To get started

Sign up for an account, login and create a new map. You'll be given a link to the map view and a map key. ^{(what's this?)} A private identifer that allows you to update the map. Do not tell anybody else the map key unless you want them to be able to update your map.

In addition to the map key, each map has a map id. The map id allows others to view your map, e.g. http://smstravelmap.com/map/hfapdiscg.

Android

Install the SMS Travel Map Location Sender app.

Open the Settings menu and enter the map key you've been given, then use the "Send Location" button to send your updates.

iPhone and others

You're not out of luck! As long as you can find out your coordinates and send an SMS, you can send an update.

Send a text message of the form:
"MAPKEY LATITUDE,LONGITUDE MESSAGE" to +44 7937 405018. (see below for example)

Make sure, when sending the coordinates, that you input coordinates in decimal degrees North and East. If you have decimal degrees South or West, simply use a minus sign (e.g. 2.48270 West becomes -2.48270).

The Android app sends SMS like this but makes the process simpler. Third-party apps are encouraged. (Interested? Get in touch.)

The finer details

A location update is sent as an SMS (either with the Android app or manually), for example:

tlufqkpbx 51.45404,-2.48270 Visiting SMS Travel Map headquarters

Having received the message, the system locates your map by looking up the map key at the start of the message (tlufqkpbx in this example), and then a new location is added to the map, with the given latitude, longitude, and status message.

Now that you're able to update your map, you'll want to share it with others. You can send anyone a link to your map (for example, http://smstravelmap.com/map/hfapdiscg) and they can look at any time to see your route and your status messages.