Explore Oz Traveller Problems

Submitted: Tuesday, Jul 03, 2018 at 15:07

ThreadID: 136932 Views:5730 Replies:5 FollowUps:25

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mepvic

Having trouble with the Explore Oz Traveller App. Have driven from Melbourne to Darwin, then across the Gibb River Rd and are now in Derby.
Seems to work most of the time but every so often it doesn’t record our position and doesn’t automatically synch when we get back into a mobile area. Been in and out of mobile range many times and across the Gibb river road no signal for two weeks.
On one occasion at King Edward River, it had over 3000 positions stored with a last synch about 6 days earlier. Went up to Mitchell Falls and when I checked at the falls had no positions. Track logging was still enabled. No tracking for that part of the trip. Just a straight line from Kununurra to King Edward. Turned track logging off and back on again and it started to store positions again. When we got into Derby, it automatically synched and showed our complete journey from King Edward to Derby. All ok for that leg. Have a look at Di and Mal’s tracking to see what I mean.?
Similar problem when we left Melbourne. Track logging enabled and status on line when we left but when I checked at Horsham, nothing recorded or shown. Turned enable on and off and it then started to record.
Have been in Derby now for two nights and this morning, I checked the App but it showed last synched two days ago. Had done a bit of site seeing around the area, all with mobile signal available, so had a few positions recorded. After a few minutes with the App open, it suddenly synched.
I shouldn’t need to but it seems I have to keep opening the App and switch enable on and off to get it to synch.
Any thoughts? Had used the uTrackme App for many years before the ExploreOz app and never had this problem before.
mepvic

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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Jul 03, 2018 at 18:56

Tuesday, Jul 03, 2018 at 18:56

Hi Mepvic

That is disappointing when you want to keep an accurate record of your travels.

For that very and until someone can prove me wrong, you can not go past the reliable OziEzplorer where you can tailor you own tracking specifications .

Cheers and Good Luck

Stephen

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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 07:25

Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 07:25

I agree with you Stephen,

I actually have 3 tracking options.
EOTraveller, which is not a lot of use to me and Spot3 which is excellent for remote area tracking and notification, but both of these do not consistant detailed tracking point data for reference purposes. Both give "straight line" tracking, due to the time frame that data is recorded during a trip.
My old favourite OziExplorer is still the best and provides continuous detailed tracking point data that accurately records the roads/tracks traveled.

Bill

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Follow Up By: HKB Electronics - Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 11:42

Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 11:42

Second Sand Man setup, have the same.

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Follow Up By: GarryR - Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 13:38

Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 13:38

Hello Mepvic, the problems describe are all the same features I have been having for the last 12months. I was originally told it was my ipad, so have purchased another, and same problem arises. My son in law had similar problems with his iPhone and ipad. This is where Michelle comes in, after many conversations on the phone from one side of the country to the other, Michelle and David think the problem lays with the gps in the ipad. There has been a recent upgrade to the ipad gps software that I was unaware of. This problem which is similar to yours by the sounds, came when we are running hema digital and ozixplorer(traveller) at the same time. We tried running hema on one ipad and traveller on the other which seems to have worked to some satisfaction but not sure. (as I only updated are Michelle realised that a new version was out that had not been installed). My last recent trek map shows me all over the place at Broken Hill and surrounds from Arkaroola, but records more of the trek with no problems. Michelle and David think there could be a problem with the gps software. Michelle will be able to enlighten us more as people like yourself tell her and David so they can investigate further. I just hope what I have just stated is all correct, but Michelle will correct me where I am not quite right. Like yourself I had utrackme with very good results.

location - Warragul -Victoria
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 16:58

Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 16:58

Same on Android too. Since around 2010

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Follow Up By: GarryR - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 08:14

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 08:14

Mepvic, have you had your screen freeze on the map page? What did you do about it? Did you lose any tracking?. This has also happened to us , and the only way to fix it was to shut down and restart. According to Michelle we should not have lost any tracking, but we are also not sure.

