 Poster: A snowHead
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When we went earlier this year we tried several apps in an attempt to be able to keep track of where the others are. Unfortunately none of them worked, we had further limitations in that there is an iOS and Android mix. I think we tried Slopes, snoww, iSharing, Snow Mappy, We Ski, OnTheSnow and Jollyturns. A lot of these were underdeveloped and very buggy.
A free ski based app would be ideal so you can see yourself and others on a piste map, but failing that a general one would suffice. Certainly don’t need it to be too complicated.
Thanks!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@viciousvulture, I am sure it would be useful but what’s the incentive to built such and app that would be free?
Plus the issue is normally location apps eat data. Coverage is not that great. And accuracy decreases in mountainous terrain.
Also what’s wrong with using maps?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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General, you can share your location on Google Maps, and I've used Facebook Messenger with live location sharing and WhatsApp does it as well. I've not used it for skiing but have for MTB when trying to find someone in the middle of a forest.
In the mountains it will depend on quality of signal, if there's any at all. GPS fix may be great with plenty of view of satellites, but cell cover for the mobile signal far less so. Though some services will at least show the last position it had.
Strava, while not ski specific but useful for tracking stuff, has buddy beacon. Garmin has live tracking also.
Old school is get some radios. Can have a good range, but don't work if you're either side of a big mountain, and doesn't tell you the location. Also various issues between legal frequencies in different countries and the radios sold in UK.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sat 12-03-22 19:09; edited 2 times in total
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Life 360 works Ok for my family. Used it a wee bit in Italy and seemed to work OK.Not perfect but helps keep track of teenagers.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Just tried Google Maps and it works well I think. Not sure how we didn’t try that one before. And luckily for the resort where are going to Google Maps has the lifts and piste runs on it which makes it easier to identify whereabouts people are. Hopefully it’s not such a drain on battery.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Share location on WhatsApp.
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Why not just call?
I mean people will always be moving right when skiing right so even if you knew their location how does the info help you?
We have Life360 for general tracking at home but never used it when skiing though admittedly we ski together.
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As suggested, Google Maps is very good for this, works a treat.
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Why not just call? |
Of course that's possible, although people would more likely send a message, but it's not solving the same problem.
Each to their own, but the "location sharing" thing is a significantly cool way to work with friends around a ski resort, in my experience.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Never quite understood why that is. You check on an app where your friends/family are, and see that they are on a piste say 3 lifts away. Even if you ski over to there, they won't be there any more, and they might even have done the reverse and skied to where you started from! If you want to meet in a restaurant surely phone/text/message is a better way of doing it, as you can agree times etc? What am I missing?
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ecureuil wrote: |
Never quite understood why that is. You check on an app where your friends/family are, and see that they are on a piste say 3 lifts away. Even if you ski over to there, they won't be there any more, and they might even have done the reverse and skied to where you started from! If you want to meet in a restaurant surely phone/text/message is a better way of doing it, as you can agree times etc? What am I missing? |
We can do this as a backup or the share via whatsapp, but the solution I'm seeking is a "live" location tracker. So you can open up your app and find out that your mate is on the same slope as you etc. But Google Maps seems to be pretty good for this purpose.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ecureuil wrote: |
Never quite understood why that is. .... What am I missing? |
<shrug>As I said, it's not solving the same problem as a call. Not everything's for everyone. It's subtle.
Example: "I wonder where Kenny is - he could be home, at Function Junction, or maybe he's in The Village.
A quick check on Google maps and if he's in the village I'll maybe text him to get him over for coffee, or ask him for a lift home...
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