Sendero Group Travel Blog

Follow Sendero travelers on their adventures using accessible GPS.

Wednesday, July 08, 2015

 

Relying 100% on the PK GPS in Montreal



I am in Montreal for the International Mobility Conference. It is prudent to turn off data roaming abroad and to limit the length of cellular use. This means not getting all sorts of notifications and apps that utilize data back home.

Since the Seeing Eye GPS relies heavily on data from a server, I have had to keep its use to a minimum. What I have done is to calculate my route when at the hotel on WiFi and then when I leave and lose the network, I still get directions, it just won’t recalculate the route if I go off track.

When exploring tonight in the old port of Montreal, I couldn’t use my phone at all with no WiFi. I relied completely on the PK GPS. There are lots of small streets, shops and restaurants. Everything worked beautifully. I was with 3 sighted people and I led the group to our restaurant and back to the hotel, not to say that I didn’t wonder a couple times about where to turn.

One problem area where no type of GPS would help is in the underground malls that extend for many blocks in this part of town. This is where we could really use that indoor navigation that isn’t quite here yet. In the meantime, I’ll stick to the surface streets with Braille and GPS to guide my way.

I have been coming to Montreal for many years and have recorded dozens of user points over that time. It was fun to see those so-called footprints and to be reminded of certain places and people I was with. I have now added more points to that ongoing history.

Mike

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