Australian Volunteer CoastGuard iPhone app

[Angla]

Is there anybody else trying the iPhone app Called "Coast Guard Safe Trx"?
I have used it twice and then once I have returned home I have logged into the site to see my track of where I have been. I have found it to be a pretty good thing. The track seems very accurate although it does not show an exact track between points like cutting across alexandra headland.
I think it would be a huge advantage to coastguard if I were to get into distress and not be able to contact anybody.
I dont see too much of a downside except that it chews the battery a lot quicker, like 95% in 8 hours
Cost is not a factor as the app is free and it costs 20 cents per trip after the first 5 freebies

Cheers
Chris

[Angla]

I must also add that my first test trip was a lap around Moreton island and you could see where i
I stopped for coffee and watched the whales.
The second trip went from Mooloolabah to caloundra 12 mile the the bottom of the Barwon Banks, Back to Cal wide and return to Mooloolabah. Every point showed the exact lat and long as well as the battery life of the phone.
Excellent coverage as it was using satellites I believe.

Cheers
Chris

[Still_Dreamin]

I only used it once. When I went the m&g at south straddie. An hour after I arrived I got a text saying I ws overdue and needed to extend or sign off. Didn't get a track as I turned gps off to save battery. So was no different to signing on and off with the coast guard.

[WalrusLike]

I use it and love it.

If I am ever missing at sea one of the useful things would be to know my track up till I went missing.

Cost 20c a trip is nothing and if we all did it then it might be trickle fund for CoastGuard. Also no doubt it is counted as a 'logging' when the govt is looking at funding them.

Also it saves the congestion on the radio channel. Having said that... Still do a radio check occasionally so you know your gear is still working.

It does use phone battery but is smart about less use as battery gets lower. I just plug mine into 12 volt supply.

Also you can have a boat photo and trailer rego etc up in their website if they ever need it.

Great stuff I reckon.






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[Lucky 1]

I just looked, It doesn't look like it is available on Google apps

[WalrusLike]

I just looked, It doesn't look like it is available on Google apps

Thats odd. It says its available for Android on their web site:

http://www.coastguard.com.au/safetrx


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[fishing111]

Is the Google one 99 cents a trip and Apple 20 cents or am i reading it wrong?

[WalrusLike]

Is the Google one 99 cents a trip and Apple 20 cents or am i reading it wrong?

Google is talking about trip 'bundles' so the same price I think.

But even at 5 times the cost it still would be a pittance well worth paying. It's peace if mind, more and better info to start the search with, and its a guarantee of a search actually starting.

But yeah... your reading it wrong.


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[Lucky 1]

I can find the App on the web site using the computer, but not on Google play on my phone? It must be my phone, or me- or that my phone is Android 2.2 and you need Android 4 or above. Oh well, I need the practice on the radio anyway.

[Bazzawookooka]

Hey there,

Can anyone tell me if this app actually uses GPS or does it use the comms network???

I ask because I only have a small data package and wouldn't want to blow my monthly limit in one trip.

The app store and trx website seem to have no info on this. Any thoughts / info / opinions welcome.

Cheers, Steve

[WalrusLike]

Hey there,

Can anyone tell me if this app actually uses GPS or does it use the comms network???

I ask because I only have a small data package and wouldn't want to blow my monthly limit in one trip.

Bazza it uses both. But don't worry it won't blow your data limit.

To report a position is actually only a teeny tiny amount of data. Even if it does it every five minutes all day, it still wouldn't add up to anything noticeable in even the smallest data allowances.

It also uses GPS of course to tell what your position is. That uses no data allowance but does use significant battery. That's why the app has to be smart about how many GPS fixes it does as (or if) the battery goes down.

Use it and don't worry.... it's all good.

Even in the worst possible phone coverage situation at the very least you will have achieved a log on and a expected time of return which is all you normally get out of a radio call anyway.

Every bit of extra info beyond that is a bonus that only the app can provide.




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[Angla]

Sorry, I am a little infrequently on here.

I believe the way it works is that if you were to go to a remote spot say 100 nm out to sea then the gps would report your position to the phone and store those points if you were out of the telephone network range. Then the next time you are in range it downloads that information through the telephone network connection. This would then suggest that you would be best to fall foul of something while you have network coverage OR consider to always fish in the same remote location.
Obviously if you have your phone OFF to conserve your battery, then it will not have your location at all.

Cheers Chris

[Malcolm W]

[The SafeTrx Smartphone application uses both the GPS and cell network to determine location. If the cell signal is lost the app will attempt to continue to acquire and store location information using the Smartphone’s GPS receiver. Once a cell signal becomes available again the app sends the backlog of stored location information to the SafeTrx server and resumes transmitting location information in real time.]

Thats a quote from the site. For those that own a smart phone it would appear to increase their level of safety, especially those that for whatever reason won't call up their VMR.
As a skippers ticket assessor I have found a certain number of boaters are afraid of the radio, for these guys this is better than nothing. I would still prefer they use the local VMR, or both, if for no other reason than a radio check and to see if VMR in that area are available and receiving.

For me it has no value at all, even if I had a smart phone as 2 places I visit several times a year have no coverage at all. The other questions are the strength of the smart phone GPS receiver?. Is it as good as the chart plotter? I have seen marine grade aerials for this application, perhaps that's the answer.

Don't get me wrong I'm not against the idea, in the long term this may be the only way of doing it once the system becomes more robust.

[WalrusLike]

Malcolm I think you are wrong when you say it has no value at all unless your departure/return point has no reception.

Even then, if you start the track at home and finish at home you at the very least get a log record and a search start if you aren't back by ETR.

They first call your backup contacts. Then they check the ramp for your vehicle then start a search.

Surely that's better than nothing?


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[Malcolm W]

Malcolm I think you are wrong when you say it has no value at all unless your departure/return point has no reception.

Even then, if you start the track at home and finish at home you at the very least get a log record and a search start if you aren't back by ETR.

They first call your backup contacts. Then they check the ramp for your vehicle then start a search.

Surely that's better than nothing?


(Using Tapatalk on iPhone so can't easily 'thank' or 'like')

Yes, agree with that Walrus, but I log on for every trip anyway with VMR as they provide the same response if you are a member. Reception is very limited on the south coast (I travel to the remote areas for 1 week trips), you could possibly log on driving up to the highest hill. I like the idea as a back up for now and give it some more time. As an assessor I'm sitting on the fence for awhile.