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Location tracking

RaceRanger shows officials' positions on the course map so the team can see where everyone is — which officials are near an incident, who's covering which section, and whether anyone has moved out of position. Other officials with map access can see your position while a race is active.

What you need to do

  1. Allow location permission when the app asks — and set it to Always, so sharing keeps working with the screen off (see below).
  2. Be in race mode during an active race — that's when sharing runs.
  3. Glance at the pin icon in the top bar: a filled blue pin means your position is being shared, and you're done.

After every sign-in, the app shows a Location Tracking notice that you acknowledge before continuing — so you're never sharing without knowing it.

Setting the location permission

  1. Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services.
  2. Find RaceRanger in the list.
  3. Set to Always.

Or when the app prompts you, tap Allow While Using App, then later change to Always in Settings.

Apple's guide: Turn location services on or off

  1. Open Settings → Apps → RaceRanger → Permissions → Location.
  2. Select Allow all the time.

Or when the app prompts you, grant "Allow all the time" permission.

Google's guide: Manage your Android device's location settings

If location is turned off while you're in a race — or, on iPhone, set only to "While Using" — the app shows a banner below the top bar reminding you that race control can't see you on the course, with a one-tap Grant location button. Tapping it re-requests permission, or opens your device settings if permission was previously denied. The banner clears itself once location is allowed.

Who is tracked

Not everyone — typically officials out on the course (bike, vehicular, and swim officials) are tracked, while stationary officials (registration, venue control centre) are not. Whether your position is shared is part of your role and TO assignments — ask your technical delegate if you're not sure.

Privacy

  • Your location is only shared while you're in an active race with tracking enabled.
  • When the race ends or you leave the event, tracking stops. When you leave race mode after sharing, the app confirms that your location is no longer being shared.
  • Location data is stored for the duration of the event and included in the event's location history.

Full details

Everything below is optional reading — open a section when you need it.

Every status icon and map dot, explained

While you are in race mode, a small icon in the top bar shows your location-sharing status at a glance:

  • Filled location pin (blue): Your position is actively being shared.
  • Hand-off icon (teal): A dedicated device holds the location lock; your device is not the active tracker for this event.
  • Location-off icon (amber): Location sharing is off for this session, but your role is eligible to share. Check your permissions or network connection if you expect to be sharing.

The icon disappears when the race ends or when location tracking is disabled for your role.

On the map, the position dot uses three states: green when the tracker is active and recently updated, amber when the tracker appears active but has not sent an update for around fifteen minutes (for example, when an Android device's app has been closed by the system), and red when tracking has stopped. A stationary official who simply isn't moving doesn't trip the amber state — it reflects a tracker that has genuinely gone quiet. The officials list panel shows the same amber dot next to a name when the position data is stale.

Pausing, resuming, and moving tracking to another device

If you need a break from sharing — a planned stop, or stepping away from your section — you can Pause sharing from the location indicator and Resume sharing later. While you're paused, race control sees a distinct Paused status instead of assuming you've dropped off, and you show as live again the moment you resume.

If location tracking is already running on another official's device (not a dedicated tablet), race mode shows a banner offering to move tracking to the device you're using. Tap Use this device to take over; until you do, the other device keeps tracking and nothing else in race mode is interrupted.

What other officials see about you

On the map view, officials who have a last known position appear as markers showing:

  • Their name or role.
  • Their current position on the course.
  • Their last update time.
  • Battery level.
  • A status label — sharing, paused, stopped for low battery, or location turned off — shown in your own language.

Hovering an official's battery indicator, on the map panel or the team list, shows how their battery has changed over the last couple of hours.

Officials who have stopped sharing their location are still shown on the map based on their last known position. In the officials picker, they appear with a "(not sharing)" label so you can tell at a glance whether their marker reflects a live position or a stored one. An official who has deliberately paused sharing reads as Paused rather than as someone who has dropped off.

Battery tips

Location tracking is designed to minimise battery drain:

  • Updates are motion-based, not continuous — the app sends updates more frequently when you're moving and less frequently when you're stationary.
  • The app uses efficient location strategies that balance accuracy with battery life.

Keep your device charged during long events. A portable battery pack is recommended for officials on course all day.

Troubleshooting — I'm not on the map
  • Check that location permission is set to Always ("Allow all the time" on Android) in your device settings.
  • Ensure you're in an active race with tracking enabled for your role.
  • Verify you have a GPS signal (indoor locations may have poor accuracy).
  • Check your internet connection — location updates need connectivity to reach the server.