Rocket gps and Samsung S10

[rsbhunter]

Starting to look into gps trackers. Looking at the egg finder and the Featherweight. I've looked in the Playstore for the apps shown for the egg finder, and can't find one app that is said to be used for android . The Featherweight app does show up. I am 99% sure it is a malfunction on my part? I'd like to use eggfinder as I like building stuff, am fairly adept at soldering, and have the tools to do it. I'm coming up on my 69th Bday next month, so I really don't want to get into side loading .apk files if I don't have to. I would need to be walked through it..any help or advice? Thanks, rsbhunter

 

[cerving]

Get the Eggfinder LCD receiver instead of the Bluetooth "dongle" and you can use any navigation app that will take a GPS coordinate as a waypoint and "take you there". If you add the LCD-GPS module, you don't need any apps (or your phone) at all... the LCD receiver will do the navigation for you and tell you which way to go and how far.

The older Android Bluetooth apps are not available anymore... there is a good chance that we are going to stop selling the Bluetooth option soon because of that.

 

[jgarbus]

Get the Eggfinder LCD receiver instead of the Bluetooth "dongle" and you can use any navigation app that will take a GPS coordinate as a waypoint and "take you there". If you add the LCD-GPS module, you don't need any apps (or your phone) at all... the LCD receiver will do the navigation for you and tell you which way to go and how far.

The older Android Bluetooth apps are not available anymore... there is a good chance that we are going to stop selling the Bluetooth option soon because of that.

Chris

Are you going to keep the serial port? I've been using Expert GPS on a windows tablet and it works very well. I also have an RX dongle that works well with the program. Lately I leave Expert GPS running on a laptop at my truck with a hardwired RX dongle and cary an LCD receiver.

I have both devices mentioned in the original post and have had better luck with the Egg

 

[rsbhunter]

Get the Eggfinder LCD receiver instead of the Bluetooth "dongle" and you can use any navigation app that will take a GPS coordinate as a waypoint and "take you there". If you add the LCD-GPS module, you don't need any apps (or your phone) at all... the LCD receiver will do the navigation for you and tell you which way to go and how far.

The older Android Bluetooth apps are not available anymore... there is a good chance that we are going to stop selling the Bluetooth option soon because of that.

Thank you, I will start ordering the different "module's" as I get one built...are the above items all I need? If you list the items I need, I will buy in that order... Thank you VERY much...rsbhunter

 

[jgarbus]

Thank you, I will start ordering the different "module's" as I get one built...are the above items all I need? If you list the items I need, I will buy in that order... Thank you VERY much...rsbhunter

Take a look at the bundle kits.

Eggtimer Quasar GPS/Altimeter Combo Kits:

Recommended Starter Package:

Eggtimer Quasar, Eggfinder LCD receiver, Eggfinder LCD-GPS Module, Eggtimer Voice Module: $210

I'd still personally get the Bluetooth option and you can link it to Rocket Locator app or Bluetooth GPS app on your cell.

Also if you are a HAM operator, you can get a different RF kit with it that puts you on the 433mhz band.

Also check out the eggfinder enclosure at Inverted pursuits

 

[cerving]

Yes, the RX-USB will be available for the foreseeable future, as will the Bluetooth module separately. There are a number of Windows apps that can decode a live NMEA data stream. Most of the RX-USB units that we sell are to universities, they buy an RX-USB receiver to set up a ground station, AND an LCD receiver to go retrieve the rocket. We've come to realize over the past few years that this is the best application for the RX dongle. Using it as the primary means of retrieving your rocket is not a great idea, hauling a laptop around while looking for your rocket is inconvenient at the very least, and USB connectors do not like being moved.

Accordingly, we may stop selling the RX combo's... we realize that the price point is appealing, but another $20 for the LCD receiver upgrade is a much better value. The percentage of users that start out with the RX dongle and end up buying the LCD receiver afterwards is pretty high... probably 75% at least. It also will help us with our lead times, because we can ship everything out at the default 915/0 frequency. Honestly, it's a pain to reprogram the RF modules to some custom frequency for the RX combo's. It was OK back in 2014 when we first started selling them, but we probably sell 10x the number of trackers that we did back then, and we don't have 10x the time to deal with programming custom units.

 

[jgarbus]

Yes, the RX-USB will be available for the foreseeable future, as will the Bluetooth module separately. There are a number of Windows apps that can decode a live NMEA data stream. Most of the RX-USB units that we sell are to universities, they buy an RX-USB receiver to set up a ground station, AND an LCD receiver to go retrieve the rocket. We've come to realize over the past few years that this is the best application for the RX dongle. Using it as the primary means of retrieving your rocket is not a great idea, hauling a laptop around while looking for your rocket is inconvenient at the very least, and USB connectors do not like being moved.

