Acuray GPS Navigator — User Manual

SECTION 00

GETTING STARTED & PERMISSIONS

On first launch, Acuray asks for precise location permission: it is required to receive GPS fixes and must be granted to use the app. On Android 13 and later, the first time you start a track recording the app also requests the notifications permission, used to show the persistent notification while tracking in the background.

For your first GPS fix, go outdoors with a clear view of the sky: the initial acquisition can take anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. The GPS status card at the bottom of the dashboard switches from ACQUIRING (amber) to FIX OK (bright green) once your position is locked.

TIP — An internet connection is only needed to download maps in the tracking and detail screens. The dashboard, compass, satellite view, and waypoints all work fully offline.

SECTION 01

MAIN DASHBOARD

The main screen shows every live GPS reading: coordinates in degrees/minutes/seconds, altitude, heading, accuracy, the compass, and speed in large type. Every other screen in the app is reached from here.

FIG. 01 — MAIN DASHBOARD

1
TRACK
Opens the track recording screen. The pill glows bright green while a recording is in progress, even one started in the background.
2
AWAKE
Keeps the screen on, handy while navigating. The setting is remembered after you close the app.
3
LAT / LON COORDINATES
Your current position in degrees, minutes, and seconds (DMS), with the cardinal direction N/S and E/W.
4
ALT / HDG / ACC
Altitude in meters, GPS heading (degrees + cardinal), and the estimated accuracy of the fix in ± meters.
5
COMPASS
A compass rose with a needle pointing north. The fixed amber triangle at the top marks where the phone is pointing. See section 03 for calibration badges and true north.
6
SPEED
Current speed in large type, with the selected unit beside it. Shows --- until the GPS provides a valid speed reading.
7
UNITS
Switch between KMH (km/h), MPH (miles/h), or KN (knots, for marine use). The choice applies across the whole app and is remembered.
8
GPS STATUS
Green = fix locked, amber = acquiring. Tap to open the satellite view (section 04).
9
SAVE WPT
Instantly saves your current position as a waypoint, with an automatic name based on the date and time. Requires an active GPS fix.
10
WAYPOINTS
Opens the list of saved waypoints, where you can rename them, delete them, or start GOTO navigation (sections 02 and 08).

SECTION 02

GOTO NAVIGATION

Tapping a waypoint in the list starts GOTO navigation: a panel appears on the dashboard with the distance, bearing, and an arrow pointing toward the destination. The panel stays active even if you close and reopen the app, until you dismiss it.

FIG. 02 — GOTO PANEL ON THE DASHBOARD

1
GOTO BADGE + NAME
Shows that navigation is active and which waypoint is the destination.
2
CLOSE (✕)
Turns off GOTO navigation. The waypoint is not deleted: it stays in the list.
3
DIRECTION ARROW
Points toward the waypoint relative to your direction of travel. While moving it uses the GPS course; while stationary it uses the phone's compass, so the arrow stays reliable even on foot or at anchor.
4
DISTANCE
Straight-line distance to the waypoint, in meters or kilometers, updated on every GPS fix.
5
BEARING
Absolute bearing to the destination (degrees from north + cardinal direction).

NOTE — Distance is measured as the crow flies (great-circle), not along roads or channels: it is the correct figure for boating and hiking, and approximate for driving.

SECTION 03

COMPASS & CALIBRATION

The compass uses the phone's sensors (accelerometer + magnetometer). When a GPS fix is available, the azimuth is corrected for local magnetic declination and points to true north (label TRUE NORTH); without a fix it points to magnetic north (MAGNETIC).

Magnetometers can lose accuracy near metal, magnets, or electronics. Acuray shows the calibration state with a badge and offers a guided routine to recalibrate.

FIG. 03 — CAL BADGE AND CALIBRATION DIALOG

1
CALIBRATION BADGE
No badge = excellent accuracy. CAL OK / CAL LO (amber) = medium or low accuracy. CAL ! (flashing red) = unreliable reading, recalibrate.
2
LONG PRESS
Press and hold the compass card to open the calibration dialog. A single tap does nothing.
3
FIGURE-8 MOTION
The animation shows the gesture to perform: rotate the phone in the air tracing a figure-8, slowly, for a few seconds.
4
LEVEL INDICATOR
Four dots + a label (UNRELIABLE / LOW / MEDIUM / HIGH) updated live as you move the phone.
5
CLOSING
The dialog closes itself after 2 seconds at MEDIUM or above; you can dismiss it manually at any time with CLOSE.

WATCH OUT — Magnetic cases, magnetic car mounts, and proximity to speakers or motors disturb the magnetometer. If the CAL ! badge keeps reappearing, move the phone away from the magnetic source.

SECTION 04

SATELLITE VIEW

Tapping the GPS status card opens the satellite view: a polar sky map showing where every visible satellite sits, plus a detailed list with signal strength. Acuray receives multiple constellations: GPS (G), GLONASS (R), Galileo (E), BeiDou (C), and others.

FIG. 04 — SATELLITE VIEW

1
FIX MODE
3D FIX (position + altitude), 2D FIX (position only), or NO FIX (acquiring).
2
POLAR MAP
The sky seen from above: the center is the zenith (straight up), the edge is the horizon. Each satellite's position reflects its real elevation and azimuth.
3
SATELLITES
Each dot is a satellite, identified by constellation + number (e.g. G05 = GPS, E12 = Galileo). Color shows signal strength: green strong, amber medium, gray weak.
4
DETAILED LIST
For each satellite: identifier, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR in dB-Hz), elevation, azimuth, and a signal bar. Scroll to see every satellite received.

