Mobile GPS - getting locations in places with bad mobile data

[LostInAfrica]

I work for a tree program in rural Ethiopia, and I'm trying to compile a set of GPS coordinates for our tree nurseries, as well as the locations where people plant our trees.

The problem is that once you get outside of a population center and lose data connectivity, mobile phones can't get a lock any more. Sometimes they can get a really vague estimate, like within a few kilometers, but most of the time it's just blank. I could purchase GPS devices, but that's fairly cost-prohibitive given the size of our program.

Ideally what I'd like is a mobile app that can get a GPS lock in an area with mobile data, then stay on in the user's pocket, where their journey is followed by the app. Once the user reaches the place that they want to track, they hit a button and record the location.

Is that possible? Or would the tracking itself be screwed up without mobile data available?

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

If you have a smartphone that can run Apps. then you already have everthing that you need, smartphones have built-in GPS receivers and do-not require a cell phone signal to operate, they only require a satellite signal which can be received from anywhere in the world

There are lots of free Apps. that you can use, something like GPS Logger (Click link HERE) will do this