk it that this could work?
>>>
>>> OTOH, i've read that the whole thing is a scam, and GPS doesn't really
>>> show where you are. It just sends random locations, and people believe
>>> they are accurate. People are so suggestible. Many have drunk the
>>> kool-aid and they believe in GPS and vaccines. It's sad.
>
>> If you had Been in the Boy Scouts you would learn to live in the woods
>> without a electronic device of any type. You would learn about mark or
>> finding marks so you could retrace your path. You would learn about
>> finding your direction so you do not get lost.
>>
>> Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
>> on your cellphone. Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
>> batteries expire.
>
> I presume you're kidding, but just in case, I'll answer as if you
> weren't.
>
> I've been hiking in the woods alone since I was 6 years old. I never
> get lost, I especially like hikes with only deer trails or no trails at
> all. For example I led a hike through the Crownsville Hospital forest
> years before it opened to the public. As well as the Rocky Gorge
> Reservoir, which still has no trails at all. When I camp, I rarely use
> a tent and on one occasion, I camped without a sleeping bag and slept
> totally without clothes (and that was in a campground!) I've spent the
> night atop Mt. Katahdin, even though it was against the rules. (wanted
> to watch the sun rise.)
>
> And I eat my meat raw.
>
> I know all about blazed trails, but I don't limit myself to them. OTOH,
> I don't want my half-day hike to last an extra hour because I miss a
> turn.
>
> Do you hike alone? On weekdays when you are likely the only person
> there? When I was 60, I wasn't concerned about this but at age 77, I
> know it's possible I'll break a leg or have a heart attack, and it's
> foolish not to take a phone. In case I'm unconscious or my phone is
> broken, it's foolish not to take advantage of the tech marvels of the
> age, so that if I don't come back when I plan to, a friend can send
> someone to look for me, rather than my lying there all night (possibly
> in the rain). But I guess you're a real man and dying alone in the
> woods won't bother you.

Even more *OT*. Has nothing to do with Android.
And this is not therapy group for nutty hikers.

--
"Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!"

micky wrote on Mon, 20 May 2024 01:11:51 -0400 :

> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
> can see on her phone to their phone? How?

There are many solutions to the problem you posited above, one of which is
that Andy Burns in a recent thread mentioned a US carrier that will switch
to satellite communications if there isn't any cellular connection.

However, if you have a cellular connection, we've discussed on this
newsgroup many times the typical SOS apps which will send your latitude &
longitude (and even a map with your pre-prepared text if you like) to
anyone listed as your emergency contact.

Offhand, one is SOS Alert where you press a homescreen button to send a
pre-prepared SOS message & your GPS location to up to 5 contacts).
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.main.contacts.smsmanager>

Another one which requires more button presses but which is more useful in
day-to-day hiking situations is this app which sends the GPS by SMS.
*GPS to SMS* - location sharing by Tralchonok Labs
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.perm.trubnikov.gps2sms>
<https://github.com/tral/GPS2SMS>
<https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/app-2-2-gps-to-sms-location-sharing.2994187/>

Of course, you have to be alive for that to happen, and you need cellular
signal, although if you're still ambulatory, it will send when you
eventually move into a cellular coverage area.

If you don't have a cellular connection, that's why I keep a HAM radio in
my pack when I'm on off trail hikes in the mountains.

On Sun, 19 May 2024 21:58:37 -0400, knuttle <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>On 05/19/2024 9:46 PM, micky wrote:
>> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
>> ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
>> break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
>> stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
>> texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
>> simple instructions I found on the web.
>>
>> But if she's unable to explain to the police where I am, how do the
>> police figure it out? Can they see everyone's location just by
>> knowing their phone number? This would be bad if it were for suspected
>> criminals and they didn't have a warrant, but if it's to save me, I'd
>> sort of like for them to know where I am. And I don't want there to be
>> a lot of time required to enable it each time for each new lost person.
>>
>> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
>> can see on her phone to their phone? How?
>>
>>
>> BTW, I started doing this last fall, without realizing the plan was
>> incomplete. Since then the AllTrails app has added the same feature to
>> its maps. It probably piggybacks on Google maps. I'll know when I try
>> the two tomorrow. The AllTrails app is fantastic in that you can use
>> it for free if you have cellular signal where you are walking, and if
>> you pay for a year, you can download all the maps you'll want to use
>> (which I think continue to work even after your subscription has
>> expired) and you can use them without a cell signal. AND, they show
>> where on the trail you are. The maps zoom in more than google maps do.
>> I think they'll even tell you when it's time to turn, but that's not
>> something I'd likely want to use.
>>
>> I've come across a couple other non-Google maps that include GPS. I
>> think the Yorktown battlefield in Virginia was one of them. You really
>> have to give a lot of credit to the USA government for putting those
>> satellites up there. Who would even have thunk it that this could work?
>> OTOH, i've read that the whole thing is a scam, and GPS doesn't really
>> show where you are. It just sends random locations, and people believe
>> they are accurate. People are so suggestible. Many have drunk the
>> kool-aid and they believe in GPS and vaccines. It's sad.
>
>If you had Been in the Boy Scouts you would learn to live in the woods
>without a electronic device of any type. You would learn about mark or
>finding marks so you could retrace your path. You would learn about
>finding your direction so you do not get lost.
>
>Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
>on your cellphone. Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
>batteries expire.

