GPS Tracking
GPS Tracking and the live command map are alpha features that run on the RAM mobile app. They are not enabled for beta agencies by default, and beta agencies do not yet have in-app mapping. This guide documents how the feature works for the teams currently testing it. If you'd like early access, reach out through the support menu. We'll update this page as the feature moves toward general availability.
The RAM mobile app records high-quality GPS tracks during search and rescue operations. Tracks are used to document area coverage, verify search patterns, and provide command staff with real-time situational awareness. This guide explains how to use the tracking feature, how to pick the right settings for your operation, and how the system handles common field conditions like lost cell signal.
How tracking works
When you start tracking a task, the app begins collecting GPS points at a regular interval. Each point is stored locally on your phone AND uploaded to the server, where it appears on the web map for command staff in near-real-time. Points are associated with the task you're tracking so coverage can be analyzed per assignment.
Key properties:
- Raw points are preserved — the app does not smooth or interpolate your track. What you see on the map is exactly what the GPS chip reported. This is critical for coverage verification and audit.
- Local and remote stay in sync — the mobile app and the web map render from the same data, so your team lead sees the same track you do (within a few seconds).
- Tracks persist after stopping — the track stays visible on your screen after you press Stop, so you can review what you walked.
- Stop and restart creates a new segment — if you pause tracking and resume later on the same task, the two periods appear as separate segments on the web map.
Starting and stopping tracking
Start tracking
- Open the Tasks page in the mobile app
- Find your assigned task
- Tap Start Tracking
The task automatically moves to "In Progress" status. You'll feel a short vibration confirming tracking has started, and a red Task banner appears at the top of the map screen showing the task title, elapsed time, and the number of points recorded.
Stop tracking
- Tap the Stop button in the red task banner at the top of the map
A final batch of points is uploaded to the server before tracking ends. Your completed track remains visible on the map.
Resume or restart
You can stop and restart tracking on the same task as many times as needed. Each start creates a new segment within the task. On the web map, each segment is shown separately with its own time range, and command staff can display, hide, or edit each one independently.
Tracking Modes
The app offers four tracking modes that balance GPS detail against battery life. Pick the mode that fits your operation — you can change it any time from Map Settings.
| Mode | GPS interval | Battery/hour* | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Saver | 30 sec | ~2% | Long operations, low battery, passive sharing |
| Balanced | 10 sec | ~4% | Standard field work, all-day ops |
| Standard SAR (recommended) | 5 sec | ~5% | Active search, most SAR operations |
| Maximum Detail | 2.5 sec | ~8% | Critical operations, training, short duration |
Approximate battery drain. Actual numbers vary with device, signal, and screen state.
How to pick
- Most searches: use Standard SAR. It matches CalTopo's default and is the right balance for active SAR.
- Long ops (8+ hours): drop to Balanced. You'll still get a detailed track.
- Running low on battery: switch to Battery Saver. The GPS chip can actually sleep between fixes in this mode, which is where the real power savings come from.
- Training, critical tactical: use Maximum Detail for short-duration high-precision work. Don't use it for all-day ops — you'll run out of battery.
Why these intervals?
The four interval choices are aligned with CalTopo's SAR-tested defaults. CalTopo is the established field-operator tool for outdoor and SAR mapping, and these intervals reflect real-world field use. Operators transferring from CalTopo get the same feel in RAM.
Changing the mode
- Tap the gear icon on the map screen
- Scroll to GPS / Location
- Tap Tracking Mode and select a mode
If tracking is already active, it will automatically restart with the new mode. Points collected before the change are preserved.
What if I lose cell signal?
This is the single most important thing to understand about RAM tracking: your track is fully preserved even when you lose cell signal.
How it works
- Every GPS point is immediately saved to your phone's local storage as well as queued for upload
- While you're out of signal, points accumulate in a local buffer
- Your map still draws your track in real-time — nothing visible changes
- As soon as the phone gets signal again, the app uploads all buffered points in one batch
- The web map catches up automatically
Offline capacity
The local buffer holds up to 20,000 points before it starts discarding the oldest ones. That's plenty for any realistic field operation:
| Tracking Mode | Maximum offline recording |
|---|---|
| Battery Saver (30 s) | ~7 days |
| Balanced (10 s) | ~55 hours |
| Standard SAR (5 s) | ~28 hours |
| Maximum Detail (2.5 s) | ~14 hours |
For multi-day remote SAR operations where cell coverage is nonexistent, use Balanced or Battery Saver to maximize offline capacity and battery life.
