Handy GPS FAQ (Android version)

Last updated May 2021


Where are Handy GPS files stored ?

From version 36.0 onwards, Handy GPS stores files in a private location, as required by Google. To view the files you can plug your phone into a PC using a USB cable and browse to your phone's internal storage.

Handy GPS used to store its files in a top level folder called "HandyGPS", but now all files are stored in Android/data/binaryearth.handygps/files for the paid-upfront version, Android/data/binaryearth.handygpssub/files for the subscription version, and Android/data/binaryearth.handygpsfree/files for the free version.

Also please be aware that if you uninstall the app, this folder will be removed, so make sure you backup any files you want to keep before uninstalling the app.

If you have exported data to KML or GPX files that you want to email directly from your phone, rather than pluggin in a USB cable, you can press the menu button at the bottom right of the main page, choose "Share location data", and then "Email selected file".


Why does the app stop recording the tracklog and updating the odometer when the phone is sleeping ?

Android 6 (Marshmallow) introduced a new power saving mode which may interfere with the normal functioning of HandyGPS. If you want the app to keep tracking in the background we recommend that you turn the battery optimization off for this app. See this page for details.

Also, a number of users who experienced this issue on Android 7 (Nougat) found that in addition to the above steps, they also needed to turn off battery power saving mode on their phones before tracklog recording continued working when the screen was off.


What options do I have for purchasing Handy GPS ?

There are three versions of Handy GPS. There is a free version with limited functionality, and there are two paid version which have no limitations and many more features. Both the paid versions are identical to each other, other than the payment option.

There is an annual subscription version of Handy GPS which costs about US $5 per year, and there is a paid up-front version which is a bit more expensive, but with no annual fee and nothing further to pay. For users who intend to use the app for the long term, the paid up-front version represents the best value.


How can I cancel my Handy GPS subscription ?

The annual subscription payments are handled by Google as in-app purchases, so BinaryEarth never has access to your credit card details - only Google does. The subscription price is fixed, and cannot be changed without your approval. You are free to cancel the subscription auto-renewal at any time as described on this link:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7018481?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en


The waypoint Symbols folder in my installation of HandyGPS is empty. How do I get the symbol images back ?

The symbols come embedded in the app itself, so just delete the Symbols folder, then re-start HandyGPS and it will automatically create the Symbols folder again and populate it with the default images.


I'm in the UK. How can I see the OSGB grid reference letters for my current location ?

If you have the paid version of the app, press the menu button at the bottom right of the main page and choose "Edit custom datum". Press the "Choose predefined datum" button and select "OSGB36 (Britain)". Then press "OK".

Back on the main page of the app, make sure the coordinate system at the top is set to "UTM" and choose a datum of "Custom: OSGB36".

Then, when the app has a GPS fix, just press the main menu button and choose "Show grid ref". If you are in the UK, you should now see the grid ref numbers prefixed with two letters, representing your location e.g. "TQ". See this page for a map of the UK grid.

If, instead, you see a grid ref with three letters, you will need to turn off the "Show grid ref in MGRS format" option on the preferences page.


I have a KMZ file. Can I load this in HandyGPS ?

HandyGPS will only import KML and GPX files, however a KMZ file is just a zipped file, so change it's extension from .kmz to .zip on a Windows PC and then open it in Windows Explorer. Usually, a .kmz file contains one or more .kml files. Simply extract these and then you can import them into HandyGPS in the usual way.


Where is the folder that HandyGPS uses to import and export files ?

The HandyGPS folder may not necessarily be located on your SD card. With older versions of Android this was the case, but with newer versions (from KitKat 4.4 onwards) it is usually on the main phone storage under an "emulated" SD card location. (e.g. /storage/sdcard1) This is because of a change Google made to the way Android works to make it more secure. This also works even if your phone does not have an SD card.

To find the files, either plug your phone into a PC and use Windows Explorer to find the HandyGPS folder, or install a file browser app like ES3 on your phone.


Does HandyGPS support offline maps ?