It's not so easy to do all that with a broken leg.

On 5/19/2024 9:58 PM, knuttle wrote:

> If you had Been in the Boy Scouts you would learn to live in the woods
> without a electronic device of any type.  You would learn about mark or
> finding marks so you could retrace your path.  You would learn about
> finding your direction so you do not get lost.
>
> Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
> on your cellphone.  Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
> batteries expire.

Also of note is that Micky's sample scenario starts
with him having his cellphone either broken or stolen.
He then goes on to enjoy a high-tech trail map and expects
the police to find him via GPS, presumably because his
cellphone number alone always shows where he is.

I think that the way it turns out is that Micky's ex
figures out the GPS and helps the police track down the
criminal who stole Micky's cellphone. She ends up a hero.
Meanwhile, Micky has a broken leg. He's stuck on the
trail, bending the ear of a weary grizzly bear who's trying
desperately to find an excuse to leave. "Whoa! Sorry Micky.
I think I just saw a salmon walk by. Gotta go!"

But Micky
does finally get saved, because an alien spaceship on
patrol in those woods happens to notice that Micky's
cellphone number has been stopped on a trail for hours
without moving. In the end it all ends well. Micky is awarded
an honorary Eagle Scout medal and gets a lucrative contract
working as a translator at Area 51....

Don't miss Season 2 of Micky Gets By, when Micky struggles
with humidity possibly affecting his computer and takes his
emergency to 9 newsgroups. It's non-stop action.

micky wrote:
> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to
> my ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst,
> that I break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is
> broken or stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I
> still haven't texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's
> location using the simple instructions I found on the web.

When I am out alone I always run a track on my GPS (not phone) which I can
follow back so I do not get lost because I am 78 years old. If you are
really worried you should look at something like a Garmin inReach.
--
<Bill>

Brought to you from Anchorage, Alaska

micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:
> In comp.mobile.android, on Sun, 19 May 2024 21:58:37 -0400, knuttle
> <keith_nuttle@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> On 05/19/2024 9:46 PM, micky wrote:
>>> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
>>> ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
>>> break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
>>> stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
>>> texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
>>> simple instructions I found on the web.
>>>
>>> But if she's unable to explain to the police where I am, how do the
>>> police figure it out? Can they see everyone's location just by
>>> knowing their phone number? This would be bad if it were for suspected
>>> criminals and they didn't have a warrant, but if it's to save me, I'd
>>> sort of like for them to know where I am. And I don't want there to be
>>> a lot of time required to enable it each time for each new lost person.
>>>
>>> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
>>> can see on her phone to their phone? How?
>>>
>>>
>>> BTW, I started doing this last fall, without realizing the plan was
>>> incomplete. Since then the AllTrails app has added the same feature to
>>> its maps. It probably piggybacks on Google maps. I'll know when I try
>>> the two tomorrow. The AllTrails app is fantastic in that you can use
>>> it for free if you have cellular signal where you are walking, and if
>>> you pay for a year, you can download all the maps you'll want to use
>>> (which I think continue to work even after your subscription has
>>> expired) and you can use them without a cell signal. AND, they show
>>> where on the trail you are. The maps zoom in more than google maps do.
>>> I think they'll even tell you when it's time to turn, but that's not
>>> something I'd likely want to use.
>>>
>>> I've come across a couple other non-Google maps that include GPS. I
>>> think the Yorktown battlefield in Virginia was one of them. You really
>>> have to give a lot of credit to the USA government for putting those
>>> satellites up there. Who would even have thunk it that this could work?
>>>
>>> OTOH, i've read that the whole thing is a scam, and GPS doesn't really
>>> show where you are. It just sends random locations, and people believe
>>> they are accurate. People are so suggestible. Many have drunk the
>>> kool-aid and they believe in GPS and vaccines. It's sad.
>
>> If you had Been in the Boy Scouts you would learn to live in the woods
>> without a electronic device of any type. You would learn about mark or
>> finding marks so you could retrace your path. You would learn about
>> finding your direction so you do not get lost.
>>
>> Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
>> on your cellphone. Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
>> batteries expire.
>
> I presume you're kidding, but just in case, I'll answer as if you
> weren't.
>
> I've been hiking in the woods alone since I was 6 years old.