Accordingly, we may stop selling the RX combo's... we realize that the price point is appealing, but another $20 for the LCD receiver upgrade is a much better value. The percentage of users that start out with the RX dongle and end up buying the LCD receiver afterwards is pretty high... probably 75% at least. It also will help us with our lead times, because we can ship everything out at the default 915/0 frequency. Honestly, it's a pain to reprogram the RF modules to some custom frequency for the RX combo's. It was OK back in 2014 when we first started selling them, but we probably sell 10x the number of trackers that we did back then, and we don't have 10x the time to deal with programming custom units.

Agree the 2 seperate receivers works well and leaving the laptop at the truck plugged into the inverter all day just recording data is the best option.

 

[Simon Auty]

I use the Bluetooth chip on my GPS-LCD RX connected to my Android phone via Rocket Locator.
The compass point pointer is faster to respond and more accurate than the one in the LCD display (basically the needle moves with each step I take).
But the LCD will still get me close enough to see my rocket -not that I’ve had to search a corn field (yet)!

 

[311stylie]

RsbHunter,

Is the app that you can't find for Eggfinder/Android the "GPS Rocket Locator" app? It worked great for me on my old Galaxy S20 and I just upgraded to the Galaxy S24 and it still works like a charm. And is still available on the play store. Works with both the RX dongle and GPS LCD with a BT module. Love using the app in conjunction with the GPS LCD even though it's not needed.

 

[cerving]

Is GPS Rocket Locator still available on the Play Store? I heard that it was not... I'm not an Android guy so I can't really check, a Google search shows that it was last updated in 2020. I've also heard that it won't work with later Android versions... again, heresy that I cannot verify.

 

[Art Upton]

RsbHunter,

Is the app that you can't find for Eggfinder/Android the "GPS Rocket Locator" app? It worked great for me on my old Galaxy S20 and I just upgraded to the Galaxy S24 and it still works like a charm. And is still available on the play store. Works with both the RX dongle and GPS LCD with a BT module. Love using the app in conjunction with the GPS LCD even though it's not needed.

My Pixel 3 is not finding that app. It has other things listed instead when I search for it.

I bought a Tiny GPS early this year and had planed to use it with my phone via the RX-blue tooth dongle I also bought with it.

 

[rsbhunter]

Yes, I have a S10, old, like me, but I don't use it alot. Just looked on the play store...no "gps rocket locator" listed? No biggie, I'm going the voice route, as the less data entry I have to do (coordinates) , the better. My days of high tech are in the rear view mirror! rsbhunter

 

[311stylie]

Rs - yeah that's a bummer. I lost a bunch of apps I liked moving from the S20 to S24, mostly HUE lighting apps by 3rd parties.

Cris - yes sir still there and works great with the latest S24. I tested it just a few weekends ago with both the dongle and LCD. It has been 4 years since they updated the app so I'm sure it's on its way out.

 

[jgarbus]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.frankdev.rocketlocator

 

[cerving]

Rs - yeah that's a bummer. I lost a bunch of apps I liked moving from the S20 to S24, mostly HUE lighting apps by 3rd parties.

Cris - yes sir still there and works great with the latest S24. I tested it just a few weekends ago with both the dongle and LCD. It has been 4 years since they updated the app so I'm sure it's on its way out.

Thanks. Does the Play Store drop an app if it hasn't been updated in awhile?

 

[311stylie]

I don't think so, maybe. But the new phones will definitely tell you that the older apps are not compatible yet the apps remain in the store. I guess for as long as older phones are still in service the play store will keep the older apps around. I'm not sure what their policies are. Good question.

 

[NateB]

Does a link work?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.frankdev.rocketlocator

Edit: looks like @jgarbus beat me.

 

[Azamiryou]

It seems that when you search in the play store, it doesn't give results not compatible with your device. When I looked for it I couldn't find it. Using the link got me to it... but there's a note that it's not available because it's not compatible with my version of Android.

 

[Art Upton]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.frankdev.rocketlocator

Interesting, it has my Pixel 3a grayed out under eligible device when I pressed install... so it won't install.

 

[jmasterj]

Likely not updated with the latest storage permission structure.

 

[ecargmij]

Is GPS Rocket Locator still available on the Play Store? I heard that it was not... I'm not an Android guy so I can't really check, a Google search shows that it was last updated in 2020. I've also heard that it won't work with later Android versions... again, heresy that I cannot verify.

I can't get it on my s20+, weird an s24 can get it.. it shows its available for an older phone but not my current one . I need to see if I can find an old phone in the junk drawer

 

[311stylie]

I can't get it on my s20+, weird an s24 can get it.. it shows its available for an older phone but not my current one . I need to see if I can find an old phone in the junk drawer

That is weird. I know I said earlier it worked on my old S20 but it was actually an S20+. I guess electrons and logic gates like me more than everyone else LOL