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Location and tracking questions with Explore iOS App

I’m new to the Mini 2 and Explore App, but I’ve been using Delorme and Garmin handhelds since the PN-20, so I have been pretty comfortable with the technology and software. Until now! I’m switching over from the Inreach Explorer+ and the Earthmate App, and I’m having some challenges adapting to the Explore App. I have searched elsewhere for answers, but realized that I should have started here on this forum.

1) On a recent backcountry XC day trip, the track line showed up on my iPhone 12, but the location arrow stayed way back near my starting point. I don’t send tracking points because I’m on the safety plan, but I assume that shouldn’t affect the location arrow. I have location set to “while using.” The location arrow did show up on Gaia GPS which I usually run at the same time for comparison. And it always showed up on The Earthmate App. Any suggestions?

2) I was having trouble saving my track at the end of the day until I discovered that The Explore App had recorded the wrong date and time for the trip. My phone is set to automatically display time, date, and time zone. My Mini 2 displays the correct time and is set to automatic time zones, but I don’t see a date display. I’m confused as to why the time and date stamps were incorrect.

I hope someone can help solve my confusion! Thanks in advance.

0 Former Member over 1 year ago

JLB48 said:
My Mini 2 displays the correct time and is set to automatic time zones, but I don’t see a date display.

From Home page, press either arrow down or power button.

Day of month and week will be shown in top right of display.

0 Psyches over 1 year ago

My understanding is, the current location arrow in the Explore iOS app is the location of your phone, not the device - so you'll need to at least briefly turn your phone off airplane mode and let it acquire GPS. Multiple prior device locations can be found if you sent your location in messages (each attached to the message). This kind of makes sense - I have both a fenix 7XSS and InReach Mini 2 connected to the Explore app; they can be at different locations, yet Explore app only shows one current location: where the app is (on the iPhone).

0 JLB48 over 1 year ago in reply to Former Member

Thanks for that info. It’s weird that the Mini 2 does show the correct date, but the tracking stamp on my phone is a day earlier! And the phone’s time and date is correct.

0 JLB48 over 1 year ago in reply to Psyches

Thanks for helping. My understanding is that with the Earthmate App connected to devices, like the Explorer+, the phone actually got its gps info from the Garmin device. But if I understand you, the phone no longer gets it location from the Mini 2, but rather from its own built in gps? If so, I wonder about what seems to be a downgrade in function and possibly accuracy. And regarding airplane mode, from what I’ve read, the iPhone’s gps is still able to receive signals while in airplane mode.

0 Psyches over 1 year ago in reply to JLB48

Oops, yes you're right, airplane mode doesn't turn off gps - you'd have to disable Location Services to do that (and enable them to turn it on). I don't know about the Earthmate app, but the phone never gets its location from another device, but some app could, like the Explore app. But as I said, it'd be confusing with multiple devices - and accuracy of the phone would usually be on par with the device (YMMV based on the device and its settings). I personally wouldn't call it a downgrade in either function or accuracy.