Oruxmaps: basic guide to the MTB outdoor GPS App

Oruxmaps Main Menu

Settings

In this part of the menu, you'll be able to modify the Global Settings changing the user interface, the profiles, the maps and tracks default settings (for example the folders where they are stored), the sensors, the units and many more. Among the Tools you can measure distances or areas on the map, you can view the state of the GPS signal and its accuracy (by downloading the App GPS status), you can access fast default settings, user manuals or information about the App. I personally seldom use this menu.

Maps

The second menu from the right is dedicated to maps. In this case, you'll find many options: the first and most useful allows to select the background map among the online and offline maps on the device (we'll see how to download the maps). Furthermore, you can upload 3D Maps if you have a DEM file of the area of interest (altimetric data), upload Overlay KML (layers overlaying the background map), share your position on the map, center the map on a specific point (selected point, track or route starting point, map center, last GPS position). There are more options, not treated in this short guide.

Routes

Another useful menu is Routes. In this case, we can look for a route of interest, marking points on the map, we can create our own tracks, load or manage our GPX or KML files already in our database. I personally use this menu to manage my tracks and to load other users' to follow during my MTB excursions.

Waypoints

Another menu used mostly during tracking time is Waypoints. It will allow you to mark some points of interest during your activities, also geotagging a photo. I personally don't use geocaches, that you can find in this menu.

Tracks

The last menu is the main one of this mountain bike GPS App. Here you manage the start of the GPS signal, the recording of a new track, the multitrack and the GPS settings (GPS fix accuracy, coupling with an external GPS, NMEA correction of the geoid...).

Downloading the maps

Install offline maps directly from the device

This operation can be realized with Openandromaps cartography. In order to install the maps open the website on whatever browser, then look for the download page (for example this is the page for Europe). Click on the "+" near the country/area of interest. A button Install on Oruxmaps will appear. The map will be downloaded and installed: keep in mind that maps are heavy (Italy is currently 650 MB), so use a capable MicroSD card (4/8 GB at least) and set the download from Oruxmaps on it (from version 6.0 this feature is automatic, but check anyway in Global Settings > Maps that the Folder where the maps are stored is external SD).

Install offline maps from a PC

To install maps on Oruxmaps from a PC you'll have to connect your device to it. Download the maps of your interest, for example from 4Umaps. In this case, you only need to download the .zip file, unzip it with specific software (WinRAR or Winzip on Windows) and load the folder on the external SD card of your device dedicated to Oruxmaps maps. If you want to install also maps from openandromaps connected to a PC, you find an exhaustive guide in English on this page. 

Following a GPS track

Recording a GPS track

Recording a GPS track with the App Oruxmaps is pretty easy: once started, activate the GPS reception on your device settings through Tracks > Start GPS and before leaving, always from the Tracks menu, select Start Rec. Now your track will be recorded and down on the screen, you'll be able to see the Dashboard with some information about your MTB track (see picture below). If you want to mark a Waypoint or a Photo Waypoint, you can do it by pressing the right button, while at the end of your trip you'll have to remember to stop the track recording (always from the Track menu) and deactivate the GPS.