Then you should know that before you head off to tell someone your route
and approximate time you will be done by. Then if you're not back by the
time you said you would be that person can alert mountain rescue.

This has always been the case with no need for technology.

If you want to depend on fallible technology - requires battery, wifi, gps,
to work - then you share live location. You still need to pre-arrange with
someone to notify the authorities if you're not back when you said you
would be.

If you can't trust your ex to be able to read a map for the police then ask
someone else.

A non-map based option is WhatThreeWords. See if you can suit your needs.
The system has covered the whole planet surface in a grid of 3x3m squares
each defined by a unique combination of three words e.g.
The White House

///metals.rated.purely
https://w3w.co/metals.rated.purely

It is ideal for giving directions where there's no points of reference.

> I never
> get lost,

No-one does. Until they do.

On 05/20/2024 2:38 PM, Chris wrote:
> I presume you're kidding, but just in case, I'll answer as if you
> weren't.
No I was not kidding. Today people have put their whole lives in a
cellphone. They depend on it to maintain their financial records, their
shopping list. They use it to find the places they go. They feel they
do not need to know basic, because they think the can use
google/siri/etc when ever they need information. I sometime wonder if
they need to google to tie their shoes.

I think it is a recipe for disaster. They are depending for everything
in their lives based on being able to access a cell tower. Hurricane,
tornado, earthquake and the cell system being significantly interrupted,
they will be helpless.

knuttle wrote on Mon, 20 May 2024 16:00:46 -0400 :

> On 05/20/2024 2:38 PM, Chris wrote:
>> I presume you're kidding, but just in case, I'll answer as if you
>> weren't.
> No I was not kidding. Today people have put their whole lives in a
> cellphone. They depend on it to maintain their financial records, their
> shopping list. They use it to find the places they go. They feel they
> do not need to know basic, because they think the can use
> google/siri/etc when ever they need information. I sometime wonder if
> they need to google to tie their shoes.
>
> I think it is a recipe for disaster. They are depending for everything
> in their lives based on being able to access a cell tower. Hurricane,
> tornado, earthquake and the cell system being significantly interrupted,
> they will be helpless.

Well, to be fair, cellphones make people safer, and, in fact, cellphones
are one reason traffic safety has steadily improved year after year after
year since traffic accident rates steadily went down while cellphone
ownership rates skyrocketed (contrary to the myth by most morons out there
that cellphone use while driving raises the accident rate).

None of those morons who claim that have ever looked at the accident rates.

In addition to the SOS apps, Satellite communications and HAM radio
previously discussed in this group (assuming a broken leg, for example),
for the OP, there's a free geofence app on iOS & Android which will alert
anyone he wants to alert the instant his phone goes into our out of the
area (of course, it needs to have cellular coverage at sending time).

https://www.iamherezone.com/ by SyncIt
"This app allows users to send pre-generated messages based on
their geofence location area, thus informing other users when
they enter or leave a geographical area. The user defines the
geographical area by drawing it on the map. The app supports
SMS messaging, WhatsApp, email, and push notifications."

1. Draw a zone (on OpenStreetMap)
2. Write your text message
3. Select recipients

Create multiple zones
Store multiple recipients
Send default and customized messages
Setup recurring and one-time messages
Add icon and color to each zone

iOS:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/im-here-zone/id1452495641
Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.syncitgroup.android.iamhere

Bill Bradshaw wrote on Mon, 20 May 2024 10:06:34 -0800 :

> micky wrote:
>> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to
>> my ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst,
>> that I break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is
>> broken or stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I
>> still haven't texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's
>> location using the simple instructions I found on the web.
>
> When I am out alone I always run a track on my GPS (not phone) which I can
> follow back so I do not get lost because I am 78 years old. If you are
> really worried you should look at something like a Garmin inReach.

I use something like that for finding my car in mall parking lots.
*GPS Waypoint Finder* by keuwlsoft
free, ad free, gsf free, 3.9 star, 1.35K reviews, 100K+ Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.keuwl.gpswaypoints>

*Parked Car* by Myroslav Kolodii
free, ad free, requires gsf, 4.4 star, 179 reviews, 10K+ Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.unagit.parkedcar>

*GPS to SMS* - location sharing by Tralchonok Labs
free, ad free, gsf free, 3.6 star, 787 reviews, 100K+ Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.perm.trubnikov.gps2sms>
<https://github.com/tral/GPS2SMS>
<https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/app-2-2-gps-to-sms-location-sharing.2994187/>

In addition, there are park maps in the free outerspacial which will
show the location of every park ranger office in the United States.
*OuterSpatial* by OuterSpatial
free, ad free, requires gsf, rated 3.4 out of 113 reviews @ 10K+ Downloads
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trailheadlabs.outerspatial>
<https://www.outerspatial.com/>
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/outerspatial/id1254161962>

Chris in Makati wrote on Mon, 20 May 2024 11:55:59 +0100 :

>>Learn to be in the woods before you go off wandering on a hike depending
>>on your cellphone. Knowledge of the Woods will save your life when your
>>batteries expire.
>
> It's not so easy to do all that with a broken leg.

