Most tracking problems on the day come from athletes who didn't set up beforehand. Send your participants this short briefing (copy, paste and tweak) a few days out.
Copy-and-send briefing
Getting set up for [event name]
We're tracking this event live with Aster. Please do all this before you arrive, ideally on Wi-Fi at home:
- Install the Aster app (iPhone or Android). You need the app to be tracked, the website is only for watching.
- Create an account and sign in.
- Register for the event, then open it once while you still have signal. This downloads the route and map so you can start even with no signal on the day.
- Allow location "all the time" and allow notifications when the app asks, so background tracking and alerts work.
- (Android) Turn off battery optimisation for the app, so it isn't shut down in your pocket.
- Arrive with a good charge and pick a battery mode that suits the distance.
On the day: open the app, wait for the start window, let GPS warm up, and tap Start. Lost signal mid-ride? Keep going, your track is saved on the phone and catches up when you reconnect. The app won't stop your ride or log you out on its own.
Why each step matters
- Open the event once with signal is the big one. It caches the route so an offline start works with no bars on the day. See What happens when I lose signal?.
- Background location and battery settings are what keep tracking alive with the phone in a pocket. See Tips for a reliable track.
- A good charge and the right battery mode matter most on long days. Point athletes at Battery modes.
A word on safety
Tell athletes plainly what Aster's Alert does: it alerts you, the organisers, and shares the athlete's location. It does not call the emergency services. An athlete who needs help must call it themselves (their screen has a one-tap Call emergency services button). Brief your real emergency plan separately; the app is an aid, not a rescue service. See Handling alerts.
On the day, from your side
Have your race-day dashboard open, start the gun on time (or let Aster auto-start at the scheduled moment), watch for alerts, and set an athlete's status by hand if someone crossed the line offline or pulled out. The full sequence is in the quick-start checklist.