Google Latitude Instead of APRS

I know my place in the world! (And you can, too!)This is one of those ideas so simple that I want to kick myself for not thinking of it myself: Using the free Google Latitude smartphone tracking service to keep up with the locations of your field teams.

Google Latitude is a feature of Google Maps for mobile on these phones:

• Android-powered devices, such as the T-Mobile G1
• iPhone and iPod touch devices (coming soon)
• most color BlackBerry devices
• most Windows Mobile 5.0+ devices
• most Symbian S60 devices (Nokia smartphones)

To make it useful for emergency work, you would want to configure the sharing in advance so that members would be able to see one another’s locations, but this is a great idea for seeing where everyone is.

I’d written about Latitude on my PC World blog, but since it isn’t available for my iPhone I hadn’t really considered it for emcomm use. Thanks to SAR News for the idea. You can subscribe to this useful, free newsletter using the link I’ve provided.

Update on Sat, July 25, 2009 at 10:06AM by David Coursey, N5FDL

Arrgh! The Google Latitude app for iPhone is a Web app—and that really sucks! No Latitude for me!

Comments

[Andy McMullin]

How about using iBCNU on your iPhone instead? When it's working correctly it allows GPS and messages to an APRS server direct from your phone. So you're then compatible with other APRS users at the same time.

[David Coursey, N5FDL]

Gee, I have managed to make iBCNU work precisely once, so I just feel ripped off. :< Actually, I like the fact that Latitude doesn't rely on packet radio and especially on 144.390. It also doesn't require a ham license.

Now, Latitude depends on cell coverage, so that will be an issue in rural settings. But, if what you need to know is the location of ARES assets and others in an urban/suburban environment, I think it would work.