As Chris said, if you're not ambulatory, your options are limited to being
found, which we already covered with the SOS apps, satellite connections
and HAM radio communications (all of which will need signal of some sort).

In addition, if you can drag yourself out, often the way you came in is the
best route so it helps, as Keith suggested, to habitually save your track.

I've never found a GPS track saver that I liked, but here are the ones I
tested, which all do the job but which have issues in them I don't like.

FOSS GPS Logger by BasicAirData 4.3 star 2.37K reviews 100K+ Downloads free
adfree
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.basicairdata.graziano.gpslogger

FOSS OpenTracks by Dennis Guse 4.0 star 53 reviews 500+ Downloads free adfree
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.dennisguse.opentracks.playstore
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.dennisguse.opentracks/
(it's payware on the google play store but open source freeware on F-Droid)

GPSLogger II - AIO by Matthias Marquardt 4.3 star 127 reviews 10K+ Downloads free adfree
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emacberry.gpslogger

FOSS OSMTracker for Android by Laboratorio Experimental 3.8 star 228 reviews 50K+ Downloads free adfree
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmtracker

Geo Tracker - GPS tracker by Ilya Bogdanovich 4.6 star 88K reviews 5M+ Downloads free adfree inapp purchases
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ilyabogdanovich.geotracker

GPSLogger A lightweight GPS logger, battery efficient, GPX/KML, add notes, share, upload.
https://gpslogger.app/
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.mendhak.gpslogger/
https://github.com/mendhak/gpslogger

FOSS GPS Logger by BasicAirData 4.3 star 2.37K reviews 100K+ Downloads free adfree
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.basicairdata.graziano.gpslogger

FOSS OpenTracks by Dennis Guse 4.0 star 53 reviews 500+ Downloads free adfree
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.dennisguse.opentracks.playstore
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.dennisguse.opentracks/
(it's payware on the google play store but open source freeware on F-Droid)

GPSLogger II - AIO by Matthias Marquardt 4.3 star 127 reviews 10K+ Downloads free adfree
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emacberry.gpslogger

FOSS OSMTracker for Android by Laboratorio Experimental 3.8 star 228 reviews 50K+ Downloads free adfree
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmtracker

Geo Tracker - GPS tracker by Ilya Bogdanovich 4.6 star 88K reviews 5M+ Downloads free adfree inapp purchases
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ilyabogdanovich.geotracker

GPSLogger A lightweight GPS logger, battery efficient, GPX/KML, add notes, share, upload.
https://gpslogger.app/
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.mendhak.gpslogger/
https://github.com/mendhak/gpslogger

LD-Log Lite - GPS Logger by A.Wedemeyer - Outdoor & Sailing Apps 4.4 star 231 reviews 10K+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aw.ldlogFree

Wadlbeisser by Marco Pfattner 4.6 star 778 reviews 50K+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.pfattner.speedo.android

Trailblazer by Andrew and Derek 4.7 star 7 reviews 100+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andrewandderek.trailblazer

GPSToolbox by Beijing Tele Industry Information Technology Ltd. 1K+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.gotele.gpsbox

OSC - Hiking, Running, Cycling by Eliakim Schuenemann 1K+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eschuenemann.outdoorsportscompanion

Earth Explorer by software1001developer 50+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earth.explorer

Sondel-Buddy pro - Tool for m by Django's Android Apps 100+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.DjangoLaunchpad.Sondel_Buddy

Here's a free ad free inapp free app for SPEAKING GPS directions (when walking).
Trail Guide by Jordi Boixadera Planas 3.2 star 13 reviews 1K+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jordiboixadera.trailGuide

And here's a free ad free inapp free app for DRAWING & EDITING GPS tracks
GPXLAB - The GPS Track Editor by LCX Ventures Ltd 4.1 star 8 reviews 100+ Downloads
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lcxventures.gpxlab.app

BikeGPX is a super simple app for putting GPX route files on your phone
and following them on your bike. Download it now free for iPhone and Android.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bikegpx
https://bikegpx.com/

RunGo is the most popular running app for discovering the best routes in
the world with turn-by-turn voice navigation. Build your own route.
https://www.rungoapp.com/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?hl=en&id=com.rungo

