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| 1 | +# Waypointer Moto |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +Waypointer Moto is a GPS navigation aid intended to be attached to |
| 4 | +the handlebars of a motorcycle. |
| 5 | +It uses the GPS to find out which direction it's |
| 6 | +travelling and shows the direction and distance to the destination |
| 7 | +"as the crow flies". It gives you an indication of where to go, |
| 8 | +but exploring and navigating the environment is left up to the user. |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | + |
| 12 | +(Please note that it would be foolish in the extreme to rely on this |
| 13 | +as your only navigation aid! Make sure you read this entire document |
| 14 | +before using the app for navigation so that you know the drawbacks |
| 15 | +and shortcomings.) |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +## App usage |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +### Main screen |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +The main screen shows the direction arrow, the distance to the waypoint, |
| 24 | +and the name of the selected waypoint. |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | +It also shows the status of the GPS fix in the colour of the arrow: |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | + * Red: no GPS fix at all |
| 29 | + * Yellow: GPS location, but no GPS course (probably you're moving too slowly); |
| 30 | + in this case the direction of travel comes from the compass bearing instead |
| 31 | + of the GPS course, but note that the compass is unreliable |
| 32 | + * White: GPS fix includes both location and course, and the GPS course is used |
| 33 | + to determine the direction of travel |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +### Select a waypoint |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | + |
| 39 | +Press the middle button (`BTN2`) to enter the menu, choose a waypoint using |
| 40 | +the up/down arrows, and use the middle button again to select a waypoint and |
| 41 | +return to the main screen. |
| 42 | + |
| 43 | +### Add a waypoint |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +Press the middle button (`BTN2`) to enter the menu, and select the "+ Here" |
| 46 | +option. This will add a waypoint named "WP*n*" marking your current location, |
| 47 | +where "*n*" is the next unused number. |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | +### Delete a waypoint |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +Select a waypoint using the menu. Once the waypoint is selected and you're |
| 54 | +back on the main screen, press either the top or bottom button (`BTN1` or |
| 55 | +`BTN3`). Confirm that you want to delete the waypoint with the middle |
| 56 | +button (`BTN2`). |
| 57 | + |
| 58 | +## Waypoint editor |
| 59 | + |
| 60 | +With the Bangle.js app loader connected to the watch, find the |
| 61 | +Waypointer Moto app and click on the floppy disk icon: |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | + |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | +This will load up the waypoint editor: |
| 66 | + |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | + |
| 69 | +### Add a waypoint |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | +Use the map to find your destination. Clicking on the map will |
| 72 | +populate the latitude/longitude input boxes with the coordinates |
| 73 | +of the point you clicked on. Type in a name for the waypoint and |
| 74 | +click "Add Waypoint". Click "Upload" to send the updated list of |
| 75 | +waypoints to the watch. |
| 76 | + |
| 77 | +### Edit a waypoint |
| 78 | + |
| 79 | +Click on the pencil icon next to the waypoint you wish to edit. |
| 80 | +This will remove the waypoint from the list and populate the |
| 81 | +input boxes. |
| 82 | +Edit the coordinates by hand, or by clicking on the map. Edit |
| 83 | +the name if you want. Click "Add Waypoint" to save the waypoint |
| 84 | +back to the list. Click "Upload" to send the updated list of |
| 85 | +waypoints to the watch. |
| 86 | + |
| 87 | +### Delete a waypoint |
| 88 | + |
| 89 | +Click on the pencil icon next to the waypoint you wish to edit. |
| 90 | +This will remove the waypoint from the list. |
| 91 | +Click "Upload" to send the updated list of waypoints to the watch. |
| 92 | + |
| 93 | +## Mounting the watch on the bike |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | +There is a 3d-printable "artificial wrist" which will fit over a 7/8" |
| 96 | +handlebar and allow the watch strap to tighten up. |
| 97 | +Alternatively, in a pinch you can strap the watch around a glove or a sponge |
| 98 | +or anything else that will pad out the space so that the watch is a tight |
| 99 | +fit. |
| 100 | + |
| 101 | +The 3d-printed part should be a snug fit on the handlebar so that it does |
| 102 | +not flop around. If it is too loose, line it with a layer or 2 of tape. |
| 103 | + |
| 104 | +[Download the handlebar mount STL »](handlebar-mount.stl) |
| 105 | + |
| 106 | +[Download the handlebar mount FreeCAD source »](handlebar-mount.FCStd) |
| 107 | + |
| 108 | + |
| 109 | + |
| 110 | + |
| 111 | + |
| 112 | +## Comparison to Way Pointer |
| 113 | + |
| 114 | +Compared to the original Way Pointer app, Waypointer Moto: |
| 115 | + |
| 116 | + * removes the numerical display of compass bearing |
| 117 | + * makes the distance text bigger |
| 118 | + * uses a higher-resolution arrow icon |
| 119 | + * has a visual indication of the GPS status (the arrow colour) |
| 120 | + * uses GPS course instead of compass bearing |
| 121 | + * has OpenStreetMap integration in the waypoint editor |
| 122 | + * uses Bangle.js menus to select waypoints instead of custom UI |
| 123 | + * can add new waypoints from inside the app without requiring a blank slot |
| 124 | + * can delete waypoints from inside the app without needing the PC |
| 125 | + * still uses the same `waypoints.json` file |
| 126 | + |
| 127 | +## Gotchas |
| 128 | + |
| 129 | +Waypointer Moto derives your current heading from the GPS course |
| 130 | +rather than the compass, whenever GPS course is available. |
| 131 | +The compass bearing is based on the angle the watch is held, but |
| 132 | +the GPS course is based on the direction it's *travelling*. If the |
| 133 | +watch is not aligned with the direction of travel of the vehicle |
| 134 | +then the arrow will not point in the correct direction. |
| 135 | + |
| 136 | +When travelling too slowly, there is no GPS course information, so the |
| 137 | +app reverts to using the compass (and draws it in yellow), but |
| 138 | +the compass is not very reliable, and I |
| 139 | +have especially found it not to be reliable when placed on a motorcyle, |
| 140 | +maybe because of all the metal in the immediate vicinity. So if |
| 141 | +the arrow is not drawn in white, then you should probably not trust |
| 142 | +it. If you're not sure, just ride in a straight line until the arrow |
| 143 | +turns white again. |
| 144 | + |
| 145 | +## Possible Future Enhancements |
| 146 | + |
| 147 | + - "routes" with multiple waypoints; automatically step from one |
| 148 | + waypoint to the next when you get near to it |
| 149 | + - some way to manually input coordinates directly on the watch |
| 150 | + - make the text & arrow more legible in direct sunlight |
| 151 | + - integrate a charging connector into the handlebar mount |
| 152 | + - upstream the map integration to the other waypoint apps |
| 153 | + |
| 154 | +## Acknowledgements |
| 155 | + |
| 156 | +Waypointer Moto is a project by [James Stanley](https://incoherency.co.uk/). It is a derivative of [Adam Schmalhofer's](https://github.com/adamschmalhofer) Way Pointer app, which is in turn a derivative of |
| 157 | +[jeffmer's](https://github.com/jeffmer/JeffsBangleAppsDev) GPS |
| 158 | +Navigation and Compass Navigation apps. |
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