# Send location while on lone bushwalk **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [October 23, 2016, 8:00am UTC](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/t/send-location-while-on-lone-bushwalk/215 "2016-10-23T08:00:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nw1](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/41988e/32.png) [@nw1](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/u/nw1)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 8:00am UTC](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/t/send-location-while-on-lone-bushwalk/215/1 "2016-10-23T08:00:48Z")
Hi I am intending to bushwalk a remote unmarked trail near Brisbane alone. I will carry map, etrex30, compass, iphone4 and am likely to have phone reception. I will advise another person of my gpx route and when I finish the bushwalk. However, I would like to send a track or position every hour or so to this person, so that if an accident or injury or I get lost, etc then I can be located. I will probably purchase a personal locator beacon if I do this more often, but this is a one-off and likely to very seldom happen so I would like to do with-out this time. I normally have others to hike with but others aren’t available this week. I don’t want to run my phone battery down unnecessarily by running a gps tracking program. As the iphone has a gps chip that does not require an internet connection, I can run such apps offline but they still consume power and so far they seem very reluctant to a bit of track to an email address as and when I want to. There are apps you can subscribe to that can send a live track to a web site but they are not free and I don’t want to pay…and they run the battery down. I would prefer to maintain as much spare power capacity in the phone in case something did go wrong. I think the best solution for me would be to jot down the current location from the etrex and send off a position each hour by email. I was wondering what others do? ---
**Author:** ![Nichola\_Wallace](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/82dd89/32.png) [@Nichola\_Wallace](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/u/Nichola_Wallace)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 12:46pm UTC](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/t/send-location-while-on-lone-bushwalk/215/2 "2016-10-23T12:46:24Z")
Have you used the app View Ranger which has a buddy system? I haven’t used the buddy system myself but the friend who told me about it has. If you’re worried about battery usage your can take power packs to keep your phone charged. I did this when hiking on Mt Barney and using View Ranger to keep us on track. After 11 hours my phone was still at 80%. ---
**Author:** ![GlasshouseBW](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/user_avatar/talk.aussiebushwalking.com/glasshousebw/32/95_2.png) [@GlasshouseBW](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/u/GlasshouseBW)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 1:02pm UTC](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/t/send-location-while-on-lone-bushwalk/215/3 "2016-10-23T13:02:48Z")
The Glasshouse Bushwalkers Club Inc. uses a Garmin GPS60x for tracking and planning walks. I personally walk with my iPhone 6s with MapMyHike installed. Before I set out, I open MapMyHike check for coverage and let the app get the map of the area. Then when I am walking, I put the phone into airplane mode, as mobile reception can drop in and out even around Brisbane. When ever I stop, I take the phone out of airplane mode check for reception messages etc. and download any mapping if needed. Recently I walked the Great Ocean Walk and the phone lasted for the entire 8 hours on the track, with about 30% at the end of the day. MapMyHike can be set up to interface with Facebook/Twitter to send location updates. ---
**Author:** ![nw1](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/41988e/32.png) [@nw1](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/u/nw1)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/t/send-location-while-on-lone-bushwalk/215/4 "2016-10-23T21:24:35Z")
Thanks for your thoughts I will check out the powerpacks during the week. The apps along with many others will not work on my iphone4 with ios7.1. I will email/sms positions occasionally during the walk and look into buying a personal locator beacon soon. The free [GPSies.com](http://GPSies.com) that does work on my iphone uses the free openstreetmaps has free live tracking but that feature only works with a couple of Android apps. That would suit me perfectly for these odd occasions. ---
**Author:** ![JoshF](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@JoshF](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/u/JoshF)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 11:29am UTC](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/t/send-location-while-on-lone-bushwalk/215/5 "2016-10-28T11:29:01Z")
Have you considered a SPOT GPS Messenger as it can (sending updates via satellite) track your hike with coordinates published on a map, supports SOS functions like a PLB etc. They can be rented. It isn’t a navigation tool, but an awareness and alerting tool ---
**Author:** ![nw1](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/41988e/32.png) [@nw1](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/u/nw1)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 1:48am UTC](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/t/send-location-while-on-lone-bushwalk/215/6 "2016-10-31T01:48:39Z")
I decided to get a KTI SA2G plb [http://kti.com.au/safety-alert-plb/](http://kti.com.au/safety-alert-plb/) as it is Australian made and the cost was $270 with a 10yr guarantee, that works out to be $27/yr for a solid emergency rescue option. You register 3 emergency contacts with AMSA and can lodge your plans online with them before departure so I think that is that is a good outcome for me as I will lodge plans with the emergency contact/s too. I was also considering the SPOT Gen3 GPS Satellite Messenger with the advantage of sending messages to others but at $200 for initial outlay and annual subscription fees on top is was bit too steep for me. [http://au.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=103](http://au.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=103) My family is happy with the decision too and will get a call from AMSA if the plb is ever activated and that’s what counts most to me. ---
**Author:** ![JoshF](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@JoshF](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/u/JoshF)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 12:40pm UTC](https://talk.aussiebushwalking.com/t/send-location-while-on-lone-bushwalk/215/7 "2016-11-01T12:40:13Z")
We use a SPOT for our Scouts on hikes as they can be remotely monitored by Leaders as depending on what they are doing probably have no direct adult supervision, That requirement is a little more unique than most. Found this article which provides a great review of PLB options, looks like a good choice was made in the KTI option [http://www.gpsaustralia.net/content.php?r=20-PLB-Beacon-Review-2016-The-personal-EPIRB](http://www.gpsaustralia.net/content.php?r=20-PLB-Beacon-Review-2016-The-personal-EPIRB)!