Bike Tracker
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pcability.biketracker

GPX Viewer
Topo GPS by rdzi

On 05/20/2024 5:35 PM, Andrew wrote:
> knuttle wrote on Mon, 20 May 2024 16:00:46 -0400 :
>
>> On 05/20/2024 2:38 PM, Chris wrote:
>>> I presume you're kidding, but just in case, I'll answer as if you
>>> weren't.
>> No I was not kidding. Today people have put their whole lives in a
>> cellphone. They depend on it to maintain their financial records, their
>> shopping list. They use it to find the places they go. They feel they
>> do not need to know basic, because they think the can use
>> google/siri/etc when ever they need information. I sometime wonder if
>> they need to google to tie their shoes.
>>
>> I think it is a recipe for disaster. They are depending for everything
>> in their lives based on being able to access a cell tower. Hurricane,
>> tornado, earthquake and the cell system being significantly interrupted,
>> they will be helpless.
>
> Well, to be fair, cellphones make people safer, and, in fact, cellphones
> are one reason traffic safety has steadily improved year after year after
> year since traffic accident rates steadily went down while cellphone
> ownership rates skyrocketed (contrary to the myth by most morons out there
> that cellphone use while driving raises the accident rate).
>
> None of those morons who claim that have ever looked at the accident rates.
>
> In addition to the SOS apps, Satellite communications and HAM radio
> previously discussed in this group (assuming a broken leg, for example),
> for the OP, there's a free geofence app on iOS & Android which will alert
> anyone he wants to alert the instant his phone goes into our out of the
> area (of course, it needs to have cellular coverage at sending time).
>
> https://www.iamherezone.com/ by SyncIt
> "This app allows users to send pre-generated messages based on
> their geofence location area, thus informing other users when
> they enter or leave a geographical area. The user defines the
> geographical area by drawing it on the map. The app supports
> SMS messaging, WhatsApp, email, and push notifications."
>
> 1. Draw a zone (on OpenStreetMap)
> 2. Write your text message
> 3. Select recipients
>
> Create multiple zones
> Store multiple recipients
> Send default and customized messages
> Setup recurring and one-time messages
> Add icon and color to each zone
>
> iOS:
> https://apps.apple.com/us/app/im-here-zone/id1452495641
> Android:
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.syncitgroup.android.iamhere
This is another statistic.
In the past 50 years the government has mandated 100's of safety devices
on automobiles. Each device was to reduce traffic accidents because it
would reduce death by 10%.

SO assume there were 100 devices added each reducing the traffic
accidents. accidents reduced 10% for each device, and 100 device, means
there are no traffic accidents on cars that had all of those devices
implemented.

(if there were 100 lost lives, after the 1st device there were 90 death,
after the 2nd 81, the 3rd 73, and so on until 100 devices )

So much for the published statistics on the lives saved by each new
device added to the car, it means nothing in the real world.

knuttle wrote on Mon, 20 May 2024 20:34:36 -0400 :

> This is another statistic.
> In the past 50 years the government has mandated 100's of safety devices
> on automobiles. Each device was to reduce traffic accidents because it
> would reduce death by 10%.
>
> SO assume there were 100 devices added each reducing the traffic
> accidents. accidents reduced 10% for each device, and 100 device, means
> there are no traffic accidents on cars that had all of those devices
> implemented.
>
> (if there were 100 lost lives, after the 1st device there were 90 death,
> after the 2nd 81, the 3rd 73, and so on until 100 devices )
>
> So much for the published statistics on the lives saved by each new
> device added to the car, it means nothing in the real world.

Clearly you jumped to conclusions by understanding nothing of what I said.

You need to be careful that I constantly said "accident rate" which is an
extremely accurate statistic compiled by the US Census Bureau for each of
the fifty states since the 1920's (well, 48 states in those days), and
which is reported by police & insurance companies and normalized by miles
driven and as such is extremely well respected data for reliability.

Every single state reported similar trends of the accident rate going
steadily down (for very good reasons, mind you) during the entire time that
phone ownership rates were skyrocketing - laying proof to the lie that
cellphones have any negative effect on the accident rate.

If anything, they have a positive effect by reducing the accident rate
(e.g., reducing sudden unexpected traffic, re-routing traffic, warning of
construction and congestion, fewer confused turnarounds, etc.).

You didn't understand a single word of what an "accident rate" means.

What you spoke about were "injuries" which is a second-order function of
tremendously different metrics, e.g., seatbelts, padded dashboards,
airbags, safety tempered glass, stronger door locks, crush zones,
break-away sign posts, yielding guardrails, sand barrels, etc.

In fact, injuries are even lessened by cellphones, given the first
responder call can be made within minutes of an injury accident, where time
is of the essence in reducing the length of the hospital stay.