SECTION 05

TRACK RECORDING

The TRACK screen records your route with live statistics and a map that follows your position. Recording continues even with the screen off, the app in the background, or during a phone call: a persistent notification shows the running distance and timer.

FIG. 05 — TRACKING SESSION IN PROGRESS

1
HISTORY (☰)
Opens the list of saved tracks (section 06).
2
STATUS + TIMER
A flashing green dot while recording, with the total session time.
3
DISTANCE
Accumulated distance traveled. Poor-quality GPS fixes are filtered out automatically to avoid phantom jumps.
4
MAX / AVG
Top speed reached and average speed. The average is computed over moving time only, so stops don't drag it down.
5
CURRENT / MOVING / STOPPED
Instantaneous speed, time spent moving, and time spent stationary (in amber).
6
LIVE MAP
The track is drawn in green in real time and the map follows your position. The zoom you set by pinching is preserved.
7
START / STOP
Starts or stops recording. On STOP the session is saved to history automatically, as long as it contains data.
8
RESET
Clears the on-screen statistics after STOP. It asks for confirmation and never touches already-saved sessions.

BATTERY — Tracking uses GPS continuously: for long sessions, start with a full charge or keep the phone plugged into a power source.

SECTION 06

TRACK HISTORY

Every recorded session is saved on the device and collected in history, reachable from the icon at the top right of the tracking screen. From here you can open, rename, and delete each track.

FIG. 06 — TRACK HISTORY WITH MENU OPEN

1
COUNTER
Total number of sessions saved on the device.
2
SESSION CARD
Name, date/time, and a DIST / TIME / AVG summary. Tap the card to open the detail view with map and export (section 07).
3
MENU ⋮
Opens quick actions on the single track without entering the detail view.
4
RENAME / DELETE
Rename replaces the automatic name with one of your own. Delete removes the track permanently, after confirmation.

SECTION 07

DETAIL & GPX/KML EXPORT

A session's detail view shows the full route on the map, extended statistics, and the export buttons. The generated files use the standard GPX 1.1 and KML 2.2 formats, compatible with Google Earth, Strava, Garmin, OpenCPN, and most mapping software.

FIG. 07 — SESSION DETAIL

1
ROUTE MAP
The full track, framed automatically to fit. Amber dot = start, green dot = finish.
2
PRIMARY STATISTICS
Total distance, session duration, and average speed in the selected unit.
3
SECONDARY STATISTICS
Top speed, moving time, and stopped time.
4
EXPORT GPX / KML
Generates the track file: GPX (with elevation and timestamp per point) for sports and GPS apps, KML for Google Earth with Acuray's green polyline.
5
SHARING
After export, the Android share sheet opens: send the file to any app or save it to the cloud.

SECTION 08

MANAGING WAYPOINTS

Waypoints are saved positions: a mooring, your parked car, a trailhead. Create them with SAVE WPT on the dashboard and manage them from the WAYPOINTS list.

FIG. 08 — WAYPOINT LIST WITH ACTIVE NAVIGATION

1
GOTO BADGE
The waypoint you are navigating to is highlighted with a bright-green border, a GOTO badge, and a "navigation active" note.
2
WAYPOINT DATA
Name, creation date and time, decimal coordinates, and altitude (if available when saved).
3
TAP THE CARD
Starts GOTO navigation to that waypoint and returns to the dashboard, where the direction panel appears (section 02).
4
MENU ⋮
Navigate to (same as tapping), Rename, and Delete. Deleting the active waypoint turns GOTO navigation off automatically.

SECTION 09

AGGREGATE STATISTICS

The statistics screen sums up all your saved tracks, filterable by period: last week, last month, or all-time.

FIG. 09 — AGGREGATE STATISTICS

1
PERIOD SELECTOR
Filter the statistics by last week, last month, or the full history.
2
DISTANCE & SESSIONS
Total kilometers traveled and number of tracks recorded in the selected period.
3
TIMES
Total recording time and actual moving time. Tracks recorded with very old versions of the app may not contribute to moving time.

SECTION 10

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Speed shows "---", why?: The speed reading comes from the GPS and needs a stable fix plus a bit of movement. When stationary or with a weak signal, it is normal for it to be unavailable.
Does recording continue if I turn the screen off?: Yes. Tracking runs as a foreground service with a persistent notification: it continues with the screen off, the app in the background, and during phone calls. On some phones with aggressive battery saving, it helps to exclude Acuray from battery optimizations.
Does my data leave the phone?: Tracks and waypoints are stored only locally on the device. They are shared externally only when you use the export buttons. The connection is used solely to download map tiles.
What's the difference between GPX and KML?: GPX is the standard for devices and sports apps (Garmin, Strava, Komoot): it includes elevation and a timestamp for each point. KML is the Google Earth format, ideal for viewing your route in 3D.
The compass points the wrong way.: Run the figure-8 calibration (section 03) and move the phone away from magnets, magnetic mounts, and speakers. With an active GPS fix the compass points to true north, which differs slightly from magnetic north.
Can I use Acuray on a boat?: Yes: the KN (knots) unit is intended for coastal navigation, and the straight-line GOTO distance and bearing are the correct figures on the water. Acuray is a support tool and does not replace official nautical charts or onboard instruments.