Navigation Apps - Voice Turn By Turn Directions GPX Files

[Witterings]

I've spent absolutely hours trying to find a Voice Turn By Turn Direction App for iPhone and then trying to get it to work.

I don't mean going into google maps and typing a destination that you wish to end up at so it gives you directions from where you are to the end point …. but for when you've created a route in say Strava, Mapout, Cycle.travel or any other that you then import the GPX file and it follows the route with voice directions … taking into consideration the end point is often the start point.

I have worked out how to import GPX routes into google maps so you can see them as overlays but can’t seem to work out how to get commands to follow the route that’s showing.

My personal reason is I'm long sighted so just having a map to the \ go by isn't the best as I constantly squinting to try and see it but even if I wasn't I’d rather be looking at the road ahead and scenery around than constantly having to glance down at my phone.

I eventually got OsmAnd to work and was able to import GPX files into it and get it to give voice commands but it's not the most user friendly of applications and the map view isn't great.
Mapfactor Navigator's view looks so much better but it doesn't seem like you can import GPX files onto an iPhone ... although I believe you can on Android.

I'm a very light user as most of our rides are local over known paths so don't really want to get into subscribing on a monthly basis for something like Ride with GPS as I don't use it enough to warrant a monthly fee.
I had thought about getting a Wahoo/Garmin/Lezyne but again the amount I use it doesn't justify the cost and being long sighted a phone will have a better display that I'm more likely able to see.

Would have thought this / a general navigation thread would make a great sticky as I’m sure it’s something a lot of people may find useful …. Even if it also discussed the benefits of the various GPS units in comparison available as well.

[mjr]

I'm surprised that osmand can't import files. Is it not shown as an option when you try to open a gpx file in a file transfer or email app?

It might be with putting "iPhone" in the subject line, else you'll attract loads of us Android osmand users!

[Witterings]

I'm surprised that osmand can't import files. Is it not shown as an option when you try to open a gpx file in a file transfer or email app?

Maybe I shouldn't have put the two in the same sentence as it wasn't clear but I did manage to import them into OsmAnd ... but the app is very "clunky" .... I couldn't seem to find a way to import maps into Mapfactor Navigator on an iPhone although I believe you can do it on Android ... apologies for any confusion I;ll see if \i can edit the original thread to make it a bit clearer.

[climo]

Komoot will do what you want iirc but the spoken direction is a bit late or somesuch. The autorouting is not as good as cycle.travel and putting in your own POI's such as an off route campsite can't be done. The map files are huge, not sure why. It is a very slick process though - plan online & it appears on your phone. I've pretty much given up on it in favour of Osmand which is clunky, not intuitive but comprehensive and overall very good. The Iphone version is not so good apparently.
You can import into Osmand ia Google Drive or Dropbox
https://osmand.net/help/faq.html#importing_gpx
https://jeroenmols.com/blog/2016/07/21/cyclinggps/

I would say that the best thing to do is to plan in cycle.travel, export gpx to Dropbox and hence to Osmand.

[Witterings]

The Iphone version is not so good apparently.
You can import into Osmand ia Google Drive or Dropbox
https://osmand.net/help/faq.html#importing_gpx
https://jeroenmols.com/blog/2016/07/21/cyclinggps/

I would say that the best thing to do is to plan in cycle.travel, export gpx to Dropbox and hence to Osmand.

I had a look at the above links to see if I could get it to automatically put the dropbox files into Osmand which would be "a convenient feature" but the menu in iphone is different and can't seem to find the data storage folder which is a shame. To be able to do it straight off a PC and have it automatically syn to Osmand would be brilliant although that said it's not that hard to just open it in dropbox and then export to Osmand.

[climo]

The Iphone version is not so good apparently.
You can import into Osmand ia Google Drive or Dropbox
https://osmand.net/help/faq.html#importing_gpx
https://jeroenmols.com/blog/2016/07/21/cyclinggps/

I would say that the best thing to do is to plan in cycle.travel, export gpx to Dropbox and hence to Osmand.

I had a look at the above links to see if I could get it to automatically put the dropbox files into Osmand which would be "a convenient feature" but the menu in iphone is different and can't seem to find the data storage folder which is a shame. To be able to do it straight off a PC and have it automatically syn to Osmand would be brilliant although that said it's not that hard to just open it in dropbox and then export to Osmand.

Stick with Osmand if it works well on Iphone. I've looked at many navi programs and that's that most comprehensive but the learning curve is steep and long. Pay for Osmand+ and the Contour plugin. Choice of map renderings - I use this
http://www.openfietsmap.nl/installation/android/osmand
and find it very good.

[AndyK]

I find the RideWithGPS Basic subscription very good value, though admittedly I do a LOT of route planning.

The Android app's voice navigation worked very well for me, to the extent that I could often negotiate junctions without even needing to glance at the display. You get a little musical fanfare (different fanfares for right, left and straight on) followed by the synthesized voice speaking the instructions. It plays a little sad tune when you wander off the route. As far as I know the iPhone app works in the same way. (I now mostly use an Elemnt Bolt, syncing the routes from RideWithGPS.)

One of the good things about RideWithGPS is that you can edit the text of the turn-by-turn instructions, which is great if you're preparing a route that's going to be used by other people - you can even add your own prompts in like "Beware gravel on descent" or "Coffee stop in one mile"!