You won't understand any of that because you only believe in unsound myths.

It's a myth that cellphones raise the accident rate.
There is zero evidence for it in the United States.

I'm not saying a lot of morons don't believe they increase the accident
rate, as there are many morons who say exactly what you just said.

The only people "saying it", besides fools who are morons, are entities
with something to gain, mainly lawyers, insurance companies & police.

Nobody else would ever claim that cellphone use had any effect on the
accident rate in the USA when the US Census Bureau already said otherwise.

Note that there are aggregate studies of the efficacy of safety laws also,
which would knock your socks off if you read them (as I have).

But if you think cellphones raised the accident rate, you're not ready to
read the scientific facts about the first order and second order effect of
safety laws in the past 25 years in terms of length of hospital stay.

Suffice to say, morons always believe in myths.
Because morons never question common myths.

They hear them. They believe them. They never question them.

Find a cite, not from the three biased sources (lawyers, insurance & cops)
on the net about the US accident rate and tell me what you found.

If you find it, I'll read it - but not from those biased three sources.
HINT: You won't find it.

On 5/19/24 10:11 PM, micky wrote:

>In case I'm unconscious or my phone is
>broken, it's foolish not to take advantage of the tech marvels of the
>age, so that if I don't come back when I plan to, a friend can send
>someone to look for me, rather than my lying there all night (possibly
>in the rain).

<https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/climber-dead-denali-north-america-tallest-peak-rcna153197>

micky, 2024-05-20 03:46:

> Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to my
> ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst, that I
> break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is broken or
> stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I still haven't
> texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's location using the
> simple instructions I found on the web.

An Android device can not help you in an emergency if it breaks or the
battery is dead.

Therefore do not go alone!

[...]
> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
> can see on her phone to their phone? How?

You can share your location on Google Maps with another user either for
a limited time period or until you turn off this option again:

<https://support.google.com/maps/answer/7326816?hl=en>

Besides that, OSMAnd also supports location sharing.

<https://osmand.net/docs/user/plugins/osmand-tracker/>

Regardless which solution you use - the other person also needs Google
Maps or OSMAnd to view your current location.

But keep in mind that having GPS enabled all the time and sending
location updates drains your battery quite fast. So also keep a big
power bank with you. Also keep in mind that the device can fail and/or
batteries can get empty.

Therefore do not go alone!

--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

On 5/20/2024 11:12 PM, Andrew wrote:

> Every single state reported similar trends of the accident rate going
> steadily down (for very good reasons, mind you) during the entire time that
> phone ownership rates were skyrocketing - laying proof to the lie that
> cellphones have any negative effect on the accident rate.
>
> If anything, they have a positive effect by reducing the accident rate
> (e.g., reducing sudden unexpected traffic, re-routing traffic, warning of
> construction and congestion, fewer confused turnarounds, etc.).
>

Here we have a classic case of advanced, terminal cellphone
addiction. A vehement, irrational -- even religious -- belief that
cellphone distraction while driving reduces accidents. This is closely
related to the vehement geek belief that playing murderous video
games all day has no effect on mental health. "Cigarettes help your
lungs by reducing coughing." "Alcoholism is just the name used by
teetotalers to describe people who can hold their liquor." "I don't know
how she got pregnant. We never had sex... I don't think."

If you can't be honest with yourself about your cellphone
dependency, that's addiction. Can you just set it aside for a couple
of weeks without any big problems? Then that's addiction. If you
think that you can pay attention driving while on your cellphone,
you're fooling yourself. Those of us who are paying attention are
preventing the accidents. We watch you carefully while your
speed changes, you make sudden movements, you brake for no
reason, you drive like an old lady and then suddenly speed up....
We try to get away from you as soon as possible because you drive
like a drunk, only vaguely aware of what you're doing.

The last accident I was in was due to someone on a cellphone.
A man was driving while getting directions on his phone from friends
who he was going to pick up. He was in the left of 2 lanes, signalling
a left turn. I was passing in the right lane. Suddenly his friends told him
he was turning at the wrong street, he overcorrected with his one
free hand and veered into me.

We locked mirrors for a few yards. The man first swore that
I'd hit him. Then he insisted there were not two lanes! He called the
police. He called his insurance company. He truly believed that I had
hit him while he was minding his own business. All the while he never got
off his cellphone. Luckily a sharp cop showed up and pointed out that
all the broken side mirror glass was in my lane, so I couldn't have
hit him... That accident wouldn't have been recorded as being caused
by cellphone usage. Anyone causing an accident by cellphone distraction
is likely to say they weren't on their phone. And we don't have breathalyzer
tests for cellphone mania.

