I recently created a web app to visualize GPS tracking files in a 3D terrain. You can upload your GPX or FIT files and it generates the 3D Terrain using Babylon.js
It's called https://cubetrek.com
Off topic, but since you work with GPS tracking files, perhaps you can recommend a GPS tracking device for me.
Until last year, I used one I got around 2005 that was about half the size of a pack of cigarettes. You turned it on, and it would start logging waypoints at 10 minute intervals to a standard text tracking file on a microSD card. I could unload that text file into my computer and plot the route on a map in a bunch of mapping applications.
It was great because when I was going on an adventure off the grid, or traveling overseas or something, I'd clip it to my backpack and then when I got home look at all the fun places I'd been.
I recently tried to find a replacement on Amazon, and nothing is suitable. They are all:
- Built with a big magnet for clamping to the underside a car
- Just a stripped-down Android phone, so large, fragile, and complicated
- Require a subscription
- Require cellular connectivity
- A watch
- A piece of software
I don't want connected. I don't want to subscribe to anything. I don't want it to drain my phone's battery. I don't want to stalk my ex-girlfriend.
I just want something simple that I can turn on and turn off. I know it's possible, because I had one. I just want to find another one.
The only available Garmin alternative is $200. The one I'm replacing was $30. But I'm willing to go to $75.
Also, it's a bit large because it has a screen, but that's not a deal-breaker.
The one I'm replacing didn't even have a screen, just a light for power and a light to indicate it was connected to the satellites.
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/87768
I have it, it does the job well. It can store about 14 days of walking, the 25 hour battery life is accurate, it can do more with good batteries (uses 2 AA) and if you reduce the recording interval.
The map is rubbish, I deleted it to get more data for the exported tracks, which you can download to any computer with a USB cable, no special driver needed. Unfortunately it doesn't have a card slot.
The great thing for hiking is it supports just about any coordinate system you can think of (at least supports all that I know).
Also: the barometric altimeter is a must have for mountaineering purposes.
I guess it very much depends on what you need it for.
If my memory serves me good, then a https://www.amazon.com/i-gotU-GT-120-Travel-Logger-Software/... should also do the trick.
That's basically what I'm doing to record my bike rides, with the exception that I leave the display and mobile internet on, since I use it as my bike computer. In my case it lasts around 3 hours, but the screen is at max brightness and there's a continuous websocket connection to my server, GPS is recorded in realtime, accelerometer and magnetic field multiple times a second.
So I guess that if I'd only record GPS once a minute with the screen off and no mobile connection that battery would last for more than a day.
You could also use it as a camera.
Plus, when you get home, you connect it to wifi and let it upload the data to your server.
I mean a cheap phone with a big battery.
But for hiking mountainsides, or where I specifically bike up steep hills it looks really great https://cubetrek.com/view/8203
The tracks are definitely more impressive on mountaineous terrains (see some of the examples on the homepage), for flat terrain a traditional 2D map is more helpful.
i was on a trek last month and was following a trail from a gpx file. there was no other guide with us so i had to constantly keep the phone on, try to be on the dotted line and more often i would divert to one side and had going up, we diverted a lot, had to face trouble being rimrocked more than once.
one, i felt like a need for voice navigation on OSM for hiking, just a simple "you have diverted from track, move to right 10 meters to be back on track" followed by "you are on track".
then i felt like the app should have 3d elevation data WITH the gpx track so that i can look at the phone, see the contour and look up at the rock and cross reference. This is 100% what i wanted.
1. is this open source ? 2. can this be added to some hiking app or even to osmand? 3. i tried to add a gpx track and got "Track does not contain Timing data.". if the file does not have that data, why not ignore all that and just show the visualization?
No, it's not open source yet. I don't yet know where to go with this and if there's enough interest to continue development. I'm currently working on having accounts, so users can upload their tracks to their own profile. Also, integration with Garmin Connect is almost finished (so Garmin tracks will be automatically synced to your profile). Sign up to the newsletter if you want to keep in touch (or write me an email).
Regarding 3.: It only works for GPX files with timing data (i.e. from a n actual activity) in order to show speed etc. But this is the most requested feature so far, so I'll work on it...
Before it did that, I used HealthFit (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/healthfit/id1202650514) but there are others, I'm sure some are free.