If you force-close the app
The local buffer is persisted to your phone's storage, so even if you force-close the app or the battery dies, your points are safe. When you reopen the app, it detects the saved buffer and syncs to the server on the next upload cycle.
Accuracy and what to expect
The tracks are raw
RAM does not smooth or clean up your track. If the GPS gets a noisy fix (say, 10 m off your actual position), you'll see it in the track. This is intentional — for coverage verification, SAR audits, and legal review, you need to see exactly what the device recorded. A "cleaned up" track would hide the real sensor data.
What to expect in different conditions
- Open terrain, clear sky: ~3–10 m accuracy. Track will closely follow your actual path.
- Forest canopy: ~5–15 m accuracy. Track may wander slightly.
- Deep canyons, dense urban: ~10–30 m accuracy. Track can zigzag. Consider Balanced mode to reduce noise (fewer fixes = fewer noise spikes visible).
- Inside buildings: GPS may fail entirely or report very low accuracy. The app discards any fix worse than 15 m accuracy, so you may see gaps.
Battery tips
- Start the operation with a full battery and a backup power bank
- Lock your screen when you don't need to see the map — the GPS keeps running in the background
- The red task banner in iOS notifications confirms tracking is still active even with the screen locked
- Lower the tracking mode (e.g. Standard SAR → Balanced) if battery drops below 50% mid-op
Permissions
For tracking to work, you must grant location permissions:
- Foreground ("When in Use") permission — required. The app asks for this the first time you open the map.
- Background ("Always") permission — strongly recommended. Without it, tracking pauses when the app is backgrounded or the screen locks. The app asks for this the first time you press Start Tracking.
If you previously denied a permission, you can grant it later from the iOS Settings app (Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → RAM Mobile).
How the web map displays your track
When command staff view the incident map in the web app:
- Your track appears as a colored line on the incident's search area
- If you've stopped and restarted, each segment is shown separately with its own time range (e.g. "10:15–10:28", "11:02–11:34")
- Clicking your track shows your name, task, and point count
- Clicking a user's entry in the Task sidebar opens a modal showing distance traveled, time on task, and percent area coverage — how much of the assigned search area your track covered (based on a 20 m sweep width)
- Command staff can edit or delete individual track points if needed (e.g. to remove a spurious fix)
Troubleshooting
"I started tracking but nothing shows on the mobile map"
Check that:
- Location permission is granted (Settings → Privacy → Location → RAM Mobile should say "While Using" or "Always")
- The task is actually in the "In Progress" state (check the Tasks page)
- You're not indoors with no GPS signal — step outside to get an initial fix
"The web map doesn't show my track"
Tracks appear on the web map within the post interval of your selected mode (5–60 s depending on mode). If after 60 seconds nothing appears:
- Make sure the task is assigned to you and that Command has the right incident open
- Check that your mobile has cell signal — without it, points are still being recorded locally but won't reach the server until signal returns
- Ask Command to refresh the web map
"The track has sudden jumps / spikes"
This is GPS noise, typically from signal loss under canopy or in canyons. The track is real data — it's what the sensor reported. If the jumps are problematic for reporting, Command staff can edit them out using the track editor on the web map.
"My battery died faster than expected"
Check your tracking mode — if it's set to Maximum Detail, the GPS chip runs continuously at its highest rate. Drop to Standard SAR or Balanced for multi-hour operations. Also ensure the screen is off when you don't need the map; an active screen is often more drain than the GPS.
Quick reference
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Start tracking a task | Tasks page → Start Tracking |
| Stop tracking | Red task banner → Stop |
| Change tracking mode | Map → gear icon → Tracking Mode |
| See points posted | Red task banner shows "Nts" counter |
| See elapsed time | Red task banner shows "mm:ss" |
| View track after stopping | Stays on map until you start a new task or close the app |
| Recover from offline period | Automatic — no action needed, points sync when signal returns |
| Recover from force-close | Automatic — buffer persists, syncs on next upload |