I saw a funny story the other day. I forget where it was. A young man
was tracked by a cop using his cellphone while driving, then pulled into
a fast food restaurant. The cop followed, walked over to his window, and
gave him a ticket for using a cellphone while driving. The young man
insisted
that he had just then pulled out his cellphone to let the drive-through
clerk
scan a coupon.

Less amusing was the documentary made by Werner Herzog, about
Amish people in a buggy killed by a texting driver.
https://slate.com/culture/2013/08/werner-herzog-texting-while-driving-documentary-from-one-second-to-the-next-is-worth-watching-video.html

To even imagine that you can safely drive while using a cellphone is
feeblemindedness. Cellphone addicts feel like they're on top of things,
handling all sorts of input at once. Their cellphone is their cockpit. The
trouble is that the one thing they're not tracking is the here and now.
They're not where their body is. It's like those old Hollywood movies where
the mogul is answering 2 or 3 phones at once, too busy to relate to
any of the calls properly.

Newyana2 wrote on Tue, 21 May 2024 08:16:49 -0400 :

> Here we have a classic case of advanced, terminal cellphone
> addiction. A vehement, irrational -- even religious -- belief that
> cellphone distraction while driving reduces accidents.

Many people believe in myths, but very few question them, and even fewer
ask why there is no solid evidence in the government record for them.

You aren't at the level to answer the question of "why" yet, because you
still believe in the myth. In fact, you "religiously believe" in the myth.

It's you who owns the religious belief.
Not me.

I believe in facts.

Notice I never said cellphones aren't a distraction. They are.
I never said distractions don't cause accidents. They do.

I simply said that the accident rate trend (slowly going down, year
over year) was wholly unaffected by cellphone ownership rates going up.

There's a reason for that.
But you first have to understand the data.

Also I said nothing about injuries, as they're a second-order effect.

> This is closely
> related to the vehement geek belief that playing murderous video
> games all day has no effect on mental health. "Cigarettes help your
> lungs by reducing coughing." "Alcoholism is just the name used by
> teetotalers to describe people who can hold their liquor." "I don't know
> how she got pregnant. We never had sex... I don't think."

But you have to understand that there are hundreds (nay, thousansd) of
distractions while driving, e.g., using the car radio (if you have one).

> If you can't be honest with yourself about your cellphone
> dependency, that's addiction. Can you just set it aside for a couple
> of weeks without any big problems? Then that's addiction. If you
> think that you can pay attention driving while on your cellphone,
> you're fooling yourself. Those of us who are paying attention are
> preventing the accidents. We watch you carefully while your
> speed changes, you make sudden movements, you brake for no
> reason, you drive like an old lady and then suddenly speed up....
> We try to get away from you as soon as possible because you drive
> like a drunk, only vaguely aware of what you're doing.

And yet, what you're doing is justifying the myth without ever looking at
the data, which clearly shows in the USA, where accurate government
statistics have existed since the 1920's, the accident rate was wholly
unaffected by the skyrocketing years of cellphone ownership rates.

> The last accident I was in was due to someone on a cellphone.
> A man was driving while getting directions on his phone from friends
> who he was going to pick up. He was in the left of 2 lanes, signalling
> a left turn. I was passing in the right lane. Suddenly his friends told him
> he was turning at the wrong street, he overcorrected with his one
> free hand and veered into me.

Anecdotal evidence is not science.

> We locked mirrors for a few yards. The man first swore that
> I'd hit him. Then he insisted there were not two lanes! He called the
> police. He called his insurance company. He truly believed that I had
> hit him while he was minding his own business. All the while he never got
> off his cellphone. Luckily a sharp cop showed up and pointed out that
> all the broken side mirror glass was in my lane, so I couldn't have
> hit him... That accident wouldn't have been recorded as being caused
> by cellphone usage. Anyone causing an accident by cellphone distraction
> is likely to say they weren't on their phone. And we don't have breathalyzer
> tests for cellphone mania.

BTW, notice I said cellphones are clearly a distraction, nay, even a "new"
distraction... which went from zero percent in vehicles to 100% in only a
few years.

> I saw a funny story the other day. I forget where it was. A young man
> was tracked by a cop using his cellphone while driving, then pulled into
> a fast food restaurant. The cop followed, walked over to his window, and
> gave him a ticket for using a cellphone while driving. The young man
> insisted
> that he had just then pulled out his cellphone to let the drive-through
> clerk
> scan a coupon.

And yet, the accident rate trend was unaffected. There's a reason for that,
but you first have to comprehend the facts before you can understand them.

