Session Logged as One Big Lap / Missing Laps / Bad Map Plots / Other GPS Issues

The most common root-cause of problems that people report with our app can be traced back to GPS reception issues. Although apps really can't do much about GPS or other hardware conditions, what we can do is guide you on how to make the most of what you have...

Commonly Reported Problems and Causes

1) If your session was logged as all one big lap (or as "No Laps"), then it probably did start recording but is just missing the GPS triggers... Most likely, either the correct start/finish point was not set on the track setup screen, and/or there was a GPS reception issue.

2) If your session logged some laps, but missed a few triggers (ie some laps are 2-3 times as long as they should be), then it's most likely a GPS reception issue and/or the track's start/finish tolerance was set too small.

3) If your data creates a map plot that shows you flying off the track when that didn't really happen, then this would be a GPS reception issue.


To Set the Start/Finish Point for a Circuit Track:

Go to the main Setup screen, select "Circuit" mode, and then tap the "Track" button below it. Now either select your track from the list (if it's shown there), or tap the "New" button to add it and a list of known nearby tracks will be shown. After you set up or select a track, and if it has Start/Finish coordinates set, then you can tap on the checkered flag icon to see on a map where the Start/Finish point is set. If that position is not correct, you can tap & hold to move it to another spot (but this must be precise), or simply erase the coordinates to be prompted when driving the track.

When your selected track has no Start/Finish point coordinates set, you will be given a large on-screen button to press when crossing it on track for the first time while recording a session, and then that point and heading will be remembered for the future. This is an easy way to set the Start/Finish point for the few tracks that aren't in our database, or if it's a new or temporary circuit.

When starting a recording in Circuit mode, it should normally start with "Waiting for Movement" when you are stopped, and then start actual recording once you hit 10 MPH (16 km/h), at which point the message should change to "Waiting for Start" or show a "Set Start/Finish Here" button (if no point was set). The messages may appear very similarly, so people wont always notice the change, as they are busy driving at that point, but the button should be more obvious.


To Maximize GPS Reception:

Although the app shows a "GPS" icon that will turn green upon detecting a good signal, this doesn't mean that you will have a good signal all the way around the track or at higher speeds. We wont know about problems under those conditions until they happen, at which point you're already driving and it's too late. So, it's important to do the best you can for GPS reception, rather than just what's "good enough".

When inside of a car, the best place to mount the phone is typically under the front windshield, so that the GPS antenna will have a large direct view of the sky, with no metal around it or above it. A good sturdy windshield mount is very helpful for this, and can place the phone in a good spot for shooting video as well as for visibility by the driver. Other options like rubber-banding it to the back of the rear-view mirror, or placing it in a cup holder, will have mixed results and may be problematic. Placing the phone in a pocket is frequently very problematic when at speed, and should be avoided.

Drivers who desire enhanced GPS accuracy and precision for their lap times, driving line analysis, statistics, etc., typically also upgrade to a compatible external GPS, but a phone's internal GPS should be enough to get most people started with lap timing and basic telemetry, if positioned for good reception.

Another thing you could try if your start/finish point isn't triggering would be to go into the track setup and expand your start/finish tolerance, so that it will still trigger in the event of some GPS position error. However, depending on the track, you may have some problems with it triggering on a nearby track segment... In that case, you could also set a Heading to indicate the direction of travel when you cross the actual start/finish.


Conditions that are Problematic for GPS

1) Metal between the GPS antenna and the sky. This could be your car's roof, electronics, tall chain-link fences, etc. Metal can cause the GPS signal to reflect off many surfaces and cause multi-path errors.

2) Bridges, tall buildings, or other obstructions between the GPS antenna and the sky. Banked oval tracks with high track walls also tend to be more difficult for GPS reception.

3) RF interference. Cars are a bit noisy, but it's usually not too much of a problem. Avoid putting your phone or GPS device near electronics, radio equipment, ignition coils, etc.

4) Thunderstorm clouds, other weather conditions, or even GPS satellite conditions / alignment. This is the group of variables that are the most outside of your control, but they're also usually not a big problem. It's typically still possible to get good GPS data if you did your part to maximize your GPS signal reception and quality.

5) When the app is placed in the background. This isn't a GPS issue so much as it is an Android and iOS issue, but putting the app in the background can severely impact the quality of the GPS data it receives, and things may stop entirely. Please keep the app running in the foreground, with the screen on, and don't interact with other apps while recording a session. Any incoming calls may cause it to go into the background, as can answering texts or using other apps.