Yes, the paid versions of HandyGPS support downloading map tiles for an area of interest from various Open Street Map and other tile servers, including topo map tile servers for some countries (See the offline maps help topic).


How do I make HandyGPS look correct on a phone with a very small screen ?

Press the preferences button (the gear icon at the bottom-left of the main page), and for the second option choose a text size of small or very small. You can also minimize the number of buttons shown on the main page using the "Main page customization" options which are further down the page.



How should I manage my waypoints and track logs ?

The best way to use this app is to clear all the loaded data and reset the odometer before each new walk. Remember to export your current data first if you haven't already though!

You can also set the session name for each walk from the menu on the main page to help organise your trips. The session name can be set to the name of the area you're going to be walking in (e.g. Somersby). This name is then used as a prefix when exporting the recorded data to a file and the current date is automatically appended (e.g. Somersby_03Feb2014.kml). The session name is also used to form the sub-folder name where pics taken from within the app are recorded.



Why has the app become unresponsive ?

If you have set the track log spacing to a small value on the preferences page (e.g. 5 or 10 metres) and you use the app while driving in your car, it can quickly log thousands of tracklog points. This can make the app unresponsive on some devices. If using the app in a car use a larger track log spacing (e.g. 100 metres).

Press the "i" button on the main page to see how many tracklog points are currently being stored. Usually this should be no more than about 1000 points.

To restore responsiveness you will need to delete the tracklogs (export them first if you need to keep them though).


What if I want to switch to another app without stopping HandyGPS ?

The best way is to press the "Home" button on your phone to take you to the home screen (rather than pressing the back button) and launch the other app you want to run. When you're done, use the recent apps button to return to HandyGPS.


How can I maximise battery life ?

GPS logging apps like Handy GPS use more power than normal apps. When you're in an area where you get little or no phone signal, you can put your phone into airplane mode to reduce battery power usage. On most Android devices, the GPS will still operate in airplane mode, since it is a receiver only.

A new "Power saving mode" option was also recently added to the general section of the Preferences page. This changes the app to only check the GPS location every 5 seconds, instead of every second, resulting in a significant increase in battery duration while using the app.

When you're finished using Handy GPS, make sure you close the app by pressing the exit button which is located at the bottom-right of the main page. If you leave it running, it will continue to consume battery power.


How can I reduce the time it takes to get a GPS location fix ?

If you are in an area with cell tower coverage, turn on your phone's data (if it is not on already). This usually assists the phone to get a location fix faster. See this article about A-GPS for more info.

But if you are outside cell tower coverage, don't worry, you'll still get able to determine your position from the GPS satellites, it just may take a little longer to get an initial fix. In any case, make sure you are outside where you have a clear view of the sky.


Why isn't the compass working ?

If you don't have a magnetic field sensor in your Android device, you will not be able to use the compass page.

If you do have a magnetic sensor and the compass is not working, it could just be that the sensor needs calibrating. This can be done by rotating the phone in each of the 3D axes in the air while the compass page is open. If the compass still doesn't work properly after doing this, check that your phone case does not include a magnetic clasp since any nearby magnet will interfere with the magnetic sensor.


I have an Apple iMac or MacBook. How can I transfer KML or GPX files to/from my Android phone ?

Simple. You just need to install the Android File Transfer program on your Mac.


Why can't I play back voice memos recorded in the app when I open the Audio.kml file in Google Earth on my PC ?

In Google Earth, select Tools > Options > General, then tick the box which says "Allow access to local files and personal data". Then the audio files should play when you click on the hot-linked word "Audio" in the pop up balloon dialog. Also make sure that you have copied both the Audio.kml file and the audio recording files to the same folder on your PC.


Are you planning to translate the app into Italian, French, Spanish, etc ?

Unfortunately, no. There are no plans to do this at the moment. English is the second most spoken language in the world (second only to Mandarin), and it is also the language I am fluent in. Supporting multiple languages would add additional overheads of time and money which would make it harder for me to focus on the core app features. As the developer of the app, I simply do not have the time or resources for this. To those who do not speak English, I'm sorry.



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