> Less amusing was the documentary made by Werner Herzog, about
> Amish people in a buggy killed by a texting driver.
> https://slate.com/culture/2013/08/werner-herzog-texting-while-driving-documentary-from-one-second-to-the-next-is-worth-watching-video.html

I never once said that there were no accidents. What I said was accurate
data clearly shows in all fifty states the accident rate trend was
unaffected by the skyrocketing rates of cellphone ownership.

> To even imagine that you can safely drive while using a cellphone is
> feeblemindedness. Cellphone addicts feel like they're on top of things,
> handling all sorts of input at once. Their cellphone is their cockpit. The
> trouble is that the one thing they're not tracking is the here and now.
> They're not where their body is. It's like those old Hollywood movies where
> the mogul is answering 2 or 3 phones at once, too busy to relate to
> any of the calls properly.

Many people believe in myths, but very few question them, and even fewer
ask why there is no solid evidence in the government record for them.

You aren't at the level to answer the question of "why" yet, because you
still believe in the myth.

Notice I never said cellphones aren't a distraction. They are.
I never said distractions don't cause accidents. They do.

I simply said that the accident rate trend (slowly going down, year
over year) was wholly unaffected by cellphone ownership rates going up.

There's a reason for that.
But you first have to understand the data.

Also I said nothing about injuries, as they're a second-order effect.

AJL wrote on Tue, 21 May 2024 03:44:40 -0000 (UTC) :

> <https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/climber-dead-denali-north-america-tallest-peak-rcna153197>

Data from a satellite communication device indicated the device hadn�t
changed locations since Thursday, suggesting a fall from the Denali Pass
traverse took place on that day, Denali National Park and Preserve said.

Arno Welzel wrote on Tue, 21 May 2024 10:29:50 +0200 :

> Therefore do not go alone!

That's not bad advice, but he's not climbing Mount Denali either.
He's just hiking. Hiking alone is what millions of people do.

There's nothing wrong with it. It's like driving alone.
Or like reading alone. Or watching TV alone.

Accidents can happen anywhere.
You just need to be prepared for the most likely ones.

> An Android device can not help you in an emergency if it breaks or the
> battery is dead.

Or if there isn't any cellphone service in the area, which is why I had
suggested a ham radio or satellite service (which I know is rarely used).

>> Or is my friend supposed to somehow send the location information she
>> can see on her phone to their phone? How?
>
> You can share your location on Google Maps with another user either for
> a limited time period or until you turn off this option again:
>
> <https://support.google.com/maps/answer/7326816?hl=en>
>
> Besides that, OSMAnd also supports location sharing.
>
> <https://osmand.net/docs/user/plugins/osmand-tracker/>
>
> Regardless which solution you use - the other person also needs Google
> Maps or OSMAnd to view your current location.

I didn't know about OSMAnd. That's a nice feature if it works well.
"OsmAnd Tracker is a modified Telegram client created for flexible
monitoring and sending messages with GPS locations in real-time."
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmand.telegram>

> But keep in mind that having GPS enabled all the time and sending
> location updates drains your battery quite fast. So also keep a big
> power bank with you. Also keep in mind that the device can fail and/or
> batteries can get empty.

A second radio seems to me to be a safe bet although I have a (rather
heavy) battery pack for charging a phone with foldout solar cells.

Bill Bradshaw <bradshaw@gci.net> wrote:
> micky wrote:
> > Going hiking tomorrow. Finally realized I was sending my location to
> > my ex-GF, but I hadn't told her how to see it. Assuming the worst,
> > that I break my leg and can't get off the trail, but the phone is
> > broken or stolen, and assuming she actually notices it's 6PM and I
> > still haven't texted her to say I'm done, she can see my phone's
> > location using the simple instructions I found on the web.
>
> When I am out alone I always run a track on my GPS (not phone) which I can
> follow back so I do not get lost because I am 78 years old. If you are
> really worried you should look at something like a Garmin inReach.

We also have an old (non-phone) GPS (Garmin), which can lay
'breadcrumbs' for backtracking. Got us out of a mess in outback
Australia where there was a maze of non-signposted dirt tracks and our
maps (paper and offline smartphone ones) failed us.

Two-way (text/SMS) satellite communication like the Garmin InReach is
of course better, but also more expensive, because of the monthly costs
for the subscription.

When we're in the boonies of Australia, we have a PLB (Personal
Locator Beacon). That gives only a signal - not a message - and your
location to the satellite, but doesn't need a costly subscription.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_position-indicating_radiobeacon#Personal_Locator_Beacon>

--
Frank Slootweg, smartphone, maps, GPS, compass and PLB.

On 5/21/2024 8:36 AM, Andrew wrote:

> Many people believe in myths, but very few question them, and even fewer
> ask why there is no solid evidence in the government record for them.
>

I told you why... if it's even true. Cellphone use is not
typically something that's investigated and cellphone users
are not likely to offer the information.