location - Warragul -Victoria
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Follow Up By: mepvic - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 16:26

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 16:26

Thanks all. I agree with you on OziExplorer. We run that on an android tablet with tracking on. Must be a limit though on points stored as on past trips, I have seen the track disappear as we head back.
Can’t quite put my finger on this problem. I have checked my phone OS and it is up to date. Thought it might have been coming in and out of mobile reception area but that doesn’t explain the problem occurring when we left home. Have just arrived at Cape Leveque with good reception and all seems ok. So frustrating

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Follow Up By: mepvic - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 16:39

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 16:39

Thanks GaryR. Have not had a problem with screen freeze. Use OziExplorer as our main mapping system on an a separate Android tablet. Only use the ExploreOz app to send position back so friends at home can see where we are and be envious.

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 18:30

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 18:30

Hi Mepvic

Are you aware that you can do the very same thing using a SPOT?, as this uses satellite for data sending and is very reliable.

You can give your family and friends your URL link to both SPOT and Spotwalla accounts and it will tell them within 5 minutes in real time where you are, and has the function of a couple of pre entered messages, as well as an SOS function that works the same as a PLB. (we carry both)

Cheers

Stephen

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Follow Up By: Member - William B (The Shire) - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 18:56

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 18:56

Hi Stephen,
I too use a Spot and was not aware of Spatwalla until you posted.
I will have to sign up.
William

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 19:31

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 19:31

Hi William

It is free to sign up to the Spotwalla and taps into the SPOT account.

It has a lot more features and once set up, is the way to go.

There are a few important things to set up first, and it you have any issues, sing out and will try to help you out.

Cheers

Stephen

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Follow Up By: Member - William B (The Shire) - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 21:14

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 21:14

Thank you Stephen.
I'll have a crack at Spotwalla and if I have any problems I'll sing out.
William

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Follow Up By: GarryR - Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 07:11

Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 07:11

Hi Stephen, which Spot do you use (eg gen3), and are you using the basic spot account or the more advanced one for your tracking, as I refer to your tracking all the time for research and find them accurate. I need to solve my tracking problem somehow. The kids keep an eye on us all the time, but its a problem when the tracking straight lines several hundred kilometers. We also carry all the necessary gear sat phone and plb in case of emergency so that's not the issue. Its mainly to record our trip, and kids to see the progress.

location - Warragul -Victoria
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 08:16

Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 08:16

Hi Garry

For recording accurate track files, I use OziEzplorer through an external GPS, a Garmin stock standard hand held GPS set to record at a rate of every 30m, as well as a GPS Mouse.

Both of these units are connected to two seperate Computer and they are both set to record at the same rate, that is every 30m, a requirement from HEMA when I used to do freelance mapping for them.

The SPOT that I use is the Gen 3 at the standard subscription that will give you real time tracking position every 5 minutes, which in the time frame of travelling, is as good as I require.

Through the SPOT, it is linked here to EO and anyone at any time can view where I am travelling. The only issue with this type of recording, it is only good for viewing where you are and far from accurate for recording accurate track files, as you get those typical lines between points, rather than a smooth files that give accurate tracking and in the past, has been used by HEMA for a number of areas that we have travelled.

Through the SPOT account, I also have the free Spotwalla Account that gives more details to end viewers.

So fin a nutshell, the user tracks that you view from me are recorded through OziExplorer and this gives a very accurate track to follow, and not the SPOT track that will show points and then straight lines between each point recorded.

Regards

Stephen

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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 09:04

Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 09:04

Interesting Stephen,

Are you intimating that the Hema’s internal GPS is not all that accurate?

I find my Hema 6 is really good and doesn’t require an external GPS.
At least, for my reference purposes.

Bill

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Follow Up By: Member - William B (The Shire) - Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 10:22

Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 10:22

G'day Stephen,

I signed up to Spotwalla last night and I have it linked to my Spot2.
Every thing seems to be working OK.

I will go for a drive today and see how it goes.
Probably like most things I will only use a fraction of its capabilities.

I have EOTrackMe, OziExplorer and the ExplorOz Traveller App as well, and I know I do not use all their features, but managed to get along the Canning all right in 2015.

William

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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 15:15

Friday, Jul 06, 2018 at 15:15

Hi Bill

The exact opposite with the HN series

I forgot to mention them and of the HN6 and the HN7, you can fine tune your recording intervals, the very same way as with OziExplorer on a normal computer.

Just like my computers, I have my record rates on theHN's set to every 30m and you will get a perfect track file. I also set my track files to record every day, so that way you will have an accurate day by day track file.

The new HX1 is very different and everything is Cloud Based and I have looked, but can not find a way of adjusting your record rate, so I do not bother recording on the HX1.

With all previous HN models, you would start recording the moment that the unit was turned on and started to travel, where as the new HX1, you actually have press the start recording tab.

So in a nut shell, set up your HN6 to what ever interval you want to record your progress and it will be just as accurate as recording it on a computer.

Cheers

Stephen

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Reply By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Wednesday, Jul 04, 2018 at 19:34

Reply By: Member - Blue M - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 18:11

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 18:11

I am also having troubles with ExpolrerOz App. So far I have lost 3 good tracks that I have travelled and wanted to see up on the big screen. Every one of them has failed so far on both my IPhone 6s and Ipad Air2 with the latest IOS updates and the latest Explorer App updates.
This trip I started my IPhone off and it got to the end of day one and fell into the “I’m not playing anymore” corner.
My IPad was started at the beginning of this trip and has been left alone and not even looked at for the past 9 days.
I just connected it to WiFi and it did track me, reasonably acutely, but has me last seen around 250 k’s from where I really am.
Tomorrow who knows what will happen.
I think I will delete the whole show and cut my losses and use something that really works, for my patience levels are at an all time low at the moment and it will either end up costing me a new Ipad or IPhone when I throw one of them out the window in a rage caused by frustration.

When looking at where people have travelled you definitely see more straight lines on the map then what was actually travelled.
These are just my thoughts on this App.

Cheers

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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 20:40

Thursday, Jul 05, 2018 at 20:40

Hi Blue,

I also had another “freeze” with EOTraveller running on an iPhone6.
It has happened to me on a couple of occasions over the past 14 months or so.
On our recent trip east to Victoria and southern NSW EOTraveller stopped recording on the second day for no apparent reason. I disabled and re-enabled track logging and that fixed the problem, but I lost track data for 1/2 day or so. Then on several occasions during our trip, the resulting track data showed straight lines between one point and another, making a track record of our trip useless.
On a couple of other occasions I have had the iPhone reboot. This appears to coincide when EOExplorer and iPhone Carplay are both running in the background, but only on rare occasions. I cannot drive the vehicle and analize this sort of problem so have pretty well decided to give up using EOTraveller.

Bill

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Follow Up By: Member - J&A&KK - Tuesday, Jul 10, 2018 at 10:22

Tuesday, Jul 10, 2018 at 10:22

Hi Blue

I experienced many straight line tracks using IPad Air 2 and iPhone 6S using Memory Map. I don’t use the EO app.

Originally I thought it was caused by the location of the devices in the vehicle. But the problem persisted irrespective of where the devices were mounted. I purchased a new iPad ( I needed one with more memory) but the problem remained.

In frustration I purchased an external GPS (Bad Elf Pro+) which connects via Bluetooth to the IPad ( it can connect to multiple devices). Problem solved. I have never had a straight line since. The Bad Elf is velcroed to the rear of the rear vision mirror, it weighs very little. Battery life is 30+ hours with positions set at 1 sec intervals. I recharge it each night off a USB port in the Karavan. It also logs the positions internally which can be downloaded later if you wish.

So my conclusion is that the IPad GPS software/firmware was the cause of the problem and not the Memory Map app. Whether the conclusion is correct or not is debatable. However my problem is solved.

Cheers John

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